Psychological Clinics in Connecticut
Helen W. Bechtel, Assistant, Division of Special Education and Standards, Connecticut State Board of Education
Clinics for the purpose of administering psychological and psychiatric examinations were organized in the State of Connecticut in September, 1927. Owing to the necessary routine of beginning the work, actual administration under clinical conditions was delayed until January, 1928. These clinics are controlled by the State Board of Education and are under the direct supervision of its Division of Special Education and Standards and in cooperation with the local school superintendents or state supervising agents. In January, 1928, eight clinics were opened, one in each of the following places: Danbury, Hartford, Meriden, New Britain,* New Haven, Norwalk, Stratford, Willimantic.
In September, 1928, eleven additional clinics were opened: Canaan, Madison, Norwich, Pomfret, Stamford, Suffield, Tolland, Torrington, Wallingford, Waterbury, Winsted.
Psychological examinations have been administered as they are now in clinics in Connecticut since 1920 but the work was not coordinated and the services of a psychiatrist were not obtainable. The psychologist traveled to wherever there was need for one, two or more examinations, whenever requests came in. By having the local agencies bring the cases to a central location, the actual service accomplished has been increased many times with approximately the same expenditure of time and money. At this writing there are two certified psychologists in charge of the clinics; either conducts the examinations, diagnoses and recommends. In addition there is available a part-time psychometrist who examines and a psychologist who diagnoses and recommends. When the examining psychologist finds that the results indicate a need for a psychiatric examination, this is arranged through the clinic. This arrangement is necessary because the services of the psychiatrist are available only part of the time. Physical examinations are usually requested by the local school physician. The local school nurses have been most cooperative, not only in transporting cases to the clinics, but also in devoting hours of time, often their own, to follow-up work. “While the diagnoses are most important, and while the follow-up work is dependent upon the recommendations, still it is the follow-up work which is by far the most important part. The degree of cooperation between the teacher and the parents, or any other agency touching the individual, is a vital factor. The measures taken after the examinations are made determine the future of the individual. The value of preventive work in school and at home and the meeting of the needs of the individual in school, at work, or at home can only be handled by some local and highly interested agency. To date the school, including teacher, supervisor or superintendent, nurse and physician, has handled this phase of the work adequately.
What Are the Purposes of the Clinics?
To give to every community the advantages of psychological examinations and in specific cases of psychiatric examinations for purposes of:
1. Making recommendations for improving teaching in cases where local agencies seem to be unable to make adequate diagnosis and recommendation. This applies more to the employment of faulty teaching methods or failure to adapt methods to the ability of the pupil. 2. Securing better grading of all pupils,?bright, average, or dull. 3. Admission to special classes or to state institutions, removal from, or prevention of transfer to either. 4. Granting of employment certificates in special cases. A special case is one who is over fourteen years of age and who, because of mental inferiority, fails to meet the sixth grade requirements according to the state employment law. 5. Exclusion from school because of gross mental defect or inability to profit by school instruction. 6. Diagnoses and recommendations for treatment for those showing neurotic or psychotic traits. What Agencies Have Requested This Service? 1. Schools?public and private?requests from the superintendent, supervising agent, principal, teacher or nurse for? a. Behavior problems. b. Children who seem unable to learn. c. Exclusion from school. d. Better school adjustment. e. Continued education in secondary school. 2. Orphanage and charitable organizations for? a. Placement for adoption. b. Transfer to other institutions. 3. Bureau of social service of Mansfield State Training School and Hospital. a. Psychological examination is required for all under consideration for admission to the institution. 4. County Temporary Homes for? a. Grade placement in school. b. Release from further school attendance. 5. Bureau of Child Welfare for? a. Home placements. b. Transfer to other schools or institutions. 6. State attendance agents for? Work permits. 7. Parents for? a. Behavior problems. b. Continued education or type of education needed. What Constitutes a Psychological Examination1? 1. Obtaining the confidence of the examinee so that he will be at ease and co-operate with the examiner. 2. Obtaining the examinee’s best effort in the tests administered. 3. Obtaining a reliable measure of the capacity to learn through the administration of standardized scales: a. Verbal scales?Stanford-Binet. b. Non-verbal?Pintner-Patterson Performance Scale. c. Other tests?according to need. 4. Making a keen, impersonal observation in: a. The examinee’s attitudes toward school, home or individuals b. Types of habits?work, health, safety and social. c. Emotional stability or instability. d. Special talent and interest. 5. Noting the physical condition: a. General condition. b. Size. c. Teeth and tongue. d. Hair?texture. 32 THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC e. Nails?texture and shape. f. Hands?shape and coordination. 6. Noting the personal appearance: a. Personal hygiene. b. Clothing. 7. Making an analysis on the basis of: a. Test results. b. History. c. School record. d. Other reports. e. Observations. 8. Making recommendations?as a result of a careful analysis, what is the best treatment or care for this individual now and for the future: a. In teaching methods. b. In home care or treatment. c. In placement in school, institutions or hospitals. d. Supervision by one of the school agencies or any other welfare agency. e. Making of further examinations: i. Physical?medical or dental. ii. Psychiatric. What Types Have Been Brought to the Clinic? 1. All degrees of mentality: I.Q. range 27 to 153. 2. Behavior problems: a. Failure to adjust to school life. b. Won’t mind. c. Lying or stealing. 3. Glandular cases: a. Thyroid?absence or excess. b. Thyroid?adrenal. c. Pituitary. 4. Epileptics: a. Grand Mai. b. Petit Mai. 5. Neurotics : a. Complexes. b. Conflicts. 6. Psychotics: a. Dementia Praecox. b. Post-encephalitis.
Approximately 975 individuals have been examined in the state clinics since January, 1928. Many of these were referred for complete medical examinations and some for psychiatric. In addition to this number 1064 have also had psychological examinations. This latter number was a part of special survey work.
What Is the Future of These Clinics?
The plan of this Division is to enlarge the work: 1. To give regular psychiatric treatment to those in need. This would mean the full-time service of a psychiatrist. 2. To add another psychologist, certainly a psychometrist, as the number of individuals brought to the clinics increases. 3. To conduct better follow-up work through a local agency, the school nurse or public health nurse being preferred. 4. To obtain reports as to the results obtained and the disposition of cases. This is the means of checking on the quality of service being rendered.
This whole scheme depends upon the Legislature. As matters stand now, the work will continue for the next two years but it will not be possible to increase the service. When the Legislature sees the values of this type of preventive and remedial work, and is generous enough to appropriate the necessary funds, then and only then will it be possible for the Psychological Clinics of Connecticut to expand.
Disclaimer
The historical material in this project falls into one of three categories for clearances and permissions:
Material currently under copyright, made available with a Creative Commons license chosen by the publisher.
Material that is in the public domain
Material identified by the Welcome Trust as an Orphan Work, made available with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
While we are in the process of adding metadata to the articles, please check the article at its original source for specific copyrights.