Expert Urges More Psych Training for School Teachers

by KYW's John Ostapkovich

The Upper Merion High School incident on Tuesday (see related story) prompts one local expert in psychology to note that more and more of the burden of spotting troubled kids falls on schools. 

Although in this case worrisome messages were reported by the recipient's familes, Temple University psychologist Frank Farley says parents, sometimes single or overworked, don't notice the warning signs. 

And Dr. Farley (above) says teachers -- interacting directly with the student, and seeing his or her interactions with others -- may need extra training to take on an extra role:

"It's very important for them to see if they have a troubled child in their room.  I call for much more psychological training for teachers, the psychology of emotions and human behavior, to recognize whether you might have a troubled child and then refer that child on to the school psychologist."

Farley -- a past president of the American Psychological Association -- says it looks as if everything was handled right in the Upper Merion situation but others have not been as prepared.