Work

Perceptions of Homeschooled Students among U.S. Adult Populations: Implications for School Psychologists

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Though homeschooled students comprise more than 2 million of all U.S. grade-school students, little research exists on how they are viewed by the general U.S. population, which has implications for their interactions with public school personnel, including school psychologists. Two studies assessed potential stereotypes. Study 1 participants ( N = 182) listed terms associated with a homeschooled student. As predicted, negative topic groupings emerged, including being awkward and sheltered; yet, positive topic groupings also emerged. Study 2 participants ( N = 249) read about a fictional student whose reasons for homeschooling were manipulated (religion, safety, parental dissatisfaction, no reason). Compared to a public-school condition, students in all homeschooled conditions were rated lower on positive social characteristics. Implications for school psychologists are discussed.

Source: Contemporary School Psychology

DOI: 10.1007/s40688-025-00541-y

Authors: Fiaba Zakarian, Nora A Murphy, Emily S Fisher

Institution: Loyola Marymount University

Language: English

Topic: Diverse Education Studies and Reforms

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,990