Psychopedagogue and psychologist: differences and characteristics

One of the most frequently asked questions in psychology consultations is related to the doubts that parents face when raising their children. Most of them do not require therapy, but simply a professional response that mitigates the parents’ uncertainty. In these cases, we find that Many parents do not know exactly which professional to contact, whether a psychologist, a pediatrician or a psychopedagogue.

Most parents usually go to a pediatrician to rule out, but possibly it makes more sense to go to a specialist child psychologist. Others, however, go to school for help and find that the psychologist is usually more focused on the training and development problems of the children. And, in the centers that have it, the figure of the psychopedagogue.

Many people continue to confuse the work of a psychologist with that of a psychopedagogue. It is true that in some aspects the line of work that separates both professions is very fine, but even so we are talking about very different professions. Where these two disciplines most unite is in the academic framework, where they usually work side by side, complementing each other and combining different competencies to solve possible problems in the teaching-learning processes.

Both disciplines study the human being and their ultimate objective is intervention, which partly explains the difficulties we encounter when differentiating them. Throughout this article we will list the main differences and similarities of these professions how linked they have been since their beginnings. In fact, in the composition of the two words we can find the same morpheme: “psycho“.

The main difference between psychology and psychopedagogy is that, psychology has a broader vision that involves all aspects of life, while Psychopedagogy pays specific attention to the learning process.

Professional skills in different work areas

The psychopedagogue acts at different points, such as guidance and psychopedagogical intervention.. Fields in which a set of knowledge, methodologies and theoretical principles come into play that enable the execution of preventive, corrective or support actions, from multiple models, areas and principles, addressing various contexts.

Within the various areas of psychopedagogical interventionthe orientation is located in teaching-learning processes, which has focused attention on the acquisition of learning techniques and strategies and the development of metacognitive and motivation strategies. In this approach to the different profiles of the professions, we will try to clarify the differentiated guidelines and objectives that the different disciplines have (Palacio, López and Nieto, 2006).

As for the professional skills, The psychopedagogue acts by preventing, detecting and treating problems related to learning, regardless of the age of the affected person. In addition, it works with educational programs and different techniques to facilitate the teaching process.

On the other hand, the psychologist is a professional oriented towards a more global and at the same time specific knowledge of the person. Its powers are very broad, even if we limit ourselves exclusively to the educational field.: They range from the management of emotions and thoughts to the management of interpersonal relationships.

Main differences between the profile of a psychologist and a psychopedagogue

The professional profiles of these two disciplines have common aspects but also differentiators. Specifically, the work of the educational psychologist focuses on learning, underlying processes and behaviors. However, there are exceptions of experts in this discipline who work within companies to improve the quality of life of organizations and employees.

The work of the educational psychologist It is also closely related to the integrationsupport for children and adolescents with difficulties and monitoring of minors who live in troubled homes.

One of the tasks that the psychologist addresses in these areas is the detection of abnormal or conflictive behaviors. in children, establishing the treatment and guidelines to follow for its correction. In the event that they affect areas of personality, the support of medication or joint work with a psychiatrist may also be required.

In the school environment, the main function of the psychopedagogue is intervention in the orientation practice using specific strategies to achieve specific results. There are two basic models in psychopoedagogical intervention; the clinical model and the consultation model.

Psychologists, for their part, deal with more areas such as affectivity; the evolutionary stages of human development, behavior, personality, vocation, work and social phenomena. Instead, The psychopedagogue specializes, As we have already seen, in a person’s learning processes throughout their life.

If our problem is specific to the educational field, it would be more convenient to use the professional help of a psychopedagogue, but If the problem expands to our psychological processes, it would be more appropriate to turn to a psychologist.

Bibliographic references

Bravo, V. (2009). Educational psychology, psychopedagogy and special education.

Castro Solano, A. (2004). The professional skills of the psychologist and the needs of professional profiles in different work areas. Interdisciplinary, 21(2), 117-152.

Manzanares Moya, A. (2004). Competencies for the psychopedagogue: an integrative vision of the spaces of action in the professional family of education. Bordón: Revista de Orientación Pedagógica, 56(2), 289-302.

Palacio, CR, López, GCH, & Nieto, L. Á. R. (2006). What is psychopedagogical intervention: definition, principles and components. The Ágora USB Medellín-Colombia, 6(2), 215-226.

Pérez Solís, M. (2011). Can an educational psychologist play the role of an educational psychologist? Professionalization versus professional intrusion. Study psychol.(Campinas), 28(1), 3-13.

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