Can a research map help organizing interdisciplinary studies of relation between medical disorders and school performance? A framework for development of pediatric school psychology

Abstract

School psychologists try to prepare ideal conditions for students in order to learn better because education is the most important tool in achieving sustainable development in human societies. Pediatric school psychology is a new area of interest concerned with the impacts of medical disorders on the students' school performance and education. This area, previously known as educational medicine, focuses on medical aspects of school psychology.
Pediatric school psychology includes pediatric medical concept and psychology and education. According to this fact, developing a conceptual model to integrate these concepts, organize previous studies, translate them into protocols and guidelines and understand its pitfalls for further studies is necessary. The present research map aims to clarify the process through which the guidelines and protocols needed for evaluating, diagnosis and management of the illnesses affecting learning, education and school performance. The present roadmap highlights the diseases believed to affect learning and school performance based on previous studies. The resulted array would show different aspects of learning influenced by the disorder, paving the way for further studies based on which policymakers would detect the gaps and develop clinical guidelines. In other words, the roadmap not only provides a map for further studies in this field but also helps translate research into practice.