Paradigm compatibility within school consultation: Offering insight into consultee resistance

In the context of school-based collaboration and consultation, this conceptual article considers the question, "What if there is no such thing as consultee resistance?" Rather, we propose that "resistance" is a matter of paradigmatic incompatibility between consultants (e.g., school psychologists) and consultees (e.g., teachers). To address this question, three commonly cited paradigms (positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory) are reviewed, including the subsumed notions of ontology (assumptions about reality), epistemology (assumptions about knowledge), and axiology (assumptions about values). Specific examples tied to consultative problem solving, communication, and relationship development are provided with consideration given to consequences of paradigmatic incompatibility and compatibility. The role of paradigmatic self-awareness is raised, with relevance highlighted for consultation training, practice, and research.