Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

Supporting Every Student: Optimizing School-Based Mental Health Services For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Sarah K. Eggleston

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at considerably greater risk of developing mental health problems compared with the general population; however, their needs are less likely to be identified, and they often face barriers to accessing quality mental health care. School-based mental health professionals (SBMHPs) are uniquely positioned to support students within their natural learning environments, where many common barriers to service provision have been removed. The present study examined the current state of practice among SBMHPs in Virginia in identifying and supporting the needs of students with ID, as well as SBMHPs’ training experiences. An online cross-sectional, mixed-methods survey …

Exploring School Counselors’ Use Of Community Cultural Wealth To Support Latine Students’ Stem Aspirations: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach, Valerie Leija, Eunice Lerma, Javier Cavazos Vela

Human Development and School Services Faculty Publications

Despite growing diversity across many professions, Latine individuals remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce. School counselors are uniquely positioned to help eliminate these disparities by empowering Latine students to pursue STEM career pathways. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how school counselors capitalize on Latine students’ community cultural wealth to support them in pursuing postsecondary STEM opportunities. We conducted 50-90-minute interviews with eight school counselors from South Texas to explore their lived experiences supporting Latine students with STEM aspirations. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The following themes emerged: (a) linguistically responsive practices, (b) …

The Role Of Perceived Academic And Peer Support In Mitigating Imposter Syndrome Among Adhd Students, Eden Morley Dr

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in higher education is associated with significant executive functioning deficits and performance inconsistencies. These challenges, alongside heightened rejection sensitivity, may predispose students to the Imposter Phenomenon (IP)—the persistent belief that one’s success is undeserved. While social and academic supports are known to buffer psychological distress, their specific role in mitigating IP within the ADHD student population remains under-researched.

Objectives: This study investigated the severity of IP among undergraduate students with ADHD and examined the protective roles of Perceived Social Support (PSS) and Perceived Academic Support (PAS), while exploring gender as a potential moderator.

Methodology: A cross-sectional …

Fractured Focus: Understanding Stress In Second-Year Radiologic Science Students Across Alabama, Kelsi Clotfelter

Honors Theses

Higher education is a period of rapid transition and growing responsibility, where stress often becomes a routine part of students’ lives. In health professional programs, the combined demands of intensive coursework and clinical training can intensify emotional strain and negatively affect overall well-being. Radiography students experience uniquely high levels of academic, clinical, and emotional stress due to the simultaneous demands of didactic coursework, competency-based clinical training, and high-stakes professional expectations. A cross-sectional mixed-methods study was employed to evaluate the prevalence, sources, and perceived impact of stress among second-year radiography students across multiple Alabama institutions with the goal of identifying strategies …

Examining The Relationship Between Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices And School-Level Chronic Absenteeism In Maine Secondary Schools, Tina Nightingale

Dissertations

School safety practices can influence students' perceptions of safety, emotional well-being, and engagement in the educational environment; however, limited research has examined whether trauma-informed safety drill practices are associated with measurable educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study was to examine the relationship between trauma-informed safety drill practices and school-level chronic absenteeism in Maine middle and high schools. Guided by trauma-informed care, adolescent neurodevelopment, and Protection Motivation Theory, the study investigated whether higher levels of trauma-informed implementation of safety drills, as measured by the Trauma-Informed Safety Drill Practices Index (TISDPI), were associated with lower rates of chronic …

Freshman Student Sleep And Academic Stress Levels: An Empirical Study For Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Julia M. Cortese

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

Receiving an adequate amount of sleep is essential for academic success as it prepares the brain each day for the workload ahead. Sleep deprivation is associated with negative cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes that may affect academic performance. Currently, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) does not have any form of sleep education or awareness for first-year, first-semester students, which leaves them susceptible to a cycle of sleep deprivation, academic underperformance, and stress. This study examines the relationship between sleep habits and academic stress among first-semester, first-year students of Fall 2023 at ERAU. This empirical study used a mixed-methods survey with eighteen …

Navigating The Cocoon: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Mothers’ Experiences Of Seeking Diagnosis And Services For Children With Disabilities In Insular Rural American Samoa, Elizabeth Cutrer, Ocean K. Akau, Lorena Seu, Isabel Medina Hull, G. E. Kawika Allen, Ofa H. Kanuch, Cameron W. H. Hee, Melia Fonoimoana Garrett

Faculty Publications

This study examines how mothers raising children with disabilities in American Samoa experience the processes of seeking diagnosis, navigating special education, and advocating for services within an insular rural context. American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. territory located 2600 miles from Hawaiʻi with a population under 50,000, represents a case of what we term insular rurality—a condition in which the structural disadvantages of rurality are intensified by oceanic isolation, territorial governance, and colonial history. Data were collected through three focus groups with fifteen mothers whose children hold a range of disability diagnoses, with a card sort activity at the outset of …

Intrusive Advising Practices And Community College Credential Attainment In Rural Students, Leslie Reeder

College of Education

This qualitative narrative study addressed the persistent problem of lower postsecondary completion rates among rural students, particularly first-generation students, whose lower educational attainment contributes to economic challenges and diminished quality of life in rural communities. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study examined first-generation rural students’ perceptions of their experiences with secondary and postsecondary advisors and the impact of intrusive advising on postsecondary credential attainment. The study explored how students described advising experiences and how intrusive advising influenced persistence and credential completion. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with first-generation rural students and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes …

Relationships Matter: External Factors Influence High School Completion Among Black Young Adults, L. Blair Simmons, Shawn Ct Jones, Sepideh S. Soheilian, Chelsea D. Williams

Journal of Youth Development

To identify whether and how contextual (i.e., spiritual, educational, and cultural contexts) and relational (i.e., physical and psychological caregiving) resilience influence high school completion among Black young adults, the team conducted logistic regression and moderation analyses. The interaction between contextual resilience and relational resilience revealed that at higher levels of relational resilience, increased contextual resilience is associated with an increased likelihood of high school completion. Importantly, the findings also suggest that at lower levels of relational resilience, increased contextual resilience is associated with a decreased likelihood of high school completion among Black young adults. Themes emerging from this study highlight …

Beyond Shutdown: Why Punitive Policies Fail Students With Oppositional Defiant Behaviors And What Alternative Schools Should Do Instead, Mark Barrett

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

Punitive shutdown policies at therapeutic alternative schools often do not reduce class avoidance among students with oppositional defiant behaviors. This synthesis examines why these policies do not work and proposes evidence-based alternatives. I draw on research in exclusionary discipline, Collaborative and Proactive Solutions, Self-Determination Theory, and function-based intervention, as well as my daily experience as a behavioral teacher. I argue that punitive approaches fail because they misunderstand what drives oppositional behavior. Deterrence assumes students avoid class to escape work and will return if the consequences are harsh enough. In reality, students with oppositional defiant disorder are mainly motivated by resisting …

Layers Of Representation: A Multidimensional Book Analysis, Mariah Pfundheller, Nikki Logan, Amy E. Lein, Sydney Bueno

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This study evaluates how educators interpret the Multidimensional Framework for Inclusive Literature (MDFIL), a tool for evaluating and selecting multicultural literature for their classrooms. Participants self-identified as current, former/retired, or student teachers, or as undergraduates pursuing a teaching license at the time of the survey. Incorporating multicultural literature into educational settings has a positive impact on children's development. Multicultural literature fosters feelings of acceptance, cultural awareness, and empathy among students. By exposing children to diverse cultural perspectives, multicultural literature not only enhances their understanding of their own identities but also cultivates a greater appreciation of others' experiences. The benefits of …

Reclamando Corazón Y Voz: Latinas Speak Their Truth Through Plática As Resistance In California Community College Learning Disabilities Assessments, Maricela Becerra

Dissertations

Although California Community Colleges (CCCs) offer learning disability (LD) assessments to determine eligibility for academic accommodations, for Latina students navigating converging forces of race, gender, language, citizenship, and ableism, these assessments often surface unspoken histories of harm. This study advanced Chicana feminista DisCrit (CFDC), extending disability critical race theory through Chicana spirituality and cultural intuition to examine possibilities when an educadora situates assessments in a plática grounded in consideración—respectful, relational, and unhurried care.

Rooted in Chicana feminist pláticas methodology and authored from the positionality of a disabled Latina scholar–practitioner, this qualitative decolonial dissertation explored how Latina students reflected on …

Cultivating Healing: Understanding Pinay Adolescent Social And Emotional Well-Being, Dylan R. Francisco

Doctoral Dissertations

The Filipina/x/o American community is the third largest Asian American ethnic community in the United States (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2023). Among the population, adolescents in particular have been identified as being in a pivotal period, as adolescence in the Asian American community marks the unfolding of identity development, in addition to increasing familial and societal pressures (Choi et al., 2018).  Existing research has identified Filipina/x/o American adolescents in particular to have higher rates of smoking, alcohol use, teen births, depressive rates, and thoughts about suicide. Despite these growing concerns, limited studies have been conducted on this specific ethnic community …

The Academic Workplace Climate Measure: A New Instrument To Measure Counselor Education Faculty Climate, Ryan Holliman, Ryan D. Foster, Pedro Blanco

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Research indicates that between 32% and 62% of faculty in higher education have experienced some form of incivility (Cassell, 2011; Fox, 2010; Heffernan & Bosetti, 2020; Hollis, 2012; Keashly & Neuman, 2008; McKay et al., 2008). Incivility among faculty can be associated with declining health, decreased faculty retention, diminished self-esteem, and lowered psychological well-being (McClendon et al., 2021; Miner et al., 2012; Raskauskas & Skrabec, 2011). Although counselor educators are presumably experts in effective communication and conflict negotiation, anecdotal reports of conflict in counselor education departments are frequent. This study developed an instrument called the Academic Workplace Climate Measure. In …

Analyzing Outcome Research In Aca Counseling Journals: A Content Analysis, Lisa Rickman, Marangelie Velez, Serene Hasan, Elizabeth Lugo, Sejal Barden

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

To assess the current state of evidence-based practices within counseling and counselor education, researchers conducted a comprehensive content analysis of outcome research published in counseling journals. Using quantitative methods to examine publication trends and frequency, the study reviewed 5,266 articles across 21 journals over a ten-year span (2013–2023), identifying 405 outcome studies for inclusion. Findings revealed a substantial gap in outcome research within professional counseling, particularly with respect to methodological diversity and representation of diverse populations. The authors emphasize the need for counselor educators and practitioners to prioritize outcome research to enhance clinical effectiveness and strengthen the profession. Furthermore, the …

Negotiating Professional Identity Development Across Contexts: A Collaborative Autoethnography, Clark D. Ausloos, Rebecca J. Vannest, Hayley Ostlund

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This collaborative autoethnography (CAE) explores how two counselor educators and one doctoral student navigate professional identity formation across three intersecting contexts: school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and counselor education. Through critical reflection and collaborative analysis of focus-group data and individual reflections, we identify four themes: Career Flexibility & Adaptability, Identity Formation in Supportive and Restrictive Systems, Role Strain & Stigma, and Values-Driven Practices. Implications call for counselor education programs and higher education systems to embrace multiplicity, non-linear careers, redefine mentorship structures for doctoral students and faculty, and revise promotion criteria to value relationality, and creative, student- and community-engaged …

Predicting Counseling Student Well-Being: The Role Of Faculty And Stress, Kendall G. Woods, Elizabeth K. N. Harper, Michell L. Temple

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Approximately one-third of Americans live in areas with limited access to mental health services, with only one mental health provider for every 350 people (Health Resources and Services Administration [HRSA], 2024; Reinert & Nguyen, 2022). The shortage of mental health providers persists as the need for services grows, a challenge compounded by the 40-60% attrition rate among counseling trainees (Chrzanowski, 2018). Improving counseling program completion is essential to address the mental health workforce shortage. While previous research has emphasized the importance of faculty support for graduate students (Estrada et al, 2019), little research has examined how faculty-student interactions and academic …

An Equity-Based And Culturally Responsive Bill Of Rights For Early Childhood Students Of Color With Exceptionalities, Evette Simmons-Reed, Michelle Frazier Trotman Scott, Gloria Tardash, Mildred Boveda, Donna Y. Ford

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) disabled children, exposing critical gaps in access, services and support. systemic inconsistencies in implementation, training, and funding, remain barriers limit opportunities for CLD students to benefit, despite the aims of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA). To address these inequities, this manuscript proposes an expanded and updated Culturally Responsive Equity-Based Bill of Rights for EI and ECSE. Building upon Ford and colleagues' (2018) work, this revised document extends protections to children aged zero to five, emphasizing …

Guest Editor's Introduction: Methodological Innovations For Advancing Early Childhood Educational And Psychological Research, Anthony Mangino Ph.D.

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The goal of this special issue is to provide you, the inquisitive reader and developmental scientist, with some of the methodological tools to aid in augmenting your analytic capacity.

Boosting Psychological Well-Being In One Session: A Rapid Counseling Approach To Digital Detox And Music Therapy, Aryobimo Oentarto

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

The rapid acceleration of technology has trapped modern youth in a digital connectivity paradox, where constant social media exposure triggers cognitive distortions and maladaptive behaviors that erode psychological well-being. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Rapid Counseling approach integrated with Single-Session Music Therapy (RC-SSMT) in enhancing the psychological well-being of youth by breaking the cycle of digital addiction. Using a pre-test and post-test experimental design, the study focused on six youths (aged 15–17) at Church "X" in Jakarta who were identified as having low psychological well-being. The intervention combined a mandatory digital detox as a behavioral task with music …