Education Commons^™

A Delphi Study Of The Characteristics Of School Counselor Leaders Who Have Overcome Adversity, Anita Shirley

Dissertations

Purpose: This Delphi study aimed to identify essential qualities school counselor leaders need to navigate role confusion, drawing from Maxwell’s (2021) Leading in Tough Times strategies. The Delphi panel identified the following strategies: connecting their roles to the organization’s vision or big picture, promoting their roles through organizational teamwork, and making good choices or strategic organizational decisions which would assist them in meeting and exceeding their professional school counseling standards.

Methodology: A mixed methods Delphi multivariable research design was utilized to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. This approach aimed to gather consensus from 20 current or former school counselors …

Social Justice Informed School Counseling: A Conceptual Model For Promoting Academic Achievement And Equity Among Dual-Enrolled African American Students, Sylvester Hanner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To promote college enrollment, high schools may offer students the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment programs. Students who gain college credit while earning a high school diploma may be more likely to graduate college on time and at a lower cost (College Board, 2017). Despite the benefits of dual enrollment, African American students lack equitable access to dual enrollment programs. Additionally, when they are afforded access to participate in dual enrollment courses, they have a lower academic success rate when compared to White students (CCRC Fink, 2017).

This study provides insight into concepts related to African American students’ opinions, …

An Examination Of Chronic Absenteeism And The Impacts On Student Success, Rachel Pini

Culminating Experience Projects

Research shows that students who are chronically absent are less likely to graduate and have poorer academic achievement among other issues. Chronically absent students may struggle with attendance for a variety of reasons, and thus individualized interventions are the most effective when dealing with this issue. School counselors can provide school staff with resources to learn to deal with chronically absent students, to monitor attendance progress, and to form positive relationships with these students in order to improve the school’s climate. This project is a ready-to-use plan for school counselors to share with other educators in order to create a …

How And Why School Counselors Use Twitter: A Phenomenological Study, Danielle R. Schultz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School counselors are often isolated in their role because of the unique nature of their job. Lack of connection, lack of relevant professional development, role ambiguity, high stress, high student-to-school counselor ratios, and lack of professional connections are all contributors to school counselor burnout. School counselors use Twitter, a social media tool, for a variety of purposes. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of school counselors who use Twitter to illuminate how and why school counselors use Twitter. This study found that school counselors see the purpose of their Twitter use as professional advocacy, professional connection, and validation. …

The Experiences Of School Counselors Providing Virtual Services During Covid-19: A Phenomenological Investigation, Allison Kathryn Worth

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

School counselors are trained in providing academic, career, and social/emotional support to K-12 students. In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic took the world of K-12 education by surprise, forcing school counselors to deliver a virtual school counseling program with little to no time for preparation. School counselors were faced with meeting the seemingly ever-changing needs of K-12 students as social, political, and health concerns evolved throughout the pandemic. Although schools have since begun to reopen their doors, the effects of Covid-19 are far from over. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of United States (U.S.) public …

Trauma-Informed Care: An Elementary Perspective, Alexandria Hutchison

Culminating Experience Projects

Trauma affects a significant portion of the elementary student population and hinders students' academic achievement, social wellbeing, and emotional health. In fact, almost forty percent of students in the United States have been exposed to a traumatic stressor in their lives (Brunzell et al., 2016). There are numerous effects associated with trauma. Teachers serve as the first line of mental health professionals to support these children; therefore, it is essential that they receive proper preparation in trauma-informed care and classroom sup- ports. This project includes an in-service training program for elementary teachers and a set of classroom lessons that support …

Experiences Of Urban School Counselors: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Jennifer A. Meador

Dissertations

Urban School Counselors (USC) are continuously making decisions, prioritizing responsibilities, and acting in ways that best serve the needs of students, while up against complex factors and challenges (Dye, 2014). Though research has explored critical factors and provided conceptual understanding of the school counselor role, few studies have offered specific ways USCs actually implement and navigate their role in its full context (Dye, 2014; Lee, 2005; Mitcham et al., 2009). Thus, this study differed from other empirical literature in that it aimed to understand USCs holistic experiences, rather than focusing solely on one aspect of their role (e.g., leadership activities). …

Acculturative Stress Counseling With Immigrant High School Students, Identity Development, And School Belonging, Tony Yang

Counselor Education Capstones

The literature review investigates how acculturative stress relates to the ethnic identity development and feelings of school belonging of immigrant high school students and how school counselors can use this information to facilitate acculturative stress focused counseling to support student needs and development. The literature review first synthesizes information on acculturative stress, experiences of immigrant high school students, and suggestions for acculturative stress focused counseling to explore how school counselors can approach the topic of acculturative stress with their immigrant high school population. Specifically, the literature review explores the ethnic identity development of immigrant high school students and the role …

Novice Professional School Counselor Development: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Supports And Resources, Lynn M. O'Brien

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Novice School Counselors face many challenges during their first years in the profession and may be unaware of the supports and resources that are available. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of novice professional school counselors to shed light on reported supports and resources that assist novice school counselors in their professional development. For this study, eight novice professional school counselors participated, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Each participant interview was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four themes emerged through the data analysis: (a) sources of influence, (b) coping with adversity, (c) sense of …

Village Folk: Exploring The Female Black School Counselor's Perception Of Role Confusion And Burnout In Urban Schools In South Louisiana, Christianne Leah Ricard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study examined female Black school counselor’s perceptions regarding their role when working with students – specifically Black students. More so, this study looked at cultural influence on female Black school counselors’ thoughts and feelings relative to role confusion and burnout. Black Feminist Thought and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs served as the theoretical framework that guided this study. In consideration for cultural differences, female Black school counselor’s perceptions can be used to further explain the phenomenon of role confusion and burnout.

More than 10 invitations to participate, interviews were conducted with five female Black school counselors. The research questions …

School Psychologists And School Counselors’ Perceptions Of Preparation Received For The Provision Of School-Based Mental Health Services, Sherika Mckenzie

Education (PhD) Dissertations

School psychologists and school counselors are increasingly playing an essential role in the provision of school-based mental health services (SBMHS). This is especially true in California. Unfortunately, there are a few studies that have examined how California school psychologists and school counselors perceive their training to provide SBMHS, how they perceive their role in providing these services, and what they regard as their needs for professional development. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which California school psychologists and school counselors believe that their formal pre-service education and later in-service professional experiences have prepared them to …

The Lived Experiences Of Professional School Counselors Who Have Implemented Trauma-Informed Practices, Sharon A. Hansen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFor nearly 4 decades, trauma-informed care has been the focus of numerous scholarly studies in a variety of contextual settings. While the focus of most research in education has been on how school staff might implement trauma-informed practices, little research exists that supports the understanding of the role of the professional school counselor (PSC) in the implementation of trauma-informed care. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine how 9 PSCs experienced the implementation process of trauma-informed care within their school. This study used purposive and snowball sampling in a semistructured interview format to tease out themes related …

The Psychometric Properties Of The School Counseling Internship Competency Scale, Melanie Ann Burgess

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselor education programs aim to adequately train competent pre-service counselors to fulfill a myriad of roles and responsibilities associated with their specialty area. In accordance with professional organizations, gatekeeping is an ethical responsibility of counselor educators and supervisors to protect the welfare of clients and the health of the counseling profession through ongoing evaluation of pre-service counselors. Presently, no standardized evaluation tool exists to assess school counseling interns comprehensively, attending to school counseling competencies, dispositions, roles, and responsibilities. The purpose of the study is to attend to the gap in literature through the creation and validation of The School Counseling …

School Counselors' Lived Experiences Supporting Students With Mental Health Concerns, Linda F. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health in schools is a growing concern for many school counselors, educators and communities. School counselors are in key roles in the school setting to support students with mental health concerns. This research was done to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of school counselors supporting students with mental health diagnoses. This hermeneutic phenomenology research used n=4 participants school counselors and each has worked in their field for over 6 years. Additionally, each participant worked in the same school building for a minimum of 3 years or more. Semi structured interviews were used to collect …

The Impact Of A Culturally Responsive Intervention On Perceived Career Barriers, Ethnic Identity, Student Motivation And Engagement, And Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Minority Females, Marsha L. Rutledge

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of a culturally responsive intervention on perceived career barriers, ethnic identity, student motivation and engagement, and career decision making self-efficacy of middle school minority females. The author analyzed data from the Female Leadership Academy for Minority Excellence (FLAME) program at a local rural middle school. Data was collected from 34 Black female middle school students who participated in the program. The study was a repeated measures quasi-experimental, quantitative single group pre-test, mid-test, and post-test design. According to results from a series of repeated measures ANOVAs, significant differences were found between pre-group, mid-group, and post-group scores. …

The Impact Of Mental Health Issues On Academic Achievement In High School Students, Patricia Lea Sutherland

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

An adolescent’s time in school is not merely academic; they are developing socially, physically, and emotionally. Prior research has demonstrated a correlation between a student’s poor academic performance and his/her need for emotional and mental health support. This research project sought to answer the following research questions: 1) Do mental health services in a high school setting help facilitate students’ academic achievement? and 2) Does a focus on mental health issues improve overall health and well-being in high school students? Participants for this study are 10 staff members (including teachers, administrators, counselors, and others) of a high school in San …

The School Counselor Experience: Understanding Variables That Create The Alignment Between The Current School Counselor Role And The Activities Outlined By American School Counselor Association, Candace Marie Williams

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This study investigated the alignment between the school counselor's role as actualized in schools and as outlined by the American School Counselor Association. The study examined preservice school counselor training, and current school counselor practices to identify barriers that challenge the counselor's ability to meet the needs of the whole child. The study answered four questions: 1) If perceived discrepancies exist between actual school counselor roles and ASCA crafted activities, what are the discrepancies? 2) How do the discrepancies between actual school counselor roles and ASCA job activities happen? 3) How do school counselor duties and time spent align with …

Experiences Of Professional School Counselors With Children Of Incarcerated Parents: A Case Study, Emily Courtney Brown

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the experiences of professional school counselors (PSCs) with children of incarcerated parents (CIP). The study addressed three research questions: In what ways do PSCs conceptualize the needs of CIP? In what ways do PSCs work with CIP? and How do PSCs experience barriers in their work with CIP?

An instrumental case study design (Stake, 1995) was used to consider the experiences of PSCs in a single school district in a Southeastern state. Data sources included interviews with fifteen PSCs, observation of PSC professional development, and document review of policies and …

Perceptions Of Arkansas School Counselors Regarding The Barriers Of Implementing The Asca National Model, Keri Ann Rathbun

Theses and Dissertations from 2017

Counselors are an important part of our schools and student development. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) there are three domains of development in which school counselors have received specialized training: academic development, career development, and social/emotional development (ASCA, 2012). These domains, along with ASCA’s four themes (leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change) make up the ASCA National Model framework for school counseling programs (ASCA, 2012). However, many counseling programs in the state of Arkansas do not implement this model as part of their program. This study investigated the lack of implementation of the ASCA model in Arkansas …

Training The Whole Counselor: Qualitative Analyses Of Professional School Counselor Training In Central Virginia, Jason W. Fleshman

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The profession of school counseling is a dynamic one that has endured the evolving American educational landscape for over 100 years. This changing landscape has contributed to a sense of role confusion for professional school counselors in the United States. With much variation among states, school divisions, and even schools within the same division regarding the appropriate role of the professional school counselor, the research attempted to determine professional school counselor perceptions of their division-level and building-level training for their ASCA-defined inappropriate responsibilities in four school divisions in central Virginia. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, the research studied the lived …

Small Group Book Clubs For Urban Adolescent Girls Of Color: A School Counseling Intervention, Star L. Zetocha

Award Winners

Research shows that urban adolescent girls of color lack safe spaces to explore issues of identity and improve self-esteem. Counseling interventions that encourage ethnic identity exploration have been shown to increase self-esteem, and a deeper understanding of one’s ethnic identity has been shown to serve as a protective factor against microaggressions and other forms of discrimination. School counselors should foster identity development as a component of the comprehensive school counseling program. Book clubs are an effective means to foster identity and selfesteem development in urban adolescent girls. This project is a guide to be used by urban high school counselors …

A Study Exploring Elementary School Counselor’S Experience Of Self-Efficacy, Bonni Alice Behrend

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School Counselors are vital to a healthy school system. However, due to the multifaceted nature of the work, the role of an elementary school counselor can be challenging to define. This increases the likelihood for role ambiguity in the workplace which can lead to a lowered sense of efficacy. Because not much research exists on the internalized process of efficacy with elementary school counselors, the purpose of this study was to explore how elementary school counselors manifest self-efficacy in the workplace. Findings suggest that the efficacy of the elementary school counselors interviewed was primarily based on the quality of the …

A Metaevaluation Of School Counseling Program Evaluations, Saeed Mohammed Almueed

Dissertations

School counseling programs have been recognized as an educational component that ultimately benefits student achievement at most developmental stages. Comprehensive school counseling programs are executed in alliance with a specific school counseling model, such as the Comprehensive Developmental Guidance model, or more recently, The American School Counselor Association National Model (ASCA, 2003, 2005, 2012). Although the school counseling literature reports positive outcomes associated with comprehensive school counseling programs, there are still challenges in their implementation and evaluation. Program evaluation as stressed in The ASCA National Model is to confirm the effectiveness and value of these programs and interventions. Yet, the …

The Experiences Of School Counselors Who Integrate Yoga Into A Comprehensive School Counseling Program: A Phenomenological Approach, Julia V. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the experiences of school counselors who implement yoga into a comprehensive school counseling program. Over the past decade, yoga has gained popularity as a prevention and intervention tool in public school settings. Prior to this study, the role of the school counselor in this process has not been explored. This study investigated the lived experiences of 10 school counselors who integrate yoga into a comprehensive school counseling program. Through data analysis, five significant themes and subsequent subthemes emerged: 1) intentionality (personal experiences with yoga impacts professional intentions, yoga intentionally tied …

School Counselors Lived Experience Of A Rampage School Shooting, Carleton H. Brown

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Minimal research has been conducted to examine school counselors’ lived experiences of rampage school shootings. The purpose of this research is to increase school counselors’ knowledge and skills in responding effectively to such a crisis. A single-case qualitative dissertation study was completed at a rampage school shooting site, a middle school, and the immediate surrounding area in Bono, AR, located in the northeast part of Arkansas. School counselors’ decisions, perceived expertness, and lessons learned were investigated. Data collected included relevant research literature (including comparison research), archival records, direct observation, media reports, and interviews. Participants interviewed were individuals who lived through …

A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Bullying In The Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Vanessa Cristina Cantu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this paper was to describe the study concerning special education students in middle school who were bullied. Many students in the special education program are being bullied, whether it is due to their disabilities or other factors (Mishna, 2003; Rose, Espelage, & Monda-Amaya, 2009; Coloroso, 2008; Christensen, Fraynt, Neece, & Baker, 2012). While several quantitative studies have been conducted addressing this worldwide phenomenon, few qualitative studies have been performed. A phenomenological approach allowed the participants to share their own experiences with bullying. Twenty-five students from several middle schools (6th, 7th, 8th grades) in a city in the …

A Before-School Counselor Intervention That Promotes Peer Relational Skills And Influences Prosocial Behavior, Jennifer Rogers

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

The purpose of this dissertation was to understand the student experience and perception of change after participating in a before-school counselor intervention focused on learning prosocial behaviors and developing peer relational skills. This evaluation included both how students experienced the program and if they perceived any change in themselves after participating in the program. Qualitative methods are often used in evaluations because they tell the program's story by capturing and communicating the participant's stories (Patton, 2003, p. 2). The purpose of this type of method was to illuminate the process and outcomes of a program. The intent of qualitative findings …

Effects Of The Student Success Skill Program On Feelings Of Connectedness, Parent-Child Relationship, And Success Skill Engagement In Middle School Students, Phyllis Hannah Bowers

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

The author of the current study examined the effects of the Student Success Skills (SSS) program on middle school students' perceptions of connectedness, parent-child relationship, and engagement in success skills. The sample included 41 predominantly Hispanic seventh grade students from an impoverished community in the rural southwest. The author used a paired-samples t-test to determine the effects of the SSS program on connectedness, parent-child relationship, and success skill engagement. Overall, students reported significantly decreased perceptions of connectedness and success skill engagement. A rationale for the students' results reflects the context of current educational climate, sex factors, and ethnic considerations. Based …

Suicide Postvention Plans: Are Schools Prepared To Adjust To The New Normal, Wendi Aghily

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This project involves the review of suicide postvention plans across school districts in California. The goal is to identify which elements are meet the recommendation, address the recommendations or do not include the recommendations for best practices in suicide postvention. This has been done by analyzing the plans across five components: preparation, identification and support for immediate needs, triage, identification and support for long term needs and a return to a new normal. Consideration was given to the format in which the plans were developed: websites, school safety plans, emergency operations plans, crisis response plans and suicide response plans. Through …

School Counselor Advocacy With Lgbt Students: A Qualitative Study Of High School Counselor Experiences, Maria E. Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations

In recent years, advocacy has become a centerpiece of the school counseling profession, (American School Counseling Association (ASCA), 2005; Field, 2004). Nevertheless, there exists a dearth of empirical research on school counselor advocacy in general and virtually none as it relates to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students specifically. To begin addressing this gap in the literature, the purpose of this qualitative dissertation study was to examine the experiences of high school counselors in the southeastern United States who have served as advocates for and with LGBT students across identity groups, with a specific focus on race and class. …