Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

The Personal And Professional Impact Of Covid-19 On School Counselors: An Exploratory Study., Taryn Akgul, Jessica Brown, Lisa Karch

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

School Counselors historically have faced multiple challenges that impact their lives personally and professionally. Due to numerous and competing demands, school counselors are likely to experience a plethora of stressors including role conflict, high student to school counselor ratios, minimal support, and increasing mental health needs of students. The COVID 19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges by changing and adding to the responsibilities of school counselors, reducing access to appropriate support systems, and increasing students’ needs for counseling services. This qualitative, exploratory study utilized phenomenological inquiry to examine the impact of these challenges on school counselors’ personal and professional lives. The …

Discord Between Egyptian Agriculture Students’ And Employers’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Various Skills In New Employees, Leah Thompson, J. Alex Pasternak, Ramjee Ghimire, D. Hashini Galhena Dissanayake, Nanda Joshi, Waleed Saleh, Paul Ebner

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Unemployment remains high among Egyptian university graduates. This study aimed to identify demographic attributes that influence student perceptions of the importance of employability skills, as well as to measure concordance between employers versus student perceptions of the importance of employability skills. Egyptian university agriculture students and private sector employers completed a survey where they assessed their perceived importance of 35 skills. A multivariate linear regression model was used to measure the influence of student demographics in decision-making and concordance between employers and students were compared using Cohen's weighted Kappa. Student location was the most influential demographic that determined perceptions of …

School Counselor Multicultural Counseling Competence Assessed By State School Counselor Licensure Examinations, Qi Shi, John Carey

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

This study is the first systematic examination of how school counselor multicultural counseling competence (MCC) is addressed in state licensure examinations of school counselors. Results offer preliminary support to the notion that state licensure examinations indeed address some important aspects of MCC as identified by Holcomb-McCoy (2004). Yet considerable variability exists across examinations in the percentage of content devoted to these commonly addressed areas. Quantitative content analysis shows there are several important aspects of school counselor MCC are not being tested in state examinations. Discussions and implications are provided.

The Critical Need For Peer Clinical Supervision Among School Counselors, Pamelia E. Brott, Lorraine Dekruyf, Jung H. Hyun, Christopher R. Lafever, Sarah Patterson-Mills, Mariama I. Cook Sandifer, Victoria Stone

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

The ongoing need for clinical supervision of practicing school counselors in the United States has reached a critical point. Given the acute mental health needs of children and adolescents, staggering caseloads, and pandemic repercussions, school counselors often receive insufficient clinical support. Clinical supervision is necessary to safeguard against burnout, promote ethical practice, and encourage continual skill development for school counselors worldwide. Unfortunately, there remains a lack of available clinical supervision, trained supervisors, and practice-based strategies for providing consistent quality supervision for post-master’s school counselors. The authors present a rationale for peer clinical supervision of practicing school counselors in the US …

School Counselor Educators’ Reactions To Changes In The Profession: Implications For Policy, Evaluation, And Preparation, Jennifer Betters-Bubon, Emily Goodman-Scott, Olamojiba Bamgbose

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

In this transcendental phenomenological study and related data analysis (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Moustakas), authors explored school counselor educators’ perceptions regarding recent changes in the profession. Through six focus groups, participants (N = 29) shared their experience, resulting in four themes: (a) range of reactions to changes in the field, (b) school counseling is less valued in the counseling profession, (c) inconsistent school counselor educator identity, and (d) ardent advocacy. Authors discuss implications for school counselor preparation, identity, policy, and advocacy within an ecological framework and the need for additional national and international research.

Key words: counselor education, …

Examining Arkansas' Freshman Gpas And Long-Term Outcomes, Sarah R. Morris, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Charlene A. Reid

Arkansas Education Reports

This study examines the Grade Point Averages (GPAs) of high school freshman in Arkansas and their relationship with later outcomes. Using de-identified student-level data from 2009-10 to 2018-19 from the Arkansas Department of Education, this research investigates trends in freshman GPAs, how these trends vary for different demographic and socioeconomic groups, and the relationship of freshman GPAs to high school graduation and college enrollment.

We follow seven cohorts of Arkansas first-time freshmen who were enrolled in twelfth grade four years later. Using regression analyses controlling only for student demographic characteristics, we find a one-point gain in freshman GPAs to be …

An Exploration Of Black Church Leaders' Intentions To Develop Critical Consciousness Among African-American Students, Taheesha Quarells

Dissertations

African-American students experience human capital opportunity and achievement gaps. Researchers have called for culturally relevant strategies to help close the gaps. The historic Black Church, a part of many African-American students’ culture and community, is a historic and current source of social capital for positive human capital development outcomes. Critical consciousness develops positive human capital outcomes, such as academic achievement, in African-American and other minority students. Much of the literature on critical consciousness is quantitative in nature and therefore does not include the intentions or the willingness of organizations to develop critical consciousness. Therefore, there is a need to understand …

Improving Academic Success: Creating A College Planning Resource For Students, Hannah Grunden

Honors Projects

Academic performance of students is a major concern for colleges, especially with the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Research has shown that active involvement, the development of self-regulation skills, and improved mental health all have a considerable impact on college students’ academic success. Colleges like Bowling Green State University need to consider how they can use these factors and leverage resources to improve student performance. In this project, a solution is proposed in the form of a college/personal planner which is directly based off research on early academic success. While further, more specific research is needed to fully understand the issue and …

Counselor Trainees’ Personal Growth Through Interpersonal Experiential Growth Groups: An Instrumental Case Study, Yanhong Liu, Peitao Zhu, Alonzo D. Turner

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Following the instrumental case study design, we explored 14 counselors-in-training’s (CITs) personal growth within their semester-long experiential growth groups (EGGs). The study illuminated CITs’ multifaceted growth within three categories of intrapersonal growth, interpersonal growth, and group cohesiveness. Participants’ intrapersonal and interpersonal growth were closely intertwined and mutually activating. Participants’ self-reflection, emotional awareness, self-other reflexivity, and their interpersonal communication and attitudes were found to encompass a continuum of activities ranging from being broad/generic to specific/action-oriented. Findings provided insights for group training and future research.

A Social Justice Recruitment And Retention Model For Diversifying School Counselor Education, Caroline Lopez-Perry, Malti Tuttle, Jung H. Hyun, Shanel Robinson

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

A social justice recruitment and retention model for BIPOC school counselors into counselor education doctoral programs is described. This article represents a call to action for counselor educators to examine their practices and policies for recruiting and retaining BIPOC school counselors in doctoral programs and the field of counselor education.

Transfer Student Success: Enrich The Lives Of Students Who Transfer To A University, Stephanie Castro

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is on improving the experiences of students who transfer from a community college to a university. Students need support before, during, and after they transfer to a university because transfer students make up a significant portion of the student population. Also, it is argued that a lack of support can negatively impact engagement and interest in the school. The primary stakeholder perspective chosen were first-generation transfer students, first-semester transfer students, and graduated transfer students because they have lived and gone through the process of transferring to a university. Three action options emerged from an …

Doers Not Dreamers: Supporting Un-Daca-Mented Students After College, Fatima Perez Murguia

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Thinking about life after college can be exciting. However, for some, it can be a scary and uncertain time. The focus issue addressed in this Capstone Project is on how to support undocumented college students better to prepare them for life after graduation. This is an important issue for undocumented college students because they are working hard to earn their degrees but cannot get a job in the fields they are prepared for. An evidence-based argument is made that investment should be made in the future of undocumented students, as they are well prepared and qualified to take on jobs …

Examining Arkansas' Ninth-Grade Gpas And Long-Term Outcomes, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee, Charlene A. Reid, Sarah R. Morris

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we examine Arkansas’ students’ ninth-grade GPAs and their relationship to high school graduation and college enrollment. We follow seven cohorts of Arkansas first-time freshmen who were still enrolled in twelfth grade four years later. We find ninth-grade GPAs strongly influence future academic successes. We suggest policies to help all freshmen succeed.

Assessing Bayesian Racism Scale: Measuring Endorsement Of Racial Stereotypes, Stacey Diane Arañez Litam, Richard S. Balkin

Faculty and Student Publications

Bayesian racism is the belief that it is rational to discriminate against people based on existing racial stereotypes. The presence of Bayesian racism is strongly associated with negative feelings about minoritized groups and the desire to maintain racially inequitable social hierarchies. A confirmatory factor analysis on the Bayesian Racism Scale (BRS) yielded a unidimensional measure for assessing prejudicial attitudes that endorse stereotypes based on racial and ethnic groups. Findings from the study have important implications for multicultural and social justice research.

School Counselors’ Lived Experiences In Supervision, Leigh Bagwell

Doctoral Dissertations

Supervision for practicing school counselors is integral to their professional growth and development (ASCA, 2019a). This is delivered through three modes of supervision as administrative, programmatic, and clinical with researchers identifying administrative as the most prevalent mode of supervision delivered as evaluation by school administrators (Perera-Diltz & Mason, 2012). However, school counselors have stated that they want access to programmatic and clinical supervision (Sandifer et al., 2019). Derived from a synthesis of the related literature, a Suite of Supervision (SoS) was proposed that integrated the three modes, identified appropriate supervisors, and provided focus areas for professional growth and development through …

Integrating International Graduate Students On Campus: The Perspectives Of Student Affairs Professionals And Staff, Rachal Etshim

Dissertations

International graduate students are a unique population that face specific challenges that affect their campus integration (Arthur, 2017; Burdett & Crossman, 2012; Sharma, 2019). The role of student affairs professionals and staff includes developing and integrating all students, including international graduate students, on-campus (Di Maria, 2012; Braskamp, 2011; Kuh, 2009; Wilcox, et al., 2005). However, many student affairs professionals and staff feel unprepared to serve or work with international graduate students (Brandenburg, 2016; Cierra, 2004; Di Maria, 2012; Yakaboski & Perozzi, 2018). There has been little empirical research conducted on student affairs professionals and staff members’ perspectives about their role …

Intragroup Marginalization Among Latinx Migrant Farmworker College Students, Annette Calvario Perales

Dissertations

The Latinx population is the fastest-growing racial minority group in the United States (U.S.) (Passel et al., 2014). There are nearly 2 million migrant families in the U.S. (Tippett, 2020). Most migrant families live below the poverty level, and children often provide significant supplemental income to that of their parents’ (Zalaquett et al., 2007). Many migrant families are faced with various challenges, such as secluded living conditions, financial instability, physical and mental health barriers, and educational barriers (Dreby, 2015; Thompson et al., 2002; BPHC, 1995). In addition, migrant students frequently find themselves in a dilemma between providing financial assistance to …

Interventions To Increase Prospective Teacher Candidates' Praxis Ii Content Exam Scores, Takara Hart

All Dissertations

Teacher shortages are a pervasive issue in South Carolina’s public schools. Some prospective teacher candidates have shown obstacles in meeting the minimum required Praxis II Content exam score. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and develop specific Praxis II Content exam interventions to improve scores for six prospective teacher candidates in South Carolina. All participants were trying to meet the licensure exam requirement for various alternative certification programs. Malcolm Knowles’ Andragogy Adult Learning Theory guided the study as a theoretical framework, and Lev Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Constructivism provided the conceptual frame. Descriptive coding and analysis, using Dedoose …

The Problematic Myth Of Student Affairs Attrition: A Regression Analysis, Myles Surrett

All Dissertations

In this study, I investigated a commonly held belief in the field of higher education student affairs. Scholars have claimed 50% of student affairs professionals leave the field within five years (Artale, 2019; Davis & Cooper, 2017; Dinise-Halter, 2017; Frank, 2013; Renn & Hodges, 2007; Silver & Jakeman, 2014). Many scholars situated this issue as a problem for which they have offered possible solutions (Artale, 2020; Berwick, 1992; Buchanan & Schupp; 2016; Dinise-Halter, 2017; Frank, 2013; Jo, 2008; Lawling et al., 1982; Lorden, 1998; Marshall et al., 2016; Mullen et al., 2018; Renn & Jessup-Anger, 2008; Rosser & Javinar, 2003; …

Teaching Healthy Communication Skills For College Students With Disabilities, Molly Mcshane

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For college students with disabilities, interpersonal communication can be difficult. There have not been sufficient supportive services for college students with disabilities when it comes to learning communication skills in a college environment. Without effective communication skills, college students with disabilities may face social barriers and fewer chances for personal connections, which may lead to social isolation. In order to address this issue, I planned to create a 2-hour lesson for members of the Student Awareness for Disability Empowerment club (S.A.D.E) at California State University, Monterey Bay.

Exploring The Effect Of Cte Coursework And Work Experience On Adolescent Career Readiness, Albion Sumrell

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Career readiness is an area of youth development that is often overlooked in secondary education. Preparing students for the professional world is especially important for high school students, who upon graduation, will have to decide to pursue postsecondary education or a career. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which involve teaching youth employable knowledge and skills, have been shown to assist students in transitioning more seamlessly from high school to college and careers. Work experiences, such as jobs and internships, have also been found to support adolescent career readiness. Currently, there is not a widely used quantitative measure for assessing …

The Critical Need For Peer Clinical Supervision Among School Counselors, Pamelia E. Brott, Lorraine Dekruyf, Jung H. Hyun, Christopher R. Lafever, Sarah Patterson-Mills, Miriama I. Cook Sandifer, Victoria Stone

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

The ongoing need for clinical supervision of practicing school counselors in the United States has reached a critical point. Given the acute mental health needs of children and adolescents, staggering caseloads, and pandemic repercussions, school counselors often receive insufficient clinical support. Clinical supervision is necessary to safeguard against burnout, promote ethical practice, and encourage continual skill development for school counselors worldwide. Unfortunately, there remains a lack of available clinical supervision, trained supervisors, and practice-based strategies for providing consistent quality supervision for post-master’s school counselors. The authors present a rationale for peer clinical supervision of practicing school counselors in the United …

Already Too Late, Abigail Logan

Honors College

Already Too Late (Dec. 2021), in its beginning stages, is a novel that explores the intricacies of trauma response within the context of creative writing that appeals to both older and younger readers alike. This thesis consists of a complete story outline, four well-established chapters, and a disquisition that examines my motivations, methodology, and the research related to the content of this project. The novel is a dual-perspective narrative that interweaves 17-year-old Avery Landon’s traumatic experiences with sexual assault with her father Marty’s overwhelming grief and his coming to terms with his failed parenting. When Avery is raped at a …

An Evaluation Of A School District’S Mental Health Services Program Designed To Ensure A Safe And Positive Learning Environment For All, Jasodra Suba

Dissertations

A key component to academic success is comprehensive mental health services for students. The intended purpose of this evaluation was to study the implementation of strength-based performance standards in one school district’s mental health training for all individuals preparing to work in a school-based environment. The context of my program evaluation was one large public school district in the United States operating in a state that mandates that each public school district implement a mental health services program. As part of this study, I examined the underlying concerns surrounding the large public school district’s implementation of evidence-based Mental Health Assistance …

Academic Resilience, Student Engagement, And Academic Achievement Among Black Male Undergraduates At Predominantly White Institutions, Henry C. Mccain Iii

Dissertations

The proportion of Black men enrolled in college is representative of the Black male population in the U.S. (Toldson, 2019). However, an investigation of the 2010 college entry cohort of Black men showed that only 34% graduate within six years (National Center for Education Statistics; NCES, 2019). The disparity in Black male graduation rate is clearer when compared to other races such as White men (61%), Hispanic men (50%), and Asian men (70%) (NCES, 2019). Within-group disparities also exist in that Black women graduate at a rate of 44% (NCES, 2019). Much of the literature on Black undergraduates has been …

A Soft Place To Land: The Importance Of Otherparenting At Pwis., Stephanie Renae Mayberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the importance of otherparenting performed by Black student affairs professionals at a predominantly White research-intensive institution in the mid-South. Otherparenting is a U.S. tradition that has West African roots in chattel slavery. Otherparenting is defined as those that assist blood mothers and fathers by sharing parenting responsibilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants across various functional units at the institution. The examination illustrated the commitment Black staff have in assisting Black students through the college campus rife with structural barriers, while also accounting for the level of taxation the commitment to otherparenting places on Black …

What Australian Students Say About Transition To Secondary School. Final Report, Shani Sniedze, Rachel Felgate, Elizabeth O'Grady, Sarah Buckley, Petra Lietz

Wellbeing

Life Education Australia's Being Healthy Being Active project involved the collection of student voice related to the concept of school transition and the move from primary to secondary school. Students from around Australia participated in 82 focus groups, or student forums, to discuss their own positive experiences, as well as perceived needs and challenges related to their move to secondary school. Section One of this report is a literature review and environmental scan on student transition from primary to secondary school. Section Two describes the methods used to design and administer the Student Forums. This includes a description of the …

A Different Kind Of Job Search: Post-Graduate Student Affairs Geographically Focused Searches, Michelle L. Boettcher

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

As student affairs graduate students finish their academic work and begin their job searches, they must navigate a number of competing priorities including position, title, work responsibilities, functional area, salary, benefits and other aspects of the position. For some graduates, the most important consideration is geographical location – they want to be close to family, partners, or located in specific communities. As a result, they often have to be very flexible on other work considerations. They also sometimes feel isolated in their searches and get messages from peers that they are not doing their searches in the “right” way. This …

The Challenges Faced By University Educators In Singapore When Referring Students To Counsellors: An Instrumental Case Study, Poh Yaip, Steven Ng, Yee Lin Chung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This study examines the difficulties faced by two university professors working in a public, autonomous university in Singapore, when referring students to counselling services. Educators typically observe how students interact and behave in class, and may refer students to counselling services. However, there is little research into how educators experience and view this role, particularly in higher education in Asia. Two university professors who had referred students to their university’s counselling centre took part in semi-structured interviews for the study. From these interviews, the study revealed educators can face a range of challenges in their referral role, such as lack …

"Trauma-Informed" Ideas In English Education: Discussing The Scientific Evidence Base And Exploring The Discursive And Practice Effects, Niamh Storey, Sally Neaum

International Journal of School Social Work

The UK has been slower to adopt "trauma-informed" ideas than the United States, and despite policies across the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, there remains no clear overarching strategy in English policy. Despite this, there is observable interest in adopting "trauma-informed" practices on a more localised level across England, but the range of approaches labelled as such is varied and disparate.

The scientific evidence-base for "trauma-informed" educational practices is discussed and the discursive effects of these ideas when accepted as a basis for practice are explored. Two different conceptualisations of social justice frame this discussion. We argue …