Exploring school counselor-principal collaboration, self-efficacy, and school climate: A comprehensive review of literature

Abstract

School counselors and principals have many shared responsibilities within PK-12 schools to better meet students’ social/emotional, academic, and career and college readiness needs. School counselor-principal collaboration can promote the success of PK-12 students, staff, and the overall school environment. Within the area of school counselor-principal collaboration, more research is needed regarding the implementation of collaboration methods between the two professions at pre-service levels. Due to this need, we conducted an extensive literature review to examine the developments and outcomes of school counselor-principal collaboration. Based on the review of 33 articles, the following themes emerged within the literature. These themes focus on increased individual and group self-efficacy of school counselors and administrators, the importance of school counselor-principal collaboration at the pre-service level, the assignment of non-counseling duties resulting in school counselor burnout, the need for self-advocacy of school counselors, and the relationship of positive school climate and school counselor-principal collaboration.