School Counselors’ Intervention in Bias-Related Incidents Among Latino Students

Abstract

School counselors help foster student’s academic, social, and career development; yet, school counselors are often neglected in research on school climate and student safety. Framed by the theory of planned behavior, this study examined how 206 school counselors’ multicultural counseling competence, multicultural self-efficacy, and perceptions of Latino students’ experiences of the school environment (e.g., safety, bias-motivated bullying, discrimination, and harassment) were associated with intervention in bias-related incidents among Latino students. Findings indicated that school counselors’ multicultural knowledge competence was positively associated with self-reported intervention in bullying, discrimination, or harassment related to Latino ethnicity. Further, counselors’ perceptions of a more negative school climate for Latino students were associated with greater intervention in bias-based incidents. Implications for school counselors and school counselor educators are discussed.