School-based Counseling Research Articles

Strain in Caring for Youths Meeting Diagnosis for Disruptive Behavior Disorders

The present study investigated hypotheses focusing on the relationship between youths with disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) and caregiver strain. Furthermore, analyses explored whether the relationship between youths with DBDs and caregiver strain depended on the amount of service use in three separate settings (outpatient, school-based, and inpatient). Participants were high-risk youths from the Patterns of Care study who were randomly sampled from one of five public sectors of care. Findings supported hypotheses linking caregiver strain to individuals caring for youths meeting diagnosis for DBDs. Furthermore, the relationship between youths with DBDs and caregiver strain varied depending on the amount of inpatient service use, but the relationship did not differ across levels of outpatient and school-based counseling service use. These findings suggest the importance of addressing caregiver strain when developing treatment plans for youths with DBDs.

Effective Predictive Parenting for Positive Academic Performance in Children: Implications for Professional Counselling

The quality of training a parent gives to his child at home goes a long way in determining his academic performance at school. Predictive parenting promotes intellectual curiosity, motivation and the desire to achieve academic excellence. This paper highlights the concepts of parenting, predictive parenting and academic performance of children, tips on effective predictive parenting such as setting objectives for the family, instituting effective parent-child communication and building harmony in the home. It equally highlights the role of professional counselling in helping parents adopt predictive parenting in families through the use of proactive counselling strategies such as school-Based family counselling, behaviour modification, parents fora and others. The paper recommends among other things that efforts should be intensified by governmental and non-governmental organizations to give adequate information to parents on predictive parenting that leads to positive academic performance in children. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n8p75

Lest We Forget: Lessons Learned in Ireland Following Budget 2012

School-based guidance and counselling provision suffered significantly in the austerity measures announced as part of the Irish national Budget for 2012. Through an exploration of the rapid changes visited on the profession in Ireland, this article offers a timely warning to international colleagues to engage in a service-wide reflective process regarding the nature, organisation, and efficacy of their role and profession. Highlighted are the central issues that have been experienced in Ireland, with suggestions for how colleagues could reflect upon the robustness of the profession in their own country.

School-Based Counselling and Psychological Services in Macao

This article presents an overview of the current status of school-based counselling and psychological services for school-going children and their families in Macao. Adopting an eco-systemic model, some recent articles on school-based counselling and psychological services in Southeast Asian countries are reviewed, and similar data from individuals currently providing such services in Macao are examined. Findings show that there is a great need for psychological services, particularly with regard to consultation and intervention for children, youths, and their families, in Macao's fast-changing society. The needs are discussed within a systems framework, and recommendations for the development of the field and the need for additional school-based child and family interventions in the region are discussed.

Capitalizing on Behavioral and Emotional Strengths of Alternative High School Students Through Group Counseling to Promote Mindfulness Skills

Alternative high school students are at risk of negative social, emotional, and academic outcomes. School-based group counseling is often implemented by mental health professionals to address these risk factors. This study explores benefits of school-based group counseling utilizing mindfulness meditation to help students improve functioning. Participants included 28 students (12 boys and 16 girls). In a pre-post test design, student strengths showed significant increases following the intervention, as evidenced by scores on the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale–2/Teacher Rating Scale. Findings indicate that application of mindfulness meditation in a school-based counseling group has the potential to help students enhance strengths.

School-based counseling using systematic feedback: A cohort study evaluating outcomes and predictors of change

The outcomes of school-based counseling incorporating the Partners for Change Outcome Monitoring System (PCOMS) were evaluated using a cohort design, with multilevel modeling to identify predictors of change. Participants were 288 7–11 year olds experiencing social, emotional or behavioral difficulties. The intervention was associated with significant reductions in psychological distress, with a pre-post effect size (d) of 1.49 on the primary outcome measure and 88.7% clinical improvement. Greater improvements were found for disabled children, older children, and where CBT methods were used. The findings provide support for the use of systematic feedback in therapy with children.

THE PROVISION OF COUNSELING SERVICES AMONG SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS: AN EXPLORATION OF TRAINING, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND PERCEPTIONS

Although school psychologists have been called on in recent literature to assume a leadership role in a collective and comprehensive effort to address students’ mental health needs, many practitioners find that their professional roles continue to be narrowly focused on special education-related activities, such as individualized assessment and eligibility determination. Meanwhile, students’ mental health needs have never been greater. The current study focused specifically on school psychologists’ provision of school-based counseling, an activity that has been shown to be effective in addressing students’ mental health needs, as well as a professional role that many practitioners have expressed a desire to expand. A national sample of school psychologists responded to an Internet survey related to various aspects of counseling service delivery, including their training to provide services, current practices, and perceptions of the importance for school psychologists to assume the responsibility of providing school-based counseling services.

Therapeutic outcomes in the Welsh Government's school‐based counselling strategy: An evaluation

AbstractAims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of school‐based counselling, as delivered in the Welsh Government's School‐based Counselling Strategy, for reducing psychological distress in young people aged 11–18. Method: The study used a quantitative cohort design, comparing levels of distress on either the Young Person's CORE (YP‐CORE) or the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) from baseline to endpoint. Data were available on 3613 episodes of counselling, across 42 datasets. Meta‐analytical procedures were used to identify the mean effect size and predictors of outcomes. Results: Within each dataset, counselling was associated with significant reductions in psychological distress, with a mean effect size (d) of 0.93(95% CI = 0.89–0.97) using a fixed effects model and 1.09 (95% CI = 0.97–1.22) using a random effects model. Datasets using the YP‐CORE had larger effect sizes than those using the SDQ, and datasets with more complete response rates had lower outcomes than those with poorer response rates. Conclusion: The results confirm that school‐based counselling, as delivered in the UK, is associated with significant reductions in psychological distress, comparable to adult counselling and psychotherapy services.

A holistic approach to school-based counselling and guidance services in Malaysia

Counselling services in Malaysian schools were first established in 1963. Several local research studies investigated the provision of school counselling services and revealed that they were unpopular among students and could be further improved. School-aged children are still under the care of their family, mostly their parents, and many authors suggested that the school counselling services for these children are inseparable from their family and community. A qualitative research study was conducted with 12 secondary school counsellors from Perak state in Malaysia. The counsellors were interviewed to explore their experiences of working in the existing counselling services system. The findings showed that there was a lack of collaboration among various educational stakeholders and the resources from the community were not utilized effectively. As a result of this study, a comprehensive integrative model for school counselling is proposed and discussed. Some possible challenges faced by counsellors and suggestions on ways to further improve counselling services within the Malaysian context are discussed.

Impact Evaluation of a School-based Counselling Intervention in Northern Ireland: Is it Effective for Pupils Who Have Been Bullied?

Bullying remains a significant issue in the lives of many children and young people at school and can have serious negative implications for emotional health and well-being in the short and longer term. This paper reports on an impact evaluation of the effectiveness of a school counselling intervention in promoting positive change in the peer relationships of pupils who have been bullied. Longitudinal data were collected from 202 pupils (mean age = 12.5, standard deviation = 2.3) using the self-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In total, 27.2% of referrals (55 pupils) to the intervention related to being bullied. Latent growth curve modelling confirmed that pupils who had been bullied scored significantly higher initial status scores (1.40, p <0.01) on the Peer problems subscale of the SDQ and experienced a significantly more rapid rate of decrease on this subscale (−0.25, p <0.01) with each successive session of school counselling compared with those pupils who had accessed the intervention for another reason. Results indicate that school counselling is an effective intervention in supporting pupils who have been bullied and should be a key component of an effective whole school approach aimed at addressing bullying. The implications for research and practice development are considered.

Psychological change in distressed young people who do not receive counselling: does improvement happen anyway?

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to explore self-healing processes in young people, and to develop an understanding of the effects of school-based counselling (SBC), by analysing changes in young people who did not receive this intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 young people on a waiting list for SBC. Participants experienced positive improvements in several domains, with change attributed mainly to their own actions, the support received from family and friends and the effects of the research. The results suggest that young people have a natural capacity to self-heal, and that some of the changes associated with SBC may be due to this self-righting process. Supporting this natural capacity may be an important element of therapeutic work with young people.

The impact of school-based counselling on young people's capacity to study and learn

ABSTRACT This article explores how school-based counselling might impact young people's capacity to study and learn. Previous research has indicated that counselling in schools has an indirect positive impact on academic achievement. A mixed methods approach, using a semi-structured qualitative interview and a brief rating scale, was employed with 21 young people who have been recipients of school-based counselling in the UK. The findings from the interviews were analysed thematically. All participants felt counselling had in some way benefited their studying and learning. Counselling was perceived by clients as positively impacting upon their academic achievement by improving their concentration, motivation to study and attend school, behaviour in class and relationships with teachers. The findings replicate evidence from previous research that school-based counselling indirectly benefits young people's capacity to study and learn.

Secondary school students' views of inhibiting factors in seeking counselling

ABSTRACT This study examines secondary school students' perceptions of inhibiting factors in seeking counselling. Responses to a questionnaire completed by 1346 secondary school students were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Exploratory factor analysis highlighted that within 21 pre-defined inhibiting factors, items loaded strongly on one component, ‘diffident’, suggesting that this is a main inhibiting factor. A second component, ‘self-reliant’, also emerged as a main inhibiting factor. Significant differences were found across gender, with female participants rating the pre-defined inhibitory factors higher than males on items relating to diffidence and self-reliance. The main inhibiting factors, ‘diffidence’ and ‘self-reliance’, warrant development into measures for future investigations into students' views of school-based counselling.

A comparative analysis of the attitudes of key stakeholder groups to the Welsh Government's school-based counselling strategy

ABSTRACT The success of schools' counselling services often depends on the support of various key stakeholder groups. This study reports on the attitudes of key stakeholders working within the Welsh Government school-based counselling strategy. Using a survey methodology, the opinions of local authority leads/service managers (n=25), school management (n=158) and school counsellors (n=106) were compared and contrasted. Questions related to the accessibility of services to pupils, the balance between confidentiality and safeguarding procedures, whether services are adequately resourced and the training and supervision available to counsellors. Results indicated a high level of agreement and overall satisfaction between groups. Areas of disagreement tended to be restricted to practical issues, such as resources and accommodation.

Teacher and counsellor perceptions of a school-based counselling service in South Wales

ABSTRACT This small-scale study, based in a semi-rural South Wales Local Authority, sought to explore how both school-based counsellors and link-teachers perceive their school-based counselling services. The research aimed to answer three research questions: 1) what are the perceived impacts of the service? 2) what are the perceived attributes of the service? and 3) what are the perceived barriers to and facilitators for an effective service? The research utilised a mixed-methods approach including the use of questionnaires, a focus group and interviews. Analysis consisted of descriptive statistical interpretation of the quantitative data and content analysis of qualitative data. Main findings concur with the literature, with the most frequently perceived impact to be on pupils’ mental health and emotional well-being. In conclusion, the current research contributes to the growing support for school-based counselling services. Further findings and implications are discussed.

School-based humanistic counseling for psychological distress in young people: Pilot randomized controlled trial

School-based humanistic counseling (SBHC) is a widely delivered intervention for psychological distress in young people, particularly in the UK. This study piloted a set of procedures for evaluating SBHC and obtaining indications of effect. Psychologically distressed young people (aged 13–16) were randomized to either 12 weeks of SBHC or a waiting list control. The primary outcome was psychological distress at the 12-week endpoint, as measured by the Young Person's CORE. Those allocated to counseling (n=16) showed significantly greater reductions in psychological distress than participants in the control group (n=17), with an effect size (ES) (g) of 1.14 on the primary outcome and a mean ES across all four outcome measures of 0.73 at endpoint. The findings indicate that SBHC may be an effective means of reducing psychological distress in young people.

Journal Digest

Journal Digest

Motivation as a predictor of outcomes in school‐based humanistic counselling

AbstractBackground: Recent years have seen a growth in the provision of counselling within UK secondary schools, and research indicates that it is associated with significant reductions in psychological distress. However, little is known about the moderators and mediators of positive therapeutic benefit. In the field of adult mental health, motivation has been found to be one of the strongest predictors of therapeutic outcomes, and it was hypothesised that this may also be a predictor of outcomes for young people in school‐based counselling services. Aims: To assess the relationship between young people's motivation for counselling and its effectiveness within a secondary school setting. Sample: Eighty‐one young people (12–17 years old) who attended school‐based humanistic counselling services in Scotland. Method: Clients completed a measure of motivation for counselling at the commencement of their therapeutic work and a measure of psychological wellbeing at the commencement and termination of counselling. Results: Motivation for counselling was not found to be significantly related to outcomes. Discussion: The results indicate that the association between motivation and outcomes may be weaker in young people as compared with adults. However, a number of design factors may also account for the non‐significant findings: insufficient participants, marginal reliability of the motivation measure and social desirability effects.

A thematic analysis of young people's experience of counselling in five secondary schools in the UK

AbstractAim: To investigate young people's views on the effects of school‐based counselling, and what they found helpful and unhelpful. Method: Eleven semi‐structured interviews were conducted and thematically analysed. Findings: Participants expressed predominantly positive views of school‐based counselling with changes in three main domains: emotional, interpersonal and behavioural. Participants viewed these changes as having had an important effect on their lives. The most commonly cited helpful aspects of counselling were related to talking or getting things out, and counsellor qualities. Conclusions: School‐based counselling is viewed positively by those who have experienced it, and appears to be an appropriate and valuable intervention for young people.

An evaluation of a school counselling service with direct links to Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) services

ABSTRACT An evaluation of a Scottish secondary school-based counselling service for students aged 11 to 18 is presented. Improvement in student emotional well-being was measured using the Young Persons Clinical Outcomes for Routine Evaluation (YP CORE) questionnaire and participant questionnaires which were developed for the study. Significant improvements were found, following counselling, for functioning, problems and well-being, with all three showing a large effect size. The counselling service was rated as helpful by the majority of the participating students, referrers and guidance staff. These findings are analysed with reference to the unique structure of this school counselling service with its governance framework integrated into the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) service.