The principal investigator (PI) for this study analyzed mean scores on the National Counselor Examination (NCE) of students from CACREP accredited and non- CACREP accredited programs. Data was provided by the National Board of Certified Counselors, Inc., for a total of ten examination administrations across six years. The fourteen variables examined in the study consisted of the eight common-core knowledge domains identified in CACREP standards, the five counselor work behavior areas identified by NBCC via periodic job analysis of counseling practice, and one overall or total score on the NCE. NCE mean scores of students from CACREP accredited programs were higher than NCE mean scores of students from non-CACREP accredited programs on all variables across all ten NCE administrations. Data seem to indicate that students from CACREP accredited programs perform significantly better on the NCE than students from non-CACREP accredited programs, in all fourteen variables. Sample size was large, totaling 9707, so the PI calculated effect sizes using Cohen's d for each variable to aid interpretation of statistical significance. Five variables had large effect sizes of .70 or higher. The higher effect size statistics were associated with the counselor work behavior areas, with the highest effect size (.85) associated with the overall, or total, score on the NCE. Statistically significant results in the counselor work behavior areas, in the presence of large effect size statistics, may represent reasonably good support for CACREP accredited programs' superiority in developing overall counselor clinical skills and knowledge beyond simply content knowledge. Additionally, the large effect size of the Total Score variable might be interpreted to indicate that student knowledge gained from CACREP accredited programs is superior to student knowledge gained from non-CACREP accredited programs.

M.Ed. / The research in this qualitative study focuses on the role of the educational psychologist as consultant in Inclusive Education. The rationale for the investigation is derived from the changing and expanding role of the educational psychologist. This role has been implicated by the move from excluding learners who experience barriers to learning from mainstream schools, towards a policy of Inclusive Education. Inclusive Education aims at restructuring and transforming schools and curricula, in order to promote needs-driven, holistic, effective, community-based and quality service delivery. However, the implementation of Inclusive Education poses complex problems to those involved. Knowledge, skills and attitudes are required in which most teachers, parents as well as personnel at the education support services are not yet trained. This necessitates a comprehensive solution, such as collaborative consultation. The educational psychologist thus needs to reflect on her current role, and should change and expand her role to that of a consultant. The report of the study commences with a theory framework in which collaborative consultation is explicated. The nature of collaboration as a constructivist learning and problem solving process, in whole school development for Inclusive Education, is discussed. Thereafter collaborative consultation as an ecosystemic approach to, and reflective practice in whole school development, is discussed and illustrated. The chapter ends by a summary of the role, knowledge, skills and attitudes of the consultant in whole school development for Inclusive Education. The theory framework is followed by a chapter on the design of the qualitative study, substantiating the choice of format and methods of data collection and analyses. A rich and tightly woven description of the chronological course of the research process is provided, when examples of raw data and data analysis from the sketches and transcriptions of the focus group and individual interviews are presented.

The problem of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of two counseling procedures which were used with college students on academic probation. The functions of the problem were: 1. To determine whether there were any differences on selected variables among three groups of college students on academic probation who participated in individual counseling, in group guidance, or were given no formal counseling. 2. To determine the degree to which the relative effectiveness of group guidance, individual counseling, and no counseling was related to the scholastic aptitude of the students.

The problem of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a guidance-structured summer session for entering university freshmen. The performances of students entering this type of program were compared with those of students entering a traditional type of summer school. Inferences made relating to the contributions of a guidance-structured summer session to entering university freshmen were based on analyses of the following characteristics: (1) performance on standardized tests; (2) certain aspects relating to high school background; (3) academic achievement and retention at Texas A. and M. University; (4) fathers' attendance at Texas A. and M. University; and (5) fathers' occupations.

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of attitudinal-motivational counseling in conjunction with study skills training. However, it has not been clear whether group or individual counseling was most beneficial. This research attempted to evaluate the usefulness of peer counselors in group and individual counseling sessions. Using students voluntarily enrolled in a study skills program, it was demonstrated that all students improved in study habit scores. However, only individual-peer counseling was effective in changing academic attitudes (p < . 05), as compared to group-peer counseling, no-counseling, and no-treatment conditions. Grade-point-average change scores were not differentially effected by the treatment conditions.

This study evaluated the impact of the SANCA Lifestyle Programme on Grade 6 and 7 black learners in two Soweto schools. This was done with a view to investigate the appropriateness of the present SANCA Lifestyle Programme for black learners. A total of 260 learners participated in this study. The main thrust of the study was to investigate the impact of SANCA’s Lifestyle Programme on learners’ psychosocial functioning and understanding of alcohol and drugs before and after the implementation of the SANC A Lifestyle Programme. Information was collated from the following instruments: biographical questionnaire. Psychosocial Functioning Inventory for Primaiy School Children (PFI-PRIM-C), alcohol and drug assessment questionnaire and programme evaluation questionnaire. The Pre-test results revealed low self-image for the total sample on the PFI-PRIM-C which measures psychosocial functioning. The Post-test results revealed significant improvement in this area. The results showed significant differences between gender and age groups in the areas of psychosocial functioning status. In particular, there was also a significant difference between males and females with regard to states of anxiety (p<0.001). There was also a significant difference between the 10-13 year olds and 14-18 year old groups in levels of frustration (pO.OOl) on the PFI-PRIM-C. After the Lifestyle Programme significant improvements were achieved. A significant improvement was also found on the learners’ knowledge of alcohol and drugs in the post-test period. There was no significant age or sex differences on alcohol and dn;g assessment questionnaire both in the pre-test or post-test periods. The implications of the findings are that Lifestyle Programmes have the potential to be effective for black learners.

This meta-analysis investigated the practical significance of school counselor-led social emotional learning (SEL) interventions on outcomes for students in Grades 6–12. The sample includes 28 studies involving 3,794 middle and high school students. The treatment group was comprised of a total of 2,032 students, who received interventions led by a certified school counselor. The control/comparison groups were derived from a sample of 1,762 middle and high school students who did not receive the school counselor-led intervention. The meta-analysis included a diverse sample of students, with ethnicity reported as 589 (15.52%) African American, 52 (1.37%) Asian, 1,162 (30.63%) Hispanic, 1,267 (33.39%) Caucasian, 11 (0.28%) Native American, 21 (0.55%) Pacific Islander, and 177 (4.66%) Multi-racial/Other. Of the studies included in the meta-analysis, the ethnicities of 412 (18.86%) students were not reported. A total of 12 studies were conducted at the middle school level, 10 at the high school level, and 6 studies reported a mixed setting of Grades 6–12. The sample included almost equal representation of 1,883 (49.63%) males and 1,847 (48.68%) females, and the genders of 69 (1.82%) students were not reported. The overall unweighted Cohen’s d effect size (ES) of the school counselor-led interventions was .312 (95% CI [.173, .452]). The ES for overall cognitive outcomes (d = 0.380) was slightly larger than for overall effective role functions outcomes (d =0.377) and affective outcomes (d = 0.356). The smallest ES reported for overall variables was for behavioral outcomes (d = 0.228). The largest ES for a specific student outcome measure was found for standardized achievement test scores (d = 0.612) (Vernez & Zimmer, 2007). Moderator analyses were conducted and are explored in the results and discussion. The results address the current gap in school counseling outcome research by broadening future research directions for comprehensive school counseling programs (CSCP) to incorporate SEL initiatives aimed for middle and high school students. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Student Success Skills (SSS) classroom intervention on grade 5 African American students’ self-regulation, test anxiety and school attendance. This study analyzed pre-existing, non-identifiable student data collected by school counselors at 30 elementary schools in South Florida. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to determine differences in self-regulation, test anxiety, and school attendance between the students who participated in the SSS classroom intervention compared to those students who did not participate. Statistically significant differences were found between groups in all three factors and support the use of SSS classroom school counseling intervention with grade 5 African American students. Effect size estimates were reported for each of the measures. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Empowerment for those supporting the bereaved lies in understanding the processes by which meaning is constructed out of a loss. My concern is that models currently underpinning understanding and practice in grief recovery provide limited assistance to loss and grief practioners. These theories, based around set stages and tasks with pre-determined objectives, offer stereotypic "after the event" perspectives on the recovery process. This has value as background information, but in the extreme promotes a clinical, de-personalised approach to uderstanding and support. My experiences over more than a decade of working alongside the suicide-bereaved in particular, suggest that a more enlightened pathway lies with people and their stories. Working in an empathic dialogic relationship, with an emphasis on understanding rather than closure, is more appropriate in assisting those treading the very sensitive, very personal, bereavement path. Furthermore, the narrative grounded approach is more in tune with the processes involved; and more likely to lead to productive outcomes in both the short and long term.The presented model argues that bereavement recovery is a re-educative reconstruction process: trialogic, semiotic sign or symbol related; recognising significant personal autonomous control; genetically or organically activated and driven; dynamic and ongoing; and constructed out of the individual's socio-cultural knowledge base. The model further argues that recovery is best constructed in a climate of empathic understanding and genuine non-judgemental acceptance of the bereaved individual's current perceptual world. In expounding and supporting this model, the tradition of pragmatic educational philosophy has been found useful - in particular, relevant apects of the theories of Carl Rogers, John Dewey, Alfred Shutz and Charles Stanford Peirce.I contend that the proposed model may be applied to all forms of profound loss, however the main context for this research is a Bereaved-by-Suicide Support Group.

School counselors have potential to make significant gains in closing the achievement gap for all students as advocated for by the American School Counseling Association. School counseling is moving away from the no-model model of services delivery that places counselors at the whim of principals, parents and teachers who traditionally define counseling duties according to their needs. Instead, it is moving toward a school counseling framework advocated for by national and state organizations. A core concept of these frameworks is the use of evidence-based practices to meet the needs of all learners. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counseling practice developed to assist with resolution of ambivalence and behavior change. Researched throughout the world in a variety of settings from the health professions to prisons, the results show promise in MI for assisting with behavior change in both adult and adolescent populations. MI training is currently available to school counselors at conferences, school district trainings and through self-study. There is little research on the efficacy of MI and school counseling training and implementation. The purpose of this dissertation is to produce two manuscripts related to school counseling and MI. Using a concurrent multiple baseline design, this study focused on the impact of MI feedback and coaching supervision of school counseling graduate students (N=3) with previous beginning MI training in a two day workshop. The hypothesis stated that subsequent feedback and coaching supervision improved school counseling graduate the percentage of MI adherent behavior on the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI 3.1). The global rating scores increased with feedback and coaching supervision and the participants moved from levels of beginning MI competency to proficiency in their mean scores. Participants did not, however, increase the percentage of MI adherent behavior. These score began high and remained high throughout the 10 week duration of the research. Implications for this study include highlighting the importance of feedback and coaching supervision for school counseling graduate students wanting to increase beginning MI skills, and it marks the beginning of research on training and implementing MI in school counseling programs. / Graduation date: 2013