The primary purpose of this study was to describe the administrative development of the Elementary School Guidance Program in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1973 to 1976. The secondary purpose was to present methods and procedures that could be used by school systems to implement and evaluate an elementary school guidance program. / Ed. D.

The problem of this study was to answer the question, of whether or not there is congruence between Texas elementary school counselors' and elementary principals' perceptions of the role of Texas elementary school counselors. Research questions were formulated to carry out the purpose of this study. A review of related literature revealed that only two studies of the role of the elementary school counselor had been conducted in Texas. Both studies polled only elementary school counselors; therefore, Texas elementary principals' perception of the role of the elementary counselor was unknown. Christian's Elementary Counselor Inventory (ECI) was the instrument used in this study. The ECI contains 60 items describing tasks likely to be part of the counselor's role. Respondents were asked to consider each task twice; once according to the ideal role (should this be part of the counselor's role?), and once according to the actual role (is the elementary school counselor actually performing this function?).

The problem of this study was to analyze the prevailing approaches to elementary school guidance in the United States.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Duquesne University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 81-90) and index.

"A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education." Title from PDF of title page (Georgia Southern University, viewed on May 6, 2010). Leon Spencer, major professor; Sharon Brooks, Barbara Mallory, committee members. Electronic version approved: December 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p.199-215).

The job satisfaction of elementary school counselors in Virginia was examined in this study. The entire population of 324 elementary school counselors was surveyed with a modified Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The following research questions were addressed: 1.) What are the levels of overall job satisfaction in elementary school counselors in Virginia? 2.) What degree of satisfaction do Virginia elementary school counselors express with subfactors of job satisfaction? 3.) For elementary school counselors in Virginia, what is the relation between overall job satisfaction and selected demographic variables/work characteristics? Data were also collected through use of an individual information form. Survey materials were mailed to 324 elementary school counselors with a response rate of 88.89% obtained. Of this total 273 of the surveys were usable for data analysis. / Ed. D.

Mental health problems can interfere with a child's ability to succeed in school (Hootman, Houck, & King, 2003) and ultimately increase the risk of family dysfunction, drug abuse, juvenile incarcerations, and school drop out (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). Because young children often lack the verbal skills needed to communicate anxieties or fears and because children naturally communicate through the use of play, elementary school counselors realize that play therapy is an appropriate alternative to talk therapy (Landreth, 2002). Although recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of play therapy with elementary school students suffering from conduct disorders (Cochran & Cochran, 1999), autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy (Johnson, McLeod, & Fall, 1997), post traumatic stress disorder (Shen & Sink, 2002), and children at risk (Post, 1999), no studies have examined the specifics of how elementary school counselors who utilize play therapy deliver it to their students. The purpose of this study was to examine the use, beliefs, perceived barriers, and methods of play therapy delivery by elementary school counselors. Additionally, this study examined the methods used to overcome barriers to implementing play therapy. While the elementary school counselors surveyed in this study seem to agree that play therapy is useful to their students, and an overwhelming majority use it (78.8%), roughly half had not received any formal play therapy training. Several barriers to implementing play therapy were identified including a lack of time, space, training, resources, and support and/or understanding from parents, teachers, or school administrators. Participants discussed the methods they use to overcome barriers, such as buying their own play therapy materials and educating faculty and parents about the positive effects of play therapy through the use of newsletters, brochures, and bulletin boards. Respondents used over 30 different play therapy techniques; the three most utilized techniques were drawing, board games, and role play. Implications for elementary school counselor practice and training were given, as well as implications for future research.