Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCP) are data driven programs utilized by school counselors to ensure the students they serve receive measurable benefits in academic, career, and personal/social development. The purpose of this study was to better understand if differences existed in the perceptions of graduates from school counseling programs accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and non-accredited programs regarding effective implementation of CSCP. This study is relevant to counselor educators, university administrators, and aspiring school counselors who are stakeholders in the decision to pursue CACREP accreditation or attend a CACREP accredited school counseling program. The theoretical foundation used to guide the study was competency based education (CBE), which emphasizes student competencies. Using a quantitative, contrasted groups design, the answers to 4 research questions were answered utilizing 132 school counselors who completed the School Counseling Program Implementation Survey (SCPIS). The participants' scores on the SCPIS were analyzed using a t test to compare the means of the 2 groups. The results indicated no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding their perception of effectively implementing CSCP (RQ1),being professionally oriented to CSCP (RQ2), providing school counseling services (RQ3), or using computerized data to accentuate their CSCP (RQ4). The social change implications for this study include imparting the importance of school counseling masters' level students receiving the knowledge and training to effectively implement a CSCP, regardless of the program's CACREP status.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The use of data by school counselors has grown increasingly important over the past few years, and has a prominent place in the American School Counselor Association's National Model for School Counseling Programs (ASCA, 2003). This study examines the effect and effectiveness of four variations of a workshop designed to improve school counselors' data use skills. The workshops were designed to vary along two dimensions; the amount of conceptual knowledge participants were exposed to, and the amount of a technology application participants were exposed to. The technology application, dubbed "EZAnalyze," was developed specifically for use in this study, as no suitable technology tools existed. The quantitative results of the study indicate that being exposed to technology did not have a statistically significant impact. The qualitative results indicate lack of time and knowledge were the most prominent barriers to applying what was learned during the workshop, and technology and access to useful data were the most prominent facilitators of data use. / 2031-01-02

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between demographic and occupational variables, the implementation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, and burnout in professional secondary school counselors. Participants in this study were professional secondary school counselors who were members of ASCA (n=494). All participants completed the Secondary School Counselor Demographic, Implementation of the ASCA National Model, and Burnout Survey that was designed to assess counselors’ perceptions and practices related to the level of implementation of the ASCA National Model and the degree of burnout. The instrument combined a researcher-developed questionnaire with the School Counseling Program Implementation Survey (SCPIS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rho correlations, and hierarchical multiple regression models were utilized for data analysis. The results of this study indicated that professional secondary school counselors had high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, yet also had high levels of personal accomplishment. In addition, results indicated that professional secondary school counselors believed they are making progress in implementing the ASCA National Model; however, the model is not fully implemented. An inverse, significant relationship was discovered between the level of implementation of the ASCA National Model and the degree of burnout.

The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional survey study was to compare school counselors’ and principals’ perceptions of the frequency with which school counselors perform activities that align with the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005) and those activities that do not, as measured by the School Counselor Activity Rating Scale (SCARS) (Scarborough, 2005). Results indicate that the school counselors and principals that participated in the study agreed that school counselors are spending most of their time engaged in activities that align with the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005). Significant differences (p < .05) appeared on 10 items in which five were related to counseling activities, primarily as they relate to small group counseling. Principals indicated their school counselors were conducting small group activities related to academic and substance abuse issues more frequently than the school counselors indicated. Other areas that showed significant differences (p < .05) between school counselors’ and principals’ responses included conducting classroom guidance lessons on substance abuse issues, consulting with school staff regarding students’ behavior, and such coordination activities as professional development and school counseling advisory teams. School counselors indicated they engaged in the non-counseling activity of substituting/covering classes more frequently than principals indicated (p = .032). Implications for school counselors, principals, and counselor education and education administration faculty are discussed.

This randomized, controlled study examined the effectiveness of two mentoring programs, child mentor relationship training (CMRT) and peer assistance and leadership (PAL®), on high school mentor empathic behaviors and child mentee behavior problems. Participants were 60 young, at-risk students (61.7% male; 38.3% Hispanic/Latino/a, 31.7% Caucasian, 21.7% African American, 8.3% biracial) and 30 high school students (53.3% male; 66.7% Caucasian, 26.7% Hispanic/Latino/a, 0.03% African American, 0.03% Asian). Mentors and mentees were randomly assigned to CMRT or PAL®, which was treatment as usual in the participating school district. Results from 2 (group) by 2 (time) repeated measures ANOVAs indicated compared to the PAL® treatment group over time, mentors in the CMRT group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in empathic behaviors with a large treatment effect, as rated by independent observers. Analysis revealed a moderate treatment effect with CMRT group mentee behavior problems, but the difference was not statistically significant between treatment groups over time. Further analysis revealed the CMRT group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in behavior problems from pre- to post-test with a very large treatment effect. Overall, findings support CMRT as a promising school-based intervention for at-risk young children that potentially increases school counselor efficiency.