Career development is becoming a nationwide focus beginning in elementary schools for a variety of reasons. This is particularly true in Virginia as noted by Virginia’s College and Career Readiness Initiative published in September of 2010 by the Virginia Department of Education. Virginia’s Board of Education adopted the Virginia state school counseling standards in January of 2004 that specifically identified career development as an integral part of elementary school counseling (Virginia Board of Education, 2004). This study was conducted to identify what career development practices K-5 elementary school counselors reportedly conducted in the 2010-2011 school year, the extent counselors believed they were meeting Virginia elementary counseling standards, and if a relationship existed between counselor self-efficacy and specific career development practices. The researcher also measured if a relationship existed between counselor self-efficacy and the total number of career development activities each counselor conducted in the 2010-2011 school year. Virginia public elementary school counselors were emailed and asked to participate in an online survey that was comprised of a portion of The Florida School Counselors Survey 2000 (Osborn & Baggerly, 2004) and The School Counselor Self-efficacy Scale (SCSE) (Bodenhorn & Skaggs, 2005). Results indicated the activities conducted most often by counselors who reported meeting all state standards were: conducting classroom career exploration, using print materials, and using online career exploration programs. The career development practices showing a significant practical difference in means conducted by counselors with high self-efficacy scores included, conducted classroom career exploration, used online career exploration programs, informed parents of career development school counseling standards, and informed teachers of ways to incorporate career development into the classroom. No relationship was indicated between counselors conducting a certain number of career development practices and self-efficacy scores. Implications from the results may benefit counselor educators to determine if it is necessary to expand elementary career development instruction and preparation for future elementary school counselors. Future research in this area would be helpful on both the state and national levels to create a detailed list of expectations and means of accountability in meeting both state career development standards and ASCA career development standards. / Ph. D.

<p>Bullying can have serious consequences on everyone involved. Consequently it is important that school counselors are able to intervene. Thereby they need an unambiguous definition and knowledge about bullying that has been produced from research so they do not make mistakes that could lead to further damaging of the students. Thus the aim of this study was to examine how school counselors define bullying compared to the views held by scientists and students in secondary school. Through a review of previously done research the definitions of scientists and schoolchildren was summarized. To establish the school counselors’ definitions a qualitative interview based method was used. Data was collected by semi-structured interviews using an interview guide with open-ended questions. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by the method of phenomenological concentration of its meaning. By the theory of logic-in-use and reconstructed logic the definitions of school counselors’, pupils and researchers was compared. Results showed that school counselors hold similar definitions to scientists and children but differ in some aspects. The results also indicate that the school counselors mainly have created their definitions through former experiences and knowledge and not through science and they also seem to experience difficulties in identifying bullying situations.</p>

Bullying can have serious consequences on everyone involved. Consequently it is important that school counselors are able to intervene. Thereby they need an unambiguous definition and knowledge about bullying that has been produced from research so they do not make mistakes that could lead to further damaging of the students. Thus the aim of this study was to examine how school counselors define bullying compared to the views held by scientists and students in secondary school. Through a review of previously done research the definitions of scientists and schoolchildren was summarized. To establish the school counselors’ definitions a qualitative interview based method was used. Data was collected by semi-structured interviews using an interview guide with open-ended questions. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by the method of phenomenological concentration of its meaning. By the theory of logic-in-use and reconstructed logic the definitions of school counselors’, pupils and researchers was compared. Results showed that school counselors hold similar definitions to scientists and children but differ in some aspects. The results also indicate that the school counselors mainly have created their definitions through former experiences and knowledge and not through science and they also seem to experience difficulties in identifying bullying situations.

This explanatory mixed-methods policy analysis describes how school counselors' thoughts and attitudes contribute to the implementation fidelity of the Academic and Career Plan (ACP) policy in a suburban Virginia school division. A quantitative survey investigated counselor thoughts about the policy, implementation behaviors, and counselor ideas about equity issues related to providing college and career planning services to at risk students. Counselor interviews were conducted to provide deeper insight about the street level implementation practices and beliefs of counselors. Findings reveal that counselors place substantial value in the ACP policy and think the process is useful for connecting student interests and postsecondary goals to high school programs of study. Counselors implement the ACP policy with high fidelity because the policy incorporates counselor beliefs such as integrating the career pathway model into the course selection process. Counselors report spending more time assisting higher socioeconomic groups with college planning which results in less time for supporting at risk students. Findings indicate that counselors recognize the need at risk students have for additional support during postsecondary planning but are inhibited by the demands of higher socioeconomic groups. Finally, implications for school leaders related to improving counselor services to at risk students are discussed.

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.

Syftet med studien är att se om det skolkurativa arbetet influeras av empowerment, det vill säga, om skolkuratorerna arbetar utifrån att stärka elevernas egen kapacitet. För att finna svar har fyra skolkuratorer från två olika kommuner, som är verksamma från grundskola till gymnasienivå intervjuas. Tolkningsramen för analysen av det empiriska materialet utformades efter Adams tre dimensioner för empowermentbaserat socialt arbete. Resultaten visade på att skolkuratorerna hade kännedom om empowerment begreppet och även insikt i vad ett empowerment inriktat arbete bidrar till. Det framkom även att samtliga skolkuratorers arbetssätt innehöll drag av empowerment även om det inte var den uttalade arbetsmetoden och utförandet skilde sig. Studiens slutsats är således att det skolkurativa arbetet uttryckligen inte följer empowerment teori men att det återfinns i arbetssättet. Studien indikerar på att ett behov av vidare forskning kring empowermentbaserade arbetsmetoder och dess applicering inom det skolkurativa arbetet. / The purpose of the study is to see if the school counselors work is influenced by empowerment, that is, if the school counselors aim to strengthen the students' own capacity. Four school counselors from two different municipalities who work from elementary school through high school have been interviewed. The interpretation framework for the analysis of the empirical material was designed according to Adam's three dimensions for empowerment-based social work. The results showed that the school counselors were aware of the empowerment concept and had insight into what empowerment-oriented work contributes to. It also emerged that the work methods of all school counselors contained features of empowerment even though it was not the stated working method and the performance differed. The study concludes that the school counselors work does not explicitly follow empowerment theory but that it is found in the working method. The study indicates a need for further research on empowerment-based working methods and its application in school counseling.

Strong evidence exists that LGBTQ students are underserved and at high risk in schools. Only by increasing the knowledge, skills, and awareness of school counselors will they be able to act systematically and effectively address the needs of LGBTQ youth within the complex school environment. In order to design programs for school counselors that reflect their unique roles, it is necessary to learn more about their experiences in working with LGBTQ youth, ideas regarding training needs, as well as motivation and type of training that would be helpful. The goal of the presenters is to share the results of a nationwide study exploring the experiences and identified training needs of Professional School Counselors in working with LGBTQ youth.

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Strong evidence exists that LGBTQ students are underserved and at high risk in schools. Only by increasing the knowledge, skills, and awareness of school counselors will they be able to act systematically and effectively address the needs of LGBTQ youth within the complex school environment. In order to design programs for school counselors that reflect their unique roles, it is necessary to learn more about their experiences in working with LGBTQ youth, ideas regarding training needs, as well as motivation and type of training that would be helpful. The goal of the presenters is to share the results of a nationwide study exploring the experiences and identified training needs of Professional School Counselors in working with LGBTQ youth.

School counselors face challenges to providing optimal support to LGBTQ students who are at an increased risk for mental health and academic challenges. This presentation will offer strategies for training school counselors as advocates and allies. The presenters will incorporate research that they have each conducted, including a video interview segment of first-year school counselors describing systemic challenges they have faced. Presenters will propose a model for addressing systemic barriers based on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory and the ACA Advocacy Competencies.