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The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the experiences of high-ability, Black, female college freshmen when preparing for college to identify influences from various family, school, and community environments. Using a theoretical framework, which incorporates both Kimberlé Crenshaw’s intersectionality and Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory in an orientational manner as a guide to examine literature related to the multiple identities and experiences potentially shared by the participants and to generate the interview questions to collect data and explore their experiences as broadly as possible. To explore these experiences, the researcher conducted in-depth individual interviews of ten Black female freshmen and two focus groups of six of those ten freshmen who are high ability and from low-income households. The participants answered questions to learn more about experiences that influenced their processes preparing for college. These perspectives may help inform the development of interventions, programs, counseling practices aimed at helping students with shared identities. Findings from this qualitative research study revealed that intrinsic and extrinsic motivating experiences and relationships across multiple contexts within the participants’ lives have contributed to their process of preparing for college. Nine themes emerged from the participants’ responses: (1) navigating the “crooked room”: perceptions of self; (2) prophetic excellence: family and friends support and expectations, (3) it takes a village: community culture and resources, (4) from chaperone to mentor: exploring the depth of K-12 educational interactions and opportunities, (5) preparing for a home away from home: college exploration and preparation, (6) demystifying the process: I don’t know what I do or don’t need to know, (7) calibrating to fit and understand new environments, (8) and still I rise: acknowledgement of systemic issues, and (9) hindsight 20/20: if I knew then what I know now. Implications for practice and future research are included.

This qualitative study was conducted with a sample of five (5) middle school African American adolescent men from two different schools in the same school district to explore their perceptions of and experiences with their professional school counselors. Phenomenological qualitative methodology was used to complete this study. To gather research data, two semi-structured interviews with open ended questioning were conducted. Phenomenological data analysis was performed, which included the creation of meaning units, preliminary and then more detailed themes; ultimately five themes emanated from the data. These five themes include An Understanding of the Role of the School Counselor; Effective and Ineffective Performance of the School Counseling Roles; Factors Contributing to a Positive School Counselor/Student Dynamic; Personal and Social Factors Encouraging or Deterring Interactions with the School Counselor; and The Students' Tentative Occupational Interests. The themes suggest that participants have beliefs about the purpose of school counseling which align with national and state guidelines for the school counseling profession. In addition, themes reveal that the relationship between school counselor and student is extremely important and that this relationship is cultivated and nurtured in a number of ways. Data also indicated that depending on how well school counselors perform these duties and connect effectively with students, participants are able distinguish between effective and ineffective performance of the school counselor role. As important as these variables are, data also indicated there are personal and social variables which can encourage or deter participants' contact with their school counseling. The last theme details the participants' occupational interests. Implications for professional school counselors in these two schools and the school counselor education profession more generally are also provided. In conclusion, limitations and suggestions for future research are explored.

This project discusses the effectiveness of disciplinary interventions in school-based counseling. Participants were selected from elementary and middle school sites in a school district in Southern California. Qualitative interviews were conducted to give this researcher additional knowledge in the field of school-based counseling. The audio of the interviews that were conducted were recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed by this researcher. The knowledge of the participants and their unique experiences operating with a wide range of students in many years of experience allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of what intervention strategies are most beneficial to students and where schools and counselors can improve in providing counseling services to students. The results consisted of the following eight themes: Defining Discipline, Measuring Success in Interventions, Strategies in Interventions, Theoretical Orientations, Commonalities between Frequently Counseled Students, Communication within the School, Communication between Counselors, and Areas Where Schools are Lacking. Contributions to social work practice in a micro and macro sense are discussed. Findings were given to California State University, San Bernardino and were provided to the school sites and counselors utilized for this study.

The current literature on school counselor job satisfaction does not address the experiences of school counseling directors. This is a unique set of counselors due to their role as leaders and supervisors in the building. Therefore, this study sought to better understand the experiences of school counseling directors in relation to job satisfaction and leadership. The researcher collected data through 10 interviews with participants having met the criteria of serving as a school counseling director of a middle or high school, supervising a department of at least two counselors, and working in the role for at least two years. Data analysis showcased the different expectations in the role of the school counseling director in addition to four major themes: Intentionality, Leadership Training and Knowledge, Overload of Responsibilities Assigned to Role, and Sacrifice. The subthemes for Leadership Training and Knowledge include limited counselor-specific preparation, limited recognition of leadership style, collaboration, and influence of administrators. The subthemes of Sacrifice include time to complete duties and gender-related influence on role acquisition. These themes are discussed in relation to current research as well as in regards to implications about the expectations of the school counseling director’s role, gender influence, leadership training standards and programs, and wellness. Recommendations for further research about school counseling directors, district-level supervisors, and leadership training are also given.

This study investigated the impact of a culturally responsive intervention on perceived career barriers, ethnic identity, student motivation and engagement, and career decision making self-efficacy of middle school minority females. The author analyzed data from the Female Leadership Academy for Minority Excellence (FLAME) program at a local rural middle school. Data was collected from 34 Black female middle school students who participated in the program. The study was a repeated measures quasi-experimental, quantitative single group pre-test, mid-test, and post-test design. According to results from a series of repeated measures ANOVAs, significant differences were found between pre-group, mid-group, and post-group scores. Upon further analysis, significant differences were found between specific subscales of the student motivation and engagement survey. Specifically, differences were found between pre-group and mid-group and pre-group and post-group scores on the Performance Approach Orientation (ME_PerfApproach) subscale. Differences were also found between pre-group and post-group scores on the self-efficacy subscale (ME_SelfE) as well as between pre-group and mid-group and between mid-group and post-group scores for the Engagement Behavioral subscale (ME_Bx). Regarding the last research question, significant differences were found between pre-group and post-group and mid-group and post-group scores when examining perceived career barriers. The results from the Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy and the Ethnic Identity scale did not yield significant results. These results provide initial support in suggesting that culturally responsive career development programs do impact career development of minority middle school females especially in the areas of student motivation and engagement and perceived career barriers.

Mental health in schools is a growing concern for many school counselors, educators and communities. School counselors are in key roles in the school setting to support students with mental health concerns. This research was done to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of school counselors supporting students with mental health diagnoses. This hermeneutic phenomenology research used n=4 participants school counselors and each has worked in their field for over 6 years. Additionally, each participant worked in the same school building for a minimum of 3 years or more. Semi structured interviews were used to collect the data. Key findings indicated that the participants all identified many of the same mental health diagnoses in their schools. There were five themes that emerged from the data: The themes included: (a) common mental health concerns, (b) desire for education/training, (c) outside resources for students with mental health concerns, (d) barriers to effective student support and (e) limited time to support students with mental health concerns. The results of this study may inform school counselor education programs, inform other school counselors of ways to support students with a mental illness, and begin conversations about mental health funding for schools.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 14-24 year age group in the United States. However, awareness and discussions regarding suicides for this age group are not widely heard or found. In addition, many practitioners are not adequately trained to assess suicide risk. School counselors are often on the front lines of identifying students at risk for emotional issues and possible suicidal ideation (ASCA, 2010). The following research questions guided this study: a) Does a school counselor's knowledge in identifying students at risk for suicide affect their willingness to conduct suicide risk assessments? b) Does a school counselor's self-efficacy in conducting a suicide risk assessment affect their willingness to carry out the assessment with a student? c) Do school counselors who graduated from CACREP institutions after 2009 report increased knowledge in identifying suicidal students than those who graduated from non-CACREP institutions or from those who graduated before 2009? d) Do school counselors who graduated from CACREP institutions after 2009 report higher self-efficacy in counseling suicidal students than those who graduated from non-CACREP institutions or those who graduated before 2009? e) In which ways, if any, do the following counselor characteristic variables: type of graduate training and institution, years of experience, number of suicide assessments conducted, and participation in crisis response team, contribute to suicide risk knowledge and self-efficacy in conducting suicide risk assessments? This study examined the relationship between three variables (knowledge of suicide risk, self-efficacy in conducting suicide risk assessments, and willingness to carry out suicide risk assessments with students) for practicing school counselors through the use of a demographic questionnaire, the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory-II, and the Crisis Leader Efficacy in Assessing and Deciding Scale. A total of 200 high school counselors from across the United States participated in the study. All participants were anonymous. The statistical analyses were completed using the Software Program for Statistical Analysis (SPSS) using correlational matrices, hierarchical regressions, and one-way ANOVA analyses. Results revealed 71% of school counselors from the sample were performing suicide risk assessment every month however only 50% believed their graduate training adequately prepared them to assess for suicide. Results also showed self-efficacy was directly related to the number of suicide assessments school counselors conducted each month. In addition, the school counselor's willingness to conduct assessments, membership on a crisis team, and comfort identifying and assessing suicidal students related to their self-efficacy as well. Recommendations for school counselors include: continuing professional development related to suicide, securing administrative support to perform suicide assessment, and improving crisis response teams. Recommendations for counselor educators include: providing appropriate feedback, using evidence-based teaching methods, and increasing suicide related issues into coursework. Areas for future research are also discussed.

Though a primary purpose of K-12 education in the United States is to prepare students to meet the economic demands of the country, there is currently a major shortage of workers to fill the open positions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This shortage is only expected to grow in the coming decade unless a significant number of students choose to pursue STEM careers. Some authors have identified the approximately 1.5 million underserved rural, high-potential students as an untapped population representing future STEM workers. However, school counselors, who oversee most of the career development in K-12 education, currently lack a strong understanding of how to promote STEM college and career readiness with rural, gifted students. This paper shares the results of a study that examined whether factors such as academic potential, personal traits, or social engagement have an impact on the early career development of gifted students from under-served rural schools. Particularly, the study examined whether a STEM extra-curricular program – STEM Excellence and Leadership – influenced the career development of the rural, gifted middle school student participants. Results indicate that perceived social engagement had the most significant impact on the career development of rural, gifted middle school students, and that the extra-curricular program was helpful in developing their career expectations and goals. The final section of this paper shares important lessons for practicing school counselors and school counseling preparation programs.