AbstractsPsychology

Teachers', Counselors', and Administrators' Perceptions of the Role of the Counselor

by Frederick D Diehl




Institution: California State University – East Bay
Department:
Year: 2016
Keywords: Student counselors
Posted: 02/05/2017
Record ID: 2129345
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/171978


Abstract

This study was designed to investigate whether or not there are any significant differences among the attitudes of teachers, counselors, and administrators towards the ideal and actual role of the secondary school counselor. Questionnaires using items that were obtained from the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) statement concerning ideal counselor activities were sent to 100 teachers, 20 counselors, and 15 administrators. Actual participants included 59 teachers, 20 counselors, and 13 administrators. The questionnaires were designed to elicit the participants??? attitudes towards the ideal and actual role of counselors in the school district. In analyzing the results by inspection, it was found that with regard to actual activities as a group, the administrators, teachers, and counselors seemed generally satisfied with the work of the counselors as far as ASCA 1 s classification of activities was concerned. Ir. the analysis of ideal activities as a group, it seemed that most counselors, administrators, and teachers were asking for more counselor involvement in each of the nine ASCA categories of counselor activity. A two-tailed t-test was run in order to determine the difference between the mean scores of the three participating groups. No significant differences were found between the responses of counselors and administrators with reference to which activities listed by ASCA were actually being carried out by the high school counselor. A significant difference in response was found when comparing teachers and administrators on how they felt parent consultations were being carried out by the counselors. Comparing the responses of counselors and teachers concerning actual activities, significant differences were found in the areas of pupil appraisal, the counseling relationship, consultation with parents, and referrals to outside agencies. When counselors and administrators were compared on their attitudes towards activities that should ideally be carried out by counselors, a significant difference was revealed concerning pupil appraisal. Teachers and administrators demonstrated significant differences in responses in the areas of educational and occupational training, pupil placement, and consultation with parents. Counselors and teachers in their attitudes towards ideal counseling activities showed significant differences in response to the areas of pupil appraisal, pupil placement, referrals to outside agencies, and research. Advisors/Committee Members: Brown, Dr. Donald J. (advisor), Sprague, Dr. Douglas G. (primaryAdvisor).