Collaboration between school counselors and families has increasingly been identified as a benefit to student success and well-being. This expansion of roles is reflected within school counseling standards as families and parents comprise one-third of the types of collaboration promoted by the ASCA National Model. Further, ASCA's program…

One of the main contributions of school counselors is the development and designing of school counseling curriculum. Professional standards for the school counseling profession have been created to assist school counselors in the design process. The purpose of this article is to provide school counselors with a primer on designing school…

According to the American School Counselor Association, the role of a school counselor includes improving success for all students. Thus, the profession of school counseling encompasses a variety of tasks, duties, and responsibilities. One of the most fundamental responsibilities of a school counselor is to provide individual counseling to…

Substance use and other addictive behaviors can last throughout the lifespan and lead to other health issues. Adolescents are not immune to addiction or addictive behaviors and are more likely to experience curiosity and to engage in experimentation. Historically, addiction has been a topic that has been avoided or stigmatized. Further, the use of…

School counselors implement school counseling programs that serve to promote student success for all students. Character development can be an important element within school counseling programs. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the establishment of character development in schools and within comprehensive school counseling…

Substance use among school-aged young people is of concern as it relates to student success. School counselors have an opportunity to prevent, educate, and counsel students about substance use. Various models of school counseling, including the ASCA National Model, have encouraged the development of competency-based programs that help students…

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has evolved into a serious issue for adolescents, and is encountered in school systems across the United States. The ability of school counselors and other professionals working in the school environment to understand and assist students who exhibit signs of NSSI is critically important. Research remains minimal on…

A psychoeducational unit on stress is provided for school counselors or other educators working with secondary school-aged students. The unit can be utilized as part of a guidance curriculum. An overview of stress response during adolescent development is provided. A brief historical and contextual description of guidance curriculum and its role…

This article outlines a pilot study conducted with persisting and non-persisting students in a mid-sized public university in the West. Based on those findings, a retention initiative was developed. The study and initiative both utilize the ASCA [American School Counselor Association] framework, making a case that this model has application in…

Samples college students (N=440) to assess the impact of parental divorce and family functioning on their development. Results indicate that parental divorce and family functioning have unique effects on key developmental tasks associated with a college-age population. Discusses an intergenerational family-systems approach. (Author/MKA)

There are several factors that encourage at-risk students to finish high school and continue to pursue post-secondary education. Some school counseling programs have combined these factors in an attempt to foster a pro-college culture within their schools. Using qualitative methods, a study was conducted to assess school counselors' perspectives…

A survey was conducted using qualitative means to assess school counseling programs in Montana. Schools that were demonstration schools in a federal initiative, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) were compared to non-GEAR UP schools. Several differences between GEAR UP and non-GEAR UP schools are noted and…

Proposes an approach for supervising school counseling interns which integrates supervisor roles, intern skills, and stages of supervision process. Describes a four-stage approach in which the supervisors assess interns' needs and select the supervision focus and most suitable supervisor role for accomplishing supervision goals. (Author/GCP)