Search

Despite recognition of accountability for school counselors, no clear set of interrelated performance measures exists to guide school counselors in collecting and evaluating data that relates to student academic success. This article outlines four critical domains of accountability for school counselors (i.e., grades, attendance, disciplinary referrals, and suspension) that can be generalized across primary and secondary levels, geography, region, location, and culture. The authors present a case study to demonstrate the four critical domains of accountability and establish school counselors as key players in promoting academic success., In today's challenging fiscal climate, school districts nationwide face difficult choices about what programs to cut, which school personnel to keep, and what resources schools and students need to meet [...]

The transformed role of school counselors as advocates is key in reducing the academic achievement gap. Redefining the school counselors' role requires culturally competent practitioners, social justice advocates, and organizational/social change agents. A major obstacle to implementing culturally responsive social justice advocacy and change in schools is referred to as the nice counselor syndrome (NCS). This article discusses the insidious effects of NCS and outlines a set of recommendations designed to assist school counselors in moving beyond this syndrome., Numerous researchers have documented the wide disparity that exists in the academic achievement of students of color and economically impoverished students in comparison with their White middle-class counterparts (National Center [...]

Immigration is a major factor that is greatly contributing to the unprecedented demographic changes that are presently occurring in the United States. This article discusses the challenges encountered by immigrants, taking into account the historical, sociopolitical, economic, cultural, and psychological factors that contribute to successful adjustment and adaptation to their new environment. In doing so, it outlines a new theoretical approach to working with this unique cultural group that is embedded in a multicultural/social justice helping perspective., Current statistics indicate that the immigrant and refugee populations in the United States are rapidly increasing. In fact, the United States has witnessed the greatest migration in its history with [...]

Schools have a vital role in more effectively working with students at risk by linking with families that are disengaged from their children's education. Family participation in students' education has been shown to positively affect academic, behavioral, and social development. School counselors can be leaders in facilitating family-school partnerships to foster academic and career success for all students. This article presents an overview of the current research about family and school linkages and offers a new model, The School and Family Intervention Model (SAFI), for school counselors. The model provides strategies for better cooperation with marginalized families aimed at ensuring an interactive and dynamic collaboration and explores this work within the context of systems change to improve academic success, reduce at-risk behaviors, and increase family involvement., As a society, we have failed to adequately support and nurture many of our youth. In many instances the paucity of social and emotional skills, coupled with a lack of [...]

Empathy has been identified as a core condition for providing counseling. There are numerous articles discussing the components of empathy. However, as the U.S. becomes increasingly ethnically diverse and the world becomes more globalized, there is little discussion on how empathy will be effective with diverse populations. This article discusses the interaction of culture and empathy and suggests guidelines for establishing cultural empathy., Empathy is a core condition for providing effective psychotherapy. There has been overwhelming agreement that empathy is central to counseling and psychotherapy and transcends developmental stages in the counseling process [...]

This study examined the ethnic and gender differences in the levels and predictors of distress among Vietnamese (N = 867), Cambodian (N = 590) and Laotian (N = 723) refugees. The findings showed that for all 3 groups, refugee women reported a significantly higher level of psychological distress than their male counterparts. Although there were similarities in the predictors of distress among refugee women and men, the results also found significant gender differences within and between the different cultural groups. Implications for counseling practice and research are discussed in light of the findings., There are more than 20 million refugees worldwide. In the United States, almost 10% of the country's population is composed of refugees (Balian, 1997), including more than 1.5 million Southeast [...]

There have been few empirical studies of Vietnamese Amerasians, children fathered by United States servicemen and civilians during the Vietnam War. In this study, the authors investigated pre- and postmigration variables that predict psychological distress and self-destructive behavior. The sample (N = 169) was selected from 10 cities throughout the United States. Multivariate regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of distress. Results revealed that observing traumatic events rather than actually experiencing trauma was a significant predictor of psychological distress. Participants with frequent cognitions about loss of significant people, places, or both were more likely to report psychological distress and self-destructive behavior. Implications for research and practice are discussed in relationship to cross-cultural counseling with at-risk populations, including individuals from inner cities and war-stricken environments.

School counselors have an important part to play in helping schools respond to the increasing number of students whose mental health needs place them at risk for school failure. This article identifies the shortcomings of the current developmental guidance and counseling service delivery model as it relates to work with at-risk youth. In addition, a transformed model is proposed, with suggestions for changes in program organization and planning, school counselor role and function, and skills and expertise. Potential barriers to change are also identified.

School and community counselors have important roles in developing and implementing mental health programs for youths and families. Counselors who are working with the more complex issues of at-risk youths can enhance implementation of prevention programs by altering their roles to function within a collaborative consultation model. This model represents a new paradigm in that counselors interdependently and collaboratively partner with people previously considered their "consultees." Such collaboration can result in more comprehensive and integrated programs, and it can prevent fragmentation and duplication of efforts. Collaborative consultation is described and contrasted with more traditional consultation models, and a 5-stage implementation process is presented. Personal and systemic factors that support the collaborative process are examined.

The study found significant differences in educational and occupational aspirations of New Zealand-born Chinese students and their European counterparts. These aspirations were consistent with parental expectations. Although the parental pressure [...]

Growing racial and ethnic diversity in the United States and globally requires culturally competent mental health professionals who can address ongoing racial tensions and experiences of racism and xenophobia. Attending to racial and ethnic issues and infusing race and ethnic dialogues in group psychotherapy can play a major role in addressing mental health problems, promoting racial harmony, and healing deep psychological wounds and trauma that are the result of racial tensions. This article describes seven key issues necessary to effectively address race and ethnicity in group psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]