School violence and the effect on the guidance counselor's role

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there have been changes in the high school counselor’s role and function due to crises and violence in schools. Data was collected from high school counselors at 60 randomly selected schools, through a survey during the spring of 2004. Guidance counselors at sixty high schools were mailed a letter and a questionnaire inviting them to participate in a study on the impact of school violence on the role of the school counselor. The schools included in the sample were those including grade levels nine through 12th grade. Schools included in this survey were randomly selected. The guidance counselors surveyed were asked to mail back the surveys in a self-addressed stamped envelope without their return address to protect confidentiality. There was only one mailing conducted for this study, and no follow up procedures were used. The questionnaire for this thesis was designed specifically for this study. The survey included twenty-three questions regarding the impact of school violence on the role of the guidance counselor. It was designed using a Likert scale. No documentation of validity or reliability is available as the survey was designed specifically for this study. The results of this survey will provide a better understanding of a high school counselor’s daily tasks. Information will be provided on the amount of time spent on these daily tasks as compared to time spent on acts of violence. Information will also be gathered on the training that is being provided to prepare school counselors to deal with school violence. This information can then be used to make changes in the graduate school’s curriculum to better meet the needs of our changing school system.