Catherine Griffith

Adolescents’ Perceptions of Their School Counselors’ Impact

School counselors focus on students’ academic, career, and social/emotional needs in addition to fulfilling various administrative expectations. In this article, we explored adolescents’ perceptions of their school counselors’ impact. We used thematic analysis to analyze 273 students’ essays about how their school counselors affected them and identified eight themes: (a) College and Career Readiness, (b) Life Skills, (c) Multiple Roles, (d) Individual Attention, (e) Emotional/Social Support, (f) Therapeutic Relationship, (g) Advocacy, and (h) Academic Achievement. We discuss implications and suggestions for future research.

Standards of Care for Research with Participants Who Identify as LGBTQ

ABSTRACT The following standards of care have been developed to support the continued development of research with individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus individuals whose orientations differ from those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender (LGBTQ+). The guidelines presented are conceived as a working document that reflect the current state and body of knowledge that can inform and provide reference for counseling research, and can be used in the preparation and training of future researchers. The standards outlined in this document will continue to evolve as does research, LGBTQ+ communities, and the sociopolitical climate.

Standards of Care in Assessment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Gender Expansive, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTGEQ+) Persons

ABSTRACT A Joint Task Force comprised of members of the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC) and the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC) present standards of care for assessment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Gender Expansive, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTGEQ+) Persons.

Promoting Affirming School Athletics for LGBTQ Youth Through Professional Development

ABSTRACT While physical activity provides ample social-emotional, behavioral, and academic benefits, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth experience bullying, discomfort, and feelings of exclusion in school athletic settings. Authors conceptualize a professional development model entitled School Athletics for Everyone (SAFE). Within this model, physical education teachers are supported in gaining a more comprehensive understanding about the struggles experienced by LGBTQ youth in athletic settings and, subsequently, the ways in which they can be supported through data-based consultative and professional development efforts to promote more affirming and inclusive practices. The role of the school mental health professional is crucial in facilitating content delivery and consultation. Authors review the empirical foundations for this model, provide a case example, and disseminate relevant resources for practitioners. Future directions for research are also discussed.

LGBTQ Youths' School Athletic Experiences: A 40-Year Content Analysis in Nine Flagship Journals

ABSTRACT The majority of youth identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) experience harassment in school athletics, which increases the risks of mental health concerns and less physical activity involvement. The authors conducted a systematic content analysis of nine flagship journals to assess the representation of this critical issue within the scholarly literature. Results demonstrate a dearth of academic research within flagship journals, which may deter appropriate school-based initiatives and interventions. Implications for counseling and directions for future research are discussed.

Conducting Intervention Research to Identify Efficacious and Effective Practices in School-Based Counseling

Each year, nations enact public policies with significant influences on the work of school counselors. Whether such impacts are manifested within the broader context of the educational paradigm (e.g., a greater schoolwide focus on students’ social-emotional needs) or more specific to the field (e.g., calls for increases for the hiring of more school counselors), these decisions tend to be influenced by a blend of local, regional, and national needs, public rhetoric, and budgetary constraints. There is a question, then, as to whether school-based counseling research informs policy or whether policy informs school-based counseling research. Too often, it is a “top-down” approach which guides public policy and its influence on school counselors’ work in educational settings, rather than the influence of rigorous research and robust findings originating within the school counselor community itself. Therefore, in this chapter we provide a primer on conducting intervention research to identify the impact of school-based counseling endeavors. We address (a) the historical foundations of policy in school-based research in the United States, (b) the basics tenets and processes of experimental and quasi-experimental methodological approaches, (c) examples of international research representing these research designs, (d) general considerations when conducting intervention research in school settings, and (e) concluding thoughts regarding the future relationship between school counseling research and public policy.