Relationship in context: Processes in school‐based counselling in Hong Kong

Abstract

Aims Little is known about the processes taking place in school‐based counselling, particularly in Hong Kong, where the sociocultural environment may influence these processes. This study investigated students’ engagement with counselling from the perspective of students and school counsellors in Hong Kong. Method Semi‐structured interviews were carried out with 25 ethnically Chinese students and eight counsellors over three schools in Hong Kong. Data were analysed thematically within a critical realist paradigm. Results Four themes were developed which captured students’ experiences of school‐based counselling: “Counselling embedded into the life of the school”; “Fears about counselling”; “Building a counselling relationship”; and “An ongoing but limited source of support.” A top‐level theme called “Relationship in context” encompassed the four themes. Conclusions and implications Counsellors’ embeddedness into the school’s organisational structure enabled them to act as an ongoing source of support, which students valued but which could also foster dependency. Counsellors taking on additional roles in the school led to confusion on the part of both students and counsellors and limited the effectiveness of counselling. Seeing counsellors as authority figures, being unwilling to disclose personal information outside the family and stigma around mental health issues were cultural perspectives which heightened students’ fears related to attending counselling. Trust was an essential precursor of developing a counselling relationship in which the counsellor was perceived as warm, non‐judgemental, caring and empathic. A sensitivity to the sociocultural context and the embeddedness of counsellors in the school organisation are essential to the effective implementation of school‐based counselling.

The Roles of School Counsellors in the Philippines: Challenges and Opportunities

“…While counsellors’ roles should be clear and strongly focused on providing counselling, and dual roles avoided, a role that recognises the embedded and multifunctional position of counsellors in schools may be very useful in addressing the limited help-seeking behaviours seen in the Philippines. The importance of counsellors being embedded into their school communities and seen as ‘insiders’ has been highlighted by research in the United Kingdom (Harris, 2009) and in Hong Kong (Harrison, 2019): greater psychological and physical proximity to young people makes counsellors more accessible. Filipino counsellors who are embedded in schools and therefore occupy a more central role, who understand the cultural features that shape students and parents’ perceptions of and behaviour towards help-seeking, and who occupy roles that are recognisable to young people, will be able to make themselves more available in culturally appropriate ways.…”

‘I Know We’ve Got Someone in the School I Can Trust’: Students’ Attitudes Towards School Counselling Services in Slovenian Schools

“…Internationally, however, the number of studies of children's and adolescents' attitudes towards school counselling services has increased in recent years (e.g. Fox & Butler, 2007;Harrison, 2019;Knight et al, 2018). Fox and Butler (2007) reported the results of a survey of 415 pupils from secondary schools supported by nine focus groups that aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of young people's views of a counselling service.…”

“…In reporting their experiences with the school counselling service, the adolescents highlighted the safe space and opportunity to be heard as important aspects of the relationship with a school counsellor. Exploring the processes of school-based counselling, Harrison (2019) pointed out barriers to its effectiveness, such as a lack of familiarity with the counsellor, unclear understanding of the counsellor's role and the slow process of building trust. Taken together, the results of these studies suggest there is a need to improve the accessibility of school counselling services, with special attention to conveying confidentiality and genuine interest for the wellbeing of young people.…”

The professional identity of school counsellors in East and Southeast Asia

“…The distinction between counsellors and teachers should also be clear, although, given the background many counsellors have in teaching and the traditional roles of teachers as counsellors in the region, it may be more appropriate for counsellors to adopt what DeKruyf et al (2013) describe as a 'conjoint professional identity' (p. 273), which captures the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of their role. By doing so, counsellors remain well connected to the school community and are therefore able to offer more effective services, given their understanding of the school's climate and practices (Harrison, 2019).…”