The impact of school-based counselling on young people's capacity to study and learn

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Background Recent research has indicated that school‐based humanistic counselling (SBHC) is effective for young people in reducing psychological distress and facilitating achievement of personal goals. However, the processes by which this form of counselling brings about change are not yet understood. Aim This study aims to clarify the dynamic processes of change that young people go through when they attend SBHC, in order inform school counselling practice, training and further research. Method This is a qualitative interview study with 14 participants who had recently completed between two and nine sessions of SBHC as part of a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Interviews were transcribed and analysed using a grounded theory approach resulting in the development of five change process models. Results Multiple change processes were evident for individual clients; and were labelled relief, increasing self‐worth, developing insight, enhancing coping strategies and improving relational skills. Implications The data indicate that multiple pathways of change are possible, and that change processes associated with different theories of personality change are not mutually exclusive. The study is limited by a small, selective sample and low testimonial validity, and further qualitative research is needed to understand change processes in SBHC more fully.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Change processes in school‐based humanistic counselling

McArthur

Cooper

Berdondini

2015

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“…McArthur, Cooper, and Berdondini (2012) found school‐based counselling, as delivered in the UK, brought about large reductions in psychological distress, with consistent evidence of association with improvements in wellbeing (Cooper, 2013). Counselling in an educational context also shows some connection to improvements in learning, achievement, behaviour and attendance at school (Ofsted, 2004; Rupani, Haughey, & Cooper, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The goals of young people in school‐based counselling and their achievement of these goals

Rupani

Cooper

McArthur

et al. 2013

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Background: Levels of goal agreement between therapists and adult clients have been shown to relate to therapeutic outcomes. Understanding clients' goals for therapy, therefore, is an important area of study. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic goals that young people have in school-based counselling, and the extent to which different types of goals are achieved. Method: The study is a post-hoc analysis of data collected from two pilot randomised controlled trials (RCT) using the Goal Based Outcome (GBO) tool, in which 73 participants were allocated to either a counselling group or a waitlist control group. Thematic analysis was used to identify the main types of goals young people had; with descriptive quantitative analysis to identify the prevalence of these goals, and multi-level analysis to identify whether some goals were attained to a greater extent than others. Results: The most frequent type of goals identified by young people related to increasing self-confidence and self-acceptance, followed by controlling or reducing anger, improving relationships with family, and increasing feelings of happiness. No significant relationship was found between the type of goal and the extent to which they were attained in counselling. Conclusion: Young people in counselling are particularly concerned with improving their self-confidence, and this suggests a somewhat different focus to the counselling work than that which emerges from counsellors' reports of presenting and predominant issues. This suggests that school-based counsellors should be mindful of clients' particular therapeutic goals

“…However, a growing body of research focuses specifically on young people who seek counselling within school-based services (Hanley et al, 2011;Pearce et al, 2017). This research highlights the potential benefits of school counselling for mental health and academic achievement (McArthur, Cooper, & Berdondini, 2016;Rupani, Haughey, & Cooper, 2012). Research also indicates that this is recognised as a valuable resource by young service users (Cooper, 2009(Cooper, , 2013Pearce et al, 2017;).…”

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confidence: 99%

“It's like a refuge”: Young people's relationships with school counsellors

Knight

Gibson

Cartwright

2018

Aim The counselling relationship is important for engaging young people, but more understanding about how young people experience this in the context of school counselling is necessary. This study explored young people's understanding of the counselling relationship in two New Zealand schools. Method Twenty‐two participants between the ages of 16 and 18 took part in unstructured narrative interviews on their experience of school counselling. The data were analysed to identify themes related specifically to participants’ experience of the counselling relationship. Findings Five themes highlighting positive aspects of the relationship with the school counsellor were identified; young people's experiences of a genuine connection with a counsellor, the experience of being listened to, availability and accessibility of the counsellor on site at school, the counsellor's belief in the young person and the counsellor's potential to be an advocate for the young person in the school context. Negative experiences of the counselling relationship were described in the absence of these features. Conclusions and implications for practice The “School counsellor” has the potential to be experienced as a “refuge” for young people in the context of a hierarchical and evaluative school environment, within which they can feel accepted, understood and safe. Accessibility and the counsellor's ability to serve as an advocate in the school context means school counselling can be an important primary care intervention for young people in distress.