Secondary School Counsellor Stress and Strategies to Cope

Date
2015-09-25
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Abstract
This qualitative, action research study was designed to examine the sources and effects of job-related stress for school counsellors and the strategies that may be used to minimize them. This study aimed to illuminate the work environment of school counsellors and the impact this may have on the students they serve. An on-line survey was developed and was completed by practicing school counsellors in School District #73 (Kamloops/Thompson), which provided insight into their perception of these issues. The findings from this study suggest that the participants experienced these job-related stressors: dealing with critical incidents, insufficient time to complete all required tasks, a lack of understanding of the role of the school counsellor by other stakeholders, work overload caused by staff reduction, and the inability to meet all of the needs of students. Peer support, positive self-care, and professional development opportunities related to job-related stress management were strategies that some school counsellors used to minimize the negative effects of job-related stress. Additionally, the findings show that school counsellors believed school and district administrators play a role in determining their role and improving their work environment. Practical recommendations to address the sources and effects of job-related stress for school counsellors in response to the collected data include: the development, in conjunction with other education stakeholders, of a clearer definition of the roles of school counsellors, the potential development of a provincial or a national model for school counsellors in Canada, and the creation of partnerships with practising school counsellors and educational leaders responsible for developing and implementing curriculum for school counsellor training programmes. These findings may be of interest to all educational stakeholders.
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Keywords
Education--Guidance and Counseling
Citation
Lidster, S. (2015). Secondary School Counsellor Stress and Strategies to Cope (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27722