Children in today's society require substantial support systems to help them through turbulent times and equip them with strategies and coping skills for a productive lifestyle. This support system requires the collaboration of parents and schools. In the absence of this provision, many students encounter psychological distress that impedes their academic and social-emotional progress. Within recent years, mental health disorders have been on the rise among middle-level adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14. Parents and educators are seeing an increased need for support to help students succeed in a world with inappropriate social media usage and a desire to fit in with peers. As a result, middle school children experience a multitude of setbacks, including depression, suicidal ideation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, autism, depression, eating disorders, and various behavioral problems in school. With the help of school counselors, many children can receive developmentally appropriate interventions that will help them adjust to social-emotional distress that corresponds with the transition to middle school. This research aims to determine how school counselors can strengthen parent engagement, enhance school-to-family partnerships, and develop strategies and interventions to support middle school students in psychological distress. Through qualitative research, the examiner explores counselors' roles and perceptions regarding forming collaborative partnerships with disengaged parents in Title I middle schools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]