This research study utilized a single case design to meet the dual need of applying personality research to clinical populations (Costa Jr, 1991) and the necessity of creating a formative assessment for first-year master and doctoral students to facilitate flourishing in a complex profession. This was done with the primary aim of evaluating the…

This applied dissertation study was designed to assess a high-performing high school's dropout prevention program that increased graduation rates and decreased dropout rates among high school students. The high-performing high school was chosen because the target site achieved a 90% or higher graduation rate over 5 school years. Four of 19 high…

This study sought to evaluate school psychologists' perceptions of their graduate training experience in preparing them to work with transgender and other gender minority youth. The quality of graduate training was also examined through a compilation of syllabi. The participants (N = 193) completed a questionnaire regarding their confidence in…

Children are being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at younger ages then historically represented (Guthrie, Swinford, Notke & Wetherby, 2013). Due to increased awareness of ASD and improved diagnostic tools, younger children are receiving Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at an early age ( Hertz-Picciotto & Delwiche, 2009). ABA…

School counselors are uniquely trained and positioned within schools to use data for the purpose of addressing opportunity and achievement gaps present in many schools. Even with this position, the literature for school counseling remains focused on reasons to use data rather than how to use data within a school counseling program. This study…

A positive school culture and climate can support learning for students, particularly students of color. The role of the school social worker is vital to supporting an educational system in developing and promoting a positive school culture and climate. In trying to best understand the role of the school social worker, a qualitative approach…

Minoritized Black students who are average academic performers have often been overlooked as a targeted group in empirical studies that look at barriers and other limitations for minority students (Rodriguez, 2015; Stewart, 2013). This study seeks to identify the practices that higher education institutions are currently utilizing to recruit…

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the relationships of preK-8 professional school counselors' (PSCs') work motivation with their perceptions of importance and levels of implementation of Maryland's state standards based on the national standards created by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The…

As the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increases, the need for mental health services for this population will increase. As a result, counselors in clinical practice and school must be prepared to provide those mental health services. ASD can be inherently difficult to work with due to core…

Over 1.2 million students drop out of high school yearly in the United States. That is one student every 26 seconds or an overwhelming 7,000 a day. About 25% of first-year high school students fail to graduate from high school on time, making this issue a primary concern for educators and stakeholders. The problem addressed in this study was that…

Teaching is an emotional endeavor. That is why teachers must be equipped with skills to manage their emotions as well as emotions of their students. The present research investigates a strategies and methods for a model of training teacher emotional competency. Elementary school teachers (N=78) were asked about their perception of the importance…

The purpose of the current study was to explore the lived experiences of bilingual school counselor burnout in rural districts within the United States. Research questions guiding this phenomenological analysis includes: What are the lived experiences of Bilingual School Counselors struggling with burnout? Two sub-questions are, How do bilingual…

High school college advisors have a crucial role in providing college access for underserved students, yet there is little known about how they are prepared and supported in their positions. A multiple case study (Baxter & Jack, 2008) was conducted to examine the varying ecological factors that directly and indirectly impact college advisors'…

The purpose of this study was to explore the explicit attitudes and literacy of licensed professional counselors (LPCs) and licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCCs) towards people with intellectual disabilities (ID). More specifically, this study explored the influence of literacy variables (recognition, causal beliefs, intervention…

The "American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics" (2014) purpose and intent are to ensure that the individuals that counselors are providing support to warrant the opportunity to be empowered through facilitating respect to all of the individuals that the counselors provide support through counseling sessions. The code of ethics…