Master's Theses

Department

Social Work

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate the roles and functions of elementary school counselors as reported by principals, counselors, teachers, and parents. The independent variables investigated were: position, district size, undergraduate major, schools with and without a counselor, age, gender, and years of experience. The instrument consisted of 38 items based upon the roles and functions of counselors delineated by the ASCA (1990). The scores from the five components and composite of the Counselor Roles and Functions Questionnaire were employed as dependent variables. The components were: Counseling; Consulting; Developmental/Career Guidance; Evaluation and Assessment; Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management; and Composite. The sample consisted of 318 subjects, including: 44 principals, 28 counselors, 123 teachers, and 123 parents. Five composite null hypotheses were tested. One hundred twenty-six comparisons plus 84 recurring comparisons were made using a three-way analysis of variance. Of the 42 main effects, 4 were statistically significant, and of the 84 interactions, 8 were statistically significant. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. counselors rated Counseling higher than principals, 2. respondents from larger districts (109-1837 enrollment) rated Developmental/Career Guidance higher than those from small districts (9-108 enrollment), 3. Respondents from schools with a counselor rated Developmental/Career Guidance higher than those from schools without a counselor, 4. Respondents from schools with a counselor rated Composite higher than those from schools without a counselor, 5. An association between undergraduate major and perceived counselor roles and functions, 6. An association between age and perceived counselor roles and functions, 7. An association between years of experience and perceived counselor roles and functions, 8. An association between gender and perceived counselor roles and functions, and 9. Interactions for undergraduate major and district size for the dependent variable Developmental/Career Guidance; district size and school counselor status for the dependent variable Consulting; undergraduate major and school counselor status for the dependent variable Counseling; district size and undergraduate major for the dependent variable Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management; age and years of experience for the dependent variable Counseling; age and years of experience for the dependent variable Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management; gender and years of experience for the dependent variable Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management; and age and years of experience for the dependent variable Composite.

Advisor

Bill Daley

Date of Award

Summer 1991

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© 1991 Marilynn K. Peaslee

Comments

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