School Principals’ And Counselors’ Opions About The Efficiency Of School Psychological Counseling Services

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Year-Number: 2017-Volume 9, Issue 2
Yayımlanma Tarihi: null
Language : null
Konu : null

Abstract

This study aims at examining the opinions of school psychological counselors and school principals about school psychological counseling process in terms of five themes like qualifications, needs, supports, student approaches and limitations. As having an assessment role, it’s a descriptive study in which qualitative research techniques are used. The study group of the research is composed of 15 school principals and 15 school psychological counselors from 5 primary, 5 secondary and 5 high schools in Mezitli, the district of Mersin. Both of the participant groups are from the same schools and selected by the use of purposive sampling technique which is one of the non-random sampling strategies. As the data gathering tool, an open and closed ended questionnaire form, developed by the authors and including the interpretation and listing questions, also reflects the five themes. The school psychological counselors state that the school principals’ supportive and facilitative behaviors and providing the necessary materials and equipments for counseling services regularly, are of great importance. Also, it’s clearly seen that all of the participant counselors think that they adopt student-centered approaches, and the negative attitudes to psychological counseling and guidance services are the biggest limitations to these services. On the other hand, the school principals emphasize the cooperative work of counselors with the school management and other teachers, and the field related seminars. Also, they claim that they provide the counselors with necessary materials and equipments, and pay attention to their opinions and suggestions. The last point is that the high number of students is seen as the most important limitation in effective psychological counseling and guidance services.

Keywords

Abstract

This study aims at examining the opinions of school psychological counselors and school principals about school psychological counseling process in terms of five themes like qualifications, needs, supports, student approaches and limitations. As having an assessment role, it’s a descriptive study in which qualitative research techniques are used. The study group of the research is composed of 15 school principals and 15 school psychological counselors from 5 primary, 5 secondary and 5 high schools in Mezitli, the district of Mersin. Both of the participant groups are from the same schools and selected by the use of purposive sampling technique which is one of the non-random sampling strategies. As the data gathering tool, an open and closed ended questionnaire form, developed by the authors and including the interpretation and listing questions, also reflects the five themes. The school psychological counselors state that the school principals’ supportive and facilitative behaviors and providing the necessary materials and equipments for counseling services regularly, are of great importance. Also, it’s clearly seen that all of the participant counselors think that they adopt student-centered approaches, and the negative attitudes to psychological counseling and guidance services are the biggest limitations to these services. On the other hand, the school principals emphasize the cooperative work of counselors with the school management and other teachers, and the field related seminars. Also, they claim that they provide the counselors with necessary materials and equipments, and pay attention to their opinions and suggestions. The last point is that the high number of students is seen as the most important limitation in effective psychological counseling and guidance services.

Keywords