A total of 1627 school counselors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia
participated in a study designed to investigate their personal perceptions of multiracial
individuals. Results indicated that school counselors held a wide variety of perceptions
and those with 1 to 5 years of experience were more likely to believe that multiracial
students experienced more academic and behavioral problems. Middle school counselors were
more likely to believe that multiracial students have a more difficult time adjusting to
society. School counselors who were unsure if cultural diversity and awareness programs
were promoted in their school were also unsure if the physical appearance of multiracial
students impacted how they racially identified themselves. Finally, school counselors in
schools with a Very Diverse student body believed that multiracial students would
experience fewer problems related to identity development if they lived in a diverse
community. They also believed the problems experienced by multiracial students were
related to identity conflicts.
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