School counselors can integrate hope-fostering interventions into their work with students as part of a comprehensive, evidence-based school counseling program. In the past 2 decades, youth’s reported levels of hopelessness have increased significantly. Scholars have noted that hopelessness is linked to concerns in youth’s safety, mental health, and decision making; conversely, hope appears to be a protective factor for youth. Career development scholars have highlighted hope-centered work as a helpful approach for adult clients’ progress when they encounter personal and career-related challenges. Hope-Action Theory may hold promise for strengthening youths’ well-being and career development when adapted to meet pre-K–12 students’ developmental needs. In this conceptual article, we describe Hope-Action Theory, a theoretical and evidence-based approach to foster students’ hope and to address students’ well-being and career development. We include case illustrations for implementation in individual counseling, group counseling, and classroom lessons, and discuss implications for pre-K–12 school counselors.
BashantJ. L. (2016). Instilling hope in students. Journal for Leadership and Instruction, 15(1), 17–20. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1097567
7.
CareyJ. C.DimmittC.HatchT. A.LapanR. T.WhistonS. C. (2008). Report of the national panel for evidence-based school counseling: Outcome research coding protocol and evaluation of Student Success Skills and Second Step. Professional School Counseling, 11(3), 197–206. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X0801100306
ClarkeA.AmundsonN.NilesS.YoonH. J. (2018). Action-oriented hope: An agent of change for internationally educated professionals. Journal of Employment Counseling, 55(4), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.1002/joec.12095
10.
CurrieL. N.BediR. P.HubleyA. M. (2024). Psychometric evaluation of the Hope-Action Inventory in individuals with substance use issues. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 57(1), 30–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2023.2185157
11.
Demetropoulos ValenciaJ.CopeM. R.WardC. J.JonesM. S.MuirbrookK. A. (2021). Hopelessness and youth violent behavior: A longitudinal study. Deviant Behavior, 42(9), 1130–1144. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2020.1724372
12.
DikB. J.MarshD. R.AlayanA. J. (2022). Career development and mental health assessment, prevention, and intervention for children and adolescents. In AndrewsJ. J. W.ShawS.DomeneJ. F.McMorrisC. A. (Eds.), Mental health assessment, prevention, and intervention: Promoting child and youth well-being (pp. 391–410). Springer International.
13.
DimmittC. (2018, March 19–20). Name inequities and create meaningful change: Evidence-based school counseling and social justice [Presentation]. In National Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference, New York, NY.
14.
DimmittC. L.CareyJ. C.HatchT. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling: Making a difference with data-driven practices. Corwin.
15.
DimmittC. L.ZyromskiB. (2020). Evidence-based school counseling: Expanding the existing paradigm. Professional School Counseling, 23(1_part_3), Article 2156759X2090450. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759x20904501
16.
EllisonM. L.HuckabeeS. S.StoneR. A.SabellaK.MullenM. G. (2019). Career services for young adults with serious mental health conditions: Innovations in the field. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 46, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-018-9638-3
17.
FraserA. M.BryceC. I.AlexanderB. L.FabesR. A. (2021). Hope levels across adolescence and the transition to high school: Associations with school stress and achievement. Journal of Adolescence, 91, 48–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.07.004
18.
GaoS.ChanK. L.ChenS.ZhongH. (2023). Bullying victimization and depression among left-behind adolescents in rural China: Roles of hopelessness and grit. School Mental Health, 15(3), 754–764. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-023-09579-w
19.
GeorgeG.Dilworth-BartJ.HerringaR. (2021). Potential socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on neural development, mental health, and K-12 educational achievement. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 8(2), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/23727322211032248
20.
GroceL. L.JohnsonL. V. (2021). School counselors igniting the hope of undocumented students in college access. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 46(1), 128–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2020.1856256
21.
GuseT.de BruinG. P.KokM. (2016). Validation of the Children’s Hope Scale in a sample of South African adolescents. Child Indicators Research, 9(3), 757–770. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-015-9345-z
22.
HatchelT.IngramK. M.MintzS.HartleyC.ValidoA.EspelageD. L.WymanP. (2019). Predictors of suicidal ideation and attempts among LGBTQ adolescents: The roles of help-seeking beliefs, peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and drug use. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(9), 2443–2455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01339-2
HertzM. F.BarriosL. C. (2021). Adolescent mental health, COVID-19, and the value of school-community partnerships. Injury Prevention: Journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention, 27(1), 85–86. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2020-044050
25.
JonesS. E.SatterD. E.ReeceJ.LarsonJ. A.Mercer KollarL. M.NiolonP. H.LicitisL.MpofuJ. J.WhittleL.NewbyT. W.ThorntonJ. E.TrujilloL.EthierK. A. (2024). Adult caretaker engagement and school connectedness and association with substance use, indicators of emotional well-being and suicide risk, and experiences with violence among American Indian or Alaska Native high school students – Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73(4), 13–22. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/pdfs/su7304-H.pdf
26.
JonesS. E.UnderwoodJ. M.PampatiS.LeV. D.DeGueS.DemissieZ.AdkinsS. H.BarriosL. C. (2020). School-level poverty and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, suicidality, and experiences with violence victimization among public high school students. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 31(3), 1248–1263. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2020.0092
27.
KazdinA. E.FrenchN. H.UnisA. S.Esveldt-DawsonK.SherrickR. B. (1983). Hopelessness, depression, and suicidal intent among psychiatrically disturbed inpatient children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(4), 504–510. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.51.4.504
28.
KazdinA. E.RodgersA.ColbusD. (1986). The Hopelessness Scale for Children: Psychometric characteristics and concurrent validity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54(2), 241–245. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.54.2.241
29.
KimH.CarneyJ. V.GuoX.PrescodD. J. (2022). The role of developmental assets in childhood career development. The Career Development Quarterly, 70(2), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12286
30.
KirbyK.SweeneyS.ArmourC.GoetzkeK.DunneM.DavidsonM.BelferM. (2022). Developing hopeful minds: Can teaching hope improve wellbeing and protective factors in children?Child Care in Practice, 28(4), 504–521. https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2021.1924121
31.
LinH.CoxR. B.Jr.SahbazS.WashburnI. J.LarzelereR. E.GrederK. A. (2023). Hope for Latino immigrant youth: A longitudinal test of Snyder’s Children’s Hope Scale. Family Relations, 72(3), 697–718. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12651
32.
MarquesS. C.LopezS. J. (2014). The promotion of hope in children and youth. In FavaG. A.RuiniC. (Eds.), Increasing psychological wellbeing in clinical and educational settings: Interventions and cultural contexts (pp. 187–197). Springer.
33.
NguyenT. H.ShahG.MuzamilM.IkhileO.AyangunnaE.KaurR. (2023). Association of in-school and electronic bullying with suicidality and feelings of hopelessness among adolescents in the United States. Children, 10(4), Article 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10040755
34.
NilesS. G.GutierrezD. (2019). Career counselling with soul. In MareeJ. G. (Ed.), Handbook of innovative career counselling (pp. 633–645). Springer.
35.
NilesS. G.InH.AmundsonN. (2014). Using an action oriented hope-centered model of career development. Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling, 4(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.18401/2014.4.1.1
36.
NilesS. G.YoonH. J.BalinE.AmundsonN. (2010). Using a hope-centered model of career development in challenging times. Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Journal, 4(34), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.17066/pdrd.86654
37.
PedrottiJ. T.EdwardsL. M.LopezS. J. (2008). Promoting hope: Suggestions for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 100–107. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23801061.
38.
RedekoppD. E.HustonM. (2018). The broader aims of career development: Mental health, wellbeing and work. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 47(2), 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2018.1513451
39.
RichterS.DorrianJ.WickingP.WickingA.LushingtonK. (2024). Children’s Hope Scale: Factor structure and norms for Australian children aged 8-18 years. Australian Journal of Psychology, 76(1), Article 2322724. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2024.2322724
40.
SmithB. A.MillsL.AmundsonN. E.NilesS.InH. (2014). What helps and hinders the hopefulness of post-secondary students who have experienced significant barriers. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 13(2), 59–74. https://cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca/index.php/cjcd/article/view/183
SnyderC. R.HozaB.PelhamW. E.RapoffM.WareL.DanovskyM.HighbergerL.RibinsteinH.StahlK. J. (1997). The development and validation of the Children’s Hope Scale. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 22(3), 399–421. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/22.3.399
44.
SoyluN.TanırY.AlpaslanA.KarayagmurluA.Kayaİ.AslanM. (2022). Investigation of suicide probability in sexually abused adolescents and the associated factors. Children and Youth Services Review, 137, Article 106435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106435
45.
SpiritoA.WilliamsC. A.StarkL. J.HartK. J. (1988). The Hopelessness Scale for Children: Psychometric properties with normal and emotionally disturbed adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16(4), 445–458. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00914174
WoodK. M.McMahonH. G. (2024). Supporting students who are grieving: Interventions and practices for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 28(1b), Article 2156759X241247163. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X241247163
48.
YangQ.LingY.HuebnerE. S.ZengY.LiuC. (2021). Assessing the measurement invariance of the Children’s Hope Scale in Chinese and American adolescents. Journal of Personality Assessment, 103(2), 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2019.1693387
49.
YoonH. J.BaileyN.AmundsonN.NilesS. (2019). The effect of a career development programme based on the Hope-Action Theory: Hope to work for refugees in British Columbia. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 47(1), 6–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2018.1544827
50.
YoonH. J.InH.NilesS. G.AmundsonN. E.SmithB. A.MillsL. (2015). The effects of hope on student engagement, academic performance, and vocational identity. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 14(1), 34–45. Retrieved fromhttps://cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca/index.php/cjcd/article/view/176.
51.
ZyromskiB.DimmittC. (2019). The evidence-based school counseling conference: Contexts for creating change. Professional School Counseling, 22(1b), Article 2156759X1983443. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X19834435
52.
ZyromskiB.DimmittC.MarianiM.GriffithC. (2018). Evidence-based school counseling: Models for integrated practice and school counselor education. Professional School Counseling, 22(1), Article 2156759X1880184. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X18801847
