Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools

There are few studies examining the wellbeing of Australian school-based psychologists/counsellors (SPCs) despite the research indicating there are unique stressors associated with the role. The purpose of this study was to measure the stress perceived by working Australian SPCs. Data were collected via an online survey within which the Perceived Stress Scale – 10 item version (PSS-10) was embedded. Mean global stress for 162 participants was calculated then compared with the general population and a previous cohort of Australian SPCs. Four variables of influence were also statistically analysed: school level, years of experience, amount of time participating in supervision and alignment with two differing professional identity statements – ‘I see myself as an educator with a counselling/psychology specialisation’ or ‘as a psychologist/counsellor who works in an education setting’. Moderate – high frequency of stress, in excess of the general population and stress levels reported previously, was found. No significant relationships were found between stress and school level, years of experience or professional identity. A negative relationship was found between stress and the amount of supervision received. The level of stress experienced by Australian SPCs warrants that policies and practices monitor and protect Australian SPC wellbeing.

Prior research suggests mindfulness-based interventions effectively reduce stress in trainee psychologists, enhance wellbeing and cultivate clinical skills and competencies. This study explored how trainee school psychologists perceived the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on their development as psychologists. Forty trainee school psychologists participated in a 6-week online mindfulness-based intervention. They completed weekly written reflective journals throughout the programme which were later analysed using thematic analysis. Four core themes were identified: (1) changes in awareness and attention; (2) enhanced wellbeing; (3) commitment to ongoing personal practice and (4) cultivation and enhancement of professional development. Participants (n = 24) who completed the mindfulness workshop during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated that mindfulness practice was particularly useful for managing uncertainty and other related stressors. It was concluded that practicing mindfulness supported trainee school psychologists’ personal and professional development, particularly related to compassion, resilience and therapeutic presence.

Assessment and management of youth suicide risk is a key role for school psychologists. However, prior research indicates that psychologists commonly lack confidence and feel unprepared when they graduated to conduct risk assessments. This qualitative study explored nine Victorian early-career school psychologists’ role in risk assessment, and their self-perceived preparedness, self-efficacy, postgraduate training experiences and methods used to assess risk. Results identified that the frequency of student suicidal ideation and acute mental health presentations exceeded participants’ expectations. Participants identified confidence in assessing risk, but less confidence in the follow-up actions. Participants reported employing comprehensive risk assessment practices and most received exposure to risk assessment during training. Key factors identified for building risk assessment preparedness and confidence were supervision, experience, professional development and research. As participants identified core risk assessment competencies that may require further coverage in curricula, these findings have important implications for universities to maximise graduates’ risk assessment preparedness.

School counsellors are the main drivers of change in creating a multicultural environment for all students. This study used structural equation modelling to investigate directional relationships among self-efficacy, self-advocacy and multicultural counselling competence in a sample of school counsellors (N = 306). The data were collected from 306 practising school counsellors in the US. The results suggested that self-advocacy was statistically related to self-efficacy, in turn self-efficacy was associated with multicultural counselling competence. Structural model indicated that self-advocacy had a strong indirect effect on multicultural counselling competence mediated by self-efficacy. Accordingly, the findings implicate that school counsellors could start with smaller and realistic projects in working with diverse school populations as their positive experiences in this area could increase their ability to advocate for multicultural school environments.

Supervision is an essential part of school counsellor education training, particularly during internship and practicum experiences, as it plays a crucial role in assisting counsellor trainees in adapting to their new roles and identities. While essential to the profession, supervision literature lacks comparison studies across countries, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of whether, and to what extent, supervision is being effectively practised cross-nationally. In the current study, authors utilized a multisite analytic approach as a form of case study method to investigate similarities and differences in counsellor educators’ school counselling supervision practices in the US and Türkiye. The study sample included a total of four counsellor education programmes, consisting of two programmes from each country. The results indicated that while counsellor educators in the US pay more attention to crisis management, suicide assessment, feedback acceptance, multicultural issues, school counsellor self-care, and mindfulness, their counterparts in Türkiye focus on creating counselling goals, counselling micro-skills, theories, and techniques. The results also provided further support for an independent counsellor education accreditation body that could oversee the supervision practices across counsellor education programmes in Türkiye for a united counsellor training, supervision, and professional counsellor identity.

This longitudinal study examined the mediating role of teacher support in the relationship between academic burnout and self-esteem among adolescents in Korea. A total of 154 adolescents (13 years old) were followed up for 4 years at 1-year intervals. Path analysis indicated that the developmental trajectory of academic burnout (i.e. the intercept and slope) leads to a lower level of teacher support (T4) and self-esteem (T4) after controlling for the effect of gender and self-worth. Moreover, teacher support mediated the relationship between development of academic burnout and self-esteem. The rate of change of academic burnout, as well as its initial value, exerted an indirect negative effect on self-esteem through the mediator of teacher support. It has been generally accepted that low self-esteem is the cause of academic burnout. However, our findings indicate that academic burnout might be an influencing factor of self-esteem, implying that the causal relationship between self-esteem and academic burnout should be reconsidered.

This study investigated the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on mathematics anxiety among students in Nigerian secondary schools. Eighty-six senior secondary class one students (aged 15–16 years) participated, comprising 43 students allocated to the experimental group and 43 students allocated to the control group. Mathematics anxiety was measured using the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). The experimental group participated in a MBCT intervention, whereas the control group underwent conventional counselling. Both conditions lasted 6 weeks and included 12 sessions, 90 min each. Results revealed that MBCT reduced students’ mathematics anxiety from pre- to post-test, and the effect remained consistent at follow-up, compared to the control group. One of the recommendations was that teachers should be trained in applying MBCT to anxious mathematics students to remove the fear response of mathematics.

This intervention case study is written by an Educational and Child Psychologist in the Republic of Ireland, which took place with Leah, a 15-year-old adolescent with a diagnosis of autism attending a post-primary school. Pre- and post-intervention assessment measures included the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). An individualised intervention plan was designed, focussing on promoting Leah’s self-esteem, as well as her understanding of autism. Therapeutic techniques used throughout the six-session intervention involved strengths-based and Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) approaches, alongside psychoeducation about autism. Leah’s post-intervention scores on the SDQ showed slight improvements in emotional problems and conduct problems following the intervention, while her scores on the RSE demonstrated a significant improvement in self-esteem from pre- to post-intervention. The case outcomes support the adoption of individualised strengths-based approaches and PCP techniques to promote self-esteem, as well as psychoeducation about autism to promote understanding and self-acceptance.

A Multiple Intelligence and Expressive Therapies approach for counselling adolescents experiencing anxiety is proposed. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health challenges experienced by adolescents. Research reveals the association between anxiety in teenage years and psychiatric disorders in later life. Data is presented on the increasing incidence of anxiety in adolescence and the limits of commonly applied therapies. Adolescence is characterised as a time of turbulence and change, and the issues that adolescent clients bring to counselling are diverse and often complex. Evidence from several studies in counselling have shown positive outcomes through linking multiple intelligences and expressive therapies as an integrative therapy. The potential benefits of applying this combined approach to secondary school students are discussed.