This study aimed to understand the experiences of middle school girls who have engaged in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and have received professional help for these behaviors. Participants described engaging in NSSI in response to uncomfortable feelings and invasive negative thoughts. They reported that engaging in NSSI decreased their uncomfortable feelings. While each participant had at least one person in her life who knew about her NSSI, participants did not feel supported or validated by these people. Participants were not completely honest with their therapists because they were afraid of being misunderstood, dismissed, or getting others into trouble. Despite these things, participants wanted support and understanding about who they are as unique individuals, why they are struggling, and why they self-injure. They also wanted to be in a transparent therapeutic relationship where they felt respected and accepted. Unfortunately, they did not describe relationships with their therapists as possessing these qualities. Professionals would better meet the need of adolescents by clearly discussing confidentiality, boundaries, conveying respect and acceptance, and recognizing the uniqueness of their clients. Assessing for self-harm and treatment reluctance should be done in the context of resistance to therapy and a sensitivity to judgment.

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This study sought to explore possible child abuse reporting disparities among school counselors. The participants in this study were elementary school counselors (N = 398) from across the United States. Each participant read a series of vignettes and completed a survey regarding their inclinations about suspecting and reporting childhood physical abuse. The surveys manipulated the following variables: student race, family socioeconomic status (between-subject variables), relationship with the school counselor, and severity of abuse (within-subject variables). School counselors were found to be more likely to suspect defensive parents of abuse than cooperative or non-involved parents. School counselors were also less likely to suspect abuse when a child reported being hit without physical evidence than if a child had a bruised or broken arm. Last, school counselors were more likely to report a child with a bruised arm over a child who reported being hit without physical evidence. Although certain concerns emerged as a result of this study and all signs of abuse should be reported to the appropriate authorities, school counselors were more likely, across the board, to report abuse than to suspect abuse.

Background Experiencing the death of a loved one can negatively affect a child's emotional, behavioural and academic functioning. However, no in‐school group interventions exist to assist children in processing and grieving the loss of loved ones. To address this, Kids Supporting Kids, a 10‐step group counselling protocol for elementary school students, was developed to help students who have experienced loss of a loved one. Aims The group curriculum aims to help students develop healthier coping skills to deal with grief‐related distress; decrease internalising and externalising problems; and decrease problematic trauma symptoms. The present study investigates the feasibility of this intervention by capturing feedback from student participants, parents and teachers. Methodology Students, teachers and parents were each given pre‐test measures. The group consisted of 10 weekly sessions on the topics of establishing safety, sharing their stories, creating a narrative with positive memories, identifying and expressing emotions, coping skills, social and family support, remembering loved ones and saying goodbye. Students, parents and teachers were also given mid‐group checks and post‐group questionnaires. Results Qualitative improvements towards these goals were noted by students, parents and teachers. Students reported developing healthier coping skills, which were observed and noted as behavioural and emotional improvements by parents and teachers. Conclusions The present feasibility study supports the hypotheses that qualitative improvements would be noted by each group and that the feasibility of this protocol would be supported.

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