Examining Ecological Factors that Predict School Counselors’ Engagement in Leadership Practices

Abstract

There is a dearth of literature that has empirically examined ecological factors that influence school counselors’ engagement in leadership. Thus, using hierarchical regression analysis, we examined whether sociocultural factors (i.e., race/ethnicity, childhood socioeconomic status, current socioeconomic status, age, gender), professional developmental experiences (i.e., leadership experience, supervision, mentorship, leadership training), intra- and interpersonal factors (i.e., multicultural competence, leadership self-efficacy, psychological empowerment), and school climate significantly and uniquely predicted school counselors’ leadership practices. The final hierarchical regression model, using 647 school counselors nationwide, accounted for 57% variance in these practices. Sociocultural factors, professional developmental experiences, and intra- and interpersonal factors significantly and uniquely contributed to the school counselors’ leadership practices. We discuss implications for the profession.

School counselors’ perceived school climate, leadership practice, psychological empowerment, and multicultural competence before and during COVID‐19

“…Given our focus on randomization and aim of having equal groups to compare school counselor functioning and practice based on the condition of COVID‐19, cases were removed for further analyses if the participant indicated (a) not having worked as a school counselor prior to March 2020 and/or (b) having 0–2 years of experience as a school counselor. The current COVID‐19 data used in the present study are part of a different study (Hilts, Liu, Li, et al., 2022).…”

“…Students in high‐needs schools, English language learners, students with disabilities (Catalano et al., 2021), and those who rely heavily on services at schools (Limberg et al., 2022) were noted to be highly vulnerable during COVID‐19. Given the worsened disparities coupled with school counselors’ role as culturally competent leaders and advocates (ASCA, 2019b; Hilts, Liu, Li, et al., 2022), we hypothesize that COVID‐19 has resulted in changes in school counselors’ involvement in leadership and advocacy initiatives. Further, we suspect that school counselors’ perceptions of their school environment, namely the school climate, have changed since the onset of COVID‐19.…”

“…To this end, it is not surprising Hilts, Liu, Li, et al. (2022) results indicated that psychological empowerment was positively associated with school counselors’ engagement in leadership, which is related to the level of comprehensive school counseling program implementation (Hilts, Liu, & Luke, 2022) and involvement in school–family–community (SFC) partnerships (Kim et al., 2017). Moreover, we consider school counselors’ psychological empowerment especially important in the time of COVID‐19, given the vulnerabilities that students encounter at individual and systemic levels, especially those in low‐income communities and communities of Color that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic (Huck & Zhang, 2021).…”

Student-To-School-Counselor Ratios, School-Level Factors, and Leadership Practices of School Counselors: A National Investigation

“…This framework asserts that school counselors and school counselor educators consider a multitude of factors operating across systems when seeking to understand functions of the school environment and school counselor. Several studies have used an ecological or systems perspective (e.g., Kratsa et al, in press; Hilts, Liu, Li, & Luke, 2022), including previous student-to-school-counselor ratio studies (e.g., Brown & Knight, 2023; Goodman-Scott et al, 2018). Thus, in the present study, we examined various sociocultural factors of school counselors, school-level factors, school counselors’ practices (i.e., leadership practice), and their perceived school climate that may be related to school counselors’ caseload size.…”

“…Scholars have increasingly asserted the need for researchers in the counseling profession to recognize individuals and their cultural context as influencing their day-to-day activities and aspects of their work environment (e.g., Dollarhide et al, 2013; Hilts, Liu, Li, & Luke, 2022). This is especially important because school counselors with marginalized identities may encounter forms of discrimination or racism in the workplace.…”