When the Kids Are Not Alright: School Counseling in the Time of COVID-19

Abstract

The unprecedented arrival of COVID-19 upended the lives of American children with rapid shifts to remote and hybrid schooling and reduced access to school-based support. Growing concerns about threats to students’ mental health and decreased numbers of students transitioning to postsecondary education suggest access to school counselors is needed more than ever. Although previous research on school counselors finds they promote positive postsecondary, social emotional, and academic outcomes for students, further studies highlight the organizational constraints, such as an overemphasis on administrative duties and unclear role expectations, that hinder their work. Drawing on survey and focus group data, our mixed methods study documents school counselors’ experiences during the COVID-19 crisis, including the opportunities and constraints facing their practice. Findings suggest there should be a concerted effort to reduce the role ambiguity and conflict in counselors’ roles so they are better able to meet students’ increased needs.

Making meaning of COVID-19: An exploratory analysis of U.S. adolescent experiences of the pandemic.

“…This may not be possible or necessary for all adolescents-particularly given COVID-19's differential impacts-but in line with literature on psychosocial resilience, they could be encouraged to reflect with a focus on coping, resilience, and growth amid the challenges (Tusaie et al, 2007). Such efforts could be coupled with adequate supports across individual adolescents' ecosystems, such as therapy and reimagined college and career guidance given the economic and academic changes brought by the pandemic (e. g., Savitz-Romer et al, 2021).…”

“We Are the Heartbeat of the School”: How School Counselors Supported Student Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…New research suggests that school counselors encountered challenges supporting students during the pandemic due to organizational constraints. For example, school policies restricting virtual counseling and limited face-to-face interactions made it difficult for counselors to identify and address students’ mental health concerns ( ASCA, 2021 ; Savitz-Romer et al, 2021 ). Thus, school counselors’ experiences during the pandemic were in many ways similar to those prior to its onset.…”

“…Role confusion and lack of administrative support persisted. School counselors reported spending less time delivering individual and group counseling than they did previously, in part due to school policies that made it difficult to connect with students, such as those prohibiting video conferencing during counseling sessions ( Savitz-Romer et al, 2021 ). The assignment of noncounseling duties also increased in the remote format, with school counselors spending a substantial amount of their time managing attendance, distributing technology, and supporting families ( ASCA, 2021 ).…”

“…Emergent research examining school counselors’ professional experiences carrying out their responsibilities during COVID-19 suggests that the absence of in-person, face-to-face interaction with students and an increase in noncounseling duties created significant obstacles to delivering school-based support (e.g., ASCA, 2021 ; Savitz-Romer et al, 2021 ; Strear et al, 2021 ). Our article extends this extant research, using a mixed-methods design to examine school counselors’ experiences supporting students’ social/emotional wellness during a time of remote and hybrid learning.…”

Ecosystemic Advocacy for Elementary Mental Health

“…The school counselor’s role in addressing student mental health concerns gained emphasis in the past decade due in part to a national rise in mental health rates for children and youth in the United States (Bitsko et al, 2018; Carlson & Kees, 2013; Curtin, 2020; DeKruyf et al, 2013; Mann et al, 2018). The COVID-19 pandemic and the intersecting influence of institutional and systemic racism have further raised the level of concern regarding mental health and well-being (Araújo et al, 2021; Marques de Miranda et al, 2020; O’Sullivan et al, 2021; Savitz-Romer et al, 2021). In a review of published articles on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth, for example, researchers reported increases in anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic symptoms in children across all developmental phases, resulting in an increased need for mental health services and highlighting the role of schools in service provision (Araújo et al, 2021).…”