A Local Study of the Roles and Functions of the Secondary School Counselor
Authors:   , Schalesky Deborah 
Published: February 2023

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate the viewpoints of the various populations served by the secondary school counselor concerning the roles and functions of the secondary school counselor. Due to the nature of the study, the independent variables differed for each group. The independent variable of position (1) included counselors, administrators, teachers, counselor educators, students, parents, businesses, and school board. The independent variables investigated for the sample of counselors, administrators, teachers, and counselor educators were position (2), education, and years of experience. The independent variables investigated for the sample of students were class, grade point average, and frequency of use of counseling services. The instrument consisted of 56 items. The scores from the six scales and total of the Counselor Roles and Functions Questionnaire were employed as dependent variables. The scales were: Counseling; Consulting; Developmental/Career Guidance; Evaluation and Assessment; Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management; Administrative and Clerical; and Total. The sample consisted of 309 subjects including: 9 counselors, 8 administrators, 56 teachers, 14 counselor educators, 178 Students, 26 parents, 14 businesses, and 4 school board members. Three composite null hypotheses were tested at the .05 level, employing a three-way analysis of variance (general linear model). Ninety-one comparisons were made. Of the 91 comparisons, 49 were main effects and 42 interactions. Of the 49 main effects, 7 were statistically significant at the .05 level. Of the 42 interactions, 2 were statistically significant at the .05 level. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. counselors and counselor educators rated the roles and functions of Counseling higher than school board members: 2. counselors and counselor educators rated the roles and functions of Consulting higher than administrators; 3. counselors rated the roles and functions of Developmental/Career Guidance higher than administrators and teachers; 4. school board members rated the roles and functions of Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management higher than students and businesses, and counselors and counselor educators rated these roles and functions higher than businesses: 5. students rated the roles and functions of Administrative and Clerical higher than counselors and counselor educators, and counselors rated these roles and functions higher than counselor educators: 6. counselors and counselor educators rated the roles and functions of Consulting higher than administrators and teachers; 7. Students with grade point averages of 2.6 to 3.0 rated Administrative and Clerical roles and functions higher than students with grade point averages of 3.6 to 4.0; and 8. for the sample of counselors, administrators, teachers, and counselor educators, interactions between education and years of experience for the dependent variables, Consulting and Guidance Program Development, Coordination, and Management.