Tina Bigante

Defense Date

6-21-2005

Graduation Date

Summer 2007

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Counselor Education and Supervision (ExCES)

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Joseph F. Maola

Committee Member

Jocelyn Gregoire

Committee Member

John Mosely

Keywords

Crisis Intervention, School Counselor

Abstract

School Counselors Perceptions of the Importance and Need for Appropriate Training Regarding Preparedness to Deal with Specific Crisis Situations in Schools, explored differences among and between school counselors who have been trained and school counselors who have not been trained in crisis intervention with regards to specific crisis situations. The subjects were 70 school counselors employed in public school districts of western Pennsylvania. Thirty-five of the school counselors had received training in crisis intervention either through university coursework and/or workshops. The other thirty-five school counselors had no formal training in crisis intervention. All participants completed the Survey of School Counselor Perception of Crisis Needs. This study sought to measure school counselor perceptions of the importance of being skilled and the perceptions of the need for appropriate training regarding specific crisis situations. The results of the study found school counselors who have been trained in crisis intervention perceived the importance for being skilled and the need for appropriate training in crisis intervention to be necessary. Furthermore, the data showed the school counselors who have not been formally trained in crisis intervention perceived the importance for skills to be important, but the need for appropriate training in crisis intervention was not significant. Recommendations regarding specified trainings and coursework at the university level as well as school employment level may significantly contribute to the literature. Understanding the importance of being skilled and the need for appropriate training in crisis intervention permits informed decisions to be made for school counselors in training as well as practicing school counselors. Additionally, school districts should benefit from knowing the results of this study in order to establish in-service trainings that address what school counselors perceive to be important training. Finally, Counselor Education programs also derive benefits from the results of this study. Of most importance is the determination of whether or not it is important to include training in crisis intervention as part of the counselor-education training program for school counselors.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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