An increased understanding of the needs of students experiencing homelessness will better inform educational and clinical practices to ensure student success. Through an analysis of survey data using the Knowledge and Skills with Homeless Students Survey (Gaenzle & Bryan, 2013), this exploratory study applied a mixed methods approach to assess…

The American School Counselor Association developed national standards for students to provide a framework for a holistic approach to student academic, career, and personal/social development. While the ASCA Student Standards are comprehensive, little attention is given to stress. Adolescents are experiencing greater stress associated with…

Brain growth and change is a key factor in adolescent development, influencing cognitions, emotions, and behavior. As technology has improved, so has the research on the adolescent brain. School counselors working with adolescents need to be familiar with recent literature to be more effective in their work with middle and high school students.…

Cyberbullying is a complex and disturbing 21st century phenomena. School counselors must understand the dynamics and risks of cyberbullying in order to help students, parents, and faculty deal with this difficult issue. We examined the extent to which middle school students understand, participate, and cope with cyberbullying issues in today's…

This article discusses the impact of bullying on K-12 students and the importance of collaborative partnerships between home and school in decreasing the dramatic effects of student bullying behaviors. The authors present a six-week, research-based, small group curriculum specifically developed for professional school counselors to support parents…

This national exploratory study examined the perceptions of secondary school counselors' (n = 81) understanding of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Two one-way ANOVAs revealed no statistically significant differences between middle and high school counselors on their perceptions of the prevalence of NSSI. Descriptive analyses revealed that a…

This study seeks to understand the effectiveness of a five-day residential leadership camp on the body image, assertiveness skills, attitudes towards gender equality, conflict resolution skills of early adolescent girl participants. To investigate the significance of the intervention, camp participants were asked to complete several instruments…

A group counseling intervention with beginning-level ESL students in middle school is presented. Findings from the pre- and post-group evaluations showed statistically significant improvement in students' reading and writing skills and appropriate classroom behaviors. Limitations of the research design are discussed and implications for school…

This article discusses the development, implementation, and effects of a middle school empathy building program that was designed to reduce bullying behavior. Results show that participants in the intervention group reported engaging in significantly less bullying behavior as compared to the control group, and the program was particularly…

Focusing on "re-membering" practices is new to grief counseling. Traditional approaches to grief counseling are guided by the concepts of stages or tasks, usually to move the person toward accepting the reality of loss and to "say goodbye" to their deceased loved one. This alternative approach to grief counseling, driven by social constructionism…

Problem-focused interventions are considered to be one of the most effective group counseling strategies with adolescents. This article describes a problem-focused group counseling model, Solving Problems Together (SPT), with a small group of adolescent African American boys struggling with anger management. Adapted from the teaching philosophy of…

This article explores factors influencing adolescent female substance use in rural communities. Self-reported data gathered from females 12 to 15 years of age in two northwestern communities in the United States showed an association among gender identity, peer and parental relationships, and substance use. Aggressive masculinity had the strongest…

Empirical research suggests a correlation between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions and increased academic achievement of students in middle schools. An argument was presented for utilizing CBT intervention within the delivery system of comprehensive school counseling programs in middle schools; specifically in individual…

School counselors are in a unique position to help at-risk students. Research indicates that teaching resiliency skills and emotional intelligence is a promising venture (Bernard, 1997; Chavkin & Gonzalez, 2000; Henderson & Milstein, 2002). Seventy identified at-risk seventh and eighth grade students enrolled in the Teen Leadership Program…

Middle school counselors are in a strategic position to provide leadership in promotion of bullying prevention efforts in their schools. This article provides middle school counselors with an understanding of early adolescent bullying, an overview of a comprehensive set of interventions that can be implemented to support a whole-school approach to…