A qualitative study of the challenges and strategies of guidance and counseling in schools from the point of view of school counselors

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Islamic Azad University, Arak Branch, Arak, Iran

2 Consulting Department, Farhangian University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate and understand the challenges and strategies of school counseling from the perspective of school counselors.

Method: The current research is qualitative and based on the phenomenological approach. The sample of the study was the school counselors of Arak and Najaf-Abad in the year (2023), 14 of them were selected in a purposeful and theoretical manner according to the principle of theoretical saturation, and the research data was collected using semi-structured and in-depth interviews. was collected and the data was analyzed with the method of theme analysis and Colaizzi pattern (1978).

Findings: The data analysis showed that the challenges of guidance and counseling in school include 4 general themes with the titles of challenges of counselors, students and clients, school and community environment along with 22 sub-themes and their strategies are also in 4 general themes of strategies. It was summarized with 21 sub-themes related to counselors, students and clients, school and community environment.

Conclusion: Understanding the challenges and strategies of guidance and counseling in schools from the point of view of school counselors can help to better understand the role and position of school counselors along with reducing harm and increasing support in order to have more influence of counselors in the realization of education programs on a wide scale

Keywords