Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Educational Leadership

Major Professor

William R. Black, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Robert Dedrick, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Eric Davis, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Waynne James, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Charles Vanover, Ph.D.

Keywords

Responsibilities, Bourdieu, Efficacy, Time-Allocation

Abstract

This dissertation examined middle school counselors' perceptions of their effectiveness in delivering career counseling to students. Middle school is a pivotal time for career exploration and planning, yet disparities in guidance persist, particularly for students not on a traditional college pathway. Guided by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, this study employed a survey method. An online survey developed by the researcher assessed counselors' time allocation across academic, career, social-emotional, and duties unrelated to their essential school counseling roles. Additionally, the survey inquired about counselors’ perceived effectiveness in meeting the career needs of diverse student populations (advanced academic, regular, at-risk, and low-SES), and the barriers counselors face. The sample consisted of 37 middle school counselors recruited from three southeastern states' school counselor associations, the American School Counselor Association, and direct solicitation of middle school counselors from a large public school district in central Florida. Available data from 27 counselors indicated that middle school counselors spend the least amount of time providing career counseling (11.5%) and a significant amount of time performing nonessential roles (27.8%). Findings (N = 37) indicated a statistically significant difference in perceived effectiveness across groups. Counselors reported feeling significantly less effective in providing career counseling to advanced placement students. Themes that emerged from the survey results suggested middle school counselors have high levels of self-efficacy but may lack job autonomy and many are limited by administrative duties. Implications for practice and future research revolve around the roles that middle school counselors currently play in providing career counseling services, but also the limitations they face. Additional research may consider the role educational leadership plays in prioritizing career counseling and the job autonomy middle school counselors may need outside of nonessential tasks.

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