Options
School counsellors’ roles and effectiveness: The relationships between professional identity, school climate, and the cultural setting
Author(s)
Date Issued
2025
Citation
Harrison, M. G., & Tam, A. (13 Jul 2025). School counsellors’ roles and effectiveness: The relationships between professional identity, school climate, and the cultural setting. International Association for Counselling (IAC) Conference 2025, St Julians, Malta.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
We investigated the professional identity of school counsellors in Hong Kong and its impact on their effectiveness in responding to students' social-emotional needs. We interviewed 70 participants ( principals, students, school counsellors, and parents) and conducted thematic analysis on the data to explore the relationships between counsellors' professional identities, their roles, school climate, and cultural factors.
Our findings suggest that school counsellors' professional identity significantly influences their effectiveness in supporting young people. However, perceptions of effectiveness varied widely among stakeholders, instantiating a lack of consensus on what constitutes effective counselling. Moreover, we found that professional identity was not a static construct; it was fluid and often ambiguous, shaped by both individual experiences and collective understandings within the school context. Additionally, school climate and cultural factors played critical roles in shaping the professional identities of counsellors, highlighting the importance of contextual influences in their practice.
These insights underscore a need for clearer definitions of professional identity and effectiveness in school counselling. The findings have implications for school counsellors in Asian cultures and beyond.
Our findings suggest that school counsellors' professional identity significantly influences their effectiveness in supporting young people. However, perceptions of effectiveness varied widely among stakeholders, instantiating a lack of consensus on what constitutes effective counselling. Moreover, we found that professional identity was not a static construct; it was fluid and often ambiguous, shaped by both individual experiences and collective understandings within the school context. Additionally, school climate and cultural factors played critical roles in shaping the professional identities of counsellors, highlighting the importance of contextual influences in their practice.
These insights underscore a need for clearer definitions of professional identity and effectiveness in school counselling. The findings have implications for school counsellors in Asian cultures and beyond.
Availability at HKSYU Library
