Date

12-19-2023

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Andrea L. Barbian-Keith

Keywords

high school counselors, school counseling, COVID-19 pandemic, experiences

Disciplines

Counseling | Education

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the comprehensive effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had and may still be having on high school counselors in the Houston metropolitan area. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory guides this study as it notes an individual’s ability to advance toward self-actualization in one’s personal and professional life. The COVID-19 pandemic altered one’s ability to accomplish those steps. Interviews with high school counselors assisted in gathering personal experiences as to how much the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their ability to become their best selves, both personally and professionally. Two focus groups were conducted to expand on the personal experiences of school counselors in high schools of varying sizes. Interviews and focus groups discussions were transcribed and themes were noted in order to identify common themes in the participant’s experiences. A document analysis was conducted as well to provide comparable information and additional insight into the experiences of high school counselors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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