Date
4-26-2024
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Todd Schultz
Keywords
Christian integration, psychology and Christianity, Christianity and public schools, Christian education, adolescent identity development, adolescent spirituality, adolescent religion and spirituality, adolescent meaning-making, meaning-making, identity, school counselors, public school counselors, Christian school counselors, counseling, religion and spirituality
Disciplines
Counseling | Education
Recommended Citation
Houchin, Todd Christopher, "A Phenomenological Study Exploring What Integrating Adolescent Identity Means to Christian Public-School Counselors" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5456.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5456
Abstract
Adolescence is a numinous stage of self-discovery fraught with challenges and obscurities that threaten a healthy trajectory. Religion and spirituality are proven coping resources and school counselors can provide identity and meaning-making resources to aid adolescent development. However, religion and spirituality are often avoided in the public-school setting. Exploring what integrating adolescent identity means to Christian public-school counselors is important toward clarifying roles and ensuring best practices. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore what integrating adolescent identity means to Christian public-school counselors. Guiding questions include how Christian school counselors navigate identity and meaning making issues with adolescents, and counselor experience with integrating Christian identification and meaning making resources into counseling. Bowlby’s (1958) theory on the significance of attachments and Erikson’s (1968) identity theory guide this study. Criterion, opportunistic, convenience, and snowball sampling were conducted. Interviews are the source of data collection. Seven steps for conducting data analysis were followed and these steps are outlined in the methods section. Six themes emerged from the data collection process. Relationships were interpreted as spiritual, and a key formative process to adolescents, and professional care contributed to self-imposed limits on adolescent RS integration. A summary of findings and recommendations is provided.
