Counseling Students to Increase Motivation and School Completion

This chapter reviews strategies for working with students who are at risk for school failure or dropout. Because each of the populations discussed in the earlier chapters may be at risk for dropout or failure, this chapter builds upon previous strategies by providing a framework for targeting motivation and academic enabling skills (e.g., note taking, study skills). It describes risk factors (both membership in certain groups and personal risk factors) that may contribute to school failure or dropout. It also addresses the need to distinguish between skills/acquisitions deficits and performance deficits in identifying the reasons a student is struggling academically, is chronically truant, or is at risk of dropping out. Counseling strategies to address motivation and academic enabling skills include motivational interviewing, solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and group counseling.

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Counseling Students Who Are Gifted

Counseling Special Populations in Schools ◽

10.1093/med:psych/9780199355785.003.0007 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 103-117

Author(s):

Emily S. Fisher ◽

Kelly S. Kennedy

Keyword(s):

Career Counseling ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Gifted Students ◽

Counseling Students ◽

Vulnerable Population ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Emotional Needs ◽

Social And Emotional ◽

Solution Focused Brief Therapy ◽

Solution Focused

This chapter reviews strategies for working with students who are gifted. It stresses that gifted students can be a vulnerable population because, without proper academic, social, and emotional support, they may not reach high levels of achievement and recognize their potential in school and beyond. Also, because gifted students’ social and emotional needs are often unrecognized and unmet, it is important for counselors to familiarize themselves with the characteristics associated with giftedness. The chapter describes the types of challenges that may be faced by gifted students, including perfectionism, underachievement, motivation, and multipotentiality. It also suggests counseling strategies to address these concerns such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, career counseling, and group counseling.

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Counseling Students Involved With the Juvenile Justice System

Counseling Special Populations in Schools ◽

10.1093/med:psych/9780199355785.003.0004 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 38-63

Author(s):

Emily S. Fisher ◽

Kelly S. Kennedy

Keyword(s):

Alternative Education ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Dialectical Behavior Therapy ◽

Justice System ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Treatment Plan ◽

Counseling Students ◽

System P ◽

Solution Focused

This chapter provides an overview of the juvenile justice system, as well as descriptions of alternative education settings, and offers suggestions for counselors who work with students who are involved with that system. Students who are involved with the juvenile justice system face a number of risks that impact them at school, including trauma, comorbid psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, learning disabilities, and underachievement. Counselors working with this group of students need to take time to establish effective rapport and develop a treatment plan that takes into account the complexities of these students’ lives. Specific counseling strategies discussed include solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy dialectical behavior therapy motivational interviewing (MI), multisystemic therapy and group counseling.

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Counseling Students Living in Foster Care

Counseling Special Populations in Schools ◽

10.1093/med:psych/9780199355785.003.0003 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 23-37

Author(s):

Emily S. Fisher ◽

Kelly S. Kennedy

Keyword(s):

Foster Care ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Counseling Students ◽

Behavior Intervention ◽

Academic Difficulties ◽

Foster Care System ◽

System P ◽

Solution Focused Brief Therapy ◽

Solution Focused ◽

Social Support Systems

This chapter presents information and strategies for counselors who work with students who are living in foster care. Students in foster care have experienced a series of significant negative life events that put them at great risk for mental health and academic difficulties that can persist into adulthood. Counselors working with students in foster care can help by using strategies that promote empowerment and self-determination and that focus on building students’ strengths and social support systems. The chapter discusses specific counseling strategies such as solution-focused brief therapy, trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, and Cognitive Behavior Intervention for Trauma in Schools. It also presents suggestions for planning for the time when students make the transition from adolescence to adulthood and thus leave the foster care system.

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Effects of Risk Factors on Adolescents' Resiliency and Coping

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1998.82.2.675 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 82 (2) ◽

pp. 675-678 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Cynthia L. Jew ◽

Kathy E. Green

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

At Risk ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Behavioral Problems ◽

Dropping Out ◽

Five Factors ◽

Drug And Alcohol Use ◽

And Coping ◽

Drug And Alcohol ◽

Out Of School

The relationships among five factors characterized as placing adolescents at risk for behavioral problems such as dropping out of school or drug and alcohol use, and resiliency and coping were evaluated for a sample of 392 students in Grades 7 to 12. Students self-reported to be at-risk differed in scores on resiliency but not in coping from those with no self-reported risk factors.

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Scheduled Telephone Support for Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Patients at Risk for Dropout: Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.15732 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Satu Pihlaja ◽

Jari Lahti ◽

Jari Olavi Lipsanen ◽

Ville Ritola ◽

Eero-Matti Gummerus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Routine Clinical Practice ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Dropping Out ◽

Telephone Support ◽

Patients At Risk

BACKGROUND Therapist-supported, internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) is efficient in the treatment of depression. However, the optimal mode and intensity of therapist support remain to be identified. Scheduled telephone support (STS) may improve adherence and outcomes but, as it is time- and resource-consuming, should be reserved for patients for whom the usual support may be insufficient. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to reveal whether add-on STS for patients at risk of dropping out improves treatment adherence and symptoms in iCBT for depression. METHODS Among patients participating in an ongoing large observational routine clinical practice study of iCBT for depression delivered nationwide by Helsinki University Hospital (HUS-iCBT), those demonstrating a ≥14-day delay in initiation of treatment received invitations to this subsidiary STS study. A total of 100 consenting patients were randomly allocated to either HUS-iCBT as usual (control group, n=50) or HUS-iCBT plus add-on STS (intervention group, n=50). Proportions of those reaching midtreatment and treatment end point served as the primary outcome; secondary outcomes were change in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)–measured depressive symptoms and time spent in treatment. RESULTS Add-on STS raised the proportion of patients reaching midtreatment compared with HUS-iCBT as usual (29/50, 58% vs 18/50, 36%; P=.045) and treatment end point (12/50, 24% vs 3/50, 6%; P=.02). Change in BDI score also favored add-on STS (3.63 points vs 1.1 points; P=.049), whereas duration of treatment did not differ. CONCLUSIONS Add-on STS enhances adherence and symptom improvement of patients at risk of dropping out of iCBT for depression in routine clinical practice. CLINICALTRIAL International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 55123131; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN55123131.

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Counseling Students Who Are Homeless

Counseling Special Populations in Schools ◽

10.1093/med:psych/9780199355785.003.0002 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 7-22

Author(s):

Emily S. Fisher ◽

Kelly S. Kennedy

Keyword(s):

Family Involvement ◽

Homeless Youth ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Counseling Students ◽

Background Information ◽

Homeless Students ◽

School Based ◽

Solution Focused

This chapter presents background information about homeless youth and suggested counseling strategies for use by school-based counselors who work with young people who are homeless. Homelessness is a growing problem for students, and students who experience homelessness are at increased risk for a host of developmental, academic, and mental health problems. Counselors working with students who are homeless must be aware of legal and ethical issues, such as the McKinney-Vento Act, which was enacted to ensure that homeless students are provided a free and appropriate public education, and mandated reporting requirements. Counselors can help promote resilience by focusing on students’ strengths and addressing issues related to stress, trauma, and family involvement. Specific counseling strategies discussed include solution-focused brief therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

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Scheduled Telephone Support for Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Patients at Risk for Dropout: Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/15732 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (7) ◽

pp. e15732

Author(s):

Satu Pihlaja ◽

Jari Lahti ◽

Jari Olavi Lipsanen ◽

Ville Ritola ◽

Eero-Matti Gummerus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Routine Clinical Practice ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Dropping Out ◽

Telephone Support ◽

Patients At Risk

Background Therapist-supported, internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) is efficient in the treatment of depression. However, the optimal mode and intensity of therapist support remain to be identified. Scheduled telephone support (STS) may improve adherence and outcomes but, as it is time- and resource-consuming, should be reserved for patients for whom the usual support may be insufficient. Objective This paper aims to reveal whether add-on STS for patients at risk of dropping out improves treatment adherence and symptoms in iCBT for depression. Methods Among patients participating in an ongoing large observational routine clinical practice study of iCBT for depression delivered nationwide by Helsinki University Hospital (HUS-iCBT), those demonstrating a ≥14-day delay in initiation of treatment received invitations to this subsidiary STS study. A total of 100 consenting patients were randomly allocated to either HUS-iCBT as usual (control group, n=50) or HUS-iCBT plus add-on STS (intervention group, n=50). Proportions of those reaching midtreatment and treatment end point served as the primary outcome; secondary outcomes were change in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)–measured depressive symptoms and time spent in treatment. Results Add-on STS raised the proportion of patients reaching midtreatment compared with HUS-iCBT as usual (29/50, 58% vs 18/50, 36%; P=.045) and treatment end point (12/50, 24% vs 3/50, 6%; P=.02). Change in BDI score also favored add-on STS (3.63 points vs 1.1 points; P=.049), whereas duration of treatment did not differ. Conclusions Add-on STS enhances adherence and symptom improvement of patients at risk of dropping out of iCBT for depression in routine clinical practice. Trial Registration International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 55123131; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN55123131.

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