Rural School Counselors' Perceptions of Children and Adolescents Living in Poverty : A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored perceptions of rural school counselors toward children and adolescents living in poverty. Eight rural school counselors, employed at high poverty schools, completed on-line demographic surveys and participated in individual semi-structured phone interviews. Three themes emerged from the semi-structured interviews conducted in this study. Emergent themes included parental involvement, lack of resources, and recommendations. Discussion of research findings are provided which makes connections to professional literature related to emergent themes. Recommendations for training and professional development for school counselors based on the American School Counselor Association National Model (2012) are made for preparation of school counselors to work with children and adolescents living in poverty.