Understanding the Experiences of Student Parents in Master's Counseling Graduate Progams

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the experiences that student parents have in master’s counseling graduate programs and fill the gap of student parent research that exists (Trepal et al., 2014). Participants of this study included six student parents from the southern region of the United States enrolled in CACREP accredited master’s counseling programs. The data collected from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using the social role theory to understand how gender roles impact the experiences of student parents. Results from this study provide implications for counselor education programs and faculty to provide support to this student population are discussed as well as recommendations for future research.