Detecting Warning Signs: An Exploration of School Counselors' Strategies for Identifying Students in Distress

• In Event: Addressing Students' Mental Health Needs

Abstract

School safety has become central to the educational goals and missions of schools on almost every continent (Astor & Benbenishty, 2018). Equally important is supporting the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students. Research consistently indicates that school safety requires more than formal protocols, and early detection of students in distress is essential to positive outcomes. School counselors- given their unique training and relationships with students and teachers- are in the optimal position to identify students in distress for prevention and intervention efforts. Yet, they are consistently absent from the broader literature. The current study seeks to fill this gap by exploring the ways in which school counselors contribute to school safety through the identification of students in distress.

Author

• Breanna Lea Ellington, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University