Description
An Abstract of the Dissertation of Autumn Dolan
Autumn Dolan for the degree of Doctor of Education in Leadership, Learning and
Community presented on Date: August 9, 2022
Title: Beliefs Matter: School counselor self-assessment of perceived advocacy,
collaboration, and leadership mindset.
Dr. Marcel Lebrun, Dissertation Committee Chair
The purpose of this study was to examine self-perceived advocacy, collaboration,
and leadership skills of school counselors and the ways in which they demonstrate the
American School Counseling Association (ASCA), recommended mindsets. ASCA
recommends that counselors self-assess their own mindsets and behaviors and formulate
an appropriate professional development plan yet little guidance is given on how this
should be done. School counselors can adopt a leadership posture that is consistent with
the needs of schools and learners by using social-emotional insights and behaviors. A key
common competency in both social emotional leadership and the ASCA professional
standards requires counselors to be competent in self-awareness and be able to self-assess
their own mindsets and beliefs. This mixed methods study was created to give school
counselors within a single school district the opportunity for in-depth reflection to self assess skills and beliefs so that they can advocate, collaborate, and lead effectvely
