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Examining the role of the school counselor in New Jersey: a mixed-methods study
Dissertation   Open access

Examining the role of the school counselor in New Jersey: a mixed-methods study

Jennifer S. Grimaldi
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
Sep 2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00011586
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Abstract

American School Counselor Association National Model Organizational structures Professional identity Role alignment Role theory School counselors
This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the extent to which school counselors in New Jersey experienced alignment among their graduate school preparation, national professional standards, and assigned responsibilities and explored the organizational factors that supported or constrained role alignment. Guided by role theory, the study examined how organizational expectations shaped school counselors' implementation and negotiation of their professional roles. The quantitative phase included 51 New Jersey public school counselors from diverse school levels and geographic settings who completed the researcher-developed School Counselor Role Alignment Survey. The qualitative phase consisted of semi-structured phenomenological interviews with 10 purposefully selected participants, supplemented by document analysis and research journaling. Findings indicated that school counselors experienced partial role alignment, frequently engaging in counseling activities consistent with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model while concurrently performing non-counseling and administrative responsibilities. Greater role alignment was associated with greater role clarity, more manageable stress, and more positive perceptions of professional well-being. Qualitative findings further demonstrated that administrative leadership, organizational expectations, staffing, scheduling, available resources, and school culture shaped school counselors' capacity to implement comprehensive school counseling programs. Participants emphasized counseling relationships, professional identity, student-centered practice, and advocacy as central to sustaining their professional role. The integrated findings suggested that role alignment existed along a continuum and was shaped by organizational structures and leadership practices that supported or constrained comprehensive school counseling implementation. These findings highlight the importance of organizational role clarity and alignment between school-level expectations and professional school counseling standards in supporting comprehensive services for students. Keywords: school counselors, role alignment, role theory, professional identity, ASCA National Model, organizational structures, New Jersey, mixed-methods research.

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