School counselors and research revisited.

This article presents the results of a questionnaire on various aspects of research completed by 763 school counselors. Three subscales were derived using factor analysis: Confidence in Research Ability, Perceived Relevance of Research, and Perceived Value of Research. Results round differences on the subscales and several individual items by demographics, highest degree earned, level, and school size. The discussion speculates about the origins of these differences and considers the implications for the school counseling profession.

**********

Issues related to the quantity and quality of school counseling research and its proper role in the profession have been a perennial concern. In 1967, several articles were published in Elementary School Guidance and Counseling that emphasized the importance of scientific research to the profession (e.g., Greising, 1967; Hoyt, 1967). Several years later, Cramer, Herr, Morris, and Frantz (1970) devoted a book to this topic and used strong terms to express their dissatisfaction with the state of affairs at that time:

   Too much effort is spent by counselors in
   evading the issue of validated knowledge, or in
   scoffing at research because the counselor is
   too incompetent to use the results. Incompetent
   is a harsh word, but it is justifiable when
   the counselor's helpfulness to important persons--his
   clients--is reduced by ignorance of
   research methods and analysis (p. viii).

The scarcity of sound empirical research in the school counseling field was again lamented by Wilson (1985), reiterating a recurring theme: while the survival of the profession is dependent on gathering and presenting empirical evidence of the effectiveness of their services, school counselors were not engaged in this endeavor. Furthermore, this author noted that the little research that had been conducted was of poor quality, saying, "the field is saturated with studies that are insufficiently rigorous from the perspective of the scientist or irrelevant from the perspective of the practitioner" (p. 112). Loesch (1988) concurred with the view that there was dearth of empirical research on school counseling and inferred that research bas not been "valued, emphasized, or endorsed" (p. 170) as an important function for school counselors.

A strong position was taken by Allen (1992), who stated, "School counselors have not effectively utilized research" (p. 1). Lee and Workman (1992) also noted the lack of research supporting the effectiveness of school counseling, which they conjectured is due to the lack of value placed on research by school counseling professionals. They also noted that research is not sufficiently stressed in training programs for school counselors. A random survey of school counselors in one southeastern state found that while the majority (77%) of the counselors surveyed reported taking a research course as part of their training, only 46% rated their ability to conduct research as good or excellent, although 79% considered their ability to read and understand research articles as good or excellent. Most participants (84%) indicated that conducting research was of at least some value to their career. Qualitative data yielded two themes that helped to explain the resistance of school counselors to school counseling research: time constraints and a dislike for, or negative attitude towards, research.

A recent study (Bauman et al., 2002) found that only 25% of articles in the first four volumes of Professional School Counseling reported empirical research, and of those articles, 19% listed the first author as affiliated with a school district, and 28% listed at least one author with a school district affiliation. Further, findings suggested that school counselors in this sample not only were not conducting research, they were not reading it. Twenty-two per cent of their participants did not read or consult any school counseling journal, and of the 19% who consulted only one journal, 46% said the only publication they consulted regularly was the newsletter of their state school counseling organization, which is not likely to publish empirical research.

Issues of accountability remain prominent in the school counseling profession. Empirical research is essential if accountability is to be demonstrated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate counselors' interest in research in an attempt to gain a further understanding of the dynamics that affect the research productivity of the profession.

METHOD

Procedure

A questionnaire was mailed to 2000 randomly selected members of the American School Counselor Association. A cover letter indicated the purpose of the study, and a self-addressed pre-paid return envelope for respondents' use in returning the questionnaire to the researcher was provided. The letter also directed those school counselors who would prefer to complete the questionnaire online to a website where this could be done. The mailing included a coupon, which could be returned separately to enter respondents in a drawing for two $50 gift certificates from Amazon.com. Two weeks following the initial mailing, a follow-up postcard was mailed to the same 2000 participants, requesting that those who had not yet done so complete and return the questionnaire. Surveys were completed anonymously.

Participants

To facilitate the reading of this article, the Appendix includes all items and demographic questions on the survey with the percent of respondents marking each category given in the appropriate spaces. Note that percentages will not always add to 100% due to rounding.

A total of 727 paper questionnaires were returned, and 36 online questionnaires were completed, for a total sample of 763, or 38% response rate. Participants included at least one person from each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the armed forces.

Instrument

A questionnaire was developed by the researcher for the purpose of this study based on the review of the literature and consultation with other professionals. It included 26 five-point Likert scale items that asked respondents to rate their level of agreement (Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree) with statements about research and school counselors. Check boxes were provided to indicate memberships in ASCA, ACA, and their state school counseling association. The questionnaire listed four publications (Professional School Counseling, Journal of Counseling and Development, ASCA Counselor, and the ncwsletter of the state counseling organization) and respondents were asked to indicate the frequency with which they consulted these publications (from "never" to "often"). The questionnaire concluded with check boxes in which respondents could provide demographic information, including gender, race/ethnicity, age, level at which they work, years of school counseling experience, type of school counseling credential, undergraduate major, highest degree earned, type of school, size of school, and number of counselors in the school.

RESULTS

As the random sample for this survey was provided by ASCA, the fact that 98.6% of respondents were members of that organization was expected. Thirty-nine percent (n = 300) were members of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and 74.3% were members of their state school counseling organizations. Professional publications related to school counseling were accessed in varying degrees by participants. For Professional School Counseling, 35.5% indicated that they consulted this journal "often", and 38.4% consulted it "sometimes." Only 14.9% said they "seldom" or "never" consulted this journal. Note that 11.1% of respondents (n = 85) did not make any selection on this item. The Journal of Counseling and Development was consulted "often" by 16.8% of respondents, while 28.7% indicated they did so "sometimes." "Seldom" or "never" was checked by 32.0%. The newsletters of state school counseling organizations were consulted "sometimes" or "often" by 66.1% of respondents, while only 19% "seldom" or "never" consulted such newsletters. Finally, the ASCA Counselor was consulted "often" by 50.2% of respondents, and "sometimes" by 36.5%, making this the most widely read publication of those listed. Only 8.0% of respondents indicated they "never" or "seldom" consulted this journal. Both the ASCA Counselor and Professional School Counseling are provided to members of ASCA as part of the membership fee. Note that the ASCA website describes Professional School Counseling as a journal providing "peer-reviewed articles on school counseling theory, research, practice and techniques" whereas the ASCA Counselor is described as a magazine devoted to "practical, how-to articles" (http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.cfm?L1=2&L2=]). It is interesting to note that the strongest correlation coefficient (r = .442, p < .01) found was between frequency of consultation of Professional School Counseling and the Journal of Counseling and Development. These are the two scholarly peer-reviewed publications among those listed.

A factor analysis of the questionnaire items was conducted to identify subscales. The items in the questionnaire were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis using squared multiple correlations as prior communality estimates. The principal factor method was used to extract the factors, and this was followed by a promax (oblique) rotation, as it was expected that factors would be correlated. A scree plot (Kline, 1994) suggested three meaningful factors. In interpreting the rotated factor pattern, an item was said to load on a given factor if the factor loading was .40 or greater on that factor and was less than .40 for the other factors. At least three items loaded on each retained factor (Hatcher, 1994). Using Kaiser's criterion, eigenvalues for all retained factors were greater than 1.0. The variance accounted for by each of the retained factors was at least 10%. The proportion of the total variance accounted for by the retained factors was 90%, exceeding the minimum of 70% recommended by Stevens (1996). The three factors were named Confidence, Perceived Relevance, and Perceived Value. Factor loadings for these items are presented in Table 1.

Descriptive statistics were calculated on scores on the three subscales identified in the factor analysis. Scores range from 1 to 5, with 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly Agree. Items with negative wording were reverse scored. Mean level of Confidence in Ability to Conduct and Read Research was 3.76 (s.d. = .63), the mean Perceived Relevance of Research score was 3.08 (s.d. = .48), and mean level of Perceived Value of Research was 3.09 (s.d. = .43).

The correlation matrix was examined to identify demographic variables that were related to subscale scores and individual items. Identified variables were analyzed using ANOVA procedures, and post-hoc tests were used to identify those groups that differed significantly from the others. Gender differences were analyzed using the t-test for independent groups. An alpha level of .05 was selected for all analyses. Table 2 presents means and standard deviations for all Likert scale items.

On the item that read, "I believe I have the skills necessary to conduct research independently," 42.2% either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, while 36.4% either disagreed or strongly disagreed. This is similar to results reported by Lee and Workman (1992), who round 46% of their respondents rated ability to conduct research as good or excellent. In this sample, 89.8% agreed that they are competent to interpret research articles, compared to 79% of Lee and Workman's sample that rated their ability to read and understand research articles as good or excellent. On the item, "I believe that research is relevant to my daily work as a school counselor," 60.3% either agreed or strongly agreed, compared to 14.4% who disagreed or strongly disagreed. Over hall (51.4%) of respondents indicated that research results influence the way in which they conduct their work as a school counselor, while 20.2% were not influenced by research. Research evidence prior of approach or program effectiveness was sought prior to implementing such programs by 69.5% of the school counselors in this study, while only 11.2% indicated they did not do so. Of the participants, 44.9% agreed that when questions arise on the job, a scientific approach involving data collection was used to seek answers, but 27.9% did not use a scientific approach. A Research Methods class had been taken by 89.5% of respondents as part of the training to be a school counselor, with only 8.3% indicating that had not had such a course. Lee and Workman reported 77% of their sample had such a course. Regarding further training in conducting action research, 41.6% indicated they would like further training, while 27.2% would not. Teaming with university researchers in order to conduct research was of interest to 39.6% of respondents, while 27.9% would not be interested in such a collaborative effort. Regarding job expectations, 78.1% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, "I am expected to conduct research as a part of my job as a school counselor," in contrast to 11.3% who agreed or strongly agreed. On this item, 9.7% were neutral.

Two items inquired about time to read professional journals and to read about research. Those who indicated that they did not have time to read journals comprised 26.8% of the sample, in contrast to 54.8% who responded that they did have time to do so. Time for reading research specifically was a problem for 30.9%, while 46.3% did not report that time was a barrier to reading research. Time constraints were perceived to be a slightly greater barrier to conducting research than it was to reading professional journals. Note that slightly more of the sample found time to read research than time to read professional journals to be an obstacle.

The demographic variable that was most highly correlated with the Confidence subscale score was highest degree earned. An ANOVA with Confidence as the dependent variable and degree as the independent variable was statistically significant (F = 23.67, df = 731, p < .000, [[eta].sup.2] = .09, a medium effect size). Partial eta-squared ([[eta].sup.2]), which is a measure of the proportion of variance in the dependent variable that is accounted for by the independent variable, was selected to represent effect size for this analysis. Post-hoc analysis using Duncan's Multiple Range Test revealed that school counselors with doctorates had a significantly higher level of confidence in their research ability than did those with other degrees. On the Perceived Relevance of Research subscale, age groups differed significantly (F = 5.84, df = 724, p < .000, [[eta].sup.2] = .03, a small effect). Those respondents 51 years old and older obtained significantly higher scores on Perceived Relevance than their younger colleagues. No differences on any of the demographic variables were round on the Perceived Value of Research subscale.

Differences among groups on individual items were also analyzed. On the item measuring interest in collaborating with university researchers to conduct research, scores by degree earned and gender differed among respondents. On the item, "I believe I have the skills necessary to conduct research independently," an ANOVA was conducted using highest degree earned as the dependent variable (F = 21.053, df = 739, p < .000, [[eta].sup.2] = .08, a small effect size). A post-hoc analysis using Duncan's Multiple Range Test indicated that those with doctorates earned significantly higher scores on this item than did those with other degrees. A t-test revealed that males earned significantly higher scores on this item than females (t = 3.075, p < .002, d = .31, a medium effect). Cohen's d was selected as the effect size for this analysis. An ANOVA with highest degree earned as the dependent variable with the predictor being the rating on the item, "I would like to team with university researchers to conduct research in my school," yielded significant differences (F = 7.858, df = 740, p < .000, [[eta].sup.2] = .03), with Duncan's Multiple Range Test finding that those with doctorates were significantly more interested in such endeavors. A t-test for independent samples was performed on the scores on this item, with gender as the independent variable. Results were statistically significant (t = 2.99, p <.003, d = .31, a medium effect), with males expressing stronger agreement with the statement than females. Interest in further training in action research methods was also significantly different by gender (t = 3.107, p <. 002, d = .32), with males having greater interest.

Respondents were asked whether their school and school district value research by school counselors. For individual schools, scores differed by level (F = 3.807, df = 731, p < .002, [[eta].sup.2] = .02), and post-hoc analysis using Duncan's Multiple Range Test revealed that high school counselors perceived research to be less valued by their schools than did their counterparts at other levels. A significant difference was also detected on this item by school size (F = 2.999, df = 738, p < .004, [[eta].sup.2] = .03). Counselors in schools with 1,500 or more students perceived research to be less highly valued than those in smaller schools. Schools with large enrollments are likely to be high schools. Neither of those variables differed with respect to perceived value of research by school district.

The on-line version of the questionnaire had space for comments, and the cover letter accompanying the questionnaire, received by all participants, included the researcher's email address. Examination of those qualitative data yielded some salient observations. One participant observed that finding time to read or do research is challenging but worth the effort. Another echoed that sentiment, saying he or she made time to read journals because she or he did not think it was possible to be a good counselor without doing so. Another participant noted that many school counselors do not value what research can do for their program, and suggested that a lack of emphasis on research on graduate training programs might account for this. The lack of emphasis may explain one participant's comment that most counselors are weak in interpreting data. An additional participant stated, "Research is good, but practical applications seem to be of more value in the work setting." Perhaps the most cogent comment was included in an email to the researcher from a high school counselor who was troubled about her role as a school counselor. This individual indicated that while her master's degree program had prepared her well to conduct research, such endeavors are not valued by her workplace. She summarized her discontent in this way: "I am concerned that if I stay here, I will lose my counseling skills, counselor identity, and research mentality."

DISCUSSION

Although not the principal focus of this research, some important findings relate to demographics. The demographic distribution of the sample raises some important issues for the profession. While it must be kept in mind that the sample was randomly selected from the membership in ASCA and may not be representative of the general population of school counselors, the finding merits attention. A disproportionate number of participants were white females. Given the increasing diversity of the student population and the need for role models that reflect this diversity, the absence of minority representation in the sample is striking. In particular, Hispanics/ Latinos, which are the fastest growing minority group in this country, accounted for only 0.5% of the counselors in this sample. This is a matter of grave concern, and the possible reason should be investigated further. It is possible that this ethnic group is represented in the general school counseling population but is under-represented in ASCA membership. If so, this should be examined. The more likely interpretation is that this group is dramatically under-represented in the profession, and that is an issue that must be addressed by professional organizations and counselor training programs. It is imperative that such a drastic under-representation be corrected if ASCA's position statement on diversity is to be more than rhetoric. The statement reads: School counselors take action to ensure students of culturally diverse backgrounds have access to appropriate services and opportunities promoting the individual's maximum development (American School Counseling Association, 1999).

The publication most widely read by participants was the ASCA Counselor, which is a magazine devoted to practical articles and is not one to publish research. Only 36% of respondents often read the flagship journal of the profession, Professional School Counselor, and the Journal of Counseling and Development, the journal of the more inclusive counseling professional organization, was often read by only 17%. Of the journals listed on this questionnaire, these are the ones most likely to include articles reporting research. It is interesting to note that these rates are lower than would be expected given that 60% of respondents indicated that research was relevant to their work, 51% said that research influences the way they do their job, and 70% said they sought research evidence of program effectiveness. One wonders how these participants learn about research given that so few regularly read scholarly journals with a focus on school counseling.

While a variety of explanations have been offered for the lack of research productivity by school counselors, demographics have not been referred to in the literature. One surprising finding was that males were significantly more confident in their skills to conduct research independently, significantly more interested in collaborating with university researchers to conduct research, and significantly more interested in further training in conducting research. It would appear that more general gender differences are reflected in this population. Sadly, this is a population for whom research is important, and women are the majority in this profession. If research efforts are to move forward, it is imperative that gender stereotypes regarding research proficiency be overcome.

The vast majority of counselors (83%) in the sample held master's degrees. While it would be expect ed that those with higher degrees would have more experience and training in research, one would also expect a strong correlation between having a course in Research Methods at any level and having skills to conduct research independently. The correlation coefficient (p = .183, p < .000) between those items was statistically significant but very weak. The relationship between such a course and the perceived ability to interpret research articles was somewhat stronger but weak nevertheless (p = .231, p < .000). This suggests that the Research Methods courses provided to students in school counseling programs are not having the expected results. Schaffer and Atkinson (1983) found that courses in scientific research and program evaluation represented a mean of 5% of the required credit hours in school counseling programs. Wilson (1985) also expressed concern about the inadequate preparation for research in school counseling programs. In addition, state level certification requirements rarely include preparation in research skills (Loesch, 1988). Whether the solution would be to require more coursework, different coursework, or ongoing in-service training in research skills is speculative at this point, but the question should be addressed.

Loesch (1988) speculated that "research has not been valued, emphasized, or endorsed as an important role function for school counselors" (p. 170). Findings from the current study suggest that this is still the case today. Note that the lowest mean (2.05) for any item on the questionnaire was obtained for the item that inquires about role expectations for research activities. The mean value of participants' scores on the Perceived Value subscale was 3.09 (s.d. = .43), only barely above the neutral point. Interestingly, the mean perceived value of research by the counselors' schools (3.16, s.d. = .98) was higher than either individual Perceived Value scores, or the mean perceived value by school district (2.92, s.d. = .95). It was noted above that there were significant differences in these two items, with high schools and larger schools being perceived as valuing research less than other levels and smaller schools. This may reflect Wilson's (1985) observation that administrators and teachers value the counselors' managerial functions more than other functions, and this may be even more prevalent at the secondary level.

Loesch (1988) pointed out that professional organizations have been remiss in supporting and encouraging research by school counselors. A survey of school counseling leaders (Deck, Cecil, & Cobia, 1990) round that among these leaders, one third had never done any research themselves. These leaders perceived that insufficient time was the factor that most impeded school counselor research, followed by inadequate financial resources and inadequate rewards systems. On the other hand, 97% perceived evaluation of program effectiveness as an appropriate research endeavor for school counselors. Only 49% supported school counselors conducting research designs using experimental and control groups. The current policy statement of the American School Counselor Association on the role of the professional school counselor does not mention the word research; under the "coordination" role, evaluation of the school counseling program is mentioned. The policy statement recommends a minimum of 70% of school counselors' time be spent in direct service but does not specify what other activities and functions should be undertaken.

It is interesting to note that less than 5% of respondents chose to complete the questionnaire online. One wonders if lack of availably of, or lack of familiarity or discomfort with, computers contributes to the lack of research productivity of school counselors.

Several limitations of this study must be mentioned. First, like many studies of school counselors, the sample was obtained from ASCA membership lists, and therefore cannot be generalized to all school counselors. Second, the online version contained a technical glitch that did not allow respondents to check membership in more than one professional organization. However, most of the 36 respondents who completed the questionnaire online used the comments section to note that problem and fist their memberships. Third, some potentially useful items were not included in the questionnaire, such as "I don't have the time to conduct research in my school." Despite these limitations, however, the results provide useful information for the profession.

The literature has addressed and re-addressed the problem of the lack of research by school counselors, but the status of this activity seems unchanged. It would seem that until the professional organizations and universities that train counselors reach the conclusion that "Research is truly a proactive professional activity which will contribute to the accountability, advocacy, and advancement of school counseling" (Allen, 1992, p.3) and actively promote appropriate training and rewards for school counselors who conduct research, articles such as this one are likely to appear periodically with similar lamentations. I

APPENDIX

Percent of Responses in Each Category

                                        Strongly
#   Item                                 Agree       Agree      Neutral

 1. I seek research evidence to            20          50         18
    demonstrate the usefulness of
    approaches or programs I use in
    my work.
 2. I feel competent to interpret          31          59          6
    research articles that relate to
    my work as a school counselor.
 3. I wish there were more research        29          42         23
    articles that focused on topics
    of interest to me as a school
    counselor.
 4. I do not think research is im-          0           2          5
    portant to my work as a school
    counselor.
 5. I would not use a counseling            8          29         30
    program or technique unless
    there was sound research eviden-
    ce of its effectiveness.
 6. I do not have time to read              3          24         18
    professional journals.
 7. I am well prepared to critique         12          37         29
    research articles.
 8. I would like to team up with           10          30         32
    university researchers to con-
    duct research in my school.
 9. I believe I have the skills             9          34         21
    necessary to conduct research
    independently.
10. When I read professional jour-         19          48         22
    nals, I prefer articles that
    describe programs or techniques
    to those that report research.
11. The results of research influen-        6          46         28
    ce the way I do my job as a
    school counselor.
12. I had a course in Research             48          42          2
    Methods as part of my training
    as a school counselor.
13. I do not have time to read              4          27         22
    about research.
14. My school does not value                5          19         38
    research by school counselors.
15. I am expected to conduct re-            2          10         10
    search as a part of my job as a
    school counselor.
16. I believe that research is rele-        9          51         25
    vant to my daily work as a
    school counselor.
17. When I read a research article,         8          29         23
    I am confident that I can exa-
    mine the Methods section closely
    to detect any flaws in the re-
    search design.
18. When I read a research article,        14          66         12
    I am confident that I can under-
    stand the Results section.
19. When I read a research article,        15          64         12
    I am confident that I can eva-
    luate the author(s)' conclu-
    sions.
20. When I read a research article,        21          70          7
    I can determine whether the con-
    clusions are applicable to my
    school.
21. Research by school counselors is        4          22         45
    valued by my school district.
22. If I were to suggest to my prin-       12          46         25
    cipal that it would be useful
    for school counselors to conduct
    research in our school, I be-
    lieve s/he would encourage me to
    do so.
23. My training program in school          30          50         11
    counseling emphasized the impor-
    tance of reading current re-
    search.
24. If I have questions in my work,         8          37         26
    such as whether a program or
    technique is having the desired
    effect, I seek answers using a
    scientific approach (gathering
    and analyzing data, etc.).
25. I would like more training              7          35         31
    in conducting action research.
26. It is critical that researchers        40          50          8
    in school counseling include
    implications for practitioners
    in their discussion section.

                                        Strongly
#   Item                                Disagree    Disagree    Missing

 1. I seek research evidence to            10           1          1
    demonstrate the usefulness of
    approaches or programs I use in
    my work.
 2. I feel competent to interpret           4           1          0
    research articles that relate to
    my work as a school counselor.
 3. I wish there were more research         5           0          0
    articles that focused on topics
    of interest to me as a school
    counselor.
 4. I do not think research is im-         53          39          1
    portant to my work as a school
    counselor.
 5. I would not use a counseling           31           2          0
    program or technique unless
    there was sound research eviden-
    ce of its effectiveness.
 6. I do not have time to read             43          12          1
    professional journals.
 7. I am well prepared to critique         19           2          1
    research articles.
 8. I would like to team up with           23           5          1
    university researchers to con-
    duct research in my school.
 9. I believe I have the skills            30           6          1
    necessary to conduct research
    independently.
10. When I read professional jour-          9           0          1
    nals, I prefer articles that
    describe programs or techniques
    to those that report research.
11. The results of research influen-       19           2          1
    ce the way I do my job as a
    school counselor.
12. I had a course in Research              7           2          1
    Methods as part of my training
    as a school counselor.
13. I do not have time to read             38           9          1
    about research.
14. My school does not value               31           7          1
    research by school counselors.
15. I am expected to conduct re-           49          29          0
    search as a part of my job as a
    school counselor.
16. I believe that research is rele-       13           1          0
    vant to my daily work as a
    school counselor.
17. When I read a research article,        34           7          0
    I am confident that I can exa-
    mine the Methods section closely
    to detect any flaws in the re-
    search design.
18. When I read a research article,         7           1          0
    I am confident that I can under-
    stand the Results section.
19. When I read a research article,         8           1          0
    I am confident that I can eva-
    luate the author(s)' conclu-
    sions.
20. When I read a research article,         2           0          0
    I can determine whether the con-
    clusions are applicable to my
    school.
21. Research by school counselors is       21           8          1
    valued by my school district.
22. If I were to suggest to my prin-       12           4          1
    cipal that it would be useful
    for school counselors to conduct
    research in our school, I be-
    lieve s/he would encourage me to
    do so.
23. My training program in school           8           1          1
    counseling emphasized the impor-
    tance of reading current re-
    search.
24. If I have questions in my work,        25           3          1
    such as whether a program or
    technique is having the desired
    effect, I seek answers using a
    scientific approach (gathering
    and analyzing data, etc.).
25. I would like more training             24           3          0
    in conducting action research.
26. It is critical that researchers        1            0          1
    in school counseling include
    implications for practitioners
    in their discussion section.

Percent indicating professional memberships by marking all boxes that
apply

American School Counselor Association    99
American Counseling Association          39
State school counseling organization     74

Frequency with which respondents consult each of these publications in
percents

                                         Never    Seldom    Sometimes

Professional School Counselor              7         8         38
Journal of Counseling and Development     15        17         29
The newsletter of your state school       11         8         29
counseling organization
The ASCA Counselor                         1         7         37

                                         Often    Missing

Professional School Counselor             36        11
Journal of Counseling and Development     17        23
The newsletter of your state school       37        15
counseling organization
The ASCA Counselor                        50         5

Percent of respondents (in parentheses) marking each box

Gender: (15) Male (84) Female

Race/Ethnicity:    (4) African        (2) Asian         (1) Hispanic/
                         American           American          Latino
                   (3) American      (82) Caucasian     (1) Biracial
                         Indian

Age: (14) 21-30    (20) 31-40    (32) 41-50    (29) 51-60    (4) 61+

Level at which you work:
(30) Elementary    (21) Middle school/Junior High    (27) High school
 (4) K-12           (8) Elementary and middle school
 (6) Middle and High school

Years of School Counseling Experience:
(50) 0-5    (18) 6-10    (11) 11-15    (8) 16-20    (7) 21-25
 (5) 26+

Type of school counseling credential:    (95) Regular
                                          (1) Emergency or waiver

Undergraduate major:    (46) Education    (22) Psychology    (30) Other

Highest degree earned:     (1) Bachelor    (83) Master
                          (10) Ed. Specialist    (4) Doctorate

Type of school:    (88) Public    (8) Private    (1) Charter
                    (1) Department of Defense

School size:
(4) under 200 students    (15) 201-400 students
(21) 401-600 students     (18) 601-800 students
(11) 801-1000 students    (14) 1001-1500 students
(6) 1501-2000 students     (8) 2000 + students

Number of full-time counselors in your school:
(7) less than one    (35) 1    (20) 2    (13) 3    (7) 4    (6) 5
(8) 6+

Table 1. Factor Loadings for Questionnaire Subscales

Item                              Factor 1       Factor 2      Factor 3
                                (Confidence)    (Relevance)    (Value)

When I read a research               .86            .04           .00
article, I am confident that
I can understand the Results
section.
When I read a research               .86            .00           .09
article, I am confident that
I can evaluation the
author(s)' conclusions.
When I read a research               .67           -.04          -.06
article, I can determine
whether the conclusions are
applicable to my school.
I feel competent to                  .65            .09          -.03
interpret research articles
that relate to my work as
a school counselor.
I am well prepared to                .64            .02          -.05
critique research articles.
I believe I have the skills          .53           -.09          -.02
necessary to conduct
research independently.
The results of research             -.02            .72          -.02
influence the way I do my
job as a school counselor.
I seek research evidence to         -.08            .59          -.02
demonstrate the usefulness
of approaches or programs I
use in my work.
* I do not think research is         .04            .52           .01
important to my work as a
school counselor.
I believe that research is           .04            .51           .05
relevant to my daily work as
a school counselor.
I would not use a counseling         .02            .46          -.02
program or technique unless
there was sound research
evidence of its
effectiveness.
* My school does not value           .02            .02           .73
research by a school
counselor.
Research by school                  -.02           -.07           .73
counselors is valued by my
school district.
If I were to suggest to my           .05           -.14           .58
principal that it would be
useful for school counselors
to conduct research in our
school, I believe s/he would
encourage me to do so.

Note. Items marked with an asterisk are reverse scored.

Table 2. Means and Standard Deviations for Questionnaire Items

Item                                                 n     Mean     SD

I seek research evidence to demonstrate the         738    3.77     .92
usefulness of approachesor programs I use in my
work.
I feel competent to interpret research articles     746    4.16     .73
that relate to my work as a school counselor.
I wish there were more research articles that       743    3.94     .88
focused on topics of interest to me as a school
counselor.
* I do not think research is important to my        741    4.30     .69
work as a school counselor.
I would not use a counseling program or             745    3.10    1.01
technique unless there was sound research
evidence of its effectiveness.
* I do not have time to read professional           741    3.37    1.06
journals.
I am well prepared to critique research             742    3.37     .99
articles.
I would like to team up with university             740    3.16    1.05
researchers to conduct research in my school.
I believe I have the skills necessary to conduct    740    3.08    1.11
research independently.
* When I read professional journals, I prefer       742    2.22     .87
articles that describe programs or techniques to
those that report research.
The results of research influence the way I do      742    3.35     .90
my job as a school counselor.
I had a course in Research Methods as part of my    742    4.28     .92
training as a school counselor.
* I do not have time to read about research.        738    3.21    1.06
* My school does not value research by school       743    3.16     .98
counselors.
I am expected to conduct research as a part of      744    2.05     .96
my job as a school counselor.
I believe that research is relevant to my daily     744    3.53     .98
work as a school counselor.
When I read a research article, I am confident      745    2.96    1.09
that I can examine the Methods section closely
to detect any flaws in the research design.
When I read a research article, I am confident      744    3.87     .74
that I can understand the Results section.
When I read a research article, I am confident      745    3.85     .78
that I can evaluate the author(s)' conclusions.
When I read a research article, I can determine     743    4.09     .60
whether the conclusions are applicable to my
school.
Research by school counselors is valued by my       741    2.92     .95
school district.
If I were to suggest to my principal that it        742    3.51    1.00
would be useful for school counselors to conduct
research in our school, I believe s/he would
encourage me to do so.
My training program in school counseling            742    4.01     .90
emphasized the important of reading current
research.
If I have questions in my work, such as whether     738    3.22    1.01
a program or technique is having the desired
effect, I seek answers using a scientific
approach (gathering and analyzing data, etc.).
I would like more training in conducting action     743    3.18     .98
research.
It is critical that researchers in school           740    4.30     .67
counseling include implications for practitio-
ners in the discussion section. research.

Note. Items with an asterisk were reverse scored. Higher values
represent more positive attitudes towards research.

References

Allen, J. (1992). Action-oriented research: Promoting school counselor advocacy and accountability. (ERJC Digest ED347477). Retrieved June 9, 2002 from http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digest/ed347477.html

American School Counselor Association. (1999). Position statement: Multicultural counseling. Retrieved June 6, 2003 from http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.cfm?L1=1000&L2=26

Bauman, S., Siegel, J., Falco, L., Seabolt, K., Davis, A., & Szymanski, G. (2002). School counselors' interest in professional literature and research. Professional School Counseling, 5, 346-352.

Cramer, S.H., Herr, E.L., Morris, C.N., & Frantz, T.T. (1970). Research and the school counselor. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Deck, M.D., Cecil, J.H., & Cobia, D.C. (1990). School counselor research as perceived by American School Counselor Association leaders: Implications for the profession. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling, 25, 12-21.

Greising, R.A. (1967).A pilot program in elementary school guidance: A study of teacher reactions. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling, 1, 126-139.

Hatcher, L (1994). A step-by-step approach to using the SAS system far factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Cary, NC: SAS Institute.

Hoyt, B. (1967). Some thoughts on elementary school guidance. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling, 1, 91-102.

Kline, P. (1994). An easy guide to factor analysis. London: Routledge.

Lee, C.C., & Workman, D.J. (1992). School counselors and research: Current status and future direction. School Counselor, 40, 15-19.

Loesch, L.C. (1988). Is "school counseling research" an oxymoron? In G.R. Walz, (Ed.). Research and counseling: Building strong school counseling programs (pp. 169-180). Alexandria, VA: American School Counseling Association.

Schaffer, J.L, & Atkinson, D.R. (1983). Counselor education courses in program evaluation and scientific research: Are counselors being prepared for the accountability press? Counselor Education and Supervision, 23, 29-34.

Stevens, J. (1996). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences (3rd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Wilson, N.S. (1985). School counselors and research: Obstacles and opportunities. School Counselor, 33, 111-119.

Sheri Bauman, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson. E-mail: [e-mail]. The author wishes to thank Dr. Darrell Sabers for his assistance with survey and research design and analysis of data, and Ms. Elissa Shaw-Fletcher, graduate assistant, who assisted with data entry.