Counseling Scholarship & Practice in Educational Communities (CSPEC)
The Official Journal of CSCORE

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About CSPEC

Counseling Scholarship & Practice in Educational Communities (CSPEC) is a peer-reviewed journal with a focus on empirical and conceptual scholarship pertaining to counseling activities that occur in and around preK-12 educational settings. The review board will consider submissions from various disciplines, not limited to school counseling, school social work, school psychology, and teaching, so long as the work is grounded in preventative and wellness counseling at the individual student or total school system levels. CSPEC is the official journal of the Fredrickson Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation (CSCORE) at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.

Publications

CSPEC Podcast Series

CSPEC Podcasts

In addition to the published articles, CSPEC hosts a podcast where authors further explore their work and its relevance for counseling practice/outcomes. Hosted by Dr. J. Anthony Elizondo (University of La Verne), these episodes provide readers/listeners with further context and an opportunity to hear directly from authors about the ways in which their scholarship can support the field.

Listen to our episodes:

J. Anthony Elizondo
CSPEC Podcast Host

Episode #1: School Counselor Mental Models: Missing Piece to Role Transformation

(Jennifer Scaturo Watkinson)

Read the Article

Drawing from Senge’s Organizational Learning Model, the authors of this phenomenological study explored school counselors’ mental models (i.e., assumptions) related to their professional role. To elicit mental models, thirteen school counselors participated in a focus group where they selected and described images that represented their assumptions about the profession. Utilizing thematic analysis, findings were categorized into three themes: 1. Caring and Supportive, 2. Help Students Navigate Experiences, and 3. Be Reactive. Implications for how mental models could be used to address discrepancies between training and professional practice is discussed.

Episode #2: School Counselors, Foster Care Alumni, and College Degree Attainment

(Claudia L.V. Smith)

Read the Article

Foster care alumni (FCA) face several challenges in their pursuit of post-secondary education, including the instability of their high school experiences, the greater risk of summer melt, and institutional hurdles they face once they have arrived on-campus. Utilizing an Advocating Student-within-Environment (ASE) approach, the authors summarize the extant research and provide examples of how school counselors can best prepare students for the variety of obstacles they may experience. Specific implications for school counseling practice and research that can further promote success for FCA are also identified.

CSPEC Editorial Team