Evidence Based Interventions
In an effort to disseminate information about evidence-based and research-backed interventions, CSCORE maintains a searchable list of EBIs for school counselors to support the academic, social-emotional, and post-secondary wellness of students across K-12. Each entry includes a general overview of the intervention, with links to their website, research articles, and more.
Research Briefs
The Center for School Counseling Outcome Research & Evaluation provides occasional research briefs that summarize the exemplary outcome research completed in the field of school counseling.
The Center uses these briefs to make research widely available and highlight the implications of the research for school counseling leadership and practice.
To subscribe to our Research Brief Distribution list, please visit our Registration Page where you can also view research briefs from previous years.
Please feel free to copy and distribute the briefs.
Outcome Research
Below are some of the research articles related to previous CSCORE annual review of research for the American Counseling Association (ACA) conference and the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference (EBSCC). To view the full presentations, see Research & Scholarship.
2026
Arora, P. G., Parr, K., Staubi, K., Soo Ping Chow, A., Coriano, V., & Baker, C. N. (2025). Development of the Cultural Adaptations
Content Checklist: Measuring cultural adaptations to evidence-based psychological interventions for racial and ethnic minoritized youth. School Psychology, 40(2), 297–308. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000651
Campbell, A. R., Sallese, M. R., Moeyaert, M., Calhoun, T. E., & Imler, M. H. (2025). Enhancing outcomes: Culturally adapted social
emotional and behavioral interventions for rural black elementary learners at risk. School Psychology, 40(2), 223–236. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000648
Grief Green, J. & Williams Splett, J. (2026, January). Promising practices for school organization of mental health supports
(EdResearch for Action Brief No. 38). Annenberg Institute and Results for America. https://edresearchforaction.org/research-briefs/promising-practices-for-school-organization-of-mental-health-supports/
Liu, V. Y. T., Haralampoudis, A., & Polon, I. (2024). Combating summer melt: The impact of near-peer mentor matriculation program
in New York City. Research in Higher Education, 65, 794–826. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-023-09773-4
Page, L., Meyer, K., Nurshatayeva, A., & Bryer, E. (2025, December). Helping students make it to college: Evidence-based design
principles for reducing summer melt (EdResearch for Action Brief No. 37). Annenberg Institute and Results for America. https://edresearchforaction.org/research-briefs/helping-students-make-it-to-college-evidence-based-design-principles-for-reducing-summer-melt/
Schwartz, C., Barican, J. L., Yung, D., Zheng, Y., & Waddell, C. (2019). Six decades of preventing and treating childhood anxiety
disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis to inform policy and practice. British Medical Journal of Mental Health, 22(3).
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2025
Beasley, J. J., Ieva, K. P., & Steen, S. (2024). Reimagining groups: A phenomenological investigation of affinity groups in schools.
Professional School Counseling, 28(1a). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X241234919
Coelho, V. A., Sousa, M., Marchante, M., & Cruz, S. (2025). Does a social and emotional learning program have the same effect for all
students regardless of their bullying roles? School Psychology Review, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2025.2464527
Ermis-Demirtas, H., & Rizzo, N. (2024). Resilient Warriors: A mixed methods investigation of an expressive arts-based resiliency small
group intervention with rural children. Professional School Counseling, 28(1a). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X241234907
Felver, J. C., Clawson, A. J., Ash, T. L., & Wang, Q. (2025). Effects of brief mindfulness practice on reading performance among racially
minoritized adolescents. School Psychology, 40(1), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000368
Gillen, M. C., Howells, R. C., & Mercer, V. (2024). Simple not easy: A phenomenological study of school counselor clinical supervision
experiences. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 46, 113-129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-023-09537-w
Graves, S. L., & Aston, C. N. (2024). The development of a Black history- and racial identity-focused resiliency intervention for Black
boys: A pilot study of Promoting Emotional Resiliency Skills In Small Teams (PERSIST). School Psychology, 40(2), 252-263. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/spq0000678
Heaman, J. A. L., Cherry, K. M., McMurtry, C. M., Giguère, B., & Lumley, M. N. (2023). Changing minds: An RCT of a growth mindset
intervention on depressive symptoms and well-being in adolescent girls and boys. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 9, 381-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-023-00128-z
İme, Y., & Ümmet, D. (2023). The effects of cognitive behavioral psychological group counseling program on the psychological
resilience and emotional flexibility of adolescents. Current Psychology, 43, 8885-8895. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05051-9
Mayes, R. D., Hines, E. M., Vega, D., Harris, P. C., & Lawson, T. K. (2024). Cultivating homeplace for Black girls through tier 2 group
counseling experiences. Professional School Counseling, 28(1a). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X241234927
Nicola, T. P. (2024). Understanding the recommended student-to-counselor ratio’s persistence: An institutional theory perspective.
Journal of Education, 204(3), 634-648. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574231182328
Nissley-Tsiopinis, J., Power, T. J., Fleming, P. F., Tremont, K. L., Poznanski, B., Ryan, S., Cacia, J. Egan, T., Montalbano, C., Holdaway,
A., Patel, A., Gallagher, R., Abikoff, H., Localio, A. R., & Mautone, J. A. (2024). School-based organizational skills training for students in grades 3–5: A cluster randomized trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 92(10), 674–691. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000909
Prasath, P. R., Steen, S., & McVay, K. (2023). A creative strengths-based group counseling intervention for African American boys.
Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 19(2), 232-243. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2023.2166184
Travis, R., Levy, I. P., & Morphew, A. C. (2024). "Now we're all family": Exploring social and emotional development in a summer hip
hop mixtape camp. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 41, 43-60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00821-z
Villares, E., Bowers, H., Brigman, G., & Bottini, C. (2024). The effects of Student Success Skills on attendance and emotion regulation.
Journal of Counseling & Development, 102(2), 163–174. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12503
2024
Bryan, J., Kim, J., & Liu, C. (2023). How the culture in school counseling programs shapes college-going outcomes: Do the effects vary
by race? Professional School Counseling, 27, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X231153392
Doumas, D. M., Russo, G. M., Miller, R., Esp, S., Mastroleo, N. R., & Turrisi, R. (2022). Sensation seeking and adolescent drinking: Do
protective behavioral strategies lower risk? Journal of Counseling & Development, 100, 352-363. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12430
Johnson, K. F., Kim, H., Molina, C. E., Thompson, K. A., Henry, S., & Zyromski, B. (2023). School counseling prevention programming
to address social determinants of mental health. Journal of Counseling & Development, 101, 402-415. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12471
Lemberger-Truelove, M. E., Ceballos, P. L., Molina, C. E., & Carbonneau, K. J. (2021). Growth in middle school students’ curiosity,
executive functioning, and academic achievement: Results from a theory-informed SEL and MBI school counseling intervention. Professional School Counseling, 24(1b), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X211007654
Rich, B. A., Starin, N. S., Senior, C. J., Zarger, M. M., Cummings, C. M., Collado, A., & Alvord, M. K. (2023). Improved resilience and
academics following a school-based resilience intervention: A randomized controlled trial. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 8(2), 252-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2022.2025630
Stickl Haugen, J., Waalkes, P. L., Burgess, M., & Swindle, P. J. (2023). “It’s like losing a family member”: School counselors’ experience
with student suicide. Journal of Counseling & Development, 101, 449-460. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12483
2021
Bowers, H., Lemberger-Truelove, M. E., & Whitford, D. K. (2020). Kindergarteners are ready to learn: Applying Student-within-
Environment theory to a school counseling intervention. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 59(1), 3-19.
Gibbons, M. M., Hardin, E. E., Taylor, A. L., Brown, E., & Graham, D. (2020). Evaluation of an SCCT-based intervention to increase
postsecondary awareness in rural Appalachian youth. Journal of Career Development, 47(4), 424-439.
Su, Y.-W., & Swank, J. M. (2019). Attention problems and mindfulness: Examining a school counseling group intervention with
elementary school students. Professional School Counseling, 22(1), 1-12.
Tillman, K.S., & Prazak, M. (2019). Friendship club: Development and implementation of a 12-week social skills group
curriculum. Counseling & Psychotherapy Research, 19(2), 158-166.
Zyromski, B., Martin, I., & Mariani, M. (2019). Evaluation of the True Goals school counseling curriculum: A pilot study. The Journal
for Specialists in Group Work, 44(3), 170-183.
2019
Auslander, L. (2018). Building culturally and linguistically responsive classrooms: A case study in teacher and counselor collaboration. Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research, 12(3).
Johnston, A. D., Midgett, A., Doumas, D. M., & Moody, S. (2018). A mixed methods evaluation of the “aged-up” STAC bullying bystander intervention for high school students. The Professional Counselor, 8(1), 73-87.
Mendez, J. J., & Bauman, S. (2018). From migrant farmworkers to first generation Latina/o students: Factors predicting college outcomes for students participating in the College Assistance Migrant Program. The Review of Higher Education, 42(1), 173- 208.
2018
Lemberger, M. E., Carbonneau, K. J., Selig, J. P., & Bowers, H. (2018). The role of social–emotional mediators on middle school students’ academic growth as fostered by an evidence‐based intervention. Journal of Counseling & Development, 96(1), 27- 40.
Luke, M., & Goodrich, K. M. (2017). Assessing an LGBTQ responsive training intervention for school counselor trainees. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 3(2), 103-119.
Marine, S. B. (2017). Changing the frame: queering access to higher education for trans* students. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 30(3), 217-233. doi:10.1080/09518398.2016.1268279
Martinez, R. R., Baker, S. B., & Young, T. (2017). Promoting career and college readiness, aspirations, and self‐efficacy: Curriculum field test. The Career Development Quarterly, 65(2), 173-188.
Mullen, P. R., & Crowe, A. (2017). Self‐stigma of mental illness and help seeking among school counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95(4), 401-411.
Sargent, K. S., Jouriles, E. N., Rosenfield, D., & McDonald, R. (2017). A high school-based evaluation of TakeCARE, a video bystander program to prevent adolescent relationship violence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46(3), 633-643. doi:10.1007/s10964-016-0622-z
Williams, J. M., Bryan, J., Morrison, S., & Scott, T. R. (2017). Protective factors and processes contributing to the academic success of students living in poverty: Implications for counselors. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 45(3), 183-200.
Winburn, A., Gilstrap, D., & Perryman, M. (2017). Treating the tiers: Play therapy responds to intervention in the schools. International Journal of Play Therapy, 26(1), 1.
2017
Castleman, B. L., & Page, L. C. (2015). Summer nudging: Can personalized text messages and peer mentor outreach increase college going among low-income high school graduates? Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 115, 144-160.
Harrington, K., Griffith, C., Gray, K., & Greenspan, S. (2016). A grant project to initiate school counselors' development of a multi- tiered system of supports based on social-emotional data. Professional Counselor, 6(3), 278-294.
Masia Warner, C., Colognori, D., Brice, C., Herzig, K., Mufson, L., Lynch, C., . . . Moceri, D. C. (2016). Can school counselors deliver cognitive‐behavioral treatment for social anxiety effectively? A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(11), 1229-1238.
Robinson, K. J., & Roksa, J. (2016). Counselors, information, and high school college-going culture: Inequalities in the college application process. Research in Higher Education, 57(7), 845-868.
2015
Beidas, R. S., Stewart, R. E., Walsh, L., Lucas, S., Downey, M. M., Jackson, K., . . . Mandell, D. S. (2015). Free, brief, and validated: Standardized instruments for low-resource mental health settings. Cognitive and behavioral practice, 22(1), 5-19.
Castleman, B. L., Page, L. C., & Schooley, K. (2014). The forgotten summer: Does the offer of college counseling after high school mitigate summer melt among college‐intending, low‐income high school graduates? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 33(2), 320-344.
Sibley, M. H., Altszuler, A. R., Ross, J. M., Sanchez, F., Pelham Jr, W. E., & Gnagy, E. M. (2014). A parent-teen collaborative treatment model for academically impaired high school students with ADHD. Cognitive and behavioral practice, 21(1), 32-42.
2014
Belasco, A. S. (2013). Creating college opportunity: School counselors and their influence on postsecondary enrollment. Research in Higher Education, 54(7), 781-804.
Lee, J. H., Nam, S. K., Kim, A. R., Kim, B., Lee, M. Y., & Lee, S. M. (2013). Resilience: A meta‐analytic approach. Journal of Counseling & Development, 91(3), 269-279.
Rupani, P., Haughey, N., & Cooper, M. (2012). The impact of school-based counselling on young people's capacity to study and learn. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 40(5), 499-514.
2012
Casillas, A., Robbins, S., Allen, J., Kuo, Y.-L., Hanson, M. A., & Schmeiser, C. (2012). Predicting early academic failure in high school from prior academic achievement, psychosocial characteristics, and behavior. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(2), 407.
Posthumus, J. A., Raaijmakers, M. A., Maassen, G. H., Van Engeland, H., & Matthys, W. (2012). Sustained effects of Incredible Years as a preventive intervention in preschool children with conduct problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 40(4), 487- 500.
Webster-Stratton, C. H., Reid, M. J., & Beauchaine, T. (2011). Combining parent and child training for young children with ADHD. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 40(2), 191-203.
Evidence-Based Intervention Resources
Dimmit, C., Carey, J., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-Based school counseling: Making a difference with data-driven practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Knapp, S. E., Jongsma Jr, A. E., & Dimmitt, C. L. (2014). The school counseling and school social work treatment planner, with DSM- 5 updates. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Purchase
Dimmitt, C., Zyromski, B., Griffith, C. (2019) Identifying evidence-based school counseling interventions. Presented at the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference, Columbus, OH
Presentation
Instruments
SCARS: School Counselor Rating Activity Scale
The School Counselor Activity Rating Scale (SCARS) was developed to aid school counselors in the gathering of data about how school counselors actually spend their time and what job-related activities they would prefer to spend their time doing. Individual activities or the major interventions of a comprehensive developmental school counseling program (Counseling, Consultation, Curriculum, Coordination) may be examined. In addition, “other duties” commonly performed by school counselors may also be assessed. For information on instrument development and validity please see:
Scarborough, J. L. (2005). The School Counselor Activity Rating Scale: An instrument for gathering process data. Professional School Counseling, 8,3. 274-283.
The information obtained on the SCARS can be utilized in a variety of ways including:
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As part of an overall program evaluation report
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As a means to educate constituents about the role and functions of school counselors
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As a method for educating school counselors-in-training about school counseling activities and how to approach differences between “ideal” and “reality”
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To gather data in a research project designed to further understand variables related to school counselor practice or interventions designed to move school counselor practice to be more aligned with best practices
School counseling professionals have used SCARS as they:
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Work to implement comprehensive school counseling programs in school districts
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Conduct research examining teacher perceptions of school counselor effectiveness compared with school counselor performance
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Attempt to advocate for adding a full-time school counseling position
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Fulfill a request by the school administrator to conduct a task analysis
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Conduct research examining the impact of supervision on school counselor self-efficacy and the school counselor’s work day
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Prepare to speak to the school board about moving their high school program toward a comprehensive developmental school counseling program
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Collect data to support the revision of a school guidance plan
You are welcome to use the School Counselor Activity Rating Scale. Simply print the 2-page PDF document and copy into a two-sided pamphlet for your convenience. Download the SCARS by clicking here – the SCARS is available as a two page PDF file, and is designed to be printed on both sides of a single page and folded in half.
Janna Scarborough developed the instrument, and she is interested in hearing about how you use the instrument and any results that you find. She can be contacted at scarboro@etsu.edu.
School Counseling Program Implementation Survey
The School Counseling Program Implementation Survey was developed by Dave Elsner and John Carey to help schools conduct a quick audit of their program. With only 18 questions, the survey helps identify key areas of comprehensive school counseling program implementation. Initial reliability analyses on the instrument reveal that the survey has good psychometric properties.
SCPIS – Word document containing the School Counseling Program Implementation Survey
Christopher Sink's List of Measurements & Assessments
Christopher Sink, Ph.D., professor at Old Dominion University, maintains a website cataloging free, validated, social-emotional learning instruments.