Date of Conferral
4-17-2025
Date of Award
April 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Counselor Education and Supervision
Advisor
Katarzyna Peoples
Abstract
School counseling literature claimed that school counselors were trained in multicultural and social justice advocacy and were uniquely positioned within the school system as change agents. School counseling research had not explored school counselors’ experiences when applying their ethical responsibilities of multicultural and social justice advocacy. This hermeneutic qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of school counselors working in the education system regarding ethical practices of multicultural and social justice advocacy. The research question was: How do school counselors experience their social justice and multicultural advocacy roles within the education system? Three theories composed this study’s foundation: hermeneutic phenomenology, ecological systems theory, and social dominance theory. Nine participants were interviewed, and the hermeneutic circle process was used to analyze the data. Eleven themes were found that related to social justice in context, potential challenges or barriers for school counselor ethical practices, issues of marginalization and harm, systemic implications, the influence of systems hierarchy and religious and political movements, and positive influences and partnerships related to multicultural and social justice advocacy. Findings may be used to better prepare and support school counselors for the systemic implications, which may create stronger advocacy for all students.
Recommended Citation
Lynn, Michele, "Lived Experiences of School Counselors Regarding Applications of Multicultural and Social Justice Advocacy" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17617.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17617
