Explaining the Role of School Counselors in Promoting Students’ Mental Health with an Emphasis on Preventive Interventions and Continuous Psychological Support
Keywords:
School counselor, student mental health, preventive interventions, continuous psychological support, thematic analysis, TehranAbstract
This study aimed to explain the role of school counselors in promoting students’ mental health by focusing on preventive interventions, early identification of psychological concerns, and continuous psychological support within the school context. This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The participants included 24 school counselors, teachers, and school principals from secondary schools in Tehran, Iran, selected through purposive sampling with attention to variation in gender, work experience, school type, and educational district. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio-recorded with informed consent, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using NVivo software. To enhance trustworthiness, member checking, peer debriefing, analytic memo writing, and constant comparison were used throughout the analytic process. Data analysis led to the extraction of five main categories: “early identification and informal screening of psychological problems,” “preventive interventions based on psychosocial skills training,” “continuous psychological support and a safe counseling relationship,” “multilevel collaboration with families, teachers, and referral systems,” and “structural and professional challenges in performing the counselor role.” The findings indicated that school counselors can play a central role in preventing the escalation of psychological problems and improving students’ well-being when they have adequate time, professional autonomy, student trust, and effective cooperation from families and school staff. The role of school counselors is not limited to post-crisis intervention; rather, it includes prevention, psychoeducation, continuous monitoring, emotional support, school-family communication, and timely referral to specialized services. Strengthening the professional status of counselors, reducing non-specialized duties, and designing comprehensive school-based mental health systems may contribute to the improvement of students’ mental health.
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