Investigating school counselor–parent relationships, interaction, and involvement.

Involvement of parents plays a crucial role in the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program. For this study, 404 parents participated in a national survey conducted in the United States. The purpose of the study was to investigate parents' perceptions of their involvement with the school counseling program and their relationship with the school counselor. Results suggested concerns regarding school counselor communication and the involvement of parents in their child's education and planning after high school. Results also indicated participants held a positive perception of school counselors (e.g., hopeful, positive, and accepting), their competency, and they felt comfortable with the school counselor. Practitioner Points: Parents indicated that school counselors had not communicated with them about the services offered through the school counseling program.The majority of parents reported school counselors had not helped them become involved in their child's education nor in planning the child's life after high school.Most parents perceived their child's school counselors as hopeful, positive, and accepting. A large majority felt comfortable speaking with their child's school counselor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]