Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects on the operation of schools in which face-to-face interaction has been the traditional modality. Students who have had to adjust to virtual learning outside of the traditional school building may be experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression (Seidel et al., 2020, p. 1260); they worry about their academics (Son et al., 2020; Tasso et al., 2021, p. 3); they have fears beyond their schooling (e.g., contracting COVID-19; Seçer & Ulaş, 2020, p. 2); and to boot they may have barriers accessing helpful resources with these issues (e.g., mental health services, school counseling services; Boudreau, 2020; Savitz-Romer et al., 2020). School counselors are commonly first responders to students’ needs (Wake Forest University, n.d.); thus, they also must adapt to helping students virtually to cope with all of the academic and mental health concerns they are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. By getting to the root causes of student distress and using evidence-based resources provided by leading organizations (e.g., American School Counseling Association [ASCA]), school counselors can continue their vital work virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper explores the challenges students are facing during the pandemic, including implications for diverse populations, provides interventions school counselors can implement to assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and presents ideas for future research.

Presenting Author Name/s

Kaylee Kaznosky

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Kristy L. Carlisle

College Affiliation

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden)

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

Session Title

Interdisciplinary Research #3

Location

Zoom Room T

Start Date

3-20-2021 12:00 PM

End Date

3-20-2021 12:55 PM

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Mar 20th, 12:00 PM Mar 20th, 12:55 PM

Virtual School Counseling During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Zoom Room T

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects on the operation of schools in which face-to-face interaction has been the traditional modality. Students who have had to adjust to virtual learning outside of the traditional school building may be experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression (Seidel et al., 2020, p. 1260); they worry about their academics (Son et al., 2020; Tasso et al., 2021, p. 3); they have fears beyond their schooling (e.g., contracting COVID-19; Seçer & Ulaş, 2020, p. 2); and to boot they may have barriers accessing helpful resources with these issues (e.g., mental health services, school counseling services; Boudreau, 2020; Savitz-Romer et al., 2020). School counselors are commonly first responders to students’ needs (Wake Forest University, n.d.); thus, they also must adapt to helping students virtually to cope with all of the academic and mental health concerns they are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. By getting to the root causes of student distress and using evidence-based resources provided by leading organizations (e.g., American School Counseling Association [ASCA]), school counselors can continue their vital work virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper explores the challenges students are facing during the pandemic, including implications for diverse populations, provides interventions school counselors can implement to assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and presents ideas for future research.