Contents:
Summary
This research examines the challenges and needs of school counselors in Romania, with a focus on mental health support for students. Using data collected from two focus groups with 12 school counselors, the report identifies major challenges they face, such as excessive bureaucracy, insufficient human and material resources, lack of clarity about the role of the school counselor, and barriers to working with parents. These issues have a significant impact on the ability of school counselors to respond effectively to students’ needs. The proposed solutions focus on improving their support through ongoing training and the provision of additional educational resources. At the same time, the research emphasizes the need for adequate support for school counselors so that they can actively contribute to the promotion of adolescent mental health in Romanian schools.
Introduction
There are currently about 4 million children (0-18 years) living in Romania, representing 21% of the population. A 2020 study of 10,114 adolescents showed that 48.9% had suicidal thoughts, 27.1% felt sad constantly and 21.5% had experienced depression recently (Copăceanu, 2020). The suicide rate among adolescents under 15 is higher than the European average, influenced by several factors such as parents leaving to work abroad (Dumitru et al., 2019). School and online bullying affects hundreds of thousands of students every year: 49% are victims of physical and online violence, 82% are witnesses, and 27% admit to having committed such acts (Save the Children, 2023). These difficulties can have long-term effects on mental health, increasing the risks of depression, anxiety and poor performance in adult life (Clarke & Lovewell, 2021). Improving mental health is essential for personal development and positive educational, career and health outcomes (Durlak et al., 2011; OECD, 2015).
However, adolescents’ access to accurate information about mental health and treatment options remains limited. A study by the Save the Children Organization (2010) shows that many children are identified with mental disorders upon entering the school system, and teachers and school counselors are crucial in this process. Unfortunately, students often face stigmatization and marginalization and teachers lack the resources to address the issue in the classroom, although they have a crucial role in discussing the situation with parents and facilitating access to specialized services. The lack of open dialogue in the educational environment contributes to the risk of marginalization and dropout, highlighting the need for such initiatives.
In other countries, psychoeducational interventions in the classroom have received considerable attention, with a consensus that schools are an ideal setting for educating students about mental health. Schools provide access to large numbers of young people and are concerned about their well-being, supporting them in developing self-identity and encouraging social support (Patalay et al., 2017; Kutcher et al., 2016). They are also excellent spaces for raising families’ awareness of children’s mental health (Patalay et al., 2017). School staff play an important role in building supportive relationships with students and creating an inclusive and safe learning environment essential for mental health.
Within the Romanian education system, school counselors play a crucial role in promoting mental health among students. Their roles include the planning and implementation of individual or group educational counseling and psychoeducational activities, with the aim of developing mental health management skills among pupils. Thus, school counselors are fundamental pillars for psychoeducational interventions in schools as they contribute to shaping a culture of mental health and providing resources for coping with stress and anxiety, directly contributing to students’ emotional well-being and academic performance.
Since 2021, Mental Health for Romania has supported more than 4500 students through the project “Let’s Bring Mental Health to Schools”, where interactive psychoeducation workshops have been organized in 45 high schools in 18 counties. The workshops, designed by researchers in the fields of psychology and psychiatry, teach students (1) how to identify the most common mental health problems and disorders, (2) strategies for self-help and managing emotions, (3) methods and resources for seeking professional help, and (4) how to support those close to them. The content is presented in student-friendly language and with interactive elements such as paired discussions and exercises to facilitate a deeper understanding of complex topics. Through these presentations, we aimed primarily to normalize discussions around mental health, combat stigma associated with mental health issues and help-seeking, as well as provide strategies for early identification of potential problems and accessing the support needed. Feedback from the students was positive, with 97% of participants saying that the workshop was useful for better understanding mental health.
So far, the workshops have been delivered exclusively by the association’s volunteers, but the ultimate goal would be to integrate them into the educational curriculum by involving school counselors. Thus, it is necessary to understand the needs of school counselors and identify ways in which the association’s resources can best support their work. Below we present the results of a focus group study in which we directly investigated the needs of school counselors.
Data collection process
In order to facilitate the conduct of the study and elicit relevant responses, the research team distributed a registration form to County Center for Educational Resources and Assistance (CJRAE) institutions nationwide. On the basis of this form, registered school counsellors were contacted and invited to participate in online focus group discussions. Participants were informed in advance about confidentiality issues and gave their consent to record the discussions. The two focus groups brought together 7 and 5 school counselors from different regions of the country (including Teleorman, Brașov, Galați, Dâmbovița, Tulcea, Neamț and Arad).
Data analysis method
Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. This method of analysis involves the identification, organization and interpretation of significant patterns (themes) in the data collected. The process involves a systematic approach, which includes reading the data carefully, coding the data, grouping the codes into relevant themes and interpreting them in the context of the research questions.
Results
From the data analysis, six main themes were identified, each reflecting key aspects of school counselors’ work. These themes are detailed below.
1. Excessive bureaucracy
A significant issue noted by school counselors is the heavy administrative workload, which reduces the time allocated to direct counseling activities. The counselors have to fill in redundant documentation and prepare files for pupils with special educational needs (SEN), and the preparation of materials for the differentiated curriculum is a time-consuming task. These administrative activities affect the efficiency of their work and limit the time they can devote to individual and group counseling. A participant emphasizes:
“Bureaucracy is a challenge for us too. It doesn’t help us at all that instead of just planning counseling activities, we have to record them in an online register and then report back. It’s extra work that prevents us from focusing on the direct work with students.”
This time-consuming administrative work is also found in other responses, such as that of another participant:
“A lot of time is spent on paperwork. As well as paperwork and forms, we also have to do a lot of administrative work and councillors are often involved in various committees.”
Another participant mentioned a similar aspect:
“And I would also add that very many papers that are given to us are the same paper, so the same statement, both from CJRAE and from the inspectorate. That is, they ask us for all kinds of situations, exactly as the colleague said, the table, the number of children with SEN, which the CJRAE ask us for, and the same thing the inspectorate asks us for. I mean, we make a paper and we give it to three directions.”
These responses suggest that the large amount of paperwork reduces the time available for counseling students, and that reducing this type of administrative work would allow counselors to focus more on direct work with students.
2. Lack of human and material resources
School counselors highlighted significant difficulties in terms of insufficient staff and materials to adequately meet the needs of students. In many cases, counselors are responsible for far more students than they should be, which makes case management much more difficult.
One of the participants mentioned that the number of pupils is higher than required by law:
“The law says we should have 500 students, but in practice I have 800.”
Another participant emphasizes the overburden on counselors:
“We are often counseling over 1,000 students. We’re very, very, very, very overstretched in that respect.”
In addition to this problem, counselors are also faced with the lack of appropriate tools for effective interventions, in particular for self-awareness, vocational guidance and managing emotions. Their lack significantly limits the effectiveness of interventions. One participant mentions:
“The tests and programs require licenses that are not accessible to all and should be provided through schools,” pointing out that access to essential educational resources for counseling and personalized interventions is limited.
Insufficient resources for group counseling and psychoeducation put additional pressure on counselors.
3. Confusion about the role of the school counselor
Confusion about the school counselor’s duties is a major factor negatively influencing their collaboration with parents and teachers. Many parents confuse the role of the counselor with that of the psychologist and have unrealistic expectations such as psychological assessment or psychotherapy. This confusion leads to misunderstanding and can significantly affect the effectiveness of counseling activities. Two participants emphasize:
“Even if we are psychologists or clinical psychologists outside of school, in school we are considered teachers, school counselors and then… we can go on learning problems…. but we as school counselors… we can identify them but we’re not allowed to test them.”
“Although in our private offices or outside, we are psychologists or clinical psychologists…. but at the school level, we’re not allowed to address this issue very much.”
These quotes highlight the significant difference between the counselor’s role in school work versus the work they do outside of school. For example, even if a counselor is a clinical psychologist and therefore can administer psychological tests, he or she does not have this right inside the school.
4. Parental reluctance and stigmatization of mental health
Parental reluctance and the stigma associated with mental health are significant barriers to counselling. Many parents refuse individual counseling or additional interventions recommended for their child, making comprehensive case management difficult. This is
“Many parents send children to counseling without accepting psychotherapeutic interventions, underestimating the seriousness of some psychological problems.”
Another participant mentions the difficulties students have in communicating with parents:
“Students are often reluctant to discuss counseling visits with parents because parents believe that only ‘problem kids’ need counseling.”
This behavior reflects the stigma associated with mental health and contributes to the isolation of students who need help.
In less developed settings, parents’ fear and distrust of counseling reaches a very high level, even to the point of suspicion of counselors’ intentions. One participant states:
“The farther we get from the county town, the more reluctance we see from parents to let their children attend individual counseling classes… there are even situations where parents say they won’t sign anything because, quote, their child will be stolen”
In addition, counselors need to be extremely careful about the language used in discussions with parents or students, so as not to reinforce stigmatization. One participant remarks: “We have to be very careful when the parent comes to talk about the child or the child comes. We have to be careful to use very very very light terms, not to use specialized terms, psychology, psychiatry… because they get into a shell.” .
5. Common difficulties for teenagers
Adolescents face a range of emotional and behavioral difficulties that require specialized and tailored interventions. Common problems include addictions (alcohol, cigarettes and excessive use of electronic devices), stress, depression, bullying, truancy, absenteeism, interpersonal conflicts and lack of motivation at school. These difficulties have a significant impact on adolescent development and require preventive interventions and personalized support. One participant observes:
“Problems such as substance misuse, bullying and violence are increasingly common and time-consuming to manage.”
Many challenges also arise from difficult family situations. For example, many children end up growing up without parents, as one participant points out:
“Many children are left at home alone because their parents work abroad. This contributes to problems with self-esteem, emotional management and self-awareness.”
Another participant adds:
“Stress, depression and bullying, internet addiction is aslo a problem… deviant behaviors… some of them come from disorganized families, single parents, or gone abroad.”
This quote highlights the fact that adolescents from single-parent families face additional difficulties and these issues require a complex psychological and educational approach.
6. The need for in-service training and support for teachers
School counselors have emphasized the importance of ongoing training for teachers (both counselors and other teachers) in identifying and managing students’ mental problems. This need for ongoing training is essential for the entire educational system to adequately address the emotional and behavioral needs of students. A participant emphasizes:
“It would also be helpful to train teachers to be able to identify anxiety or depression in children. At my school this year I sent five students to a psychiatrist because they were at risk of suicide and the head teachers were not trained to recognize these manifestations. “
This quote highlights a critical gap in the education system: the lack of teacher training in recognizing the warning signs of student mental health. Serious cases, such as suicidal risk, often reach counselors without teachers having noticed previous manifestations, precisely because of a lack of specific training in this area.
The implementation of training programs for all teaching staff, including the recognition of signs of stress, depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders, as well as strategies for communicating with parents and referral to specialists, would significantly contribute to early identification of problems and improve the response to students’ emotional needs.
Conclusions
The data analysis highlighted some significant challenges that school counselors face in their daily work. The main themes identified are excessive bureaucracy, lack of human and material resources, confusion about the role of the school counsellor, parental reluctance and stigmatization of mental health, frequent problems of adolescents and the need for in-service training for teachers. Each of these issues has a negative influence on the effectiveness of interventions and support for students, and developing solutions is an essential step in improving the work of school counselors and the educational environment.
Recommendations
1. Reducing bureaucracy
It is essential to streamline administrative processes to free counselors from redundant administrative tasks and allow them to focus their efforts on counseling students directly. Implementing integrated electronic platforms to centralize information and reduce duplication of documents could be an effective solution.
2. Increasing the number of counselors and material resources
There is an urgent need to employ more counselors in schools with large numbers of students and to allocate adequate resources for the purchase of psychological tools and tests. These resources will support counselors in more effective case management and personalized interventions.
3. Information and training campaigns to clarify the differences between the role of the school counselor and that of the psychologist
To avoid confusion and improve collaboration between them. Clear communication of duties from management would also help avoid unrealistic expectations and support better cooperation.
4. Developing educational programs to combat mental health stigmatization by parents
The implementation of educational programmes that raise parents’ awareness of the importance of mental health and of counselling services could help to remove stigma. Programs could also provide parents with strategies for active involvement and support in the counselling process.
5. Psychoeducation programs for students
It is necessary to implement prevention programs that address the problems faced by students, ensuring access to information at a critical period in their development. These could consist of psychoeducation workshops supported by school counselors, through which students could develop practical skills in understanding and managing their own mental health.
6. In-service training for teachers
Implement ongoing training programs for counselors and teachers, focusing on recognizing the signs of mental health disorders and encouraging help-seeking among students.
In this context, the efforts of the Mental Health for Romania (MHR) team are essential to address the urgent needs of school counselors. MHR can contribute by developing specific educational materials, such as guides, worksheets and psycho-educational resources to help counselors in their daily work, facilitating early identification of mental disorders and the application of stress and anxiety management techniques. Interactive workshops and in-service training sessions for counsellors would also help to improve their ability to manage complex cases and respond more effectively to students’ needs. These initiatives will strengthen the capacity of counselors to provide appropriate support and create a school environment that is more prepared for adolescents’ mental health challenges.
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