Development and Evaluation of a Digital Counseling Skills Training Program for School Counselors

Thesis Abstract

The increasing prevalence of mental health concerns among school-aged children underscores the urgent need for qualified school counselors equipped with contemporary counseling skills. Traditional training models often face limitations related to accessibility, cost, and flexibility, which hinder the widespread development of effective counseling competencies among school counselors. This study aims to develop and evaluate a comprehensive digital counseling skills training program tailored for school counselors to enhance their professional competence and ability to address student psychosocial issues effectively. The specific objectives are (1) to design a pedagogically sound digital training intervention grounded in the Social Cognitive Theory and Adult Learning Theory; (2) to assess the effectiveness of the digital program in improving counselors’ counseling skills; and (3) to evaluate the program’s acceptability and usability among participants. Employing a mixed-methods quasi-experimental research design, the study involved a purposive sample of 120 school counselors from public secondary schools within a metropolitan district. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which received the digital training program over an eight-week period, or a control group, which continued with conventional in-service training procedures. Data collection instruments included a standardized Counseling Skills Assessment Tool (CSAT), administered pre- and post-intervention, and a post-intervention semi-structured interview guide to explore participants’ perceptions. The reliability and validity of the CSAT were established through Cronbach’s alpha (? = 0.89) and expert review, respectively. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests, ANCOVA, and multiple regression analysis to determine the intervention’s impact, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to extract recurrent themes related to usability and acceptance. Preliminary expected findings suggest that participants in the digital training group will demonstrate statistically significant improvement in counseling competencies compared to the control group, with effect sizes denoting practical significance. Thematic analysis is anticipated to reveal high levels of user satisfaction, perceived relevance, and flexible access as key facilitators of program engagement. These findings are expected to confirm that digital training models can effectively enhance counseling skills and are more adaptable than traditional methods in resource-constrained settings. This study contributes to knowledge by empirically validating a scalable, technology-driven training approach that addresses critical gaps in counselor development, particularly in the context of limited in-person training opportunities. It extends existing literature on digital professional development in guidance and counseling by integrating behavioral theories into the program design and validating its efficacy within a school setting. The study also offers a practical framework for policymakers and educational administrators seeking to optimize counselor training through innovative, evidence-based digital interventions. The main conclusion underscores that digital counseling skills training programs are a viable and effective alternative to traditional face-to-face methods, with significant implications for policy and practice in counselor education. Recommendations include incorporating digital training modules into standard professional development curricula, fostering ongoing technical support for counselors, and conducting longitudinal studies to assess the sustained impact of such programs on counseling quality and student outcomes. Further research is suggested to investigate the scalability of digital training across diverse educational contexts and to explore the integration of emerging technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence in counselor education.