Impact of School Counselors on Academic Resilience of First-Generation Students

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how school counselors influence the academic resilience of first-generation students within secondary and early tertiary education settings, addressing the persistent achievement gaps and underutilization of counseling services observed among this demographic. The aim is to quantify and illuminate the mechanisms by which counseling interventions contribute to resilience, defined as the capacity to adapt positively to academic challenges, manage stress, and sustain engagement with learning. Specific objectives include (1) examining the association between perceived quality of counseling support and academic resilience; (2) identifying counseling practices that most strongly predict resilience outcomes; (3) exploring potential moderating effects of socio-economic status, gender, and parental involvement; and (4) evaluating differences in impact across school types (urban vs. rural) and educational transition points (high school to college). Methodologically, the study adopts a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to triangulate quantitative and qualitative evidence. The population comprises first-generation students enrolled in grades 9–12 and first-year university entrants across five districts representing diverse socio-economic contexts. A stratified random sample of 600 students (300 high school and 300 first-year college students) will be drawn, alongside 40 school counselors and 12 university counseling coordinators. Quantitative data will be collected using validated instruments the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS), the Counseling Perceived Support Scale (CPSS), and a Demographic and Background Questionnaire. Reliability will be assessed with Cronbach’s alpha, and construct validity via confirmatory factor analysis. Quantitative analysis will employ hierarchical multiple regression to test the predictive power of counseling variables on resilience, controlling for prior achievement and socio-economic factors; multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) will examine invariance across educational levels and contexts. The qualitative component will consist of semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample of 40 students and 12 counselors to explore perceptions of counseling processes, coping strategies fostered, and barriers to access. Thematic analysis will be conducted following Braun and Clarke’s approach, with coding verified through intercoder reliability procedures. Key expected findings include a positive and statistically significant relationship between perceived counseling support and academic resilience, with stronger effects among students who report regular one-on-one counseling, proactive academic planning, and school-wide resilience initiatives. Counseling practices anticipated to rise as significant predictors include career- and college-readiness guidance, stress management and mindfulness instruction, goal setting and progress monitoring, and collaboration with teachers and families. Interaction effects may reveal that the impact of counseling is more pronounced for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds or those with limited parental involvement. The qualitative results are expected to contextualize these findings by illustrating how counselors facilitate endorsement of growth mindsets, utilization of campus resources, and development of self-regulatory strategies. This study contributes to knowledge by articulating the mechanisms through which school counseling supports academic resilience among first-generation students, integrating social-ecological theory with resilience theory to explain micro- and macro-level influences. The research delineates practical, evidence-based counseling interventions that enhance resilience, informs policy discussions on resource allocation for counseling services, and provides a framework for scalable interventions across school and higher-education settings. It also extends existing literature by comparative analysis across educational transitions, highlighting contextual modifiers such as school climate and community ties. In terms of limitations, the study acknowledges potential self-report biases and the cross-sectional elements of the primary quantitative data, mitigated by triangulation with qualitative insights and consideration of longitudinal follow-up in future work. The main conclusion anticipated is that targeted school counseling practices substantially bolster academic resilience among first-generation students, particularly when delivered through coordinated, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive approaches. Recommendations include adopting structured counseling frameworks that integrate resilience-building into curricula, enhancing accessibility of services for first-generation students, strengthening collaboration among counselors, teachers, and families, and prioritizing data-informed monitoring of resilience outcomes to guide continuous improvement.