Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid: African American Male High School Students' Perceptions of School Counseling Services

by Derrick Bryan; Dorinda J. Gallant

Jul 1, 2012

Universal Identifier DOI: 289956154;key-0q29dnJB5AzxNrQueJvC;WxTrvSThudCBhjm

The results of this study indicate that Black male students were aware that their school provded counseling services but did not perceive counselors to be trustworthy, friendly, or accessible.

  • African American males are less likely to utilize counseling services including mental health and school counseling services.
  • Over 50% of respondents indicated that they agreed that their school counselor is “knowledgeable” or “helpful.”
  • Less than half of African American male respondents indicated that they believed their school counselor is “trustworthy,” “friendly,” or “accessible.”
  • Over half of respondents agreed that the role of school counselors is to “assist with academic problems” and “assist with scheduling classes.”
  • Over half of respondents agreed that the role of school counselors was to assist with academic problems, and just over one-third agreed that counselors were there to assist students with personal, social, and emotional issues.

Published by

  • Journal of African American Males in Education