School Counselors and Child Abuse Reporting: A National Survey

Abstract

A study was done to investigate school counselors' child abuse reporting behaviors and perceptions regarding the child abuse reporting process. Participants were randomly selected from the American School Counselor Association membership database with 193 school counselors returning questionnaires. Overall, school counselors indicated that they reported the majority of cases suspected, but significant differences in reporting emerged with regard to school level, school setting, and type of abuse reported. Decisional influences and barriers to reporting also were examined. Implications for future research and training are discussed.