TPC Journal V7, Issue 2 - FULL ISSUE

The Professional Counselor | Volume 7, Issue 2 131 In a study that extended the findings of previous self-efficacy research (Sutton & Fall, 1995), Scarborough and Culbreth (2008) examined factors that predicted discrepancies between actual and preferred practice in school counselors. Both self-efficacy beliefs and the amount of perceived administrative support predicted the difference between school counselors’ actual and preferred practice, with higher levels of support and outcome expectancy predicting higher levels of preferred intervention activities performance. In the current study, we plan to extend Scarborough and Culbreth’s work by examining the links between comprehensive elementary school counselor practice and overall school counselor self-efficacy while introducing attachment characteristics as a possible variable related to school counselor performance. Attachment Attachment theory describes how early experiences with attachment figures (e.g., mother) create inner representations referred to as internal working models . Those internal working models then shape patterns of behavior in response to significant others and to stressful situations (Mikulincer, Shaver, & Pereg, 2003). Adult attachment categories reflect those created in infancy and childhood and include secure, preoccupied (or anxious), dismissing (or avoidant), and fearful (both anxious and avoidant) styles (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991). In adults, attachment style encompasses affective responses in a variety of relationships, including co-workers, and can be activated by a number of stressful situations, including a stressful work environment (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2003, 2007). Working effectively in a job or career contributes in meaningful ways to life satisfaction, self-esteem and social status, whereas not working effectively (and experiencing overload or burnout) can be extremely stressful and can cause serious emotional and physical difficulties (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). Specifically for school counselors, Wilkerson and Bellini (2006) reported that emotion-focused coping is a significant predictor of burnout, lending support to the examination of interpersonal factors in school counselor practice. To work effectively and not succumb to burnout, school counselors may have to activate self-regulatory skills associated with attachment, such as exploring alternatives, refining skills, adjusting to variation in tasks and role demands, and exercising self-control (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). In the field of school counseling, challenges include facing multiple demands and conflicting responsibilities (Cinotti, 2014); therefore, interpersonal communication, negotiation and adaptation become essential. Although attachment theory has received very little attention in school counseling literature (Pfaller & Kiselica, 1996), existing research suggests that various aspects of work are likely to be affected by individual differences in attachment style (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007). The purpose of this study was to explore demographic and interpersonal factors related to elementary school counseling practice. This research employed an associational survey research design to examine the relationships between school counselor overall self-efficacy, attachment style, and a range of performed and preferred activities in a sample of ASCA members who are elementary school counselors. Building on previous studies, we controlled for the anticipated variance in school counselor activities that might be contributed by previously identified demographic variables, including years of experience, ASCA National Model training and ASCA National Model use (Scarborough & Culbreth, 2008). The first research question inquired about the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and school counselor performed and preferred intervention activities that align with ASCA, controlling for the potential effect of the identified demographic variables. We hypothesized that self-efficacy beliefs would predict both school counselor preference and actual performance of these core activities, after controlling for the potential effect of relevant demographic variables. The second research question inquired about the relationship between attachment style and both counseling and non-counseling