Elementary school teachers’ satisfaction with their collaboration with counsellors: effects of teacher attitudes, teacher expectations and counsellor professional traits

Abstract

ABSTRACT Employing Oliver’s disconfirmation theory as a theoretical basis, we examined the relationships between school teachers’ attitudes, expectations and satisfaction with collaborating with school counsellors. Also, structural equation modelling was used to determine the effects of counsellors’ professional traits on teacher satisfaction. Stratified sampling yielded a sample of 395 homeroom teachers from 26 public schools in Taoyuan City, Taiwan, representing a 94.4% response rate. We found: (1) teachers were highly satisfied with their collaborations with school counsellors, (2) teachers’ collaborative attitudes and expectations were significant predictors of their satisfaction, supporting Oliver's theory, and (3) counsellor's professional traits significantly affected teachers’ collaborative attitudes, expectations, and satisfaction.