Ecological Factors That Predict School Counselors’ Comprehensive School Counseling Program Implementation

School counselors are tasked with designing and implementing a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) to support student development. Although factors influencing CSCP implementation have been studied, a comprehensive model is needed to classify these variables by ecological type, clarifying their unique contributions and varying importance to school counselors’ CSCP implementation. We investigated whether sociocultural factors (e.g., sexual orientation, socioeconomic status), professional development experiences (e.g., ASCA national model training), intrapersonal and interpersonal factors (e.g., self-advocacy, role stress), and systemic factors (e.g., organizational support, school counselor caseload) uniquely contribute to school counselors’ CSCP implementation. Our sample included 265 school counselors, nationwide. The final hierarchical regression model explained 51% of the variance in CSCP implementation. We also identified several ecological factors with unique contributions in explaining the variance in CSCP implementation. We discussed implications for counseling practice, research, and advocacy.

Public Statement: Our study explored factors that predict school counselors' implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing barriers and leveraging supports to enhance school counseling practice, guide future research, and strengthen advocacy efforts.

[Correction added on March 12, 2025 after first online publication: Public statement has been included.]