A qualitative case study of school counselors-in-training omitting a suicide assessment

Using a qualitative case study, researchers explored the responses of three school counselors-in-training who did not conduct a suicide assessment within an experiential andragogical intervention of a first session with a recently transferred simulated student presenting in distress. We identified three primary themes, each with three subthemes: Skills (Microskills, Session structuring, Counseling relationship), Conceptualization (Theoretical positioning, Assessment, Goal setting) and Experiences (Discrepancy, Discomfort, Inconsistency). Findings are considered within the suicide assessment and intervention and school counselor professional identity literatures.