Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Steve Gruenert

Second Advisor

Tonya Balch

Third Advisor

Ryan Donlan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are counseling skills that effective elementary school principals possess and to identify those counseling characteristics. The participants consisted of elementary school principals holding membership in the Indiana Association of School Principals. They were asked about school locale, type, administrator gender and race, building level, pre-service training institution, years as an administrator, length of time in current school, counseling licensure, and presence of a licensed school counselor in the school. A total of 201 participants began the survey, and 143 completed it, resulting in a completion rate of 71%. Through exploratory factor analysis, the study identified seven factors that naturally separated into three counseling skills and four leadership skills. The seven factors were named and include: Recognition, Advocacy, Relationships, Instruction, Who We Are, Curriculum Involvement, and Innovation. Pearson’s correlations were conducted, and the data were analyzed to examine whether there are correlations between teacher turnover, retention, and the impact of teacher turnover. The data revealed no statistically significant associations, indicating that none of the factors demonstrated a meaningful statistical relationship. The findings emphasize the importance of counseling skills, including positive relationships, advocacy, and recognition in your practice. This study helps us to understand how counselor skills support the effectiveness of elementary principals.

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