THE INFLUENCES OF HEALTHY WORKPLACE AND STAKEHOLDERS’ SUPPORT ON PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND COMPETENCIES OF SCHOOL COUNSELLORS IN BHUTAN

Abstract

Counselling got its home in 1996 in Bhutan and schools in the country started staffing full-time counsellors in 2011.  Today, the foundation of school counselling is in its way to get well-rooted in the school system. It is anticipated that there is significant growth in school counselling as a profession; however, it lacks evidence to prove with academic studies. Hence, this study intended to uncover the level of school counsellor professional standards and competencies, school’s healthy workplace, and stakeholders’ support of school counselling in Bhutan. It also aimed to investigate the relationship of a healthy workplace and stakeholders’ support on professional standards and competencies of school counsellors. The study scoped entire schools of Bhutan having school counsellors currently. A total of 118 out of 146 school counsellors responded to the survey covering 80.82% of the school counsellor population. A survey-based design of a quantitative research method with a modified and self-administered questionnaire executed the study. The instrument was developed base on the three behavioural standards of ASCA School Counsellor Professional Standards and Competencies (2019), four avenues of WHO’s Healthy Workplace Framework and Model (2010), and social exchange theory. Findings revealed that the professional standards and competencies of school counsellors in Bhutan at the highest level (Mean=4.38); however, healthy workplace, and stakeholders’ support at a high level (Mean=3.94) and (Mean=3.71). Further, the study indicated a moderately significant relationship of a healthy workplace and stakeholders’ support on school counsellor professional standards and competencies in Bhutan (R=.461). The healthy workplace has an influence on school counsellor professional standards and competencies with the statistically significant at *** level (β = .461) and could predict 21.3% of the school counsellor professional standards and competencies with statically significant at 0.001 level.  The study recommends for further research as some significant aspects of school counsellor professional standards and competencies like professional development, students’ attitude, cultural diversity and contemplative counselling are not covered in this study.