The influences of healthy workplace and stakeholders' support on professional standards and competencies of school counsellors in Bhutan

Abstract

This research aimed to study 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 in Bhutan. The study covered the 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 was employed in the study. The instrument was developed based on 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 were at the highest level (μ= 4.38); however, a healthy workplace and stakeholders' support were rated at a high level (μ =3.94) and (μ =3.71). Further, the study indicated a moderately significant relationship between a healthy workplace and stakeholders' support on school counsellor professional standards and competencies (R=.46). The healthy workplace influences on school counsellor professional standards and competencies with the statistically significant at *** level (β = .46) and could predict 21% of the school counsellor professional standards and competencies with statically significant at 0.001 level. IMPLICATION OF THESIS The study found that a healthy workplace and stakeholders' support in school counselling have influences on professional standards and competencies of the school counsellor in Bhutan. Hence, it is suggested that the promotion of a healthy workplace and stakeholders' support in school counselling through the inclusiveness of the policy must be implemented to further strengthen the school counselling in Bhutan. Other than adding to the existing literature of school counselling in Bhutan, this study will practically help policymakers, stakeholders, school administrators and school counsellors to determine the plans and programs to enhance school counselling program.