The potential of artificial intelligence for school-based family counselling

Nyna Amin, PhD School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

 

Abstract

This presentation offers innovative applications of artificial intelligence in school-based family counselling, particularly in situations where parental involvement is limited or impossible. The study explores how AI-generated virtual participants — representing absent parents or family members— - can fulfil therapeutic functions through "positive hallucination" or simulation. The study examines three critical scenarios: (1) working with children who have experienced the death of a parent; 2) dealing with parental absence due to incarceration or separation; and (3) parent resistance to attend counselling. By analyzing these scenarios, both the technical feasibility and ethical implications of using virtual surrogates in school-based family counselling sessions will be explored. Potential benefits include increased accessibility of family-centred approaches, creation of psychological safety for children, opportunities for therapeutic role-play and modelling of healthy interactions. The research also addresses significant limitations and ethical boundaries and proposes a framework for responsible implementation that recognizes the irreplaceable nature of authentic human relationships while using technology to enhance therapeutic outcomes when traditional approaches are limited. This study contributes to a new understanding of how AI can complement — rather than replace — human-centred counselling approaches in school settings.

 

The criticality of school counsellors leading the way to support students to thrive during times of uncertainty and change: A model for implementation

Meegan Brown, PhD Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia

 

Abstract

In an era marked by rapid change with the use of social media and generative artificial intelligence and current world events, such as the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and economic instability have profoundly affected the mental health and wellbeing of young people worldwide.  These challenges underscore the criticality of comprehensive support systems within schools. Globally, there has been an increase in the adoption of trauma-informed practices in schools to address the impacts of the adversity and harm that young people are experiencing. Scholars have suggested different ways that trauma-informed practices can be implemented in schools. However, what is missing is that education systems are not looking at the whole picture of what it means to be a school where ALL students can come to school to feel safe, and not re-traumatized or disadvantaged by well-intentioned systems, processes and practices undertaken by school leaders, teachers, and school mental health professionals. These challenges highlight the criticality of school counsellors to be agents of system change by leading and working in a holistic, culturally responsive and trauma-informed way to ensure students go from surviving to thriving. This keynote will draw upon a study of the experiences of Australian school counsellors and how they are change agents in leading and implementing a holistic, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed approach to supporting all students. A model for implementation incorporating the school-based family counselling meta-model will be shared.

 

Parents' perceptions regarding inclusion of their children with special needs in mainstream schools

 Yaara Hermelin Fine, PhD & Anat Shahar Berebbi, Phd, Oranim College of Education, Haifa, Israel

 

Abstract

In 2018, the Israeli parliament passed a law broadening the inclusion policy. This legislation allows parents to choose their child's placement—either special schools or mainstream schools. Their child's needs should be fulfilled regardless of placement. Although many parents then chose to send their children to mainstream schools, current research shows that many want their children to return to special schools. The study examined the perceptions of parents whose children have passed a characterization and eligibility committee (CES) and have been integrated into mainstream schools regarding their satisfaction with the fulfillment of their child's needs and their participation in the entire process - from the referral to the CES until at least a year after the child's admission to mainstream school. Participants were 63 parents of diagnosed students who underwent a CES when the child was in 3rd-9th grade. The study combined quantitative and qualitative methodology. Based on the quantitative questionnaires, the parents' satisfaction with their participation in the CES and the process of implementing the CES's decisions in practice was examined. In addition, qualitative interviews were also conducted with 18 respondents who agreed. Findings revealed that, in general, the parents' satisfaction with their participation in the CES and the implementation of inclusion is above average. Parents of students in elementary school felt more comfortable and prepared for the CES than parents of children in middle school, and parents from a higher SES were less satisfied with participation in the committee and the implementation of its decisions than parents from a medium and low SES. Qualitative content analysis revealed several themes, some of which relate to participation in the CES itself, such as a sense of confusion and lack of sufficient preparation, and some of which relate to the implementation of the CES's decisions and indicate that alongside the advantages of inclusion in the social aspect and the parents' appreciation of the educational staff in mainstream schools, gaps emerged between the committee's recommendations and implementation in the complex reality of mainstream schools, that includes a shortage of teachers and therapists, large and complex classes, a shortage of budget and support. Across these themes, a higher-order theme emerged, highlighting the centrality of the relationship between parents and the educational staff throughout the process. Implications of those findings for policymakers and teacher educators will be discussed.

 

“Are a thousand words are worth a counseling session?”

The Uses of Bibliotherapy in School-Based Family Counseling

 Brian Gerrard, PhD Academic Dean: Western Institute for Social Research, Berkeley, California

 

Abstract

Bibliotherapy is the use of self help through written information. This presentation reviews the history of bibliotherapy; the evidence-based support  for its effectiveness; its advantages in terms of availability, cost, and stigma avoidance; and its limitations. Reasons for bias against using bibliotherapy, and ways for overcoming challenges to using bibliotherapy, will be discussed. Suggestions will be made on how mental health practitioners can integrate bibliotherapy into their SBFC practice.

 

School-based family counseling as an approach for parentified students and their families

 Kathryn L. Higdon, Ed.S., LPC, NCC, Clinical and School-based Counselor, United States; Clinical Psychology PhD Student, University of Edinburgh

 

Abstract

 The aim of this presentation is to introduce ways in which school counselors and school- based mental health practitioners can assist parentified students and their families through the use of School-Based Family Counseling (SBFC). Parentification happens when there is a role- reversal of parent and child, wherein the child takes on adult tasks and responsibilities of emotional and/or instrumental caregiving in the family system (Boszormenyi-Nagy & Spark, 1973). It has been found to impact both the short- and long-term physical, mental, and social well-being of children and adolescents and can be viewed as a social determinant of health (Higdon et al., 2022). Although there is no true estimate of the number of parentified students in the United States, a recent study of caregiving revealed that there are over 5.4 million children aged eight to 18 who serve as caregivers (or “young carers,” a subtype of parentification) in the home (AARP & NAC, 2020). It is likely that parentified students can be found in every school in America (NAC & the United Hospital Fund, 2005). For this reason, the development of school-based interventions is vital. This presentation will demonstrate how school counselors are uniquely positioned to identify and assist parentified students and will suggest a multifaceted approach of SBFC strategies and interventions that can support this vulnerable group of students and their families, based in systems theory and the SBFC Metamodel (Gerrard & Soriano, 2020). A theoretical case study will be presented to illustrate the interventions.

 

 

Strengthening educational trajectories in early childhood through school-based interventions implemented by teachers: The experience in Mendoza, Argentina

 Mirta Susana Ison, PhD Human, Social and Environmental Sciences Institute (INCIHUSA) of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Technological Scientific Centre (CCT Mendoza - CONICET); School of Psychology, Aconcagua University, Mendoza, Argentina

 

Rocío Gimena Pascual, Coordinator of the PhD Program, Faculty of Psychology, University of Aconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina

 

Abstract

 One of the challenges of education is to reduce the socio-educational gaps among students. To achieve this, it is essential to ensure accessibility to the system of opportunities, in order to enhance capabilities and to expand meaningful learning experiences. Early childhood education is one of the most important spaces for reducing inequalities of access to the school system, fostering interactive experiences, contributing to student autonomy and promoting the development of motor, linguistic, cognitive, emotional and social skills. Children's experiences during early childhood could enhance the development of all the aforementioned skills, thus mitigating socio-educational inequalities. Various studies have reinforced the need for teacher training, so that they could develop pedagogical proposals enhancing basic learning functions at school. Since 2018, the Initial Level Pilot Project (PINI) has been underway in the province of Mendoza, Argentina. This project brings together three institutions: two academic-scientific, and one governmental institution.  Thus, the research team, comprised of professors and researchers from the University of Aconcagua and CONICET, works alongside professionals from the Early Childhood Education Department of the General Directorate of Schools of Mendoza, with the goal of training principals and teachers to implement a program to strengthen cognitive and socio-emotional skills (PHCSE) in the classroom. The scope of the impact of PINI on teacher training in the province, as well as the improvements observed in its students after the implementation of the PHCSE, are presented. During 2024, 42 pre-school teachers from the province were trained, and they implemented the school intervention with more than 900 children. The teachers were responsible for implementing the PHCSE, which was incorporated as part of the school curriculum, working on these skills daily through recreational activities. The implementation of the PHCSE proved to be a useful strategy for strengthening cognitive and socioemotional skills in early childhood students, especially in those who needed it most. Based on the successful results, 145 pre-school teachers were trained in 2025, and the program is now being implemented with more than 2,900 children from diverse sociocultural backgrounds in the province. Helping to create the conditions that support the educational trajectories of all children, especially those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, is a priority, and is the focus of this presentation.

 

A Case Study of Detached Youth

 Anat Kali, PhD  Department of Special Education, School of Education, Efrata College,

Jerusalem, Israel

                                                                

Abstract

 Adolescents from enclave societies often face complex processes of marginalization. In the Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, strong adherence to religious norms creates a rigid social structure. Youth who diverge from these norms often experience rejection from their families and communities. These adolescents face challenges across multiple systems – identity, family, education, and community – particularly when their religious behavior deviates from expectations. Their actions can also affect their families, who may suffer social consequences such as difficulties in arranging marriages for siblings or gaining admission to educational institutions.

Objectives: This study aims to propose a theoretical model that explains the unique risks facing adolescents in collective religious societies. Specifically, it seeks to understand how collectivist cultural dynamics shape the experiences of youth who deviate from communal norms.

Method: This qualitative multiple-case study is based on interviews and observations. The sample included 67 participants: 44 adolescents at risk (27 boys, 17 girls), five parents, 10 rabbis and youth mentors, and eight social workers. Additionally, 11 field observations were conducted in relevant communal settings. The analysis followed grounded theory and ethnographic content analysis methods.

Results: The study found that the collectivist nature of ultra-Orthodox society creates a strong linkage between an individual’s behavior and their family’s social value. Adolescents who deviate from communal expectations undergo a process of social re-evaluation, in which their social worth—and that of their families—is reassessed. Families, fearing communal consequences, often distance themselves from the youth. Participants described a sharp decline in their perceived social value and noted the social sanctions that followed, including exclusion and stigmatization. The concept of social re-evaluation is introduced as a theoretical model to explain these dynamics. Drawing from a financial metaphor, just as asset values are reassessed in finance, social re-evaluation refers to a reassessment of the social capital of individuals and families. This process is carried out by social agents such as school principals, matchmakers, and community leaders.

Conclusions: Social re-evaluation reflects deeper power dynamics within the ultra-Orthodox community, where social capital is unequally distributed between dominant and marginalized subgroups. Sanctions—such as limited access to education and marriage prospects—serve to reinforce conformity. The model highlights how collectivist, religious, and multicultural frameworks create specific risks for youth. Recognizing these mechanisms allows for culturally sensitive interventions for marginalized adolescents in similar societies worldwide.

 

Israeli Adolescents' Hopes and Fears for the Future in Ongoing War

Nurit Kaplan Toren, PhD & Shirli Shoyer, PhD,  Oranim College of Education, Haifa, Israel

 

Abstract

This research examines Israeli adolescents' future orientation and well-being following October 7, 2023, war. Future orientation (FO) perspective (positive or negative) influences a person's mood and actions.  Moreover, FO has a crucial role in goal setting, motivation, and self-definition, making it particularly relevant for coping with crises. Participants were 164 students (ages 16-17) who answered an open question regarding their hopes and fears for their future and quantitative survey* including: Intrapersonal variables (e.g., students' FO, self-image, stress assessment) and Interpersonal variables (e.g., students' relationships with their homeroom teacher and parents). Qualitative findings showed that adolescents' statements referred to all FO domains as known from previous studies. However, military service emerged as the dominant theme, and personal concerns were prominent.  Findings revealed gender differences, girls expressed more hopes and fears overall, particularly regarding national security and social-national concerns; they also showed greater attention to the family domain. This research examines adolescent FO during an ongoing conflict period, highlighting two directions: adolescents' reference to the familiar dimensions of the future, which perhaps indicates a degree of resilience. However, on the other hand, the findings show how current events shape adolescents' future perspectives. Discussion will refer to SBFC roles regarding adolescents' FO during crises.

 

*We will analysis the quantitative survey data and present it in the symposium

 

 

“Is Beauty in the AI of the Beholder?” A Panel Discussion on AI*

 Meegan Brown PhD, Nyna Amin, PhD, Brian Gerrard, PhD and others

 

Abstract

For better or worse AI is here to stay. This panel will discuss the strengths and challenges of AI as we have been experiencing them in our educational and professional settings. There are studies estimating that 86% of students use AI at school/university. A “fake” AI student recently had “her” detailed college application (which included an interview) accepted at a university where they thought “she” was a real person. Can AI help a professor get tenure? Can mental health professionals be replaced by an AI therapist that uses large language models to access the most effective interventions of White, Minuchin, Satir, Jung, Bandura?

 

 

Groups to Improve Parent’ Functioning and Children’s Emotional Well-Being

 Zipora Shechtman, PhD  University of Haifa, Israel

 

Abstract

School Based Family Counseling (SBFC) is a comprehensive model to improve services and includes parent education. However, services to parents are not provided systematically, and when they are suggested, they are of a psychoeducational type. More often, services to parents are provided at times of conflict, initiated either by school or by parents, on an individual basis. Such meetings often end up with parents’ frustration either they feel weak and helpless in face of “the expert” or they feel angry with “ineffective school authority”.  As an alternative, I suggest a systematic service for parents, based on small groups, in which the focus is on the parents’ needs, feelings, and difficulties. Such intimate groups can be preventive or interventive; they are educative but based on emotional learning, (Emotion Focused Therapy) and can be used at crises situations. The goals are to reduce parental stress and empower them, which will eventually lead to their children’s improvement.  Four studies were conducted to establish the validity of such groups. The first study compared outcomes of this method with psychoeducational groups (Experts), indicating that stress decreased for parents in these groups while for parents in the Experts group stress increased. In a second study, we compared these groups with individual treatment. Again, parental stress decreased in group treatment and increased in individual conditions. In a third study, involving mothers of aggressive youth, results indicated a reduction of child aggression compared to a control group and mothers improved their parenting style. In a fourth study, results for parents and their children were studied compared to a wait list. Results indicated impressive outcomes for both mothers and their children. The process variables pointed to the major therapeutic factors that were related to outcomes. In sum, results pointed to improved parenting and child behavior, which can be safely and effectively used in schools.