Perpetuated by the media, a culture of fear encourages students to mistrust the world and to expect negative events to happen. Students might also inherit their fears and worries from their parents or peers. Counselors might want to examine the possibility that the students most afraid of terrorism are those who might harbor irrational prejudices against persons of Muslim descent. Any sign that students are developing biases toward their classmates can be addressed if not redressed by counselors with compassion. Likewise, students who experience discrimination because of current world events might need extra care and attention on the part of school counselors. The Burnham & Hooper (2008) report inspires future research on the impact the economy is having on American school children. Parents who are strapped for cash because of gas prices, mortgage payments, and rising costs of consumer goods will be passing on their fears and anxieties to their children. Moreover, those parents might...

Students experiencing the indirect brunt of the sagging economy are likely to feel a complex range of emotions that might affect their academic performance. School counselors meeting individually with students are encouraged to examine global and nationwide political, economic, and social issues.
Therefore, current trends in individual school counseling focuses more on contextual issues. Students are to be viewed as parts of a larger world. Counselors can and should see beyond the walls of the school and the borders of their community to examine the ways the media is shaping student beliefs, values, and fears. Assuming a more global perspective in their practice can help school counselors become more effective professionals.

Reference

Burnham, J.J. & Hooper, L.M. (2008). Professional School Counseling. Alexandria: Aug 2008. Vol. 11, Iss.…