本研究的目的在實地瞭解美國小學諮商員的工作及其相關事項。研究所在乃位於 美國密西西比州的一所公立小學，研究對象為一位學校輔導員。研究方法屬質的研究，以訪 談為主，輔以觀察教學及文件收集等方法進行。 研究結果摘要如下。在美國，學校諮商是專業工作。諮商員必須至少具有諮商碩士學位， 並取得證照，證照有效期五年。效期內諮商員必須完成規定時數的在職進修，才能維持證照 有效。「密州發展性諮商工作手冊」係由州政府教育部門及諮商學會等合作制定，其內容規 範了諮商員的角色、職掌及各年級諮商課程主題。學校諮商員在執行工作時必須依循此手冊 之規定。密州並立法規定學校諮商員在各範圍工作時間運用之比例分配。「學校諮商員倫理 準則」規範諮商員的專業倫理。「密州諮商員評量工具」則明列諮商員應具有那些知能。校 長每一學年依據此評量工具逐項評鑑諮商員。此外，校長並至教室觀察諮商員上課情形，作 為評鑑諮商員之輔。美國密州小學輔導工作範圍包括教育輔導、個人--社會輔導及生涯輔導， 諮商員的工作包括了個別諮商、大團體輔導、小團體諮商、諮詢及協調等項。諮商員並不負 責心理測驗之實施，凡資優生或其他特殊兒童之鑑定係由學區所聘學校心理學家為之。

　　　　　The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the school counselor's role in the American elementary school. The setting, in which the research took place is a city public elementary school located in the southern area of the United States. The methods for this study fall within the boundaries of qualitative research. Interviews, observation, and artifact collection are the methods used in this study. In the United States the school counseling is a professional job. To be a school counselor, a master degree in counseling is the minimum requirement. Besides, in order to keep the license valid, school counselors must accomplish specific hours of in-service training during every five-year period of the licensure validation. The Mississippi Developmental Counseling Program handbook defines the role and functions of Mississippi school counselors and provides outlines of counseling curriculum. The handbook also sets the proportion of counselors' time allocation. Ethical Standards for School Counselors provides guidelines for the school counselors' conduct and Mississippi Counselor Assessment Instrument sets the criteria for the evaluation of school counselors' performance. Every year the principal comes to the classroom to observe the counselor's teaching as part of the evaluation. The three broad goals of the counseling curriculum are to enhance students' personal-social, educational, and career development. Individual counseling, small group counseling, large group guidance, consultation, and coordination are the major duties of the school counselor ; however, the administration of psychological tests is not included in the scope of the school counselors' functions.