1. The 8th Saudi Students
Conference
Imperial College London
January 31st 2015 – February 1st 2015
The 8th Saudi Students Conference is sponsored by the
Saudi Ministry of Higher Education and King Abdullah
University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
Visualising the Future of Student
Counselling in Saudi Arabia
Turki Alotaibi

2. Abstract
Student counselling in schools is an area that is well
established in both developing and developed countries
around the world, and has been made available to a wide
range of ages (i.e. 5-18 years old) (Harris, 2013). In addition,
whilst the many benefits of student counselling have been
widely researched and documented, the problems and
obstacles encountered by student counsellors has received
less attention. This research aims to combine a brief review of
the literature, with the researcher's own 16 years of
professional experience of student counselling in Saudi
schools, in order to provide a critical account of Saudi student
counselling practices. The research shows that cultural,
social, and financial barriers and challenges may be stopping
student counselling practices from developing effectively in
Saudi Arabia. It puts forward ways in which student
counselling practices might be improved in order to help
children and young people in schools across Saudi Arabia.

3. An Introduction to Student Counselling
Defining what student counselling is and its
objectives, and student counselling practices and
approaches around the world.

4. An Introduction to Student Counselling
• A ‘counsellor’ is “someone who does his or her best to listen to you and work
with you to find the best ways to understand and resolve your problem.
Counsellors do not diagnose or label people, but instead do their best to work
within whatever framework of understanding makes most sense for each
client” (Mcleod 2013,p.3).
• Student counsellors:
• Help guide children and students in schools;
• They provide different forms of counselling and psychotherapy;
• Help children to cope with emotional, behavioural, or mental problems;
• Offer personal and social support to students.
• Effectiveness of student counselling:
• Psychotherapies (e.g. verbal, behavioural, person-centred) are beneficial (Smith et al., 1980);
• Improves overall attainment, attendance, and behaviour in schools (Pybis et al., 2012);
• Helps to reduce psychological distress (McArthur et al., 2013);
• Positively impacts learning and studying behaviour and habits (Rupani et al., 2012);
• Young people view student counsellors as accessible and helpful (Cooper, 2009; 2013);
• Particularly effective for bullied students in schools (McElearney et al., 2012).

5. Student Counselling in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
Identifying the gap in the literature on Saudi student
counselling, and practical and cultural problems that
student counsellors face.

6. Student Counselling in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
• Existing research on Saudi student counselling is either dated or
unpublished, i.e. a distinct gap in the research literature:
• Saleh (1983; 1987);
• Abu-Rasain and Williams (1999);
• Al-Ghamdi (1999);
• Alghamdi and Riddick (2011).
• Student counsellors in Saudi schools (Alotaibi 2014a; 2014b; 2014c):
• Become bored with their work, or distinct lack of work;
• Often feel de-motivated and negative about their work due to a lack of peer respect;
• May often not have sufficient qualifications or knowledge of student counselling practices;
• May lack a minimum level of suitable counselling or psychology-related qualifications;
• May lack on-the-job training and financial support from the Saudi Ministry of Education;
• May lack administrative support or special rooms or facilities for counselling;
• May face unhelpful or uncooperative staff and/or parents;
• May lack sufficient guidance in terms of counselling and/or the counselling role;
• May face closed Saudi culture for counselling in schools.

7. The Future of Student Counselling in
Saudi Arabia
Identifying what practical steps can be taken to
improve student counselling practices in Saudi
schools in the future.

8. The Future of Student Counselling in
Saudi Arabia
• Saudi students may face many difficulties in schools such as bullying; depression;
self-harm; suicidal tendencies; problems with overweight and obesity; social peer
pressure; difficulties at home; and pressures from academic underachievement.
• Saudi schools should not just be a place for academic learning, they should also help
Saudi students to overcome personal and behavioural problems and difficulties.
• Student counsellors who are sufficiently qualified, trained, and experienced can help
students to deal with a wide range of problems and improve their self-confidence and
self-belief.
• Student counselling has been shown to be effective in other countries (e.g. US or
UK), but student counselling in Saudi Arabia needs investment and public support.
• There are many steps that could potentially be taken to improve student counselling:
• Creating a Saudi government sponsored National Association for Student
Counsellors (NSASC) and a NSASC Student Counselling Qualification;
• New training schemes, materials or qualifications;
• Increasing financial and social support by Saudi schools for student counsellors;
• Increasing awareness of student counselling practices across Saudi Arabia.

9. Conclusion
“If we can visualise a better future for student
counselling practices in Saudi Arabia, then I believe
we can also make it happen.”

10. Conclusion
• Previous research has highlighted problems and difficulties for student
counsellors in Saudi schools:
• Negative cultural and social attitudes to student counselling and counsellors;
• A general lack of administrative, social, and financial support from other
teachers, parents, head teachers, and the Saudi Ministry of Education;
• A general lack of available training and qualifications;
• A general lack of trust and social acceptance.
• Saudi schools need to develop or improve ‘best practices’ for student
counselling:
• Professionally qualified and experienced counsellors;
• Accessible counselling with suitable counselling facilities;
• Monitoring and evaluation procedures;
• Person-centred counselling to focus on students’ needs (Mearns et al., 2013);
• Flexible responses (e.g. local diversity needs);
• Helping counsellors to develop better counselling skills (e.g. listening skills, and
becoming trustworthy and approachable persons) (Pattison et al., 2007).

11. Author’s Profile
I was previously the Director of the Student Counselling Programme at the Education
Department Afif, Saudi Arabia, and I have more than 16 years of professional
experience in educational and school counselling roles. I also have a M.Sc. degree
in Educational Counselling and Psychology, Nottingham University (With Merit) and
a B.Sc. degree in Social Sciences from Teachers' College Makah, Saudi Arabia (with
Distinction and Honour). Throughout my time as Director of Student Counselling in
Saudi Arabia, I have developed new policies, guidance, and training courses for
school counsellors in secondary schools there. I have also given a number of
lectures in the area of school counselling in Saudi schools. I am currently
undertaking a 3 year PhD research degree which is investigating the perceptions,
understandings, and expectations of school counsellors working in boys' secondary
schools in Saudi Arabia. I am undertaking this research with the aim of improving
working practices for student counsellors in Saudi Arabia, and for increasing the
overall effectiveness of student counsellors in Saudi Arabia. During my time at
Nottingham University I have also presented talks on school counselling in Saudi
Arabia at national and international conferences, including the 8th Annual Keele
Counselling Psychology Conference (22-23 March 2014) and the InPACT
(International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (4-6 April 2014). I
have also published in the September 2014 edition of the BACP Magazine, an article
entitled "School Counselling in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Most recently I also
attended and presented at the Leading Learning Postgraduate Research Conference
held by the University of Nottingham School of Education (15th October 2014).

12. Author’s Details
Mr Turki Alotaibi
Details: PhD Research Candidate
Faculty of Education
The University of Nottingham, UK
Address: 23 Normanby Road
Wollaton
Nottingham NG8 2TA
Email: talotaibi@outlook.com
Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/education/people/ttxta16
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/turkialotaibi
Telephone: UK + 44 (0)7463319433

13. References
• Abu-Rasain, M.H.M. and Williams, D.I. (1999). Peer counselling in Saudi Arabia, Journal of Adolescence, 22(4),
pp.493-502.
• Al-Ghamadi, N.G. and Riddick, B. (2011). Principals' Perceptions of the School Counsellor Role in Saudi Arabia.
International, Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 33(4), pp.347–360.
• Al-Ghamdi, S. A. (1999). Perceptions of the role of the secondary school counsellor in Saudi Arabia (November),
Thesis University of Hull [Online] [Accessed 10 March 2014] Available from:
https://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:8039.
• Alotaibi, T. (2014a). Challenging Existing Views of the Role of School Counsellors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
In: 8th Annual Keele Counselling Psychology Conference (Keele University, 'Daring to Make an Impact: Dynamic
Qualitative Research', 22-23 March).
• Alotaibi, T. (2014b). Differentiating Cultural, Social, and Psychological Attitudes Towards School Counselling in
Saudi Arabia In: The InPACT (International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends, 4-6 April, Porto,
Portugal).
• Alotaibi, T. (2014c). School Counselling in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, BACP Children & Young People
(September 2014), pp.4-9.
• Cooper, M. (2009). Counselling in UK secondary schools: A comprehensive review of audit and evaluation
studies, 9(3) Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, pp.137-150.
• Cooper, M. (2013). School-based Counselling in UK Secondary Schools: A Review and Critical Evaluation, (19
January), University of Strathclyde: Glasgow.
• Harris, B. (2013). International school-based counselling, (August), Counselling Minded, British Association for
Counselling & Psychotherapy.
• McArthur, K., Cooper, M. and Berdondini, L. (2013). School-based humanistic counseling for psychological
distress in young people: pilot randomized controlled trial, 23(3), Psychotherapy Research, pp.355-365.

14. References (continued)
• McElearney, A., Adamson, G., Shevlin, M., and Bunting, B. (2013). Impact Evaluation of a School-based
Counselling Intervention in Northern Ireland: Is it effective for Pupils who Have Been Bullied? 19(1) Child Care in
Practice, pp.4-22.
• Mcleod, J. (2013) An Introduction to Counselling, 5th edition, Berkshire: Open University.
• Mearns, D., Thorne, B., and McLeod, J. (2013). Person-Centred Counselling in Action, 4th Edition, London: SAGE
Publications, Ltd.
• Pattinson, S., Rowland, N., Cromarty, K., Richards, K., Jenkins, P., Cooper, M., Polat, F., and Couchman, A.
(2007). Counselling in schools: A research study into services for children and young people, Commissioned by
the Welsh Assembly Government.
• Pybis, J., Hill, A, Cooper, M. and Cromarty, K. (2012). A comparative analysis of the attitudes of key stakeholder
groups to the Welsh Government's school-based counselling strategy, 40(5), British Journal of Guidance &
Counselling, pp.485-498.
• Rupani, P., Haughey, N., and Cooper, M. (2012). The impact of school-based counselling on young people's
capacity to study and learn, 40(5), British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, pp.499-514.
• Saleh, M.A. (1983). Cultural Perspectives Implications for Counselling in the Arab World, School Psychology
International, 7(2), pp.71-75.
• Saleh, M.A. (1987). Counseling and guidance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, International Journal for the
Advancement of Counselling, 10(4), pp.277-286.
• Smith, M., Glass, G., and Miller, T. (1980). The Benefits of Psycotherapy. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University
Press.

15. The 8th Saudi Students
Conference
Imperial College London
January 31st 2015 – February 1st 2015
The 8th Saudi Students Conference is sponsored by the
Saudi Ministry of Higher Education and King Abdullah
University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
Visualising the Future of Student
Counselling in Saudi Arabia
Turki Alotaibi