Coordinating team support for junior high school students: Ability and power factors

The present study investigated the relation of ability and power factors in coordination to the coordination of team support for junior high school students. A coordination activities scale and a coordination ability and power scale, developed by Seto & Ishikuma in 2002, were completed by chief teachers, school counselors, and student guidance, educational counseling, and health teachers at 148 junior high schools. The results suggested that coordination activities at the student support team level could be explained by 4 factors : explanation, parent-teacher cooperation, assessment and decision making, and use of professional helpers, and, at the support system level, by 4 factors : management, public relations, information gathering, and networking. Moreover, coordination ability and power factors could be explained by 4 factors: ability to assess the situation and make up a support team, power based on the person's role, professional knowledge, and ability in team discussion. The ability and power factors influenced coordination activities differently, depending on the person's role in the school organization. Power based on the person's role was influential across all roles.