Education Commons^™

Relational Aggression In Early Adolescent Girls, Sara M. Bucknam

Graduate Research Papers

There are differences in aggressive behavior between early adolescent boys and girls. Girls use relational aggressive methods to gain control over their peers. In general, schools do not directly address this form of aggression. School counselors are in the position to reduce relational aggression in schools. Assessment must first be performed in order to address the level of aggression in girls. This can be completed through questionnaires or focus groups. There are several prevention and intervention methods that be incorporated in schools. These methods can reduce relational aggression in early adolescent girls.

When The Wildebeest Gets Your Berries : Adolescent Anger Management, Patresa A. Hartman

Graduate Research Papers

This study presents a review of literature regarding adolescent anger management. Problematic anger is defined as externalizing or internalizing behaviors that occur frequently enough and at a high enough level of intensity to: (1) disrupt one's everyday functioning at school, home, and/or in the community; and (2) impair one's relationships with others and one's own self-concept. The causes can be traced to a myriad of possible sources: cognitive problems; developmental problems; chronic irritability, agitation, volatility, or mood instability; or environmental stressors.

This review of studies regarding adolescent anger management programs leads to the following suggestions for school psychologists: (1) understand …

School-Based Prevention Of Adolescent Substance Abuse, Kristina Lorenzen

Graduate Research Papers

Because of the prevalence and serious consequences of adolescent substance abuse, it is necessary to review programming for prevention. Progress has been made in identifying effective prevention methods. However, there is a gap between what research has shown to be effective and the methods commonly used in most schools.

The purpose of this paper is to review existing literature and research on substance abuse prevention for adolescents. The following research questions were addressed: How prevalent is adolescent substance abuse? What specific factors put an adolescent at risk for substance abuse? Why are some programs considered ineffective? What components make an …

The Effects Of A Mother's Incarceration On Her Children, Jane Elizabeth Mayer

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of a mother's incarceration on her children. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with facilitating a mother-child visitation program were discussed. Guidelines were presented for parents, caregivers, children, and prison staff on a successful mother-child visitation program. Conclusions were drawn from the literature and recommendations were made for the future facilitation of a mother-child visitation program.

Male Childhood Sexual Abuse : Do Not Overlook It, Elizabeth Soenen

Graduate Research Papers

Male childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is often unrecognized and under-reported; therefore, its symptoms are often left untreated. The research reveals it is more prevalent than previously thought and is accompanied by a variety of maladaptive symptoms. Clinicians' awareness of these findings, along with self-awareness of their own beliefs about male CSA, is likely to lead to identification of its presence and the opportunity to choose appropriate interventions.

A School Psychologist's Role In Decreasing Eating Disorder Prevalence In School-Aged Children, Natalie Muth

Graduate Research Papers

Eating disorders have dramatically increased over the last 20 years, resulting in prevalence rates exceeding other high-incidence medical conditions treated in the educational setting. Chapter 2 presents a review of literature covering eating disorder identification, history, prevalence and epidemiological data. Theoretical perspectives, risk and protective factors, symptoms, and medical complications are also reviewed. Current assessment measures used for screening and diagnosing anorexia and bulimia is additionally presented along with a summary of school-based primary prevention programs. The second chapter concludes with a brief overview of eating disorder treatment.

A summary is presented in chapter 3 along with implications for school …

How Does Childhood Incest Affect The Interpersonal Relationships Of Adult Females, Lyle Potter

Graduate Research Papers

Incest has been occurring in families for many years, often behind a cloak of secrecy and fear of disclosure. More recently, the taboo in talking about incest has diminished, and many survivors of incest have come forward with their experiences to seek needed help. A major portion of the research has dealt with trying to understand the family dynamics. But a growing number of studies are beginning to look at the long term effects of the abuse, and some of them focus on adult interpersonal relationships. It is in this direction that this literature review and study will focus.

Losing Faith : The Process Of Converting To Atheism, Jennifer J. Jacobi

Graduate Research Papers

The current study examines the process of converting to atheism and the counseling issues associated with it. It is argued that conversion to atheism can be conceptualized according to the model of religious conversion that Paloutzian, Richardson, and Rambo (1999) suggested. Research on atheism is reviewed in terms of how it fits into the stages of this model, and implications for counseling are discussed.

Preventing Childhood Depression By Building Resiliency In Children, Sarah Carroll

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature is a report of the success of programs designed to prevent childhood depression by building resiliency. Research results indicate that prevention programs focused on teaching children and parents coping skills, changing negative thought patterns, social problem solving, teaching the symptoms of childhood depression and how to discuss it with children, and fostering resiliency have reduced the incidence of depression in children (Comer, 1985; Gladstone & Beardslee, 2000; Seligman, 1995).

Additional research needs to address the following questions: a) How does building resilience differ for children from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds? b) . What are the …

Personal Growth Groups For Therapists, Vicky A. Knapp

Graduate Research Papers

Since the birth of psychotherapy, the need for therapists to attend to their own personal healing and growth has been recognized. This tradition of personal therapy has been incorporated into many current programs that train therapists/helpers in this country. Freud and a large number of subsequent practitioners have also advocated periodic or ongoing personal therapy throughout the therapist's career span. Self-exploration groups can be an excellent means to keep helpers in touch with their humanness, to further their personal and professional growth, and to reduce toxic consequences of practicing therapy.

School Age Bullying : The Victim's Point Of View, Jacquelyn L. Miller

Graduate Research Papers

Bullying is a common problem in schools across the world including in the United States. This paper focuses on the problem of bullying from the victim's point of view. Bullying can be defined in a variety of different ways and occurs in a variety of different situations. Victims of bullies suffer from a wide variety of academic, social, behavioral, and emotional problems. A comprehensive approach that includes school counselors, teachers, administrators, and parents is needed to combat bullying within the school. Bully prevention and intervention programs can help victims more effectively if they change their orientation from focusing on the …

School-Based Bully Prevention And Violence, Catherine T. Mclallen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews the literature available on several bully prevention/violence awareness programs. Also discussed is the significance of prevention programs and the roles they can play in today's school systems. It includes a definition of bullying behavior and describes the several types of bullying prevalent in schools today that most programs attempt to address. Additionally, it includes a brief history of bully prevention programs, with a look at the zero tolerance movement, an initiative that has not been overly successful in the past with regards to aggression in schools.

The paper also explores the effects of bullying on the victim …

An Overview Of Bibliotherapy As An Intervention For Young Children, Lisa Ludwig

Graduate Research Papers

Young children can benefit from therapy to deal with disabilities, abuse, normal developmental issues such as famiily problems, and social-emotional issues. One approach to helping children manage psychological issues is bibliotherapy. In its simplest form, bibliotherapy can be described as the practice of using books in treatment, or helping with books (Pardeck & Pardeck, 1993; Pardeck & Pardeck, 1987). The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on bibliotherapy and to examine its possible applications, its effectiveness, and best practices in carrying out the intervention.

Coming Out : Implications For Counselors Working With Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Clients, Eric L. Rhodes

Graduate Research Papers

A considerable amount of research has stated that gays and lesbians utilize mental health counseling services at a high rate. Therefore it is very likely that counselors encounter lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. This research focuses on how the sexual orientation of the counselor affects the counseling process when working with LGB clients. In particular, this paper will discuss how the sexual orientation of the counselor facilitates or inhibits client identity development and the coming out process.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder : Is It A Behavior Disorder Or Active Childhood Behavior?, Larry G. Scheel

Graduate Research Papers

Although attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder constitutes 33 to 50% of mental health referrals for children, an increasing number of researchers has begun to question the validity of ADHD as a legitimate diagnosis. Eberstadt in her 1999 review stated, "Society has changed since the mid-1980s to view what may be normal childhood activity as lack of behavioral compliance" (p.1). Could the prevalence of ADHD simply be an increasingly active society's response to normal, active childhood behavior? The purpose of this paper is to examine the history of ADHD and explore assessment methods. Data from current literature and personal interviews with recognized professionals …

Facing The Death Of A Child : Effects On The Family System, Rita Kae Conger

Graduate Research Papers

The death of a child could very well be the most difficult crisis a family system can face. The uniqueness and severity of this type of crisis make it quite important for those in the counseling field to be aware of the many different aspects of a child's death which may be very significant to the child's family.

For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to describe a number of variables which affect the healing process. These variables include the cause of death, the age of the child at the time of death, family dynamics, and the relationship …

Religion And Spirituality In Counseling : A Multicultural Perspective, Linda G. Culbertson

Graduate Research Papers

As the counseling profession moves into the 21st Century a greater emphasis is being placed on multicultural and spiritual issues. It is difficult to see how the two entities can be separated. When counselors ignore that a client is Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, or Christian with the unspoken assumption that religion is irrelevant .to their issues, this may jeopardize the forming of an effective therapeutic relationship (Burke, et al., 1999). Knowledge of religion and spiritual beliefs of ethnic groups can help professionals provide care that is culturally specific and sensitive to the beliefs of the individual (Bibbins, 2000).

Youth Violence : A Comprehensive Literature Review, Amy L. Licht

Graduate Research Papers

Over the last decade a great deal of literature has been focused on the subject of youth violence. For this paper, youth violence is defined as elementary and adolescent-aged boys and girls who commit violent acts. These include: the use of physical force to produce injury or death to others, gang fighting, hate crimes, sexual and/or physical assault, bringing and/or using weapons at school, and aggressive behavior used as a means to gain a certain outcome.

Many studies have been conducted focusing on several dynamics involved in this complicated issue. The focus of the present work was primarily to: review …

Wilderness Orientation Programs : Their Impact On Student Development And Retention, Mary L. Russell

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is designed to accomplish two purposes. First, I will examine current writings and research on orientation programs in general and on Wilderness Orientation Programs and look at how these particular forms of orientation programs are benefiting colleges and universities in terms of student development and retention. Second, in an attempt to further analyze Wilderness Orientation Programs in the light of student development, I will apply Klein's Framework and Chickering's Seven Vectors to the concepts of Wilderness Orientation Programs. I will conclude with recommendations for further research.

Couple Counseling Issues And Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions, Amy M. Christensen

Graduate Research Papers

Couple counseling services, a source of hope and assistance for relationships of all types, have become a standard mental health practice available all over the country. These services are being demanded, sought after, and utilized in agencies, within religious settings, and in private practice.

The purpose of this paper will be to describe the use of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in couple's therapy. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy was selected because it is frequently used to treat couples. Hollen (1998), Janowsky (1999), and Speigler (1998) documented its effectiveness with individuals and couples seeking therapeutic service.

This paper will address problems that develop in the relationships, …

Stepfamilies : Implications And Interventions For Children, Deanna S. Johnson

Graduate Research Papers

The American family has been in a state of transition for the past three decades. Marital dissolution has quadrupled in the past 20 years, with three in five marriages ending in divorce. Approximately 80% of divorced men and 75% of divorced women remarry, creating 5.3.million married-couple households in which at least one stepchild under 18 resides.

The author of this paper will address several factors and intervention strategies that have been identified as potential determinants of healthy adaptation in children in stepfamilies. Given the increasing prevalence of stepfamilies in this country, it is imperative that school counselors become knowledgeable in …

Examining Counseling Strategies For African American Adolescent Crack Abusers, Paula Reed Dorris

Graduate Research Papers

The author of this paper has addressed the significance of the development of treatment strategies to implement with African American adolescent crack addicts. An integral basis for tailoring culturally specific treatment approaches for African American adolescents relates to the unique circumstances, which may promote more extensive crack abuse by this group. Depression was the difficulty which the author chose to focus upon. Several different methods of helping these adolescents are discussed. The intervention strategies which show promise in helping African American adolescent crack addicts include: (a) Interpersonal Therapy; (b) psycho-educational programs; (c) involvement of family members in treatment; (d) use …

Holistic Approaches In Counseling, Rachel Denhart

Graduate Research Papers

The concept of holism has several meanings according to this review of the literature; the origination and evolution is complex. The definitions and context of holism in counseling are specified. Moreover, the elements and models based in holism are examined. Finally, the areas in which holistic based counseling occurs are outlined and investigated.

Including Preschool Children In The School Counseling Program : Classroom Recommendations For Counselors, Nancy A. Kriener

Graduate Research Papers

School counselors have long advocated including all children in their guidance programs. However, preschool children who attend public schools are often not a part of the school counseling program.

In light of the national trend emphasizing the importance of early childhood education, many public schools are assuming more responsibility for preschool education (Hohenshil & Hohenshil, 1989). As more and more preschools are being adopted by public schools, school counselors must be ready to extend their services to these children.

Conflict Resolution : A Counseling Skill, Carol Jean Friedmann

Graduate Research Papers

Conflict resolution is a counseling skill (Ivy, 1994; Haley, 1976; Pearce, 1996). Counselors are in a unique place to both promote conflict resolution skills and use counseling skills while practicing conflict resolution for longer lasting and therapeutic resolutions. Two environments in which counselors have been especially active regarding conflict resolution have been in the schools and in the family (Moore, 1996).

To take a closer look at conflict resolution, this paper will do the following: define conflict resolution; look at common attitudes and ways of handling conflict; examine the effects of destructive conflict resolution and the effects of teaching constructive …

Adolescent School Refusal In Japan : Implications For School Counselors, Noriko Ido

Graduate Research Papers

Since its emergence in the late 1950s, school refusal has been identified as a severe problem related to schooling in Japan. Its etiology is complex; changes in social environment in Japan after World War II which affect everyone, familial factors such as parenting style, and school environmental factors are considered as critical factors which cause school refusal.

School counselors need to not only understand the background information of school refusal, but also identify early symptoms and intervene before students develop it. Coordination and consultation roles are especially important in dealing with this problem. Consultation with parents of school refusers is …

Burnout : Implications For Counselors, Rhonda L. Corell

Graduate Research Papers

The phenomenon of burnout has received wide attention during the last fifteen years, especially in human service organizations. Burnout may affect individuals in a number of ways within the work setting. Its consequences may be physical, emotional, or intellectual (Whitaker, 1995). The key characteristics are an overwhelming exhaustion; feelings of frustration, anger, and cynicism; and a sense of ineffectiveness and failure (Maslach & Goldberg, 1998). Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment are symptoms of a cognitive and emotional state that mental health workers experience and observe among their colleagues (Leiter & Harvie, 1996). Although some people may quit the …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder : Developments In The Last Decade Concerning Causes And Treatments, Phyllis Damgaard

Graduate Research Papers

The last ten years have brought major advances in the fields of medicine and technology, advances that have illuminated many of the dark comers of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This article seeks to pull together those illuminating advances, condensing the voluminous information available into comprehensive, but readable, pages. The causes of the disorder are discussed from both the scientific and psychological/social perspectives. The controversy resulting from medicating so many, so young is an integral part of this country's interest in ADHD, due largely to coverage by the popular media.

Research concerning successful treatment strategies is also discussed. Medication, behavior …

What About Me? : The Final Question Of A Suicidal Teen, Peggy Ann Kleve

Graduate Research Papers

Adolescents need access to vital information on how to help a friend who is contemplating suicide. They need to be able to identify the signs and seek assistance from an understanding adult.

This research project, What About Me? The final question of a suicidal teen, was designed to determine whether reading an adolescent novel can educate teens about depression and suicide awareness. I wrote the adolescent novel so young adolescents would be able to relate to the main character and learn from her mistakes.

Effectively Addressing The Needs Of Bereaved Children, Nichole J. Flint

Graduate Research Papers

Any professional counselor who works with children will eventually be presented with children who have lost a loved one due to death. It is important, therefore, for counselors to acquire basic knowledge about how children understand death, how children are affected when shielded from the facts about death, what the grieving process looks like for children, and whether a child's reactions to death is typical or whether it is a sign of more serious mental health problems.

A brief overview summarizing these factors is included in the first section of this paper. In the second section, the author will explore …