Education Commons^™

Teaching Online Group Counseling Skills In An On-Campus Group Counseling Course, Kelly Anne Kozlowski, Courtney M. Holmes

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Counselors are increasingly incorporating digital modalities into their practices. As such, counseling students must be trained to provide such types of counseling within their degree programs. This article outlines an example curriculum for an on-campus group counseling class wherein students receive training and participate in an online, videoconferencing process group.

A Survey Of Students’ Knowledge About Child Sexual Abuse And Perceived Readiness To Provide Counseling Services, Jennifer Marie Foster

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Master's level students in counselor education and counseling psychology (N = 304) were surveyed to explore their knowledge about child sexual abuse (CSA) and perceived readiness to provide related counseling services. While students demonstrated general knowledge about sexual abuse, preparedness to counsel was rated much lower with 69% of students indicating low levels of competency. Data was analyzed to explore demographic characteristics that led to increased readiness scores. Indicators of statistically significant higher readiness scores included: prior work or volunteer experience with victims of sexual abuse, participation in CSA trainings, and supervised field experience. Implications for student training and recommendations …

Nurturing Self: Psychotherapeutic Implications Of Women's Reflections On The Meaning Of Their Cherished Possessions, Stephanie L. Martin

The Qualitative Report

Experiencing the importance of one’s personal treasures is ubiquitous to the human experience, but what is the depth and meaning of this lived phenomenon? An interpretive phenomenological method was used to explore the meaning and significance of women’s experience of their cherished personal possessions. Nine women participated in three individual semi-structured phenomenological interviews each. Interpretive analysis revealed that women’s experience of their cherished personal possessions is one of nurturing self. Through their cherished personal possessions, women nurture their sense of self by connecting with others, affirming personal experience, supporting self through change, and cultivating a sense of self. Implications for …

A Humanistic Examination Of Posttraumatic Growth In United States Military Veterans, Aaron J. Smith

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Military Mental Health Stigma (MMHS) is attributed as a significant factor in the 20 suicides that occur each day by United States Military Veterans (USMVs) (Kemp & Bossarte, 2012). These negative attitudes or beliefs about mental health exist, in part, due to a dearth of research on additive gains in the aftermath of trauma, known as Posttraumatic Growth (PTG, see: Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). The model most often used to describe PTG by mental health counselors working with USMVs is both under-researched (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2004), as well as, one that may be philosophically misaligned with the spirit of combating …

Identity Doesn't Form In A Vacuum: Deconstructing The Role Of Hegemony In The Identity Formation Of Religiously Diverse People, Randa Elbih

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

In a post-9/11 world, Muslims and Muslim-looking individuals are perceived as a homogenous group characterized as violent, oppressive, and barbaric. Conflating Islam with negative traits both corroborates and instigates the dominant hegemonic forces, which serve as the filter through which and the context within which identities are formed. In order to destabilize these hegemonic beliefs, this paper builds upon James Paul Gee’s (2001) identity theory, specifically what he terms “new capitalism.” This review finds Gee’s identity theory particularly salient in the current political moment in which Muslims and Muslim-looking individuals feel rejected and Othered in the United States. However, some …

Letter To The President: Longitudinal Critical Discourse Analysis Of Academic And Hip Hop Genres In A Rap Narrative Program, Debangshu Roygardner

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The objective of this study was to examine an in-school rap narrative workshop through critical discourse theory (Bamberg, 2012; Daiute, 2014). Twelve youth from a public school serving youth in urban Houston, TX were recruited from an in-school and after-school Hip hop/Rap narrative program to participate in a two-year cohort research study. The primary research question guiding the study was “How do young people participating in a school-based Hip hop/Rap program use a wide range of narrative genres for literacy and psycho-social development over two years in the program?”

The data-intensive study involved assessments of literacy and psycho-social development via …

Social Work Students Ability To Identify Signs Of Autism In Children, Heather Nicole Hopkins

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of students in the Master of Social Work (MSW) program to correctly identify signs of autism in children by completing a survey. This research project was conducted in collaboration with California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) and the MSW program by using MSW students as participants. The study used a survey designed with items that measured the knowledge of participants. The results of this study may be beneficial to the Director of Social Work, future MSW students, and professors to examine how well the current MSW program is preparing students …

Restorative Justice Practices In Education: A Quantitative Analysis Of Suspension Rates At The Middle School Level, Barbara Katic

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The negative effects of retributive disciplinary measures in school settings are well documented. Exclusionary practices, such as suspensions, position students on the school-to-prison pipeline, perpetuating a cycle of failure. Restorative justice practices in educational settings provide an alternative to the retributive approach to student discipline. In this research study, a middle school in California was examined for its implementation of restorative justice practices. Numerical data pertaining to a five-year suspension history report for the school were utilized for the quantitative analyses, and four individual chi-square goodness of fit tests were conducted. The results demonstrated that the implementation of restorative justice …

Understanding The Counselor Experience When Working With End Of Life Clients, Connie S. Ducaine

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This was a qualitative study exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients who are coping with an advanced illness and approaching end of life. The study focused on the risks and benefits of fostering relationships with end of life clients, with an emphasis on how these practitioners process their experiences. While supporting clients at end of life, these professionals often were impacted by the deaths of people who they had worked with for varying lengths of time.

The findings suggest that these counselors experienced many of the same issues that have been documented by other helping professions, and that …

Teaching Mindful Awareness Skills To Middle School Students And Its Relationship To Student Engagement With School And Student Test Anxiety, Kathy Shoemaker

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examined the relationship between teaching mindful awareness skills to middle school students and both student engagement and test anxiety. The moderating effects of certain cultural characteristics (gender, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status [SES], English as a second language [ESL], and disability status) on the relationship between teaching mindful awareness skills and both student engagement and test anxiety was also examined. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-test research design with a control group was employed. The Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM), the Healthy Self-Regulation Scale (HSR), the Student School Engagement Measure (SSEM), and the brief version of the FRIEDBEN Test Anxiety …

Professional School Counselors And High School Graduation : Does Assigned School Counselor Correlate With Students' Rate Of Graduation?, Dawn Marie Horton

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

High school counselors are coming under increased pressure to demonstrate both their effectiveness in supporting individual students’ success in school and their ability to provide effective comprehensive school counseling programs. The evidence based research on effective school counseling practices is limited, and additional research is needed to assist practitioners in their work. An important area of concern is the work school counselors do to assist students in achieving graduation. Limited research has been focused on whether school counselors actually impact their students’ graduation rates. In this current research, the graduation rates of students assigned to school counselors were examined to …

Bloom - Youth Empowerment And Development Through A Practice Of Emotional Leadership, Andrea Andrade

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

As we continue to develop ourselves in this multifaceted dependency with technology, I believe we shy away from the essence of what makes us human in the first place. As emotional and sentient beings, we tend to take for granted the use of our emotions to empower ourselves and others through real life experiences, and shared-challenges.As adults, educators, mentors, parents, we must recognize the importance of becoming positive and effective role models for younger generations in order for them to become successful in their future lives. Yet somehow we continue to see patterns of disconnection caused by either the demands …

Depression In Low-Income Adolescents: Guidelines For School-Based Depression Intervention Programs, Gopika Hari

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Studies reveal that low income is a significant risk factor for depression and only roughly 25% of children with mental illnesses receive adequate help, the majority of which comes from schools. This study establishes guidelines for depression intervention programs in low-income high schools through a literature review of current practices. This study found that a multi-layered approach with screening, universal education, and high-risk intervention is most effective. Screening should be conducted with a modified PHQ-a test and timely clinical interviews by school psychologists. All students and teachers should receive universal depression education curriculum consisting of principles like depression literacy and …

Scholastic Journalism Adviser's Guide, Mark Hilburn

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Professional Projects

With a passion for scholastic (high school) journalism, I want my professional project to tailor to that. I hold multiple degrees and certifications in journalism, which have no doubt helped me in the classroom, but not all high school journalism teachers do. Instead, many are taking teaching positions and are told at the time of their interview, or later, that journalism classes (mainly yearbook and newspaper) are part of their teaching schedule. Wanting a job in such a competitive market, these teachers are agreeing and then left scrambling to teach themselves the curriculum before they can teach it to students. …

Concussions And Student Sports: A 'Silent Epidemic', Susan C. Davies, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne

Charles J. Russo

An issue that has gained attention concerns concussions among student–athletes in elementary and secondary schools. In fact, in light of the “silent epidemic” of concussions among student–athletes, in the six month period ending in August of 2011, the number of states that enacted statutes on concussion management jumped from eleven to thirty–one and the list of jurisdictions with laws in place continues to grow.

Based on the significance of concussion management, the remainder of this article is divided into two sections. The first part of the article examines the background on concussions while the second offers recommendations for concussion management …

Some Secrets Should Be Shared: Implementing An Evidence-Based Suicide Prevention Program, Meghan W. Diamon

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Youth suicide is a preventable tragedy that can occur when children's mental health needs are unmet. Participants will discuss published research on risk factors for youth suicide, how to implement an evidence-based prevention program, and how to tackle common obstacles encountered. Participants will be prepared to mobilize school staff, parents, and community members to address the critical issues of depression awareness and suicide prevention.

Beyond Black And White: Infusing Restorative Practices Into Student Discipline, Louis L. Fletcher Phd, Peter Hilts

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

As a reaction to school violence, zero-tolerance became the rule in many school districts. The latter practice silenced student voices and institutionalized the overrepresentation of minority students in discipline situations. An over-reliance on punishment has not significantly changed behavior; therefore, it is time to explore proactively using restorative practices to allow students to value the reasons behind rules instead of simply complying to avoid punishment.

Strategies And Solutions For Implementing A Distinguished Success Ambassador Program To Promote Student Achievement, Ebony L. Payno

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Are you looking for a unique program designed to enhance your school’s learning environment and academic success? Come hear this dynamic and refreshing presentation to learn how to equip your students with the tools they need to make a positive change serving as Success Ambassadors. This session will offer you a wealth of invaluable information, creative resources and practical strategies.

Creating A Healthy Classroom Environment In Multicultural Counseling Courses, Michael Brooks Ph.D., Ncc, Lpc-S, Geleana D. Alston Ph.D., Christopher B. Townsend M.A., Plc, Mieka Bryan M.A.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

To assist educators in developing transformative learning environments, and effectively engaging in difficult dialogues regarding multicultural counseling topics, we conducted a qualitative study to systemically examine the perceptions and reactions of twenty graduate counselor education students enrolled in a multicultural counseling course. In this particular course, students experienced various learning environments all designed to enhance the topic of the day. Students were instructed to journal their thoughts, which became the raw data that was later, analyzed for themes. Students reported a need to be in an environment where there was trust, an ongoing need to reflect on the content, and …

Myth Or Reality: Catholic Inclusivity To Students From Other Religions, Nasser Razek

Nasser Razek

This qualitative study explored the multifaceted issue of cultural and religious challenges for an international Muslim group at a Catholic research institution. Measures employed by the university community to assert the friendliness of campus to students from other religions and student perceptions of the effectiveness of these measures are surveyed to reveal the inclusion of students from several religious affiliations, especially Muslim students. The study was based on in-depth interviews with Muslim students.

Data analysis revealed constructs that are pivotal to the case including consistency in affirming the Catholic identity of the university; intentionally avoiding the usage of solely Christian …

Blue The Bee Learns To Be Happy, Connie Reimers-Hild, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp, Connie Reimers-Hild, Kim Wellsandt

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

Do you sometimes feel sad or blue and don't know what to do? If so, this book was written just for you!

Join Blue the Bee as she travels through Happy Orchard meeting her friends (Flutter, Buzz, Bonita and Ernie) to learn the 7 Happiness Habits. When happiness is a habit, it comes without thinking. You can choose how to spend your day and use your time. You choose how to live your life and what is on your mind.

Each page was designed to enjoy at any age. People can become pollinators of happiness in any life stage!

This …

Conference On Issues In Christian Counseling To Address "Adolescent Issues" Feb. 24 At Ouachita, Sarah Davis, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University will host the seventh annual Conference on Issues in Christian Counseling Friday, Feb. 24, in Walker Conference Center. Addressing “Adolescent Issues,” the conference is sponsored by Ouachita’s Pruet School of Christian Studies, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.

Dr. William Viser, the event creator and a speaker for the conference, is professor of Christian ministries at Ouachita and founded the Safe Harbour Christian Counseling Center in Arkadelphia, where he has served for 21 years. Viser said his goals when creating this conference were to offer a high quality Christian professional conference to …

Exploring Mental Health In Justice Involved Youth: Relevance For Policy And Practice, Angelina Sarah Maclellan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Over the past two decades, awareness of the prevalence of mental health problems in young offenders (ages 12 to 17 years) has grown, with estimates suggesting significantly higher rates compared to the general population. While experiencing poverty does not cause crime, recent research drawing from the Social Psychology of Crime suggests that individuals who experience poverty tend to live in adverse social environments, which can facilitate exposure to modeling and/or reinforcement that is related to antisocial behaviour. In the present study, archival data were drawn from 281 young offenders’ files from an urban-based court clinic to examine how the youth’s …

Exploring Relationship Quality As A Dyadic Mediator Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Health For Economically Disadvantaged Couples, Naomi Wheeler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the directional relationships between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE; Felitti et al., 1998), relationship quality (as measured by the Relationship Assessment Scale [Hendrick, 1988] and the Behavioral Self-Regulation for Effective Relationships Scale [Wilson, Charker, Lizzio, Halford, & Kimlin, 2005]), and health (as measured by the OQ 45.2 [Lambert et al., 2004] and a Brief Medical History Questionnaire [Daire, Wheeler, & Liekweg, 2014]) among economically disadvantaged couples. The theorized model included a dyadic structure and mediation of ACE and health by relationship quality using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). The researcher employed …

Predicting Undergraduate Retention In Stem Majors Based On Demographics, Math Ability, And Career Development Factors, Christopher Belser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields are currently facing a crisis with respect to filling jobs with qualified workers (NSF, 2013; NAS, 2011). While advancements in these industries have translated into job growth, post-secondary declaration and retention rates within STEM majors lag behind industry needs (Carnevale et al., 2011; Chen, 2013; Koenig et al., 2012). Although researchers previously investigated demographic variables and math-related variables in the context of STEM retention (Beasley & Fischer, 2012; CollegeBoard, 2012; Cundiff et al., 2013; Gayles & Ampaw, 2014; Le et al., 2014; Nosek & Smyth, 2011; Riegle-Crumb & King, 2010), the need exists …

Hispanic Teacher's Experiences With Stressors While Working In Title I Schools: A Phenomenological Investigation Using A Self-Compassion Framework, Coralis Solomon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory phenomenology investigation was to understand what were Hispanic teachers' experiences with their occupational stressors while working in Title I elementary schools. Specifically, this investigation used a self-compassion theoretical framework to explore the emotional stressors of the participants (N = 19) and how they cope to mitigate their feelings of burnout. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit Hispanic teachers from three Title I elementary schools within the same school district in Central Florida. The data were collected through individual interviews with the Hispanic teachers who volunteered to participate in the study. All data were recorded, transcribed, …

The Contribution Of Educators' Levels Of Inspiration And Compassion For Others To Their Degree Of Burnout, Samuel Bierbrauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the directional relationship between educators' levels of inspiration and compassion for others to their degree of burnout. Specifically, the investigation tested the hypothesized directional relationship that educators' who report higher levels of inspiration (as measured by the Educator Inspire Scale, EIS; Lambie, Barden, & Bierbrauer, 2016) and compassion for others (as measured by the Compassion for Others Scale; COS; Pommier, 2010) would score at lower levels of burnout (as measured by the three components of burnout [emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment] on the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Educator Survey; MBI-ES; Maslach, et al., 1996). In addition, the …

The Effect Of A College-Going Intervention On The College-Going Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Middle School Students, Kaley D. Mitchell

Education Dissertations

The need for students of all backgrounds to access and persist in postsecondary education informs a need for additional support related to postsecondary attainment for all people. Social cognitive theory (SCT; Bandura, 1987) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) both support the design, implementation, and measurement of college-going interventions that work to enhance self-efficacy, a mediator in college interest, choice, and attendance. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a college-going intervention on the college-going self-efficacy beliefs of a group of diverse middle school students. Specifically, this study examined the …

Maximizing Academic Success For Foster Care Students: A Trauma-Informed Approach, Anna A. Berardi Phd., Brenda M. Morton

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Children in foster care have experienced significant trauma due to the loss of primary attachment figures and the circumstances associated with that loss. Children who have suffered trauma generally present with cognitive, social, physical, and emotional vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities are often expressed in the P–12 academic setting through difficulties with behavioral and emotional self-regulation, academic functioning, and physical ailments and illness related to chronic stress-induced compromised immune systems. This results in academic failure for half of all children in care. Training in how to respond to children who have suffered trauma is essential to ensure that children are comfortable and …

School Psychologists’ Knowledge And Self-Efficacy In Working With Students With Tbi, Ann E. Glang, Melissa Mccart, Christabelle Moore, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Approximately 145,000 U.S. children experience lasting effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that manifest in social, behavioural, physical, and cognitive challenges in the school setting. School psychologists have an essential role in identifying students who need support and in determining eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and perception of abilities related to TBI in a sample of school psychologists currently working in public schools. We surveyed school psychologists and found persistently low levels of knowledge and of perceived preparedness to work with these students. School psychologists with more …