Education Commons^™

Initial Development Of The Escala De Fortaleza En Jóvenes Para Padres, David Moran

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

National statistics indicate substantial mental health and academic challenges experienced by a sizable proportion of Hispanic children and adolescents in American school settings. School counselors can provide culturally responsive supports to this population and would benefit from contextually grounded, ecologically valid assessments that focus on the positive development of Hispanic children and adolescents. To address this instrumentation gap, this study sought to develop initial items for the Escala de Fortaleza en Jóvenes para Padres in both English and Spanish. A qualitative approach was implemented to explore the perceptions of Hispanic parents/caregivers of their child or adolescent’s resiliency. Eight Hispanic parents …

Comparing Higher Order Value Differences By Religious And Spiritual Association And Implications For Counseling: An Exploratory Study, Gregory C. Lemich

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The spiritual but not religious (SBNR) population in the U.S. has grown into a significant minority demographic (27%; Lipka & Gecewicz, 2017). Despite this emergence, scant literature has addressed this population and how it differs in values from others, specifically, how SBNR groups differ from those who identify as spiritual and religious (SAR), religious but not spiritual (RBNS), and not spiritual or religious (NSOR). To help this deficiency, this dissertation study explored the intersection of spirituality, religiosity, spiritual and religious categories (SRC; i.e. SAR, SBNR, RBNS, NSOR), and the theory of basic human values (Schwartz, 1992, 1994; Schwartz et al., …

Risk And Resiliency Factors Affecting The College Adjustment Of Students With Intersectional Ethnocultural Minority And Lgbtq Identities, Stacey Christina Fernandes

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Adjustment to college has been demonstrated to be a multifaceted process with several developmental challenges for young adults entering higher education. As colleges and universities in the United States increase in racial and ethnocultural diversity and as LGBTQ students become more visible on campus, it has become crucial to cater support services and interventions to their specific needs. This study used archival data to examine the relationships between gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, risk and resilience factors, and college adjustment in a sample of treatment-seeking students at four-year institutions nationwide. The data were analyzed using three three-way multivariate analyses of …

Initial Development And Validation Of The Transgender Ally Identity Scale For Counselors, Jamie D. Bower

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The Transgender Ally Identity Scale for Counselors (TAISC) is a 35-item scale measuring counselors’ ally identity for working with transgender individuals. The purpose of the current study was to develop and initially validate the TAISC. Using a non-experimental survey design, the scale was developed (i.e., item development, external review, pilot study) and validation analyses were performed (i.e., exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, validity, and social desirability analyses). Electronic data were collected from a nationwide sample of counseling students, professional counselors, and counselor educators (N=285). Participants completed a survey packet consisting of the TAISC, Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale (MCKAS; …

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Intersection Of Sexual Orientation And Spiritual Development In The College Experience, Kevin C. Snow

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This two-phase, exploratory sequential mixed methods study explored the intersection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning (LGBQQ) sexual orientation and spiritual development for college students. The first phase entailed a phenomenological study exploring the lived experiences of LGBQQ former college students (N= 10) concerning how their sexual orientation influenced, if at all, their spiritual development during college. Findings from this qualitative phase were used to develop a quantitative instrument to explore the spiritual-sexual orientation development of college students further (N= 171). This study provides suggestions for working with LGBQQ college students for college counselors and …

A Grounded Theory Of The College Experiences Of African American Males In Black Greek-Letter Organizations, David Julius Ford Jr.

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Studies have shown that involvement in a student organization can improve the academic and psychosocial outcomes of African American male students (Harper, 2006b; Robertson & Mason, 2008; Williams & Justice, 2010). Further, Harper, Byars, and Jelke (2005) stated that African American fraternities and sororities (i.e., Black Greek-letter organizations [BGLOs]) are the primary venues by which African American students become involved on campus. This grounded theory study examined the relationship between membership in a BOLO and the overall college experiences of African American male college students at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). Eleven themes were identified in the study indicating that …

Factors That Influence Minority Student Enrollment At Various Levels Of Postsecondary Education, Lashauna Mychal's Dean

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates disparities in the enrollment of minorities in postsecondary education. However, the reasons for the lower enrollment rates of minorities are less clear. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sex, income, GPA, racial/ethnic identity, academic self-concept, and sense of school belonging for African American and Latino/Latina students with level of enrollment at postsecondary schools (two-year community college or four-year university). Participants included 256 African American and Latino/Latina students at two-year community colleges and four-year universities in Virginia. GPA and academic self-concept were found to be predictors of enrollment. Specifically, students with higher GPAs are …

The Perceptions Of Standardized Tests, Academic Self-Efficacy, And Academic Performance Of African American Graduate Students: A Correlational And Comparative Analysis, Arleezah K. Marrah

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The academic performance of African American students continues to be a concern for educators, researchers, and most importantly their community. This issue is particularly prevalent in the standardized test scores of African American students where they score on average one or more standard deviations below their Caucasian and Asian American counterparts, which may hinder their college enrollment, academic achievement, and educational attainment (Diaz, 1999; Walpole et al., 2005). This issue has been examined by numerous studies and many researchers have attributed their underachievement to factors such as lower academic self-efficacy, stereotype threat, cultural test bias, and institutionalized racism (Kellow & …

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Questioning Students: A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Effects Of Bullying In Schools, Brandy Kelly Richeson

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Bullying research frequently focuses on incidence and prevalence of bullying in schools, often failing to provide detailed accounts of the experiences and perceived impact of harassment and abuse (Poteat et al., 2009) on victimized lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students. Further, these studies tend to have small samples of racial and ethnic participants and they fail to address victimization in individuals with multiple oppressed identities (D'Augelli et al., 2002; Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network [GLSEN], 2009). Utilizing a consensual qualitative research (CQR) design, the purpose of this study was to examine the victimization experiences and coping mechanisms utilized …

Evaluating The Effects Of A Safe Space Training On Professional School Counselors And School Counseling Trainees, Rebekah Byrd

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

While professional and social advocacy is an important component of school counselor training, there is little information about the awareness, skills, or knowledge needed to effectively meet the academic, career, and social needs of LGBTQ students (Smith & Chen-Hayes, 2004). The purpose of this study was to evaluate and examine the impact of Safe Space training on Professional School Counselors (PSCs) and School Counseling Trainees (SCTs). In this experimental design, a sample of 74 PSCs and SCTs from three universities and one school district participated in 1 of 7 Safe Space trainings. The Safe Space training, developed by The Gay, …

Reflective Visual Journaling During Art Therapy And Counseling Internships, Sarah P. Deaver

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Visual journaling is thought to promote students' critical reflection upon their previous learning, their current experiences, and their ongoing professional growth. Research supports the value of written journals as educational tools that encourage reflection, but the potential for visual journaling to facilitate reflection has not been explored through systematic inquiry until now.

This qualitative multiple case study explored four art therapy students' and four counseling students' responses to visual journaling during their internships. They maintained their journals throughout one 15-week academic semester, and were interviewed four times over the course of the study. Data consisted of transcribed interviews and photographs …