Counseling Commons^™

Attachment Relationships In Emerging Adulthood: Implications For Counselor Education And Supervision, Christina M. Schnyders, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This session will explore the ways that attachment relationships influence emerging adulthood, the developmental stage experienced by individuals between the ages of 18-29. Findings will be presented from two research studies concerning attachment in emerging adulthood. Implications discussed will include adherence to CACREP standards, best practices for counselor educators who teach from a developmental framework, and best practices for supervisors working with emerging adult supervisees.

Parenting Style Differences In Black American And White American Young Adults, Sarah Lynette Mcmurtry

Dissertations

Baumrind’s (1967) theory of parenting style influenced over 40 years of parenting research, which found authoritative parenting as the optimal parenting style. Authoritarian and parenting styles have been linked to worse adjustment and achievement for child outcomes (Baumrind, 1967; Steinberg, Lamborn, Darling, Mounts, & Dornbusch, 1994) than children in authoritative-parented homes. In 1972, Baumrind described racial differences in parent-child relations and outcomes between authoritarian Black American and White American parents and preschoolers (1975). In comparison to White American parents, Black Americans exhibited authoritarian parenting that was less rejecting and associated with communication and warmth (Baumrind, 1975; Murry, Brody, & Simons, …

How Counselors Are Trained To Work With Bisexual Clients In Cacrep-Accredited Programs, Laurie Anne Bonjo

Theses and Dissertations in Early Childhood Education

In spite of recent progress toward addressing the need for cultural competence with lesbian and gay-identified clients, bisexual-identified clients continue to be marginalized in the principles, theories, and methods of studying sexuality as well as in the training provided by counselor educators. A descriptive content analysis was conducted to determine what is currently taught about bisexuality and bisexual-identified clients in CACREP-accredited counseling programs. Instructors teaching multicultural counseling in CACREP-accredited programs were asked to provide syllabi, as well as information on textbooks and supplemental materials. Combining constructionism with queer theory and elements of post-positivism, I explore the magnitude to which bisexuality …

Initial Development And Validation Of The Rural Competency Scale, Cassandra Gail Pusateri

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Rurality is a term that can be used to describe rural residency and the cultural characteristics of rural individuals and areas. The counseling profession has increased its attention to culture with the development of the multicultural counseling competencies (Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992) and assessments designed to measure competency levels for providing services to diverse clientele (e.g., Kim, Cartwright, Asay, & D'Andrea, 2003; LaFromboise, Coleman, & Hernandez, 1991; Ponterotto, Gretchen, Utsey, Rieger, & Austin, 2002; Sodowsky, Taffe, Gutkin, & Wise, 1994). However, the commonly used definitions of culture as well as the instruments available to measure multicultural counseling competence do …

Student Wellness And The Residency Experience, Joseph Spillman, Laura R. Haddock, Michelle Perepiczka

2010-2016 Archived Posters

This project surveyed MS Mental Health/Marriage Couple and Family /Career residency students. Data was collected over the course of two year s of residencies in a variety of geographic locations to determine what impact the residency experience had on the ProQuol Compassion Satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress levels of Walden Master’s counseling students. The goal was to use the information to assist Walden faculty in the training, education, and personal support of counseling students in their professional and personal growth and development.

Euthanasia: An Act Of Love, David San Filippo Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Attitudes towards euthanasia are changing. According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 75% of the respondents believed that people should have the right to choose to die. A person in intractable pain with no hope of improvement may have the moral right to commit end her/his life.

Trauma-Focused Involvement In Psychotherapy: Relations With Therapeutic Alliance And Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tess Siler Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood trauma is a risk factor for a wide range of psychopathology and other damaging outcomes later in life (Cohen, Mannarino, Murray, & Igleman, 2006; Saunders, 2003). Among the many treatment models developed for maltreated youth and their families, both specific and non-specific therapeutic factors such as developing a trauma narrative (e.g., trauma self-disclosure) and forming a strong therapeutic alliance have been identified as ―active ingredients‖ that contribute to positive treatment outcome (Cohen & Mannarino, 1996a, 1998a; Friedrich, 1990). The current study used data from the Aurora-Adolescent Mood Project, a community based randomized controlled trial, which evaluated the effectiveness of …

The Influence Of Gender And Alcohol Use On Depressive Symptoms Among Men And Women, Elizabeth Anne Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the extent to which gender influences self-reported prototypical and masculine-specific symptoms of depression in men and women and whether or not alcohol mediates this relationship. Secondly, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Denver Comprehensive Depression Inventory (DCDI), in measuring prototypical and masculine-specific depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical samples of men and women.

This paper summarizes the literature on gender differences in depression and the assessment of depression and gender, and outlines the current research on masculine-specific depression. It is argued that current assessment instruments identify prototypical symptoms of depression, as outlined in the DSM-IV-TR, but …

An Exploration Of Therapists' Personal Experience Of Loss And Grief And Impact On Therapeutic Approach, Moonyeen P. O'Phelan

Dissertations

Themes of loss and grief resonate through life. That we sustain trauma and anguish and move through it at all becomes part of our life story, worthy of being acknowledged. Most often, it appears there is no clear-cut end or resolution to our loss. Moreover, there are too few trained individuals who are willing to “go the distance” in processing these weighty matters. The purpose of this study was to explore therapists’ personal experiences of loss and grief and how these events transformed their therapeutic approach in clinical practice. Using heuristic phenomenological methodology, qualitative research was conducted in which therapists …

The Foundations Of Hope In Therapy, John M. Winslade

Special Education, Rehabilitation & Counseling Faculty Publications

Hope is a necessary construct in narrative therapy but we need to be careful how we think about it. It does not lie in the essence of persons. There are not categories of people who are hopeful or hopeless. Rather, hope lies in the stories that we use to make sense of our lives but dominant stories from the world around us sometimes interfere with our access to hopeful stories. Therapy can help us reconnect with these stories, leading to the exercise of personal agency in our own lives. This presentation will explore how to help people do this through …

An Exploration Of The State-Trait Continuum In Counseling And Positive Psychology, Michael A. Keefer

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselors value remaining positive in the face of adversity. Consequently, positive psychology has placed an emphasis on uncovering how long-enduring positive traits (e.g., hope, wisdom, and creativity) can be developed from short-term positive states. This search has resulted in positive psychology's conceptualization of a state-trait continuum. This study explores the state-trait continuum by examining possible quantitative relationships between a state instrument (the Learning Environment Preferences) and a trait instrument (the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). Research question 1 found a significant predictive relationship between two MBTI scales (S-N and J-P) and the LEP's cognitive complexity index. Research question 2 found a significant …

Women, Alcoholics Anonymous, And Related Mutual Aid Groups: Review And Recommendations For Research, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Ericka B. Adams

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Recent literature reviews and meta-analyses have supported the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in helping members stop drinking and maintain sobriety. Despite the extensive body of research on AA, less attention has focused on differences in the efficacy of the program for and experiences of women as compared to men. Such a focus is warranted given that there are significant gender differences in the development and progression of alcoholism, impact of drinking, and response to treatment. This review synthesizes results of extant research on women in AA and similar mutual aid groups focused on problem drinking to describe the state …

Trauma Severity And Defensive Emotion-Regulation Reactions As Predictors Of Forgetting Childhood Trauma, Bette L. Bottoms, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Michelle A. Epstein, Matthew J. Badanek

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Using a retrospective survey, we studied a sample of 1679 college women to determine whether reports of prior forgetting of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and other traumas could be explained by trauma severity and individual differences in the use of defensive emotion-regulation reactions (i.e., repressive coping, dissociation, and fantasy proneness). Among victims of physical abuse (but not sexual abuse or other types of trauma), those who experienced severe abuse and used defensive reactions were sometimes more likely to report temporary forgetting of abuse, but other times less likely to report forgetting. We also found unanticipated main effects of trauma severity …

The Ethical Implications Of Bartering For Mental Health Services: Examining Interdisciplinary Ethical Standards, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

The present paper discusses literature concerning the practice of bartering for counseling, psychological, or social work services in lieu of traditional monetary payment. The author contrasts the language concerning the practice of bartering found in the respective ethical codes for each profession, and presents literature describing both risks and potential benefits of bartering arrangements. The primary risks of bartering include liability concerns and the potential for harmful or exploitive dual relationships. The primary benefits are that bartering makes mental health services available to those who cannot afford traditional fees, and allows for a culturally relevant compensation method for those whose …

Testing Of A Brief Internet Cyberbullying Prevention Program In College Students, Ashley Nicole Doane

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Although the prevalence of cyberbullying varies across investigations, studies on adolescents and college students have shown that cyberbullying is associated with a wide range of negative consequences, including emotional distress, substance use, delinquent behavior, and even suicide. Given the frequency and consequences of cyberbullying, effective low-cost cyberbullying prevention programs are needed. Based on a review of the literature, best practices for program development, and earlier work on cyberbullying (e.g., Doane, Kelley, & Padilla, 2011; Doane, Kelley, Cornell, & Pearson, 2008), the goals of the proposed project were to develop a video-based program to increase knowledge about cyberbullying and empathy toward …

A Mixed Methodological Analysis Of The Role Of Culture And Diagnostic Variance Among Counselors And Counselor Trainees, Elizabeth A. Prosek

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

As the U.S. population continues to diversify, counselors are challenged to respond to the interface of culture and mental health concerns of clients (Gushue, Constantine, & Sciarra, 2008). It is important for counselors when making clinical decisions to reflect on the diverse needs of clients as well as the potential impact of cultural factors on mental health (Sue & Sue, 2008). Accordingly, this study sought to investigate the clinical decision-making process among counselors and counselor trainees and how, if at all, cultural factors influence the case conceptualization of clients. The study also investigated how counselors and counselor trainees collect and …

The Relationship Of Cognitive Development Level, Supervision, And Counselor Skills In Preparing Counselors, Margaret Jean Jensen

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The focus of this study was the exploration of specific developmental dimensions that may have an impact on the counselor training process, which ultimately will affect the quality of care offered by counselors to clients. Specifically, the relationship of cognitive developmental level and counseling competency skills was examined to determine if a relationship exists between the two dimensions and if so, can a counselor trainee's developmental level predict his or her level of counseling skills. Thirty master level counseling students (trainees) participated in this study during practicum or internship. The trainees were rated by their supervisors on both a measure …

The Effects Of Revictimization On Coping And Depression In Female Sexual Assault Victims, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Sarah E. Ullman

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

To examine the effects of being revictimized, 555 women completed 2 mail surveys 1 year apart, reporting their experiences of sexual assault, the strategies they used to cope with those experiences, and feelings of depression. Path analyses, controlling for baseline coping and depression, revealed that those who were revictimized during the study reported using more maladaptive and adaptive coping strategies than did those who were not revictimized (β = .11 and β = .16, respectively). Further, women who were revictimized reported more depression than others (β = .15). This effect was explained in part by revictimized women's increased maladaptive coping. …

The Role Of Supervisor-Supervisee Cultural Differences, Supervisor Multicultural Competence, And The Supervisory Working Alliance In Supervision Outcomes: A Moderated Mediation Model, Stephanie A. Crockett

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

As the United States population grows more diverse, many counseling professionals have called for attention to the cultural issues present in clinical supervision. Existing research suggests that the supervisor's level of multicultural competence and the strength of the supervisory working alliance may affect the relationship between supervisor-supervisee cultural differences on supervision outcomes. Accordingly, the study sought to address how cultural differences between the supervisor and supervisee, supervisor multicultural competence, and the supervisory working alliance impact supervisee counseling self-efficacy and satisfaction with supervision.

The study examined the plausibility of a moderated mediation model, derived from the literature, using a sample of …

Supervision Competencies For Counselor Education Doctoral Graduates: A Delphi Study, Anita Ann Neuer

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Counselor educators and supervisors are familiar with the use of competencies for training future clinicians but the extant literature lacks a set of competencies for use in training future counselor supervisors. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a list of supervision competencies experts agree should be demonstrated by new doctoral counseling graduates for their work with master's students, pre-licensed or licensed counselors, and doctoral students. The research design included two expert panels, an amended Delphi poll, and a content validity assessment. These procedures resulted in a consensus list of 33 supervision competencies that appear to be …

Attitudes Of Counselors Regarding Ethical Situations Encountered By In-Home Counselors, Justin Douglas Lauka

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This survey study explored the attitudes of in-home and outpatient counselors in Virginia regarding ethical situations encountered by in-home counselors. Differences in responses were examined across several variables to identify any relationships among those constructs that are salient to in-home counseling and ethics. Of 108 participants, no significant differences were found between the two groups. One variable was found to predict counselors' responses: the percent counselors provide counseling services compared to case management. The item seen as most ethical involved telling a client to apply for needed services, surprising, given its directive nature that runs counter to the counseling profession. …

The Preparation Of Master's Level Professional Counselors For Positions In College And University Counseling Centers, Brian M. Shaw

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

College and university counselors are tasked with performing a multitude of roles and meeting a variety of client needs unique from other counseling settings. It is important to examine the ability of counselors who work in these settings to determine if they have been adequately prepared. This study investigated the adequacy of preparation of entry-level master's level professional counselors for work in college and university counseling centers. Adequacy of preparation was examined by surveying college and university counseling center directors about their perceptions regarding the ability of entry-level master's level professional counselors to perform specific roles and meet relevant client …

Prospective Changes In Attributions Of Self-Blame And Social Reactions To Women’S Disclosures Of Adult Sexual Assault, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Sarah E. Ullman

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

The present longitudinal study examined relations between self-blame attributions and social reactions to disclosure in a community sample of adult sexual assault victims (N = 555). Cross-lagged panel analyses showed that neither characterological self-blame nor behavioral self-blame related to negative social reactions over the 1-year follow-up period. In contrast, characterological but not behavioral self-blame predicted fewer positive reactions over time. Although positive reactions did not reduce self-blame, negative reactions led to greater characterological, but not behavioral, self-blame during the course of the study. Thus, relations between self-blame and social reactions were not reciprocal but rather quite complex. The effects …

Vulnerability And Protective Factors For Sexual Assault, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Approximately 1 in 5 women experience sexual assaults in adulthood during their lives (see Post, this volume, for review), including experiences of unwanted sexual contact, sexual coercion, attempted rape, and completed rape that result from threat, force, or incapacitation from alcohol or drugs (either willingly or unwillingly consumed).

The Use Of Narrative Therapy With Latina/O Students Pursuing Higher Education: Implications For School Counselors And Counselor Educators, Javier Cavazos Jr., Mary Louise Holt, Brande Flamez

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The techniques of narrative therapy show promise when used with Latina/o students in the pursuit of higher education: defining the problem, mapping the influence of the problem, evaluating the effects of the problem, identifying unique outcomes, and re-authoring the story (White & Epston, 1990). This report provides a case example illustrating these narrative techniques in counseling and discusses the implications for school counselors and counselor educators.

The Interface Of Breastfeeding And Work: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experiences Of White Low-Income Women, Jessica A. Kerby

Dissertations

Vocational psychologists have been called to expand the traditional discourses related to work and career to address the actual work experiences of individuals, especially those of the working class. Breastfeeding rates are on the rise among employed women and mothers of low-income, but little is known about women of low income who seek to concurrently work and breastfeed. Work-family interface theories suggest employed mothers of low-income may experience conflict and/or enhancement through multiple roles. The purpose of this research was to answer the call to vocational psychologists, give voice to the narratives around breastfeeding and work among lowincome mothers, and …

Counseling Professionals' Attitudes Toward Transgender People And Responses To Transgender Clients, Emily A. Nisley

Dissertations

The multicultural counseling movement emphasizes the critical nature of counselor attitudes in providing culturally competent service (e.g., Sue, 2001; Sue, Arredondo, & McDavis, 1992; Sue et al, 1982; Sue & Sue, 2003). Until recently, however, the counseling professions have paid little attention toward transgender people as a cultural minority group. The purpose of this study was to conduct the first assessment of counseling professionals' attitudes toward transgender people and to examine relationships between such attitudes and responses to a transgender client.

A national convenience sample of 138 master's and doctoral level counselors and counseling psychologists, recruited via electronic mailing lists, …

Ability Of Clinicians-In-Training To Recognize Vicarious Traumatization: A Multiple Case Study, Amy Cavanaugh

Dissertations

Clinicians repeated exposure to clients who have a history of traumatic experiences can lead to vicarious traumatization (VT), which is the potential for clinicians to experience negative consequences such as changes in their sense of self and worldview (McCann & Pearlman, 1990). Experiencing VT negatively impacts the clinician’s professional identity and counseling work with clients (Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995a, 1995b; Saakvitne & Pearlman, 1996). Having an awareness of VT is a first step in protecting oneself from experiencing the potential consequences of counseling clients who have experienced trauma. Given this, it seems relevant to understand what clinicians-in-training know about VT. …

A Qualitative Exploration Of African American Womanhood: Implications For Counseling And Counselor Education, Nikita Murry

Dissertations

The disciplines of counseling and counselor education have expressed a commitment to greater multicultural competence. Existing research points toward greater study of Black American females; however, for some the call for equity and change in the societal perceptions of Black women has largely gone unanswered. For others, emerging research has started to change the perception of Black American women. Current counseling literature is limited in the exploration of gender identity development from a Black woman's perspective. This study fills a gap in the literature concerning gender identity development for Black American females by exploring the phenomenon of womanhood and how …

The Process Of One White Upper Middle Class Lesbian Couple Pursuing Parenthood For The First Time: A Qualitative Case Study, Jessica L. Manning

Dissertations

During the past three decades researchers have shown increasing interest in studying planned lesbian parenting. However, no previous studies have examined the process of lesbian couples as they pursue parenthood for the first time. Instead, previous research has typically conducted one retrospective interview with one or both parents in order to answer one outcome related query, such as whether a couple used a known or anonymous sperm donor. The current study is a qualitative case study that examines the process of one lesbian couple who is pursuing parenthood for the first time.

The participants in this study were Ann and …