Counseling Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Understanding And Building Resiliency In Students Living With Parental Alcoholism: Implications And Interventions For The School Counselor, Lori K. Riley

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the strengths and positive qualities of children of alcoholics can be enhanced by counselors to promote resiliency. The author will identify typical characteristics of children who are raised by alcoholic parents and describe the short-term and long-term effects of this abuse on school-aged children and adolescents. A family systems perspective will be examined, along with a discussion of the risk these youngsters face.

A second purpose of this paper is to focus on the role of the school counselor in working with children who are living in dysfunctional situations due to …

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.

Integrating Spirituality Into Mental Health Counseling, Mary Jane Madsen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper represents an attempt to bring together information from the existing literature that, when combined, could form a basic framework of thought and application for counselors who wish to integrate spirituality into mental health counseling. As mental health counseling students or more seasoned professionals consider this information, they may choose to take practical ideas into their work with clients, or at least become more involved in further reading and research on the topic. The paper concludes with a presentation of ethical issues that specifically relate to the integration of spirituality into the traditional mental health counseling paradigm.

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, …

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 …

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.

Realities And Treatment Of Rape, Alison S. Brennan

Graduate Research Papers

One in three women have experienced a sexual assault. The impact of sexual assault can affect numerous aspects of a woman's life including: sexual health, cognitions, behaviors, emotions, interpersonal relationships, and self-perceptions. The healing journey for a rape victim is often initiated with the aid of a counselor. For this reason alone, it is crucial for counselors to have a basic knowledge of the symptoms as well as the various treatments for rape victims.

Self-Mutilation : Using Pain To Cope, Wendy S. Cook

Graduate Research Papers

Self-mutilation is a serious mental and physical health problem that is often under-reported and misdiagnosed. The mutilation is a reaction to negative internal feelings, such as despair, anxiety, anger, or cognitive constriction. The goal of the self-mutilation is relief from emotional pain by using physical pain. The self-mutilator has low self-esteem, bouts of depression, difficulty forming intimate relationships, and usually suffered some type of trauma such as physical or sexual abuse. Pharmacological treatment for the self-mutilator has been experimental but has not been well researched. However, research seemed to indicate that individual and group therapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy, is helpful …

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.

The Effects Of A Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Intervention On Irrational Beliefs And Burnout Among Middle School Teachers In The State Of Iowa, Shirley Anderson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) bibliotherapy intervention on the level of burnout and irrational beliefs. This study specifically examined the impact of a REBT bibliotherapy intervention on middle school teachers' irrational beliefs and level of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (Maslach, Jackson, & Schwab, 1986) and the Irrational Beliefs Test (Jones, 1968).

The subjects in this study consisted of 167 middle school teachers in the State of Iowa. These teachers taught sixth, seventh, or eighth grade or a combination of these …

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 …

Bullying In Schools : Students' Perspectives, Amy L. Schiltz

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate where and how often in the school bullying occurred, whether bullying consisted of physical and/or verbal characteristics, and whether incidents of bullying would decrease following an intervention consisting of 8 classroom guidance lessons. These lessons were taught to 35 sixth grade students over a period of 16 weeks. Overall, bullying incidents decreased for both males and females, most bullying incidents took place on the playground, and students reported school officials did a good job in preventing bullying and creating a safe environment for learning.

Secret Pain : Understanding And Treating Self-Injurious Behaviors In Women, Eva Schoen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is an attempt to raise awareness of the presence of self-injury in Western societies. Causes, symptoms, related diagnoses, and treatment of self-injurious behaviors will be discussed. Most importantly, however, this paper is meant to challenge and, ultimately, decrease the stigma surrounding SD and increase empathy and compassion for the self-injuring person.

Due to constraints of this research paper, the author focuses on female self-injurers and excludes information on self-injury in mentally retarded individuals and prisoners.

Anger Management For Adolescents In The School Setting, Meri A. Edel

Graduate Research Papers

The first purpose of this research paper will be to discuss what might be some of the origins of adolescent anger, as well as what specifically might provoke it. The discussion will center on such topics as family systems and how they react to anger displays, as well as social contexts in relation to anger. Second, this paper will include descriptions of several anger management programs which could be used in a school setting with adolescents. Specifically, it will include an overview of some of the most widely used programs, such as Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, small group counseling, active …

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy With Children, Debra L. Irvin

Graduate Research Papers

This paper will look at the use of cognitive-behavior therapy with children. Specifically, it will focus on the areas of depression and anxiety. First, there will be a look at applying cognitive-behavior therapy to children. This includes strategies for working with children, and developmental considerations with children. Next, there will be a focus on using cognitive-behavior therapy for children with depression. This section includes an examination of depression in children, and three cognitive-behavioral treatment strategies. The strategies to be discussed include affective education, cognitive restructuring, and social skills training. Finally, there will be an exploration of the use of cognitive-behavior …

The Use Of Art Therapy In Counseling Children, Laura Longo

Graduate Research Papers

Art is being used more and more by counselors working with children, particularly within the school setting because it allows for children to communicate nonverbally in a timely manner. "Art therapy in a school setting can offer children the opportunity to work through obstacles that are impeding their educational progress. It can facilitate appropriate social behaviors and promote healthy affective development" (Bush, 1997, p. 16).

The purpose of this paper is to explore how art is used in counseling children and examine specific techniques. Also, the author will focus on the stages of artistic development of children, the use of …

The Developmental Implications Of Parental Loss During Adolescence, Dacni C. Jones

Graduate Research Papers

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature that relates to the death of a parent and how this experience influences an adolescent. This review will answer the question of how adolescent cognitive, emotional, and social development is affected when a parent dies. After a brief definition of the words "adolescence" and "loss," the focus of this paper will be on the areas of cognitive, emotional, and social development and the effects of grief on development after a parent dies. This information can help mental health professionals and school counselors understand the impact of living through the experience of …

Ethical Issues In Experiential Counselor Training Groups, Lisa Kramer Kukral

Graduate Research Papers

Of the ethical issues addressed in the professional literature regarding group counselor training, those most frequently addressed are confidentiality and dual relationships, and informed consent and involuntary participation. The purpose of this paper is to explore how these ethical guidelines apply to the personal growth/training groups utilized in counseling master's and doctoral programs and the ethical dilemmas that arise because of them. This paper will also explore suggestions that have been made to address these ethical dilemmas.

Bibliotherapy : Background, Application And Research, Carla Marie Eich

Graduate Research Papers

This paper examines bibliotherapy in several aspects. Bibliotherapy is using books to help with client's problems or for developmental adjustment and growth. Bibliotherapy has a long history, dating back to early man. However, it was not until this century that scholars began studying it further. In 1949, the process of bibliotherapy was developed which is discussed in this paper. Research support for bibliotherapy has been mixed and speculation as to why is also discussed. There are many limitations of bibliotherapy which are important to consider if a therapist is interested in bibliotherapy. This paper allows the critics of bibliotherapy to …

Characteristics And Treatment Of Conduct Disorders, Vicky Jo Kukral

Graduate Research Papers

Conduct Disorder is the most diagnosed condition in both outpatient and inpatient mental health facilities for children in the United States. Behavior problems such as aggression, destruction of property, theft and violation of basic rules are concerns for parents, teachers, peers and other adults. In an effort to help increase the reader's understanding of the Conduct Disorder population and their treatment, the author of this paper will describe and characteristics of this population. The author will also address specific mental health concerns as found in a review of the literature, and the status of mental health treatment.