Counseling Commons^™

Coping With Young Self-Absorbed Group Members, Nina W. Brown

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The previous study by Kearns and Brown used 200 volunteer participants attending a community AA program to determine what variables could distinguish between newcomers to the program, chronic relapsers and endurers. The discriminant analysis produced a factor that accounted for 80% of the variance with the group deviancy score on the GSQ loading at 0.69 and age as -0.84. This factor was termed "young and self-absorbed". Presented here as a follow-up and guide for group leaders are the behavioral indicators and suggestions for coping with these behaviors to lessen their negative impact on the group, the members, the leader, and …

Human Services Students Preferences For Master's Level Training, Tammi F. Dice, Mark C. Rehfuss

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Human Services students close to graduation are seeking employment in the field, but many are also considering their future career paths and the training needed to reach their long-term career goals. Knowing if bachelor's level students desire graduate degrees, which focus they prefer, and how they would like to pursue the degrees may contribute to the decision-making of educators, employers, and students. This exploratory study, therefore, examined human services students' preferences for master's level training. Students' responses reflected preferences for several types of master's programs, direct acceptance, and online delivery. These themes and their implications for educators, employers, and students …

Barriers To Counseling Among Human Service Professionals: The Development And Validation Of The Fit, Stigma, & Value Scale, Edward S. Neukrug, Michael T. Kalkbrenner, Sandy-Ann M. Griffith

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This study sought to confirm rates of attendance in counseling of human service professionals and validate a 32-item questionnaire designed to identify barriers to counseling seeking behavior among this population. Results indicated that a large percentage of human service professionals attend counseling, with males and females attending at similar rates and non-Caucasians attending at lower rates. A multivariate analysis of variance and descriptive statistics identified the most common barriers to attendance in counseling and examined demographic differences in participants’ sensitivity towards barriers to attendance in counseling. A Principal Factor Analysis (PFA) revealed three subscales (fit, value, and stigma), which we …

Human Service Students' And Professionals' Knowledge And Experiences Of Interprofessionalism: Implications For Education, Kaprea F. Johnson, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Michael T. Kalkbrenner

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Interprofessionalism is an approach to delivering optimal client care in which providers from multiple professions work collaboratively on care teams. Human Service Professionals (HSPs) are generalists who frequently work together with professionals in related fields. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which HSPs and helping professionals in related fields have engaged in interprofessional experiences. Researchers also investigated the impact that having previous interprofessional experiences had on participants' perceptions of interprofessionalism. Results revealed that professionals and students who had previous interprofessional experiences were significantly more likely to have positive perceptions about interprofessional cooperation. However, results also …

Professional Standards: Embracing Preventive Ethics In Human Services, Chaniece Winfield, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Anthony Vajda

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Recent updates to the National Organization for Human Services Code of Ethics create an opportunity for further recognition within the field. The next logical step to recognition is the adoption of the concept of preventive ethics, in which ethical codes set the tone for the development of grievance procedures and agency level policies. Fostering an environment of preventive ethics within the human services profession will further establish awareness and recognition within the field. This discussion provides support for the development of a grievance process through the conceptual lens of preventive ethics and suggests a framework for the development of a …

Expert Supervisors' Priorities When Working With Easy And Challenging Supervisees, Gulsah Kemer, L. Dianne Borders, Nedim Yel

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Using Kemer, Borders, and Willse's ( 2014) concept map as a conceptual model, the authors aimed to understand expert supervisors' priorities with their easy and challenging supervisees. Experts' priorities with easy and challenging supervisees were represented in different parts of the concept map, and they seemed to individualize their work with challenging supervisees.

Black And Latino Fathers Of Students With Autism: Culturally Responsive Support, Michael D. Hannon, Kaprea F. Johnson, Nicole A. Christian, Lachan V. Hannon

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Perspectives from five Black and Latino fathers of students with autism are shared from this qualitative pilot study. The fathers were asked to describe the most helpful forms of support from school counselors. One-time, semi-structured interviews were conducted and interpreted with the thematic analysis method. Results suggest support from other parents, and specifically from other fathers, with shared experiences is most helpful. Recommendations for school counseling practice and research are shared.

Creative And Novel Approaches To Empathy, Edward Neukrug

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Near the end of Carl Rogers' life, he wrote a scathing article noting that his conceptualization of empathy had little to do with the popularized notion of empathy that had become known as "reflection of feelings." He may have been particularly angry because there were some apocryphal stories circulating about Rogers' work with clients. One of them goes something like this:

Rogers is seeing a client in his office on the 10th floor of a building. The client tells Rogers that he is really depressed, and Rogers says, "Sounds like you're really depressed." The client goes on to say …

Culturally Competant Pedagogy: Inclusiveness That Extends Beyond Diversity, Shuntay Z. Mccoy, Narketta M. Sparkman-Key

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Institutional practices that go beyond merely securing the presence of diverse students are vital to enhancing the university experience of underrepresented populations. Consequently, this workshop will draw from empirical findings that emphasize cultural inclusivity as a method of cultural competence that extends beyond traditional institutional diversity. Presenters will provide various strategies for engaging in culturally competent pedagogy that will enhance the university experience of all students, including diverse populations.

Incorporating A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports Into School Counselor Preparation, Christopher A. Sink

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

With the advent of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) in schools, counselor preparation programs are once again challenged to further extend the education and training of pre-service and in-service school counselors. To introduce and contextualize this special issue, an MTSS's intent and foci, as well as its theoretical and research underpinnings, are elucidated. Next, this article aligns MTSS with current professional school counselor standards of the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) School Counselor Competencies, the 2016 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards for School Counselors and the ASCA National Model. Using Positive Behavioral Interventions …

Gaining Understanding Of Human Services Professionals: A Survey Of Nohs Membership, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Alyssa Reiter

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Through a survey of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS), this article examines the demographics, credentials, and interest in becoming involved in the human services profession as well as in advocacy efforts for human services issues. It is hoped that the findings will be used to further define the nature of the human services professional, to expand recruitment efforts by NOHS, to assist in conference planning, and to help define curriculum standards within human services accreditation.

Inclusion Of "Human Service Professional" In The Standard Classification Occupation System, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Edward S. Neukrug

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The human services field has continued to grow, and today, it is considered one of the major social services professions. Despite its establishment, the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) continues to exclude the term “human service professional” from its classification system. This manuscript encourages advocacy for such inclusion.

Integrating A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports With Comprehensive School Counseling Programs, Jolie Ziomek-Daigle, Emily Goodman-Scott, Jason Cavin, Peg Donohue

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

A multi-tiered system of supports, including Response to Intervention and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, is a widely utilized framework implemented in K–12 schools to address the academic and behavioral needs of all students. School counselors are leaders who facilitate comprehensive school counseling programs and demonstrate their relevance to school initiatives and centrality to the school’s mission. The purpose of this article is to discuss both a multi-tiered system of supports and comprehensive school counseling programs, demonstrating the overlap between the two frameworks. Specific similarities include: leadership team and collaboration, coordinated services, school counselor roles, data collection, evidence-based practices, equity, …

School Counselors And A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports: Cultivating Systemic Change And Equitable Outcomes, Christopher A. Sink, Melissa S. Ockerman

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Designed to improve preK–12 student academic and behavioral outcomes, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), such as Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) or Response to Intervention (RTI), is a broadly applied framework being implemented in countless schools across the United States. Such educational restructuring and system changes require school counselors to adjust their activities and interventions to fully realize the aims of MTSS. In this special issue of The Professional Counselor, the roles and functions of school counselors in MTSS frameworks are examined from various angles. This introductory article summarizes the key issues and the basic themes explored by …

Applying John Dewey's Theory Of Education To Infuse Experiential Learning In An Introduction To Human Services Course, Michael T. Kalkbrenner, Radha J. Horton-Parker

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Teaching an introductory human services course is challenging, as educators must provide an overview of effective practice in a highly diverse field. Researchers conducted a review of all of the prior editions of the Journal of Human Services (JHS) to identify previous research on experiential learning strategies in human services education. This brief note examines the pedagogical practice of experiential learning and the application of John Dewey's theory for successfully training students in an Introduction to Human Services course.

Career Experiences Of Women With Major Financial Barriers, Madeline E. Clark, Jaime D. Bower

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The career experiences of women facing major financial barriers are unique and varied. To better understand and assist such women, the authors interviewed 10 women twice to explore their lived career experiences, using photographs in one interview as stimuli to increase participants' voice and triangulate data. Participants' responses were grouped into 20 themes across 4 domains: career as privilege, reasons for engaging in work, supports, and barriers. Women with major financial barriers appear to understand career as a privilege while experiencing significant obstacles to successfully obtaining work. Participants expressed resiliency and self-motivation to transcend and mitigate these obstacles. This study …

Understanding Interprofessional Perceptions And Experiences: An Investigation Of Professional Counselors And Allied Health Professionals, Kaprea F. Johnson

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION Interprofessional collaboration is essential to improve coordination, communication, quality, and safety of patient care. Interprofessional perception is an important variable in interprofessional collaboration as it can impact attitudes, ability to successfully engage in interprofessionalism, and willingness to engage. The study focuses on understanding perceptions and experiences of interprofessional collaboration of professional counselors and other allied health professionals.

METHODS Participants were recruited online and through snowball sampling. The survey was taken by a diverse sample of healthcare professionals. The survey items consisted of demographic information, the 18 item Interprofessional Education Perception Scale (IEPS), and the 16 item individual construct subscale …

Professional Counseling's Alignment With The Core Competencies For Interprofessional Collaborative Practice, Kaprea F. Johnson, Miranda Mj Parries

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Previous findings show that there is a misconception of the counseling profession and a lack of awareness of their role in interprofessional collaboration; which may lead to underutilization of counselors for team based care. As an example, in 2009 six professional health related associations developed core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice and counseling associations were not involved in the development. This manuscript introduces the profession of counseling to others in medical health professions in hopes that similarities will bridge the gap between knowledge and future collaborative practice. The manuscript shows how the profession aligns with the core competencies for interprofessional …

Reflections On Black Lives Matter In The Context Of Human Rights And Family Science, Shuntay Z. Mccoy, Anthony James

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

- While all lives do matter, the humanity of all lives is not collectively recognized.

- Violent contexts place an extraordinary amount of stress on Black youth, families, and communities.

- Systematic violence causes multiple transitions in families and threatens families' psychosocial adjustment.

- The collectivistic approach served as an adaptive response to varying levels of oppression faced by Black people since arriving in the Americas.

- Black Lives Matter has significant implications for the work of family life educators, researchers, and practitioners.

School Counseling Faculty Perceptions And Experiences Preparing Elementary School Counselors, Emily Goodman-Scott, Jennifer S. Watkinson, Ian Martin, Kathy Biles

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

School counselors’ job roles and preferences reportedly vary by educational level (i.e., elementary, middle and high school); however, several organizations, such as the American School Counselor Association, conceptualize and recommend school counseling practice and preparation through a K–12 lens. Little is known about how or if school counseling faculty members vary their preparation for specific educational levels. In this article, we discuss a national, mixed methods study of school counseling faculty (N = 132) experiences and perceptions regarding school counselor preparation for the elementary level. We focused on elementary school counselors due to their unique roles. Findings included faculty’s varied …

The Affordable Care Act And Addiction Treatment: Preparing The Undergraduate Human Services Professional, Chaniece Winfield, Rebekah Cole, Laurie Craigen

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The steady growth of the substance abuse and addiction field in addition to the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACT) increases the need for competent and credentialed substance abuse professionals. As generalists in the helping field, human services professionals would benefit from education and sufficient credentialing in substance abuse and addiction treatment. The authors of this article suggest that substance abuse and addiction education be considered for inclusion at the accreditation level for human services programs. Furthermore, a discussion of the Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) international credential and its benefits and implications for human services professionals will be …

Showtime: Pop Culture's Impact On Society's View Of The Lgbtq Population, Hope Comer, Jaime D. Bower, Narketta Sparkman

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Popular culture is an influential aspect that shapes society. Popular culture’s impact on society’s view of the LGBTQ population was examined in the context of video media representations. Students at a Mid-Atlantic university (n = 7) were presented with representations of LGBTQ individuals in television media during two focus groups. Participants completed pre-and-post-test qualitative surveys regarding their impact and perceptions. Responses were coded to identify themes of the target populations. Misrepresentations, perpetuated stereotypes, changing perspectives, advocacy, personal connection, differing types of media representation, and lack of representation were themes identified throughout participant responses about the varying popular culture mediums.

The Social Experience Of Internet Gamers: A Pilot Study, Kristy L. Carlisle, Charles P. Carrington

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The purpose of this phenomenological pilot study was to explore the lived social experiences of Internet gamers. Findings highlighted the impact of Internet gaming on social interactions, social functioning, and social identity. The findings in the pilot study related to addiction supported the need for future research into the legitimacy of Internet Gaming Disorder as a mental health issue.

Developmental Level As A Predictor Of Counseling Skills, Margaret J. Jensen, Garett J. Mcauliffe, Renee Seay

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

What is the relationship between the developmental characteristics of counseling interns and their counseling skills? Thirty master’s-level counseling students in their fieldwork phase were rated by their supervisors on both a measure of developmental level and counseling skills. Results indicated that the construct of Self/Other Awareness was the strongest predictor of counseling skills level. Based on this finding, it can be concluded that counselor supervisees possessing this awareness appear better equipped to deal with the complex problem-solving and social interactions required for successfully counseling clients.

An Exploratory Study Of Parenting Dimensions And Family Conflict Among Head Start Participants: An Examination Of Hispanic Mothers, Narketta M. Sparkman-Key, Inglish Morgan-Gardner

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Understanding the dynamics of the relationship between family conflict and parenting is important to human service practice. When assisting clients, human service practitioners must address many different systems including culture, historical era, ethnicity, gender, and other systems in which the individual operates (Martin, 2013). This study explores this phenomenon by examining the relationship between family conflict and the six dimensions of parenting; warmth, rejection, structure, chaos, autonomy support, and coercion among Hispanic mothers who access an inner city Head Start program. Findings are discussed in terms of cultural impact, human service practice and the need for further research.

Professional Counseling For Children With Sensory Processing Disorder, Emily Goodman-Scott, Simone F. Lambert

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Sensory processing disorder is a complex neurological disorder affecting approximately 5–17% of the population, yet professional counselors often misunderstand and misdiagnose this disorder. A child’s academic, emotional and social functioning can be substantially impacted by sensory processing disorder; early diagnosis and treatment is crucial. In this article, the authors describe the disorder, discuss its impact on children and their families, and provide recommendations and resources for both mental health counselors and school counselors to utilize when serving this unique population with special needs. A case study is included, in addition to suggestions for treatment collaboration and advocacy on behalf of …

Research And Leadership Development Through Participation On A Inter Professional Research Team, Kaprea F. Johnson

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This case study details one research team and includes a conceptual tri-level leadership model for team participation and project organization. Participants included seven students and one assistant professor. Findings highlight team development, recruitment, expectations, leadership gains, and implications for the profession.

Assisting High School Students With Career Indecision Using A Shortened Form Of The Career Construction Interview, Mark C. Rehfuss, Pamela H. Sickinger

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

A shortened form of the Career Construction Interview (CCI) was used to help high school students struggling with the career decision making process. The shortened instrument is described, as well as, its use with eleventh grade high school students who had low levels of career concern and career curiosity. Students who completed the exercise reported several themes that are introduced and discussed in the article. These themes reflected that the intervention was helpful and facilitated student self understanding and career exploration. Practical applications for school counselors are discussed.

Secondary Traumatic Stress And The Role Of The Human Service Practitioner: Working Effectively With Veterans' Families, Laurie M. Craigen, Ione Paiva, Kathleen Levingston

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Posttraumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) is an increasing mental health concern in the military veteran population. It is important to note that PTSD is a systemic diagnosis, meaning that the well-being and emotional health of family members is impacted by living with a veteran suffering from PTSD. Some family members may develop secondary traumatic stress (STS) symptoms. This manuscript will describe secondary traumatic stress and will explore the role of the human service practitioner in working with family members with STS. Future research in this area will also be explored.

The Value And Importance Of International Service Learning Programs: A Model For Human Service Education, Laurie M. Craigen, Narketta M. Sparkman

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Given our growing globalized society, students are studying abroad at increasing rates. While different formats of study abroad programs exist, there is a surge in the number of short-term international service learning programs. This manuscript defines service learning and discusses the benefits of international service learning programs, specifically for human service students. The manuscript will conclude with a model of a successful study abroad program in San Jose, Costa Rica for undergraduate human service students led by two faculty members.