Counseling Commons^™

Foster Parents’ Experience Of Loss And Their Coping Response Style, Kathleen M. Kirby

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the subjective experience of emotional and physical stress reported by foster parents that may be caused by serial placements of foster children. It also addressed the coping response mechanisms and style of foster parents that may promote successful endurance of serial losses. In addition, the relationship between specific coping responses of foster parents was investigated to determine if the circumstances of placement or characteristics of foster parents interact to exacerbate or remediate emotional/physical stress.

Demographics were tabulated for Michigan foster parents including age, family income, religious affiliation, racial/cultural identification, marital status, educational …

The Effectiveness Of A Job Search Skills Training Program On The Job Readiness Of Undergraduate Malaysian Students Enrolled At Western Michigan University, Ibrahim Bin Hashim

Dissertations

The relevant body of research and literature applicable to this area emphasized the importance of job readiness among college students. Job seeking skills program can be rendered more effective and efficient by using a combination of several behavioral procedures.

The primary purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a job search skills training program on the job readiness of the undergraduate sponsored Malaysian students enrolled at Western Michigan University. Specifically the problem centered on the ability of the treatment program to help Malaysian students to become clearer and to increase their understanding about the importance of self-awareness, …

Career Dynamics Of Counselor Trainee Stereotyping: Bias Toward Physical Ability, Social Class, Gender, And Race Of Clients, J. Stephen Neynaber

Dissertations

Three different attitude surveys, developed by the researcher, were administered to counselor trainees (N =200) at Western Michigan University: The Attitudes of Counselor Trainees (A.C.T.) Survey, Multicultural Beliefs Inhibiting Appropriate Support (M-B.I.A.S.) Survey, and Career Beliefs Inhibiting Appropriate Support (CB. LA.S.) Survey. A 24-item demographics questionnaire was administered to trainees (n =124) who completed the A.C.T. Survey. A six-items Likert scale produced significant effect (p < .05) on counselor trainees' ratings of clients' potential for career success: (1) Awareness of Personal Strengths and Weaknesses, (2) Goal Orientation, (3) Self-esteem, (4) Energy Level, (5) Participation in Extracurricular Activities, and (6) Level of Honesty.

Five client demographic oppression variables, which the review of literature documented to evince negative bias from counselors, were included in 16 hypothetical client scenarios: physical handicaps (viz., hearing impairment and paraplegia), female sex, African-Americans, low …

Perceived Parental Care And Protection As Correlates Of Chronic Pain In Adults, Daniel L. Walberer

Dissertations

This research was undertaken to explore the significance of care and protection as correlates related to the experience of chronic pain in adults. Chronic pain may affect as many as ten percent of the American population and cost up to a billion dollars a year in treatment costs. It was hypothesized that certain parenting styles are related to the experience of chronic pain in adults.

Thirty male and female patients referred to The Center for Health Psychology and Medicine in Kalamazoo, Michigan who were diagnosed as experiencing chronic pain by a referring physician participated in this study. Each participant underwent …

Interpersonal Issues Of Dependency In Adult Children From Dysfunctional Relationships, Dennis Michael Beaufait

Dissertations

This study was designed to examine issues of interpersonal behavior among adult children of alcoholics when compared to adult children of non-alcoholics by assessing the functioning level of family of origin relationships. Undergraduate students from a midwestern university were divided into four groups based on their scores on the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) by Jones (1981) and the Index of Family Relations (IFR) by Hudson (1982). The sample consisted of 302 subjects between the ages of 18 and 50 who volunteered to participate in a study which examined interpersonal behavior as measured by the Interpersonal Dependency Inventory (IDI). …

Exploring The Self-In-Relation Theory: Women's Idealized Relationships-Of-Choice And Psychological Health, K. Heidi Fishman

Dissertations

The self-in-relation theory (e.g., Kaplan, 1984; Kaplan 6 Klein, 1985; Miller, 1984, 1986, 1988; Surrey, 1985, 198?) asserts that women's development is based on relationships. According to the Stone Center theorists (Kaplan, 1984; Miller, 1988; Stiver, 1986-1989, 1986- 1990; Surrey, 1984), psychopathology in women can stem out of non-growth-fostering relationships which leave women feeling a profound sense of disconnection and loss. Similarly, psychological health develops out of growth fostering relationships. This study investigates the connections between women's relational experiences, their idealized relationships-of-choice, the health of their families-of-origin, and current psychological health.

Thirty-eight women were interviewed and given psychological measurements in …

The Relationships Between Marital Adjustment, Family Functioning, Task Management And Family Relationship Concerns In Couples Incorporating A Second Child, Amy Diguiseppe Bade

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among variables identified as potentially significant during the transition to second time parenthood. The theoretical framework for this study was based on the Circumplex Model of family systems (Olson, Sprenkle & Russell, 1979; Olson, Russell & Sprenkle, 1983), and a five domain structural model of marital and family adaptation (Cowan & Cowan, 1988).

The convenience sample consisted of 49 Caucasian middle class couples all expecting their second child. This was a one group pretest-posttest design with the birth of the second child functioning as the independent variable. The dependent variables …

The Effects Of Television Viewing On The Academic Performance Of Elementary School Children With Attention Deficit Disorder, Wayne G. Schaefer

Dissertations

Research suggests that increased hours of television (more than 20-30 hours a week) viewing has a negative impact on the academic performance (as measured by grade point average (GPA)) of elementary aged school children (Fetler, 1984; Winn, 1985). With the reported increased hours of TV viewing time over the past three decades (Ploughoft & Anderson, 1981; Winn, 1985) and the increased proliferation of cable TV and video cassette recorders, it has been projected that the average elementary school aged child will spend more than one-third of his or her waking hours watching television (Winn, 1985).

Although research (Mendelson, cited in …

The Development Of An Instrument For Multicultural Counseling Effectiveness, Michael J. Laird

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and administer an instrument designed to measure the participants' ability to identify cultural variables affecting the therapeutic process with individuals with and without training in multicultural counseling. The study also examined four areas of difference among trainees to determine their influence on the ability to identify cultural variables affecting therapeutic process: gender, age, undergraduate curriculum, and socioeconomic status of the biological family.

The sample consisted of 60 subjects between the ages of 21 and 52. All subjects were graduate students in the Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Department at Western Michigan University, …

Level Of Ego Development And Degree Of Distress Experienced During Marital Separation, Richard A. Strait

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether reactions to marital separation and divorce could be differentiated on the basis of level of ego development. A sample of 72 divorcing persons was drawn at random from court records, divided into groups on the basis of sex and level of ego development (using Loevinger's [1970, 1989] Sentence Completion Test [SCT]), and compared on three measures of emotional adjustment (attachment distress, general distress, and social adjustment).

The results indicated that level of ego development did not differentiate short-term reactions to separation (8.7 months) on the three dependent measures, although ego level …

An Evaluation Of A Method Of Suicide Assessment Training, Gerald A. Juhnke

Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study used a Randomized Groups, Posttest-only Design, to determine if significant differences between three groups existed in their: (a) ability to accurately assess high- and low-risk clients, (b) ability to accurately assign clinical actions, and (c) self-reported confidence to accurately assess suicide risk and assign clinical actions. The 59 volunteer subjects who participated in the study were master’s level counselors-in-training enrolled in a counseling prepractica training course within a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited counselor education and counseling psychology department of a large Midwestern university. Two of the three groups were experimental …

Biblical Self-Esteem And Psychopathology: A Psychological/ Theological Integration, Allan Warren Crummett

Dissertations

With the plethora of definitions for and the vague and confused understanding of self-esteem/worth/image/love/value, the mental health professional is hard-pressed to define it accurately. To the Christian therapist, an area of concern is a Christian versus secular definition.

This study explored this issue in two ways. First, it addressed two hypotheses: (1) Is there a Biblical definition of self-esteem/worth?; (2) Does the Shepherd Scale (Bassett, 1981), an established measure of levels of Christianity, adequately assess self-esteem and Biblical self-esteem? These hypotheses are answered through a search of current literature and correlational analysis.

The second part of the study tested two …

A Validation Of The Family Of Origin Scale Using Alcoholic And Mental Health Patients, Arthur J. Fedor

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to add to the knowledge of family of origin assessment by demonstrating the utility of the Family of Origin Scale (FOS; Hovestadt, Anderson, Piercy, Cochran, & Fine, 1985) as a posttreatment measure of change with clinical samples. In this context, a second feature of the study was a further validation of the FOS.

Eighty-one clinical subjects in inpatient alcoholism treatment centers and outpatient mental health clinics were administered the FOS prior to treatment and again following treatment. Although the pretest-posttest model of the study was a quasi-experimental design, the focus was on the FOS's …

Psychological Correlates Of Sinus Headache, Stanley R. Carlock

Dissertations

This study comprised a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial for evaluating the pharmacological efficacy of ibuprofen when given in combination with pseudoephedrine on an outpatient basis to 52 patients diagnosed with sinus headache. The patients were administered a psychological test battery consisting of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI) (Gough, 1948), the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) (Millon, Green, & Meagher, 1979), and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire (Nowlis & Green, 1957) to evaluate the possibility that specific psychological and personality characteristics might differentiate these patients from individuals on whom the psychological test instruments were normed. Additionally, the probability …

A Study Of Dual Relationships In Small College Counseling Centers, Terry W. Darling

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to address the following questions; What are the attitudes and practices of counselors in small college counseling centers regarding dual relationships? What are the counselor characteristics that appear to affect counselors' attitudes and practices? How do the attitudes and practices of counselors in small colleges compare to other professionals' attitudes and practices?

A nationwide, random sample of 300 small college counselors was surveyed. Half of the sample received a Counseling Practices Survey: Ethics, which sought information about the respondents' attitudes regarding 17 nonsexual and sexual dual relationship behaviors. The other half of the sample …

A Comparative Study Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic Work Values And Career Maturity For Minority College Students, Marvin Hall

Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate comparisons of intrinsic and extrinsic work values and career maturity for minority college students. Results of this study may enhance efforts to provide more effective career development programs for minority college students. The investigation compared participants in a personal and academic support services program (PASSP) by sex, and PASSP and non-PASSP participants by groups. The PASSP which consisted of business majors was based upon expectations and self-efficacy of the success of program participants.

The study consisted of forty participants, 20 females and 20 males. The volunteers included 10 males and 10 females who were …

Applications Of The Tap Te Chino Of Lao Tzu To Psychotherapy Theory And Technique, Thomas E. Hranilovich

Dissertations

Existing paradigms in psychology are almost exclusively founded upon the hypothetico-deductive scientific tradition. As a consequence, prevalent psychotherapy theories and techniques are also founded upon this tradition. In recent years the realization has been growing, even among its adherents, that the hypothetico-deductive method is not the only avenue to knowledge about the nature of existence. An alternate avenue is provided by the mystic tradition, as exemplified by Zen Buddhism, Hesychasm, Indian and Tibetan Yoga, Sufism, Christian mysticism, Hindu mysticism, Jewish mysticism, and Taoism. This study is an examination of the central beliefs of tao chia, or the Taoist school, and …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Biofeedback Assisted Treatment On The Reduction Of Stress Among African-American And White Employees, Ollie O. Barnes Iii

Dissertations

Seventy-four employees at an internationally based Fortune 500 corporation participated in a comparative biofeedback study. The study was designed to determine whether there is a difference in the way African-Americans and white Americans respond to biofeedback-assisted stress management treatment. The study also serves as a springboard for increasing the quantity of empirical literature in the area of biofeedback in general and biofeedback using African-Americans as subjects, in particular. The researcher randomly assigned the employees to one of three groups (biofeedback, traditional, control). Each subject was assessed on six variables: state anxiety, trait anxiety, heart rate, skin temperature, blood pulse height, …

The Effects Of Anabolic Steroids On Measured Personality Traits Of Male Weight Trainers, Kraig Libstag

Dissertations

This research was undertaken to explore the effects of anabolic steroid use on the measured personality traits of male weight trainers. The use of these drugs by competitive and non-competitive athletes worldwide has grown to enormous proportions. Anecdotal case reports that discuss various psychological manifestations associated with the use of anabolic steroids by athletes have been presented in professional journals and in the popular press in recent years. However, there have been few studies that systematically examine the psychological consequences of steroid utilization.

The underlying assumption of this study was that anabolic steroids would affect the measured personality characteristics of …

Changing Family Environments Of Delinquent Adolescents Using Paradoxical Therapy Techniques, Steven G. Townsend

Dissertations

Resistance and opposition have long characterized the adolescent population in general and the population of delinquent offenders specifically. Family therapy has been used successfully to change delinquent families and paradoxical techniques have been used successfully to treat resistant clients suffering from a variety of symptoms. This two-factor randomized study examined the effects of three treatment conditions, e.g., 6 months probation (control group), probation plus family therapy without an ending paradoxical directive, and probation plus family therapy with an ending paradoxical directive. These treatments were applied to first offender and repeat offender groups of delinquents and their families on individual perceptions …

The Effects Of Sex Role Orientation On Countertransference Behavior, Scott T. Luppe

Dissertations

The occurrence of countertransference within the therapeutic relationship has been examined from clinical and empirical perspectives, and considerable insight has been gained regarding the operation and monitoring of these phenomena. Empirical investigation has shown that these attitudes and behaviors can be quantified, and that therapists' increased understanding of the presence of countertransference can result in less countertransference behaviors (Schlesinger, 1984; Robbins & Jolkovski, 1987).

The therapist's sex role orientation is an attribute that has never been considered in relation to countertransference. Bem (1974) and Spence, Helmreich, and Stapp (1975) have proposed conceptualizations for understanding differences in sex role issues and …

Clients' Self-Reports Of Counselor Style And Personal Change: A Comparison Of Inexperienced And Experienced Counselors, Ronald M. Crafton

Dissertations

Research suggests clients' perceptions of counselor style are important factors in successful counseling outcome (Strong, 1968). With the widespread acceptance and emphasis on practica courses in counselor education, it follows that counselor educators and clinical supervisors need empirical indicators of the level of service provided by inexperienced student counselors. Information provided by clients pertaining to specific dimensions of counselor style and personal change is rare, and until now, has been limited to experienced counselors.

When 181 clients of inexperienced counselors were compared with 363 clients of experienced counselors it was found that the inexperienced counselors were percieved similarly on 12 …

Sex-Role Attitudes, Sex, And Logos Of Control: A Study Of Their Interrelationships In Reference To Social Change, Virginia De Oliveira-Alves

Dissertations

The present research was a partial replication of an earlier research concerning the discrimination of sex-role egalitarianism from attitude toward feminism. This study examined the relationships between these sex-role attitudes and sex, and between the former and locus of control, in reference to the social changes of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The subjects were female and male college students.

The results indicated that the sample was average in sex-role egalitarianism. It was more liberal on attitude toward feminism than a previous research sample. The sex-role attitudes were found to be directly related: when subjects were egalitarian, they also …

The Relationship Between Selected Work Behaviors And Closed Head Injury, Douglas A. Walter

Dissertations

Each year approximately 30,000 to 50,000 individuals suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) serious enough to limit their ability to return to their pre-injury life style. A large portion of these individuals are men in their early adult years who are primary wage earners and, additionally, are in the process of establishing primary career tracks. The consequences of the injury, although not negatively impacting on their life expectancy, pose barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment. A persistent problem for rehabilitation specialists is predicting job performance following a TBI. Existing instruments were not available to assess behavioral changes resulting from the …

The Development And Use Of A Locus Of Control Board Game For 7 Through 11 Year Old Children, Nancy J. Kaniuga

Dissertations

In this study, a children's board game, The Clubhouse Game, was developed, described and evaluated. Created by the author, The Clubhouse Game addresses locus of control and was designed for use in psychotherapy with 7 through 11 year old children. A review of selected writings of Piaget, Erikson and Winnicott yielded four concepts which were incorporated into the game. The Clubhouse Game was evaluated in terms of its effectiveness in modifying belief in locus of control in children who played the game, and its ability to serve as a stimulus or point of reference for discussions of situations which contain …

The Relationship Between Therapist Personality And Theoretical Orientation, David J. Wagner

Dissertations

This research project sought to examine the relationship between a therapist's personality and theoretical orientation. It was hypothesized that therapists with similar personalities would possess similar theoretical orientations.

Forty male and 22 female therapists from a variety of clinical settings participated in the study by volunteering to answer a one-page questionnaire and take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Form G. In addition to demographic data, the questionnaire asked the therapist to select one of six theoretical orientations which they felt best described them. Each orientation was briefly described and defined. The six orientations were: (1) psychodynamic, (2) behavioral, (3) cognitive, …

Behavioral Treatment Of Headaches, Walid Salim Salah-Kailane

Dissertations

Headaches are common and frequent forms of pain, and are classified on the basis of inferred physiological factors (Ad Hoc Committee on the Classification of Headache, 1962).

Behavioral treatment of headaches was the subject of this study which focused on improving our understanding of the psychophysiological mechanisms of head pain. It is believed that understanding the physiological and psychological mechanisms of head pain assist in designing treatment using effective behavioral and cognitive methods (Olton & Noonberg, 1980).

Twenty-four headache patients diagnosed as muscle contraction (tension), or migraine headache sufferers were chosen as subjects. The length of the study was one …

Effects Of The Great Depression On Private Higher Education: Impact On Private College And University Planning, J. Michael Hostetler

Dissertations

Private higher education has suffered a loss of dominance in enrollment over the last four decades. Increases in tuition escalated making private higher education distinctly more expensive than options in the public sector. A sharp decline in the birth rate during the 1970s indicates there will be fewer high school graduates for private higher education to recruit. Some private colleges have already been forced to close, while others appear threatened by enrollment decline in the 1990s and beyond.

The Great Depression of the 1930s was a challenging period for the country and the academic community. To discover how private institutions …

The Perceptions Of Family Environment Between Black Adolescent Users And Nonusers Of Alcohol Or Drugs, Jesse Aaron Brinson Jr.

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Black American adolescents' substance use (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine) and their perceptions of their family environments. Sixty-two male and female subjects between the age of 13-21, from a large northeast medical facility, who reported exposure to alcohol or drug use, were asked to complete Moos' (1986) Family Environment Scale (FES). The subjects were divided into users and nonusers. Users were described as those having used alcohol or drugs at least three or more times per week within the previous month. Nonusers were described as those not having used alcohol or drugs less …

A Study Of Personality Style And Intergenerational Attitudes On Parenting, David Lee Russell

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interrelationships of health in one's family-of-origin, one's parents' attitudes about parenting, personality style, personal effects of parental dysfunction and one's own parenting attitudes.

Subjects (N = 163) were adults from three different educational levels: adult education, community college and graduate school. Four different instruments were used in the collection of data: the Family-Of-Origin Scale, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (AV), a semantic differential on parenting and a second semantic differential on one's parents' parenting. Both parents and non-parents participated in the study. One way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation analysis were …