Counseling Commons^™

Assessing The Perceptions Of Giftedness In Parents Of Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students, Amber Waheed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to develop a psychometrically sound scale to investigate the perception differences of giftedness between parents of various culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Historically, schools adopt the early definition of giftedness that is presented, too narrowly focusing only on intelligence and achievement tests (Baldwin, 2005). This phenomenon has led to minority students, particularly Black and Hispanic, being significantly underrepresented in gifted programs (Naglieri & Ford, 2003). Environmental factors, such as socio-economic status and parent education levels, significantly impact these marginalized populations. The Parent Perception of Giftedness Scale (PPGS), grounded in Spearman and Gardner's theory …

Substance Use And Drug Distribution At The Individual Level: A Grounded Theory Approach, Evan Thomas Stanforth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use regularly occurs among individuals that distribute drugs and there is a limited amount of research that has examined both use and distribution. A grounded theory approach was used to develop a framework for analyzing relationships between use and distribution behaviors. 15 participants (five female, 10 male) that had experience selling drugs and using drugs were recruited from a residential substance abuse treatment center. Each participant was interviewed for one hour with an interview protocol aligning with the stage of analysis. A model was developed to explain Involvement and Integration in a Drug World with the codes Substance Use, …

The Impact Of A Group Counseling Intervention On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Queer Older Adolescents' Levels Of Hope, Coping, And Suicidality, Catherine Lamb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation examined the impact of an eight-week group counseling intervention on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) older adolescents’ (aged 18-20) levels of hopefulness, coping skills, and suicidality. An experimental, randomized-controlledtrial research design was employed to identify differences between the intervention group and waitlist control group participants’ hopefulness, coping skills, and suicidality scores. In addition, the relationship between the LGBTQ+ participants’ outcome variables (hopefulness, coping skills, and suicidality) scores was examined. Furthermore, the impact of group therapeutic factors experienced by the LGBTQ+ participants in intervention group for the variables of hopefulness, coping skills, and suicidality was examined. Key …

Multicultural Counseling Competence Of School Counselors: Relationship To Multicultural Behaviors And Perceived School Climate, Jennifer Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diversity in the United States is steadily increasing with racial and ethnic groups traditionally called minorities expected to account for over 50% of the U.S. population by 2050 (U.S. Census Projections, 2009). At the same time, the school age population is expected to consist of 60% students from "minority" backgrounds. Yet, school counselors are mostly from White, European backgrounds and are projected to continue to come from that background (Brown, Parham, and Yonker, 1996; Pack-Brown, 1999; Vaughn, 2007). This creates frequent cross-cultural counseling relationships within schools necessitating that school counselors have multicultural competence. Multicultural counseling competence (MCC) has been related …

The Effect Of Jyoti Meditation On Student Counselor Emotional Intelligence, Stress, And Daily Spiritual Experiences, Daniel Gutierrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found meditation to be effective in reducing practitioner stress, improving emotional functioning, and increasing pro-social emotions, such as empathy and compassion. In addition, research examining the effects of meditation on student counselors has shown that it increases counselor self-efficacy, reduces distress, and increases cognitive empathy. Therefore, it behooves counselor educators to discover methods of integrating meditation into counselor training. The meditation practice investigated in the current study is new to the counseling and psychology literature. The majority of the current research has examined transcendental and mindfulness-based practices. However, recent research has shown that spirituality has the ability …

Identifying The Initial Mental Health Messages Of Army Rotc Students And Exploring Their Connection To Mental Health Stigma And Help-Seeking Behaviors, Kristopher Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health stigma among military service members has been recognized as a significant barrier to mental health treatment as researchers (Greenberg, Langston, & Gould, 2007; Greene-Shortridge, Britt, & Castro, 2007; Hoge et al., 2004; Pietrzak, Johnson, Goldstein, Malley, & Southwick, 2009) have concluded that military service members are reluctant to engage in help seeking behaviors to avoid negative labeling in the form of stereotyping. Additionally, links have been made between leadership and stigma, acknowledging that military service members are more likely to seek mental health treatment if they perceive that their leadership is supportive (Britt, Wright, & Moore, 2012; Hoge …

The Contribution Of College Students' Attachment Styles And Social Media Practices On Their Relationship Development, Renee Sherrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the directional relationship between college students' attachment styles and social media practices with their relationship development. This investigation tested the theoretical model that undergraduate students' (N = 717) attachment styles (as measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships-Short form [ECR-S; Wei et al., 2007]) and social media practices (as measured by the Facebook Intensity Scale [FBI; Ellison et al., 2007] and Motives for Going Facebook Official Scale [MGFBO; Fox & Warber, 2013]) contributed to their quality of relationship development (as measured by the Parks Relational Development Scale [PRDS; Parks & Roberts, …

The Contribution Of School Counselors' Self-Efficacy And Professional Quality Of Life To Their Programmatic Service Delivery, Patrick Mullen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the directional relationship between practicing school counselors' level of professional quality of life and self-efficacy to their programmatic service delivery activities. This investigation tested the theoretical model that practicing school counselors' level of professional quality of life (as measured by the Professional Quality of Life Scale [ProQOLs; Stamm, 2010]) and their self-efficacy (as measured by the School Counselor Self-Efficacy Scale [SCSEs; Bodenhorn & Skaggs, 2005]) contributes to their service delivery activity (as measured by the School Counselor Activity Rating Scale [SCARS; Scarborough, 2005]). Specifically, this study examined the hypothesized directional relationship that …

Exploring The Influence Of Stigma, Level Of Trauma, And Social Support On The Experience Of Posttraumatic Growth In Adults Living With Hiv, Melissa Zeligman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the influence of HIV-related stigma, social support, and impact of HIV diagnosis on posttraumatic growth (PTG) in adults living with HIV (N = 126). In addition, the study aimed to identify if social support moderated the relationship between stigma and PTG. Lastly, the study attempted to determine how impactful receiving an HIV diagnosis was to the sample. One hundred and twenty-six adults living with HIV within the state of Florida (41% response rate) participated in the research. Participants were recruited from a series of support groups and HIV focused agencies throughout the state, and responded through …

The Influence Of A Career Planning Stem Explorations Course On Vocational Maturity, Career Decidedness And Career Thoughts For Undergraduate Students, Diandra Prescod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), innovation that accompanies careers in science, technology engineering, and math (STEM) create a driving force in the economy and the creation of jobs, yet many positions remain open due to the lack of qualified individuals to fill them (NAS, 2011). Continuing research and innovation proves to be important, yet not enough students graduate with STEM degrees and enter into STEM careers. Career planning courses for undergraduate students increase student confidence about their abilities to make career decisions (Grier-Reed & Skaar, 2010: Scott & Ciani 2008). Vocational maturity and career decision making skills …

Attrition In A Telephonic Intervention Program For Depressed, Low-Income Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Benjamin C. Salazar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telemental health interventions are currently being implemented in primary care settings in order to reduce the cost of providing treatment and increase access to services of underserved groups. Studies of the efficacy of telemental health interventions have generally demonstrated high rates of attrition. Eysenbach (2005) suggested that the reality of high attrition rates in telemental health studies prompts further investigation into the factors related to attrition. Such research should focus on identifying the characteristics of clients who drop out of treatment and at what points such clients are likely to drop out. The purpose of this study was to identify …

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 …

Lived Experiences Of Graduate Students Who Are The Mothers Of Young Children, Audrey M. Harrington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this qualitative study, the experiences of graduate students who were also the mothers of preschool children were explored through the use of narrative interviews and autoethnographic reflections on personal experience. The study examines the various self-perceived identity dimensions of three graduate student mothers (through a series of interviews) and the researcher (via autoethnographic writings). Analysis of the data identified two superordinate themes: a) the identification of systems of support and role models (including presence and absence of said supports) and b) a negotiation of gendered social expectations as the students navigated the context of graduate school. Recommendations include the …

Predicting The Development Of Counselor Self-Efficacy In Counselors-In-Training During Their First Semester In Practicum Using Embedded, Rich Media In A Distributed Learning Environment., John Super

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first semester of practicum is a difficult time for counseling students as they learn to integrate knowledge and theory into clinical practice, often evoking high levels of anxiety (Barbee, Scherer, & Combs, 2003; Ronnestad & Skovholt, 1993) and limiting counselor selfefficacy (Bernard & Goodyear, 2009; Melchert et al., 1996). Practicum is the first opportunity counselors-in-training have to apply theoretical knowledge in a professional setting, use new clinical skills, and test how well they fit into the field of counseling (O‟Connell & Smith, 2005). Additionally, if counselor educators do not fully understand the process counselors in training develop counselor self-efficacy, …

An Exploration Of The Relationships Between Supervisees' Perceptions Of Facilitative Conditions In Supervision, Clients' Perceptions Of Facilitative Conditions In Counseling, And Client Outcomes, Chastity Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The counseling relationship has long been considered an essential part of the foundation of positive client outcomes in counseling. While many factors play a role in the therapeutic relationship, the facilitative conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness have been the most-researched components of the Person-Centered construct of the therapeutic relationship. The supervisory relationship parallels the therapeutic relationship in many ways, and as the therapeutic relationship is critical to counseling, the supervisory relationship is foundational to effective supervision. While the facilitative conditions are empirically proven to contribute to positive client outcomes within the therapeutic relationship, the role of the …

Examining The Influences Of The Bottoming Out Experience And The Turning Point On The Early Recovery Process From Substance Dependence Using Structural Equation Modeling, Kristina M. Depue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Considering the prevalence of addiction issues within the U.S., this study focused on the topic of recovery from drug and alcohol dependence in order to add to current literature. Prevention and recovery services are two of the most common ways of combating the addiction issue, and counselors are at the forefront of both movements. The bottoming out experience (BOE) and the turning point (TTP) are two common lay terms of factors within changing addictive behaviors, yet the connection of these constructs to recovery remains unstudied and unknown. The current study tested a model that levels of the BOE and the …

A Delphi Study To Construct A Script Concordance Test For Spiritual And Religious Competence In Counseling, Christopher Christmas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The need to address spiritual and religious issues is well established in the counseling literature and in accreditation standards, however, many graduates counseling students do not feel prepared to address these issues. In the United States, the vast majority of clients consider themselves to be spiritual or religious, so counselors who lack competence in addressing spiritual and religious issues in counseling are likely to offer ineffective or perhaps unethical care to clients. Counselor educators must improve education and assessment in this critical specialty area of counseling. Of primary concern is a student’s ability to demonstrate spiritual competence in counseling. The …

Examining Relationships Among Levels Of Victimization, Perpetration, And Attitudinal Acceptance Of Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And Queer College Students, Elizabeth Jacobson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2012) reported that intimate partner violence (IPV) affects approximately 4.8 million females and 2.8 million males in their intimate relationships each year. Past research (e.g., Fanslow, Robinson, Crengle, & Perese, 2010; Foshee et al., 1996; Foshee et al., 2009) on IPV solely evaluated prevalence rates and factors within opposite-sex relationships; however, IPV within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals' relationships exists at equal, if not higher, rates compared to their heterosexual counterparts (Alexander, 2008; McKenry, Serovich, Mason, & Mosak, 2006). Subsequently, a gap in research existed on violence in LGBTQ …

The Contribution Of Practicing School Counselors' Level Of Altruism To Their Degree Of Burnout, Dorothy Limberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the directional relationship between practicing school counselors’ level of altruism to their degree of burnout. Specifically, this investigation tested the hypothesized directional relationship that practicing school counselors scoring at higher levels of altruism would have lower levels of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment). In addition, the investigation examined the relationship between the practicing school counselors’ levels altruism and burnout and their reported demographic information (e.g., age, school counseling level, self-reported levels of wellness). A thorough review of the literature is presented with supporting empirical research for each construct (altruism and burnout). A descriptive, correlational research …

Response To Intervention: Understanding School Counselors' Awareness, Involvement, And Experiences, Amanda Winburn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to better clarify the role and experiences of school counselors within the Response to Intervention (RtI) model. This study explored school counselors' involvement with and understanding of the RtI model. An integrative approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods was used as part of this mixed method study. As part of the design, quantitative data collection was the priority method for the study, folloby qualitative data collection to continue to explore and expand upon the results from the quantitative section (Creswell, 2009). The quantitative data was obtained from the author originated Response …

The Development Of The Counselor Intuition Scale, Jesse Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intuition is an important aspect of counseling, several revered counselors have either attested to the powers of their intuition or have had such powers attributed to them by their contemporaries. Moreover, many counselors believe that their intuition is more influential in their work with clients than are evidence-based practices (EBPs). However, the academy criticizes intuition for its susceptibility to cognitive errors and its poor performance when compared to statistical methods. In addition, the exact nature of intuition’s role in counseling is largely unknown. Therefore, its contribution to client outcomes is equally a mystery, making it difficult for counselors to justify …

Styles, Qualities, And Sexual Behavior In Young People's Romantic Relationships: A Longitudinal Examination Of Within-Person And Between-Person Effects, Meredith Cerian Joppa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of early sexual behavior places many youth at risk for unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. The purpose of this study is to examine the interplay among romantic styles, relationship qualities, and sexual behavior at both the within-person and between-person levels. Frequencies of light nongenital, heavy nongenital, and genital sexual behavior were examined as well as risky sexual behavior. 200 young people from a community sample were assessed at six time points from ages 15 through 21. Avoidant styles were associated with less frequent sexual behavior at both within- and between-person levels, and with more risky …

Homework Adherence In Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For Adolescent Depression, Nathaniel John Jungbluth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homework is a defining component of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), however, few studies have examined homework adherence in youth CBT. Homework adherence was coded from audiotapes of school-based CBT for 50 depressed adolescents and evaluated as a predictor of proximal and distal treatment outcomes. Six therapist behaviors hypothesized to promote homework adherence were also coded from audiotapes of early sessions and examined in relation to subsequent homework adherence. Results showed no significant associations between client homework adherence and outcomes. Results also revealed several therapist behaviors to be associated with homework adherence in the context of planned moderator analyses. Adolescents considered at …

The Relationship Between Caregiver Intimate Partner Violence, Posttraumatic Stress, Child Cognitive Self-Development, And Treatment Attrition Among Child Sexual Abuse Victims., Leigh De Delorenzi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide problem, with two-thirds of all cases going unreported. A wealth of research over the last 30 years demonstrates the negative emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual, academic, and social effects of CSA. As a result, researchers and mental health professionals frequently attempt to measure the efficacy of treatment modalities in order to assess which treatments lead to better outcomes. However, in order to effectively study treatment outcomes, researchers must be able to track the status of child functioning and symptomology before, during, and after treatment. Because high levels of treatment attrition exist among CSA victims, …

Psychological Birth Order And Career Adaptability In An At-Risk College Population, Joshua Alexander Magruder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological birth order and career adaptability of college students who were at-risk academically. Psychological birth order is a main construct from the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler (1927, 1946). Adler posited that individuals discover life differently when they perceive the world from different birth positions. The literature on psychological birth order outlined four birth order positions: firstborn child, middle born child, youngest child, and only child (White, Campbell, Stewart, & Davies, 1997). The psychological birth order of each participant was assessed using the Psychological Birth Order Inventory (PBOI) (Campbell, White, & …

Examining Relationships Among Income, Individual And Relationship Distress, And Outcomes In Marriage And Relationship Education For Low-To-Moderate Income Married Couples, Ryan G. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study utilized data from a federally-funded healthy marriage grant to examine pre, post, and three-to-six month follow-up changes in relationship satisfaction (as measured by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale total scores) and individual distress (as measured by the Outcomes Questionnaire 45.2). Additionally, the study evaluated income and dosage as predictors of relationship satisfaction and individual distress change at post-assessment and three-to-six month follow-up. Participants included 220 married individuals with children who completed PREP 7.0 (Prevention Relationship Enhancement Program). A repeated measures, split plot, MANOVA indicated statistically significant improvements in relationship satisfaction and individual distress for participants at post-assessment and …

Counselor Education Doctoral Students' Levels Of Research Self-Efficacy, Interest In Research, And Research Mentoring: A Cross-Sectional Investigation, John Petko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral counselor education programs are charged to develop effective researchers; however, limited investigations have examined research constructs in counselor educators-in-training. Therefore, this study will investigate a national sample of doctoral counselor education students’ levels of research self-efficacy (Research Self-Efficacy Scale; Greeley, et. al 1989), interest in research (Interest in Research Questionnaire; Bishop & Bieschke, 1994), and research mentoring (Research Mentoring Experiences Scale; Hollingsworth & Fassinger, 2002). A cross-sectional, correlational research design will be used to test if doctoral counselor education students’ year of preparation (1st, 2nd, or 3rd year) predicts their research self-efficacy, interest in research, and research mentoring scores. …

The Relationship Between Married Partners' Individual And Relationship Distress: An Actor-Partner Analysis Of Low-Income, Racially And Ethnically Diverse Couples In Relationship Education, Matthew D. Munyon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Couples experiencing relationship distress often require professional help, such as counseling and couple and relationship education (CRE). Research recently discovered that among couples in counseling, a circular relationship exists between individual and relationship distress-stress begets stress. Until this study, a similar examination had not been conducted among couples selecting CRE. This study examined the relationship between individual and relationship distress among married couples that had children, were from predominantly low-income and racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, and selected CRE. A correlational research design was employed and framed in the social interdependence theory. The actor-partner interdependence model was conducted within a …

Counselor Education Students' Ethnic Identity And Social-Cognitive Development: Effects Of A Multicultural Self-Awareness Group Experience, Jennifer Marie Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the impact of a multicultural self-awareness personal growth group on counselor education students (n = 94) and group leaders (n = 10) and their ethnic identity development scores, social-cognitive maturity levels, and presence of group therapeutic factors. Findings from the study identified no statistically significant differences in ethnic identity development and social-cognitive maturity scores between treatment group and comparison group participants, or as a result of multiple measurements throughout the semester. However, a statistically significant effect was identified for time (pre-test, M = 91.94, SD = 5.33; mid-semester, M = 90.32, SD = 6.43; post-test, M …