Counseling Commons^™

Black Supervisors Matter : The Experiences Of Black Supervisors Working Cross-Racially With White Supervisees, Candice R. Crawford

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As the counseling field continues to become more diverse (CACREP, 2018; NSF, 2016), there is an increase in literature that explores the cross-cultural or cross-racial interactions in counseling and supervision. However, the literature is scarce with research that focuses on the Black supervisor working cross-racially, with literature mainly focusing on the White supervisor working cross-racially or cross-culturally (Constantine, 2007; Ratts, Singh, Butler, Nassar- McMillan, & McCullough, 2016; Wong, Wong, & Ishiyama, 2013). Due to the paucity of research exploring cross-racial interactions in supervision from the perspective of the Black supervisor, this study served to address the gap in literature. A …

Troubling Paradise : Exploring The Sexual Identity Development Experiences Of Same-Gender Loving West Indians, Nicole A. J. Christian

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Caribbean holds an international reputation of culturally sanctioned homophobia, which creates implications for the lived experiences of same-gender loving West Indians. However, minimal to no empirical attention has been dedicated to the sexual identity development of members of this population. The goal of this dissertation study was therefore to examine the lived experiences that inform the sexual identity development of Anglophone West Indians. Participants who identified as West Indian and same-gender loving were recruited for this study. A general qualitative study which utilized ethnographic interviewing during two semi-structured interviews was employed. Eleven same-gender loving West Indians from four different …

Antisemitism Today And Its Relationship To Jewish Identity And Religious Denomination, Michaela Ambrosius

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this research study was to answer the following three research questions: 1) What is the relationship between Jewish identity (religious and ethnic) and experiences of antisemitism? 2) What is the relationship between Jewish religious affiliation and experiences of antisemitism? 3) What, if any, type of antisemitism (e.g., ethnic or religiously based antisemitism or anti-Zionism) do Jewish individuals experience most often? Antisemitism continues to be a pervasive issue in the United States (U.S.) and can be based on ethnic prejudice, religious bias, or anti-Israel attitudes. The final sample for this study included 279 participants who self-identified as Jewish. …

Clinical Supervisor Self-Perceived Addiction Competencies In Response To The Opioid Epidemic, Elizabeth A. Conte

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As the United States is facing an unprecedented national opioid epidemic it is essential that clinical supervisors who oversee the practice of Licensed Professional Counselors demonstrate understanding, knowledge, and application of addiction competencies. The purpose of this study was twofold: to identify the self-perceived addiction competencies of Approved Clinical Supervisors (ACS), and to examine the predictive value of addiction education (graduate and training courses), direct substance use counseling, and generalist counseling experience in relation to supervisors' self-perceived addiction competency. The results of multiple linear regression analyses indicated that substance use counseling experience had a significant relationship with self-perceived addiction competency. …

Outsiders In The Circle : Examining The Lived Experiences Of Gay Afro-Caribbean Male Immigrants Living In The United States, Alfonso L. Ferguson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This dissertation presents the findings of a descriptive phenomenological study focused on the intersectional experiences of Afro-Caribbean male immigrants living in the United States who identify as gay, same gender loving, queer, and/or men who sleep with other men. This study also explored the unique experiences of participants’ challenges and resilience in the multiple communities to which they belong. Eleven participants who migrated from Anglophone colonized territories in the Caribbean participated in two semi-structured interviews. Data were collected and analyzed using descriptive phenomenology tenets. Findings of this study suggest implications for the counseling profession to better provide culturally responsive services …

Finding Their Way : The Journey From Foster Care To Emerging Adulthood, Venita Rawal

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

I conducted a qualitative study prompted from concerns of poor outcomes such as homelessness, lack of employment for youth who age out of foster care between the ages of 18 to 21 with limited to no material or emotional support. However, there are youth who age out of foster care and find themselves on a positive life-trajectory, but little is known about what helped them find their path in life and what helps them stay on this path.

I used a multiple case study design to learn from three participants who self-identified as being on a positive life-trajectory about what …

Exploring Ways That Women Veterans Describe Their Experience Of Transition Into The Civilian World Of Work, Meghan Reppert

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This research was a qualitative study, grounded in feminist research methodology that explored the experiences of women veterans' transition into the civilian world of work. This study explored facets that participants found to be helpful, as well as inhibitive of growth in their transition into the civilian world of work.

Eight women veterans participated in two separate in-depth interviews focused on how they described their ongoing transition into the civilian world of work. They also offered recommendations for how to best support female veterans in their journey that begins when they exit the military. While each woman's story of transition …

A School-Based Group Intervention For Immigrant Adolescents : Addressing Acculturative Stress And Facilitating Ethnic Identity Development, School Connectedness, And Related Psychosocial Outcomes, Mark W. Kiang

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Immigrant adolescents account for an ever-increasing portion of middle school and high school populations. In addition to experiencing stress related to typical adolescent development, immigrant adolescents are exposed to immigration-related and acculturative stress, which can lead to compromised mental health (Takeuchi, Alegria, Jackson, & Williams, 2007). Unfortunately, immigrants as a group tend to underutilize mental health services due to a number of cultural and economic factors (Saechao et al., 2012). Schools offer an ideal setting for services that address immigrant student stress (Gonzalez, Eades, & Supple, 2014). Ethnic identity and school connectedness are two constructs that have been linked to …

The Lines Between The Checkboxes : The Experiences Of Racially Ambiguous People Of Color, Tyce Nadrich

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The influences of race on people’s lived experiences are vast and enumerable. Despite advancements in multicultural counseling literature, the experiences of racially ambiguous people of color, or persons who do not align with preexisting ideas about race (Brown & Brown, 2004; James &Tucker, 2003; Young, Sanchez, & Wilton, 2013), are relatively unknown. Further, the racially ambiguous experience is often conflated with persons of mixed-race heritage (Young, Sanchez, & Wilton, 2013). The goal of this dissertation study was to understand the lived experiences of racially ambiguous people of color. Participants identifying as racially ambiguous were recruited to discuss their lived experiences. …

Lived Experiences Of Indian Women Technology Professionals Working Temporarily In The United States, Sudha Nagarajan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This original and topical qualitative study explored the lived experiences of ten Indian women technology professionals working in the U.S. on non-immigrant H-1B visas. This study examined the role of cultural socialization and acculturative processes in the development of cultural identity. Narratives of the participants were interpreted using the Voice-Relational Listening Guide (Brown & Gilligan, 1992; Gilligan, 1982, 2015; Gilligan, Spencer, Weinberg, & Bertsch, 2006). The first theme of negotiated compromises explored the impact of gender role expectations associated with cultural socialization on career and marriage options, relational interdependence, and adaptation to changing sociocultural environments. The second theme of cultural …

Speaking Of Recovery, Thomas A. Conklin

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This empirical study analyzed the language used by six individuals in recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) who have been participants in the mutual support organization Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) as they described their experiences with AUD and recovery. Participants were all White middle-aged Americans without a college education, a demographic cohort that has been identified as being at elevated risk for premature death due to AUD, drug misuse, and suicide (Case & Deaton, 2017). The findings suggest that participants’ experiences with AUD were associated with a constellation of factors, including culture-bound conflicting social identities, ruptured intimate relationships, and chronic unsuccessful …

African American Christians’ Decision Making To Pursue Or Not Pursue Professional Psychological Help : A Qualitative Study, Dawn Y. Norman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The aim of this study was to explore how African American Christians’ have experienced decision making related to seeking counseling and other mental health treatment outside of the church. To this end, this study asked the following research question: What influences African American Christians’ decisions to pursue or not pursue professional psychological help? The impact of culturally related influences on the help seeking decision making of African American Christians was explored and discussed throughout this research study. The research question for this study was addressed through a qualitative interview design. This qualitative design included interviewing a total of 12 African …

How Do Culturally Responsive School Counselors Make Meaning Of The Challenges They Face In Meeting The Needs Of A Diverse Student Population And Enact Effective Practices?, Frank Andrisani

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate how school counselors who are culturally responsive make meaning of their practices and the challenges faced in meeting the needs of a diverse population. Specifically, my study concentrated on examining real life experiences/practices that resulted in a rich explanation of the phenomenon studied. Hearing the voices of school counselors describing their practices and experiences in providing culturally responsive counseling services contributed to better understanding of the strategies, programs, and actions that define culturally response counseling. This dissertation includes an overview of the study, a review of the pertinent literature, a detailed description …

Crawling Through Life : The Counseling Experiences Of Women Who Have Placed A Child For Adoption, Elliotte Sue Harrington

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Placing a child for adoption can be a life changing experience. Some women who place their children for adoption (birth mothers) report feelings of depression, anxiety, posttrauma, and grief. At times they may feel rejected or isolated. They may view themselves in the negative way that they may be perceived by family, friends, and society in general. All of these feelings and experiences, among many other life experiences, may lead a birth mother to seek and attend counseling. The purpose of this study was to help counselors, researchers, and educators to begin to understand how birth mothers describe their experiences …

Negotiating An Identity : Portraits Of The Sexual Identity Self-Labeling Process For Non-Heterosexual Women In Early Adulthood, Stacy A. Pinto

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The concept of sexual identity has been evolving for decades. While there has been research and theory on the development of sexual identity, researchers have paid little attention to what, specifically, influences individuals to adopt one label for their sexual identity over another. This study employed qualitative methods of research, based in portraiture, to gather and analyze data on three non-heterosexual, self-identified women in early adulthood, from a metropolitan area in the northeastern United States. Each participant’s experience, as it relates to the labeling process for their sexual identity, is presented in its own portrait, and subsequently analyzed to highlight …

The Relationship Between Professional Development Engagement And Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy, And Athletic Identity In College Students Vs. College Student Athletes, Ashley E. Janosko

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

There has been limited research that focuses on Division III college student athletes and the career development process. Although previous researchers have studied the relationship between athletic identity and career decision making self-efficacy (CDMSE) among college student athletes, results have been inconsistent, with different researchers finding inverse, positive, or no relationships between variables. In addition, numerous researchers have examined career development among college student athletes. However, there has been no research to date that studies professional development engagement (PDE) and college student athletes. In addition, the majority of career development studies involving college student athletes have focused on either Division …

The Reported Experiences Of Adult To Adult Bullying In K-12 New Jersey Public Schools, Julia R. Mazzarella

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This is a qualitative study which investigated the reported experiences of adult to adult bullying by other certified school professionals in a K-12 New Jersey public school setting. The study focused on: 1.) How bullies bully; 2.) The behavioral, psychological, somatic, and career manifestations for the targets of bullying; 3.) The support or lack of support experienced by those who were bullied; 4.) Characteristics of school and school district cultures; and, 5.) Survival techniques used by the bullying targets.

The main findings of this study are described here. First, adult to adult bullying by professionals in schools can take many …

Latino Doctoral Students In Counseling Programs : Navigating Professional Identity Within A Predominantly White American Profession, Anna Flores Locke

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Using a basic qualitative research design, this author interviewed eight Latino doctoral students in counseling programs about their professional identity development experiences. The author analyzed the data from a Latino Critical Race theoretical perspective to explore the ways in which power and privilege played a role in the participants’ professional identity development as Latino doctoral students in a predominantly White American profession. The results supported that ethnicity played a central role in the participants’ experiences navigating professional identity within a predominantly White American profession. The three themes that emerged were: (1) being one of the few, (2) navigating professional identity …

Teaching Mindful Awareness Skills To Middle School Students And Its Relationship To Student Engagement With School And Student Test Anxiety, Kathy Shoemaker

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examined the relationship between teaching mindful awareness skills to middle school students and both student engagement and test anxiety. The moderating effects of certain cultural characteristics (gender, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status [SES], English as a second language [ESL], and disability status) on the relationship between teaching mindful awareness skills and both student engagement and test anxiety was also examined. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-test research design with a control group was employed. The Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM), the Healthy Self-Regulation Scale (HSR), the Student School Engagement Measure (SSEM), and the brief version of the FRIEDBEN Test Anxiety …

Understanding The Counselor Experience When Working With End Of Life Clients, Connie S. Ducaine

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This was a qualitative study exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients who are coping with an advanced illness and approaching end of life. The study focused on the risks and benefits of fostering relationships with end of life clients, with an emphasis on how these practitioners process their experiences. While supporting clients at end of life, these professionals often were impacted by the deaths of people who they had worked with for varying lengths of time.

The findings suggest that these counselors experienced many of the same issues that have been documented by other helping professions, and that …

Professional School Counselors And High School Graduation : Does Assigned School Counselor Correlate With Students' Rate Of Graduation?, Dawn Marie Horton

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

High school counselors are coming under increased pressure to demonstrate both their effectiveness in supporting individual students’ success in school and their ability to provide effective comprehensive school counseling programs. The evidence based research on effective school counseling practices is limited, and additional research is needed to assist practitioners in their work. An important area of concern is the work school counselors do to assist students in achieving graduation. Limited research has been focused on whether school counselors actually impact their students’ graduation rates. In this current research, the graduation rates of students assigned to school counselors were examined to …

End-Of-Life Caregiving And Meaning Reconstruction : Experiences Of Adult Children Providing Home-Based End-Of-Life Care For A Parent, Kim Marie Tassinari

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Caring for a terminally ill parent is a tremendous responsibility and a job for which most adult children are unprepared, especially if care is provided in the home. As the silver tsunami or the graying of America, fast approaches, many families will be faced with the tremendous responsibility of caring for a parent. Few researchers, however, have examined the experiences of adult children who have provided end-of-life (EOL) care in the home. Moreover, there is a paucity of research from the counseling profession that explores how individuals construct meaning after EOL caregiving experiences with their parents or how they make …

The Meaning Of Sexual And Gender Identities In Transgender Men, William B. Baker

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the complexity of the lived experiences of trans men, how sexual orientation and gender identity play out in the lives of trans men, and how that lived experience changed during transitioning. The research was aimed at finding how sexual orientation and gender identity, usually treated as separate and independent constructs, interconnect with each other. Eight transgender men were interviewed in-depth over a period of several months. Their perspectives gave insight into how sexual and gender identities are related and how one informs the other.

The present study showed that …

Campus Climate For Lgbtq Students, Rick Brown

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As institutions of higher education have become increasingly cognizant of the need to ensure a welcoming campus climate for all members of their student populations, they have begun to undertake campus climate studies to assess student experiences and perceptions. While the majority of studies have been quantitative in nature, in-depth qualitative studies have been conducted in recent years. These studies have started to provide institutions with opportunities to really hear and understand the experiences of their students. The purpose of this study was to hear and understand the reported experiences of LGBTQ college students with campus climate at a mid-sized …

The Influence Of Age, Gender, And Leisure On The Life Satisfaction Of Widowed Older Adults, Marcela Kepic

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Spousal loss can be a stressful life event for older adults and a difficult experience that affects daily life and life satisfaction of older adults. Life satisfaction is considered an important part of successful aging. The purpose of this study was to examine how participation in leisure activities, a person’s gender, and time since spousal loss influence life satisfaction of widowed older adults. A sample of 222 widowed older adults selected from the Americans Changing Lives (ACL) dataset was used in order to determine the relationship and impact of predictor variables on time since spousal loss, change in physical leisure …

Helping Students Achieve Their Goals : The Experience Of Working With Students With Mental Health Concerns In A Residence Hall, Kevin P. Schafer

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Individuals living with a mental health issue and attending college may experience significant opportunities for growth and also personal challenges in their development into young adulthood. Residence hall directors may be instrumental in assisting this population during their college years. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of residence hall directors working specifically with students with mental health concerns. Grounded in Relational-Cultural-Theory and Chickering’s Student Developmental Theory this study was a two phase study conducted at universities and colleges in the northeast United States. Utilizing a basic qualitative approach deductive coding was used to examine the …

Exploring The Predictive Value Of Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, And Institutional Factors On College Women's Intention To Help In Sexual Harassment Prevention, Amy D. Zavadil

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study set out to explore intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional factors among college women as predictors of intention to help in sexual harassment situations. The study included factors of race, sexual orientation, experience of sexual harassment, group or organization participation, knowing a survivor, awareness of policy, and likelihood to report harassment as ecological factors. A hierarchical multiple regression model was used to identify intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional factors as predictors of intention to help. Sexual orientation was also explored as a moderating variable. Discussion of implications for prevention educators, Title IX coordinators, and counselors is included, as well as proposed …

Aspects Of Site Supervision As Predictors Of Group Leader Self-Efficacy For Pre-Service School Counselors, Sarah I. Springer

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As pre-service school counselors prepare to lead groups in practice, it is important to consider their beliefs about their abilities to run groups with children and adolescents in the school setting. Site supervision is one aspect of students’ experiential training that can impact the development of confidence surrounding group facilitation. The purpose of this study was to examine specific site supervisory factors that impact the development of pre-service school counselors’ group leader self-efficacy. Data from a sample of 123 pre-service school counseling internship students from CACREP-accredited programs was collected in order to determine the impact of predictor variables (general selfefficacy, …

The Relationship Of School Counselors’ Disabilities Competence With Self-Efficacy And Pre-Service Training And The Influence Of Experience, Training, And Self-Efficacy On Disabilities Competence, Anthony Cannella

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

There were three purposes to this research study. First, the relationship between school counselors’ disabilities competence and their self-efficacy was examined through a correlation. Next, the relationship between school counselors’ disabilities competence and their pre-service training was investigated through a correlation. Finally, the predictive value of work experience, personal experience, training experience, and self-efficacy was observed in relation to school counselors’ disabilities competence through a multiple regression analysis. This dissertation includes an overview of the study, a review of the pertinent literature, a detailed description of the study’s methodology, an analysis of the results, and a discussion about the implications …

The Influence Of Counselor Demographics, Work Experience, And Training On Counselor Self-Efficacy And Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy Among Urban School Counselors, Franco A. Gordillo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive value of counselor demographics, work experience, and training on counselor self-efficacy and multicultural counseling self-efficacy in urban school counselors. In addition, the predictive relationship between school counselor self-efficacy and school counselor multicultural counseling self-efficacy was examined. A correlational analysis was used to determine significance among the predictor variables and the constructs of school counselor selfefficacy and school counselor multicultural counseling self-efficacy. Several regression analyses were then applied to determine the predictive relationship of the significant variables and the stated constructs. Lastly, a regression analysis was used to examine the predictive …