Counseling Commons^™

Will To Meaning: A Pilot Study On Teaching Existential Theory Through Creative Techniques, Laura L. Wood, Lori Mcandrew, Jason S. Frydman

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Early career clinicians have reported limited experience utilizing existential concepts in their clinical practice. This deficit may be attributed to a gap in training. Further, utilizing creative techniques to elucidate conceptual understanding has a demonstrated history of effectiveness in the classroom. This study explored whether the use of creative instructional techniques supports student learning of existential counseling theory, and, if so, which specific tools do students prefer. Through pairing existential concepts with creative instructional techniques, the researchers hypothesized that understanding would increase. Students reported a significant increase in their knowledge of existential concepts following the use of creative instructional techniques …

Enhancing Clinical Competencies In Counselor Education: The Deliberate Practice Coaching Framework, Taylor Irvine, Chelsea Fullilove, Arielle Osman, Lilia Farmanara, Kelly Emelianchik-Key

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In the counselor education (CE) literature, there remains a paucity of available research on systematic methods to enhance counselors-in-training (CIT) clinical competencies. Currently, CIT report feeling not only ill-equipped in essential counseling competencies upon graduating, but they also indicate diminished self-efficacy before engaging in clinical work. Therefore, we propose the Deliberate Practice Coaching Framework (DPCF) to address these issues. This systematic framework integrates deliberate practice components and coaching, with a peer mentoring relationship, to help enhance CIT clinical competencies and skill development, as well as promote overall self-efficacy. We provide a case illustrating the application of the DPCF. We also …

Tenure Standards, Scholarly Productivity, And Workloads Of Counselor Educators At Doctoral And Master's-Only Counseling Programs, Gregory Hatchett

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

This article describes the results of a survey that inquired about the tenure standards, scholarly productivity, and workloads of counselor educators (N = 119) at doctoral-level counselor education programs. These survey results were then compared to the results attained in an earlier study of counselor educators (N = 168) at master’s-only programs at comprehensive universities (Hatchett, 2020). These two groups of counselor educators differed on the following variables: proportion of counselor educators with Ph.D.’s, binary gender, perceptions of tenure criteria, scholarly productivity on an annual basis and at the time of tenure applications, teaching schedules, distribution of work …

In-Home Counseling Clinical Supervision: A Multiple-Case Study Analysis, Janelle M. Cox, Connie T. Jones, Stephanie F. Dailey

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

An understanding of the knowledge and skills necessary for clinical supervision of in-home counselors is scarce in counseling. To address this gap, the authors conducted a multiple-case study with three clinical supervisors from two in-home counseling agencies in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Data was collected through multiple sources: individual interviews, clinical supervisors contracts, and philosophies. Within-case and cross-case analysis resulted in four themes: clinical supervision practices, training and evaluation, ethical dilemmas, and boundary setting. Implications of these findings suggest clinical supervisors at in-home agencies are not receiving formal training and rely heavily on previous experience to guide their clinical supervision practice, …

Creativity In Supervision Using The Integrated Developmental Model Of Supervision, Kyle Bellinger, Stacia Carone

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Clinical supervision is a primary task of the professional counseling supervisor. The American Counseling Association (2014) Code of Ethics includes requirements for supervisors to be competent in the delivery of supervision. The Integrated Developmental Model (IDM) (McNeill & Stoltenberg, 2015; Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987) is a widely accepted supervision model (Salvador, 2016) that can be utilized to conceptualize supervisees’ levels of expertise and corresponding skills. The use of creativity in supervision has been reported to improve counselor insight and resulting conceptualizations of and relationships with clients (Lahad, 2000). The IDM of supervision, in conjunction with creative interventions can be implemented …

Perceptions Of Poverty: Exploring Counseling Students’ Reactions To Presenting Concerns, Sarah K. Tucker, Michael K. Schmit, Amanda L. Giordano Dr.

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Understanding counseling students’ preferences, competence, and perceived training related to presenting concerns is important information for counselor training programs. Given the association between poverty and mental health concerns, we compared counseling students’ reactions to presenting concerns often linked to poverty (e.g., financial concerns/assistance) to their reactions toward other clinical issues (e.g., gender identity development). Students’ provided ratings of clinical preference for working with various presenting concerns, and concerns that may be prevalent among clients living in poverty ranked last. Additionally, we utilized a repeated measure design to examine differences in students’ perceived competence and perceived training across four case vignettes …

Assessing Bayesian Racism Scale: Measuring Endorsement Of Racial Stereotypes, Stacey Diane Arañez Litam, Richard S. Balkin

Faculty and Student Publications

Bayesian racism is the belief that it is rational to discriminate against people based on existing racial stereotypes. The presence of Bayesian racism is strongly associated with negative feelings about minoritized groups and the desire to maintain racially inequitable social hierarchies. A confirmatory factor analysis on the Bayesian Racism Scale (BRS) yielded a unidimensional measure for assessing prejudicial attitudes that endorse stereotypes based on racial and ethnic groups. Findings from the study have important implications for multicultural and social justice research.

The Relationship Between Witnessing Bullying, Defending Targets, And Internalizing Symptoms: An Analysis Of Gender Differences Among Sixth-Grade Students, Aida Midgett, Diana M. Doumas, Matt Peck, Amanda Winburn

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

We examined the moderating effect of gender on witnessing bullying, defending, and internalizing symptoms among sixth-grade students at one middle school in the northwestern United States. Results indicated that for females, witnessing bullying was positively associated with depressive symptoms and social anxiety, whereas for males, defending was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Findings suggest the importance of equipping female students with strategies to cope with witnessing bullying and providing male students with appropriate intervention skills for defending targets.

Feedback-Informed Treatment (Fit) Data Demonstrates The Importance Of The First Session With A Client, Huma Bashir, Josephine F. Wilson, Greta H. Meyer

Human Services Faculty Publications

Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) is a client-driven, outcome-based approach to enhance treatment outcomes. FIT data from 2,283 clients served by 80 counselors working at nine participating agencies were collected and analyzed to measure client response. These data included Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) scores obtained at the beginning of each session and Session Rating Scale (SRS) scores obtained at the end of each session. TotalORS and Total SRS scores at the first session for the individuals who failed to improve from first to last sessions were significantly lower than the Total ORS and Total SRS scores at the first session for …

An Exploration Of Military Spouse Mental Health: Religion/Spirituality, Resilience, Social Support, Deployment, And Rank, Sharita Gwen Knobloch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military spouses (MLSPs) are a vital component of military readiness and resilience, yet they are highly understudied, particularly within the realm of mental health. This study was grounded in resilience theory, investigating relationship interactions between religion/spirituality (R/S) on mental health through resilience (mediator) conditioned at levels of social support, deployment, and rank (moderators). An online survey was distributed via social media, open to MLSPs of all branches and all components (N = 1079). This quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional correlational research design utilized PROCESS Model 58, which found that two R/S subscales, Daily Spiritual Experiences and Religious Coping, exerted indirect effects on …

The Effectiveness Of Faith-Based Group Life Coaching On Stress And Anxiety Levels In Spouses Of Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Esperanza Pilar Guerra Lugo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Veterans who courageously served in the military are often diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and their spouses are at high risk of suffering in silence from stress and anxiety. Many spouses are also their Veteran’s caregiver which leaves little time for their own self-care needs. Being a Veteran’s 24-hour caregiver can lead to poor physical and mental health, aggravating spouses stress and anxiety levels which is often only treated with medication or goes untreated due to lack of mental health care access and the stigma that comes with it. The literature review explores the research gap of how online faith-based …

Vicarious Trauma In Spouses/Intimate Partners Of Law Enforcement Officers And The Relationship Between Trauma And Relationship Functioning, Dortheen Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The phenomenological study is to understand better the impact of vicarious trauma (VT) on the spouses/intimate partners of law enforcement officers (LEO)s in Alabama and allow researchers to attain a meaningful understanding of real-life events and the complexity of the social phenomenon. The goal is to highlight the inequity in the treatment of spouses/intimate partners of LEOs and develop protocols for mandatory reporting trauma. The theories guiding this study are constructivist self-development theory (CSDT), secondary trauma theory (STT), and family stress theory (FST). The participants were former/current spouses/intimate partners of LEOs who experienced trauma while in the line of duty. …

The Moderating Effect Of Shame Proneness On Avoidant God Attachment And On Anxious God Attachment, Tamika Andrews Sirmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study’s focus was on examining both anxious and avoidant God attachment and the correlation of each to both positive and negative religious coping as moderated by shame proneness. Participants were 158 individuals ages 18 to 70 years across the United States who proclaim Christianity. They were assessed on their attachment relationship with God, religious coping strategies, and proneness to shame. Correlation analysis already established the relationship between God attachment and religious coping. Regression analysis revealed shame proneness as a moderator of the relationship between the two attachment styles and both positive and negative religious coping. This study had limitations …

The Strong Black Woman And Marital Satisfaction: A Mediation Moderation Analysis Of Mental Health And Religiosity, Jessica Christine Wright

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between endorsement of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) schema (stoicism and independence subscales), mental health (depression and anxiety), marital satisfaction, and the potential moderating effects of religiosity (negative and positive religious coping) on the strength and direction of this relationship. Participants consisted of four-hundred and thirty-nine married women who were recruited via Qualtrics. The women completed inventories to assess for SBW endorsement, marital satisfaction, depression, anxiety, and both negative and positive religious coping. The results indicated embracing characteristics of SBW-stoicism predicted decreased marital satisfaction and increased anxiety and depression. In …

Nicu Experiences Of Adoptive Parents & Desired Preparation, Catherine J. Howe

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Parents who have newborns admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) have multiple experiences and emotions. Additional social and emotional layers are experienced by adoptive couples when the infant they wish to adopt needs specialized care. This research study was completed to find out what adoptive parents experience in the NICU and what preparation would have been helpful. The method included semi-structured, open-ended interviews with seven couples who adopted a newborn at a Midwestern adoption agency within the past three years and had a NICU experience. The results described adoptive couples’ experiences on the unit, bonding and attachment, fears …

All God's Children: An Exploratory Study Of Factors To Promote Inclusion Of Autistic Children Within Local Church Congregations, David John Scott Quel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the gap that exists within the literature concerning the parent’s perspective for incorporating Autistic individuals into the life of the church. The theory guiding this study is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In Maslow’s hierarchy, there are five level of needs. These areas are physical needs, security needs, love and belonging, esteem needs and self-actualization. These are the most basic needs whether someone is disabled, has special needs, or has no problems at all. The problem remains, far too often, those individuals who are on the Autistic spectrum are looked at as …

An Evaluation Of A School District’S Mental Health Services Program Designed To Ensure A Safe And Positive Learning Environment For All, Jasodra Suba

Dissertations

A key component to academic success is comprehensive mental health services for students. The intended purpose of this evaluation was to study the implementation of strength-based performance standards in one school district’s mental health training for all individuals preparing to work in a school-based environment. The context of my program evaluation was one large public school district in the United States operating in a state that mandates that each public school district implement a mental health services program. As part of this study, I examined the underlying concerns surrounding the large public school district’s implementation of evidence-based Mental Health Assistance …

The Shared Experiences Of Black Women Faculty In Counselor Education Programs At Predominately White Institutions: A Thematic Analysis, Caitlyn Ybarra

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black women faculty (BWF) are underrepresented in university settings when compared to national representation in the population. This underrepresentation of Black women is also seen in counselor education; however, there is a lack of research regarding the factors that influence BWF to pursue and secure tenured positions at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Given the current underrepresentation of BWF at PWIs, there is a need to examine the factors that would increase the recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty. Prior research has mainly focused on factors that supported the recruitment and retention of Black women doctoral students, but little research …

Exploration Of Strategies Of Teacher Leaders For Responding To Students Experiencing Trauma Framed In Casel's Social And Emotional Learning Theory, Kimberly Dionne Parrott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore strategies for supporting students experiencing trauma as perceived by teacher leaders framed in CASEL’s social and emotional learning theory. A descriptive instrumental case study design utilized data from online interviews and voluntarily submitted artifacts of nine middle school teacher leaders to investigate strategies used to support students experiencing trauma. Data were manually coded to determine themes indicating recommend strategies used to support students who have experienced trauma. The overall findings revealed that teacher leaders require professional development focusing on trauma-informed practices to suitably support students who are experiencing trauma. …

Exploring How Counselor Educators Define, Assess, And Manage Student Disposition Throughout The Gatekeeping Process, Ryan Cowell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Professional disposition plays an important role in counselor-in-training (CIT) development. Disposition is defined as the attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviors that contribute to a becoming a professional (Spurgeon et al., 2012). In addition, disposition is an attribute that must be evaluated and remediated as a part of accreditation through the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs (CACREP). Despite, the importance of disposition in CIT development and the requirement from CACREP, there are several difficulties related disposition. First, there is not a universally accepted definition for disposition in counselor education. In addition, there are few psychometrically tested dispositions …

The Impact Of A Crisis Intervention Team Program On Psychiatric Boarding, Kurtis Hooks

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Psychiatric boarding is the phenomenon of housing individuals in emergency departments while awaiting access to mental health services in the community. The expansion of psychiatric boarding is attributed to continued deinstitutionalization and under-resourcing of mental health services. Psychiatric boarding is also associated with deleterious outcomes for individuals in need of access to behavioral health services, facilities. There is limited research on programmatic efforts to reduce psychiatric boarding as it pertains to Crisis Intervention Team programs colocated in medical settings. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs are community-based, multi-stakeholder partnerships that include dedicated assessment centers crisis response and referral. This study utilized …

The Relationship Between The Practice Of Martial Arts, Anxiety, Wellness, And Self-Efficacy, William K. Knight Jr

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Although anxiety is a frequently researched topic, the growing numbers of diagnosed cases and the state of the present outcomes warrant the study of alternative approaches to address the causes and conditions of its prevalence, as well as possible adaptive strategies and tactics to improve outcomes for clients with anxiety. Counseling distinguishes itself in part due to its focus on well-being rather than mere alleviation of diagnosed symptoms. As such, it may be useful to measure the likelihood of some strategies and tactics associated with improved well-being in attempting to reduce symptoms of anxiety.

This study measured the practice of …

Premarital Counseling As Foundational To Discipleship, David J. Hollifield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This paper will examine the lasting impact of biblical, pastoral premarital counseling. Couples who have completed this type of program before marriage will be studied. This work will attempt to measure the impact of premarital counseling based on whether couples have used tools explored in their original counseling program in areas such as effective communication, conflict resolution, stewardship of money, and spiritual disciplines. If the tools and resources provided in counseling have never been utilized, this survey will seek to discover reasons the material was never used. The purpose of this study is to determine which areas are most helpful …

A Meta-Analysis Of Three Years Of Data On Outcomes Of Therapy Groups For Inmates In The Virginia Department Of Corrections, Abie Carroll Tremblay

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is responsible for about 28,000 inmates and 66,000 probationers and parolees annually. Mental health services are often conducted through therapeutic groups, many of which are manualized and based in cognitive behavioral therapy theory. In the three years, 2017 through 2019, VADOC conducted 172 therapeutic group therapy studies, and the resulting data, in the form of t-test scores, were made available for academic research. This meta-analysis investigated whether cognitive behavioral group therapy produced superior outcomes when compared to other theoretical orientations in group therapy in VADOC, if manualized group therapy treatments produced superior outcomes when …

The Effects Of Household Shocks On Child Nutrition Status In Tanzania, Monica Sebastian Kauky, Martin Chegere, Razack Bakari Lokina

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The main objective of this paper is to examine the effects of household shocks on the nutrition status of children between 0–59 months in Tanzania. The study employed the national panel survey data of Tanzania collected in three waves: 2008/09, 2010/11, and 2012/13. The study used the panel random-effects probit model to estimate the effects of household shocks on child nutrition status, measured by binary variables: stunting, wasting, and underweight. Findings indicated that weather shocks increase the probability of a child being stunted and underweight. Moreover, the results revealed that food price rise shocks and the death of a family …

Can Open-Mindedness Be Primed? An Investigation Into Creativity, Openness To Experience, And Open-Mindedness Among College Students With Implications For Counselors, Alex Gallimore

Journal of Interdisciplinary Graduate Research

With an ever-diversifying population, open-mindedness regarding an individual’s values and beliefs is important, especially for counselors. This study hypothesized that creativity could be a means to increase one’s open-mindedness. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, this study examined the impact of a creative task on participants’ open-mindedness. Additionally, a correlation was sought between open-mindedness and the Big Five personality trait of Openness to Experience as well as a comparison between participants studying for careers in the helping professions (counselors, psychologists, and social workers) and all other participants. Two hundred and forty-four students at a small, private university participated. Results found no significant …

Police Officers’ Attitudes Toward Personal Utilization Of Mental Health Services: A Mixed-Methods Study Conducted In The Rural South, Annie Morris

Journal of Interdisciplinary Graduate Research

This study explores the attitudes of police officers toward personal utilization of mental health services. It is a mixed-methods, descriptive study which incorporated qualitative interviews and quantitative data collected from local police officers. The Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-SF scale (ATSPPH-SF) was used to measure officer attitudes toward utilizing mental health services. Qualitative interview questions were used to further investigate their attitudes regarding mental health. The scores from the ATSPPH-SF scale reflected that the police officers in this study were moderately accepting of counseling services. Participants stated that officers would primarily be deterred from counseling due to prideful personalities …

2021-11-12 Pca Board Meeting Agenda, Pennsylvania Counseling Association

PCA Board of Directors Meetings

No abstract provided.

Heterosexual Parents Who Move Toward Acceptance Of Their Gay Sons, Brady Sullivan

Dissertations

Rejection of gay men by parents is a frequent occurrence. Rhoades et al. (2018) found 49% of a sample of 657 sexual minority children had experienced parental rejection due to their LGBTQ+ identity. However, the current body of literature does not discuss those heterosexual parents who initially reject their sexual minority children and then return to a place of acceptance. Within the framework of attachment theory, this dissertation used a basic qualitative approach, influenced by Grounded Theory methods, to investigate the experience of heterosexual parents who move toward acceptance of their gay son. Fifteen, white, heterosexual parents, ranging from ages …

The Value Of Adapting Counseling To Client’S Spirituality And Religion: Evidence-Based Relationship Factors, Amelia L. Evans, Jennifer Koenig Nelson

Graduate School Faculty Publications

There is a strong tradition of attention to relationship factors in the field of counseling. The research on the importance of the relationship and adapting to client factors continues to grow, supporting the importance of professional multicultural competence. The field of counseling, specifically within the United States context, has focused on Multicultural Counseling Competencies with more recent emphasis on social justice through the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies. Within these competencies, spirituality and religion are mentioned as multicultural components to consider as potentially salient to clients. Yet, there has been less emphasis on ways to adapt counseling to a …