Counseling Commons^™

Effective Treatment Modalities, Recommendations, And Desired Outcomes For Adolescents With Co-Occurring Disorders, Madelynn J. Revord

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone Project analyzes and assesses recent research of different modalities of treatment for adolescents with co-occurring disorders. While conducting research on this topic, the common goal of effective treatment for adolescents with co-occurring disorders includes eliminating continued substance abuse, resolving conduct concerns, developing appropriate coping skills, correcting negative thoughts and/or behaviors, decreasing delinquency, and addressing reoccurring mental health symptoms. Multidimensional family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, group therapy, and individual therapy are compared to formulate effective clinical approaches for adolescents with co-occurring disorders. Adverse childhood experiences, risk and protective factors, suicidality, community involvement, parental education and early intervention, …

The Spirit Empowering Counselors To Be Culturally Competent In A Racially And Ethnically Changing Society, Sandra K. Richardson, Yasmine A. Godinez, Lemuel J. Godinez

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Significant change in the counseling field begins in counselor education programs. Concerns of biased, incompetent, and ineffective counseling services for culturally diverse clients plague the mental health profession (ACA, 2021; Sue & Sue, 2016). Rapid shifts in the racial and ethnic demographic composition of American society and the overt expression of hate and violence on the lives of People of Color place a greater demand on mental health professionals to pursue and acquire multicultural competencies (Brown, 2020; Embrick, 2015). Cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills are needed to establish meaningful therapeutic relationships, to provide effective treatment, and to effectively advocate for …

Intersectional Identities Of Race And Religion Of African American Muslims And Their Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services, Cheruba A. Dhanaraj

Dissertations

African American Muslims have overlapping and interconnected identities of race and religion that can be conceptualized by the intersectionality framework to understand the complexities of barriers they face when seeking mental health services. African American Muslims have a higher risk of mental health issues due to systemic racism, racial discrimination, racial trauma, and Islamophobic discrimination. Yet, there is a lack of scholarly research or studies that focus explicitly on African American Muslims' specific mental health needs, barriers, and attitudes related to seeking mental health treatment.

This study sought to fill the gap in knowledge about attitudes toward seeking mental health …

Moving Past Resilience: How To Foster Perseverence In Students, Lisa M. Brown, Kimberly A. Brumley

Psychology Department Faculty Conferences

No abstract provided.

Otherfathering And Black Men’S Mental Health: A Primer For Counselors, Michael D. Hannon

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

No counseling research exists about how otherfathering affects Black men’s wellness. Black otherfathering has been primarily studied in schools as one of many expectations for Black male teachers. A review of research about the relationship between fathering, otherfathering, and mental health in Black men is presented and concludes with a rationale for more research about Black otherfathering as a potential protective factor for Black men’s mental health.

Evaluating The Effects Of A Pennsylvania-Based Medicaid-Funded Mental Health Peer Support Program, Jessica A. Peacock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Certified peer specialists, or mental health peer support services, have grown as a non-traditional service to provide mental health and recovery support to individuals struggling with a mental health diagnosis. The use of mental health peer support services is an attempt to provide non-clinical mental health recovery support through the lived experience of individuals in recovery. This non-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effects of Medicaid-funded mental health peer support services on mental health recovery outcomes of individuals with serious mental illness or severe emotional disturbances. This study used quantitative analysis of archival data. Four mental health recovery outcome variables …

The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse And Disordered Eating: Applications Of Narrative Therapy, Taylor Heilman, David Bright

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

While research has demonstrated a significant relationship between sexual abuse and the development of disordered eating behaviors, research on techniques to address disordered eating formed in this manner remains limited. Posttraumatic stress as well as internalized feelings of guilt, shame, and blame all contribute to the development of disordered eating in those who have experienced sexual violence. Narrative Therapy focuses on restorying an individual’s experienced and lived themes to make the creation of a new, healthy interpretation of trauma. Limited research has explored the potential application of restorying to populations experiencing disordered eating and sexual abuse trauma, independently. This conceptual …

A Systemic Approach To Understanding Burnout Through The Lens Of The United States’ Professional Art Therapy (And Mental Health) Community: A Literature Review, Mary Welch

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Burnout among mental health counseling and art therapy professionals has long been an issue (Meyerson 1998; Prins et al., 2015; Yang & Hayes, 2020; Zeira 2021). While previous research into the causes and reduction of burnout have focused primarily on individual burnout, both in terms of psychology and workplace habits (Rollins et al. 2021), very few studies have been done examining the systemic, institutional, and cultural contributions to burnout in these professions. This paper aims to explore the connection between community standards and the current systems that intersect professional art therapy practice in the United States and the areas in …

High School Social Emotional Curriculum, Misty Galvin

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

High School Social Emotional Learning is a topic that is difficult to implement without being patronizing to the audience. This project seeks to determine best practices for school counselors, including a literature review on barriers to adolescents receiving adequate mental health care. Since the biggest barrier for high schoolers to seek mental health care is the fear of stigma, these lessons are intended to be fun and help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues. Guided by the ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors, lessons that can be utilized in stand-alone group guidance classes have been curated.

Addressing Systemic Inequities: A Psychoeducational Group For Advocating For African Americans, Jaree' Barnwell

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

This paper will discuss and describe the development of an open psychoeducational group that will empower people of the community through education to advocate for African American/Black people within institutions that may perpetuate barriers. Acknowledging that one in four people struggle with mental health issues, it is imperative to consider an appropriate treatment modality that destigmatizes mental health and equips participants with information. This group is especially relevant as one in three African Americans, who struggle with mental health concerns, will never receive the appropriate care comparatively afforded to white populations. This thesis will concisely discuss the education system, the …

The Fetishization Of Asian American Women: Where We Are And Where To Go, Genevieve Askin

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Women of color in the United States suffer from hyper sexualization and fetishization, and Asian American (AA) women are no different. These racial microaggressions and normalized expressions of oppression based on both race/ethnicity and gender contribute to a distinct marginalization that women of color experience. This paper seeks to 1) explore the unique layers of oppression that AA women face, including combating the model minority myth, westernized beauty standards, and fetishization, as well as 2) address the difference in reception between the Stop Asian Hate movement and Black Lives Matter, while defining and critiquing the whitewashing of this field in …

Mental Health In Rural Communities: Barriers And Solutions To Access, Andrea Ducharme

Counselor Education Capstones

Rural communities encompass a unique culture and a way of life difficult to find anywhere else. Unfortunately, barriers to mental health services exist more frequently in rural than urban and suburban areas. These barriers include stigma, cultural factors, financial concerns, as well as lack of resources and providers. Solutions to these barriers exist in some part, but also present their own challenges. This literature review explores the problem, causes of the problem in the form of barriers, and solutions to accessing mental health resources in rural areas of the United States. A discussion with suggestions for further action and study …

Promoting Resilience In Youth Through A Group Poetry And Art Making Program, Nile V. Stanley, Steffani Fletcher

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Hope at Hand, Inc. is a North Florida nonprofit that uses therapeutic art and poetry lessons to help marginalized youth recognize and overcome circumstances that limit their successful participation in society. The presentation will demonstrate interventions informed by narrative psychological research to improve resilience through the coping strategies of (1) social competence, (2) problem-solving skills, (3) autonomy, (4) sense of purpose, and (5) life story reframing.

The Role Of Fear And Stigma In Perpetuating Racial Health Orientation Disparities In Emerging Adults, Melissa Zeligman, Andrew Wood, Dania Fakhro, Margaret Foulk

Adultspan Journal

This study examined relationships between cancer fear, race, anticipated stigma of chronic illness, and health orientation in emerging adults (N = 152). Hierarchical regressions and moderation analyses were used to evaluate the predictive nature of these variables on health orientation, as well as to determine the moderating role of race between cancer fear, anticipated stigma of chronic illness, and health orientation. Family history of chronic illness and cancer fear were both found to predict health orientation scores significantly. In addition, although people of color reported greater levels of anticipated stigma of chronic illness, race did not moderate the relationship …

Equine-Assisted Therapy And Learning Interventions With Youth: A Meta-Analysis And Quasi-Experimental Study., Sarah Lovins

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Equine-assisted psychotherapy interventions have become increasingly used and tested as an alternative or complementary approach with youth. This project presents two studies. The first study consists of an overview of existing reviews and a meta-analysis of controlled and comparison studies on the effectiveness of equine interventions with youth. A comprehensive search and selection procedure produced 3,525 records, from which 56 quantitative studies were identified, and ultimately 16 controlled or comparison studies were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Results showed a statistically significant, medium, and homogenous effect size for the overall effectiveness of equine interventions for youth psycho-social outcomes ( …

Cultivating Wellness In A Pandemic: Virtually Engaging Higher Education Students With Experiential Activities, Chi-Sing Li, Yu-Fen Lin, Diane Smedley

Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

Students in higher education experienced extreme challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and the stress of obtaining a college education during the year between 2020 and 2021. As a result, students’ mental health was impacted, and their coping skills were on trial. In addition, due to COVID-19 safety precautions, many universities have experienced the plight of shifting all classes to an online platform since March of 2020. As a result, higher education educators were faced with the conundrum of effectively teaching students in this virtual learning environment. To cultivate wellness, the authors recommended various experiential activities for higher education educators and …

Social And Cultural Considerations In Accessing Mental Health Treatment In The Gambia, West Africa, Safiya Njai

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines the social and cultural considerations in accessing mental health treatment in The Gambia, West Africa. Participants were recruited from The Gambia for a qualitative study that included semistructured interviews (N = 17). A team of analysts identified five themes. The results highlighted social and cultural conceptualizations of mental health and mental illness, sociocultural determinants of health, interventions, barriers to care, and the legal framework to support mental health change. These findings are important for counselors to understand different perceptions of mental health and mental illness and the associated stigma. Furthermore, several opportunities for advocacy in The Gambia …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Client And Stylist Interaction As A Culturally Specific Form Of Coping With Stress For Black Women In The United States, Nicole Michelle Holden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to describe the experience of Black women who visit the salon regularly in the United States. This study is constructed around the culturally intimate relationship of the stylist-client interaction in the Black community as a historical coping mechanism in which Black women utilize for stress and life challenges rather than seek professional mental health services. Although COVID-19 continues to mount a significant mortality rate and financial hardships, its disproportionate effects on communities of color will have lasting implications on their mental health. The need for mental health services has increased due to the mental …

Nature And Its Place In Professional Counseling: A Qualitative Study Of Expert Views, Experiences, And Future Plans, Matthew V. Bukowski

Dissertations, 2020-current

Recent publications and initiatives within professional counseling indicate a growing interest in the connections between human wellness and the natural world. Despite consistent growth of this trend between the years 2000 and 2021, there has been little dialogue within the profession about the ethical, ideological, and social justice implications of integrating nature therapy with professional counseling and counselor education. This study investigated the views, experiences, and future plans of 10 counselor educators who integrate nature therapy into their professional roles and developed two major themes and 12 subthemes that encapsulate their responses. Participants in the study overall shared a desire …

Commonalities Between Urban Mental Health And Rural Mental Health, Casey Bohlman

Counselor Education Capstones

During research into mental health, a common theme is the needs of urban and rural communities. There are entire journals dedicated to the mental health needs of these groups. Some common problems faced in both areas are access to mental health services as well as value systems that create barriers to accepting mental health services. The struggle to accept the help from very limited and often underfunded mental health services provides a perfect storm for rampant mental health and drug abuse problems. This is a review the current literature regarding the mental health services and barriers in these communities to …

Mental Health Concerns In Graduate Students: Implications And Effective Interventions, Brody Fanshaw

Counselor Education Capstones

Graduate school can be a stressful time for students. In addition to academic tasks, individuals in graduate programs frequently experience stress due to personal and professional obligations. The distressing nature of managing these priorities allows for an increase in mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality. The reviewed literature finds that programs that have positive factors within their department, such as a positive environment and supportive advisement, allow for an opportunity to curb these concerns. The literature also notes the importance of universities preparing their students for these stressors during their time in their graduate program, in addition …

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 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 …

Advancing Behavioral Health Literacy, James Scollione

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Accessing, comprehending, and using information to make informed decisions and improve one’s overall health or well-being are the foci of health literacy. The concept of behavioral health was introduced in the early 1980s and, since then, it has influenced new ideas (e.g., behavioral health literacy and integrated behavioral health care) and gained research and public attention. My aim is to provide an overview of definitions (i.e., health literacy, mental health literacy, and behavioral health literacy) and their connection to each other. I propose an expanded and honed definition of behavioral health literacy to enhance the behavioral health literacy and well-being …

A Quantitative Study Of Child Sexual Assault Survivors’ Struggles With Poor Marital Satisfaction: Mediated By Loneliness And Depression, Thomas Litzinger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Child sexual assault (CSA) is growing at startling rates in the United States and is related to a staggering number of adult psychosomatic modification problems and outcomes. CSA has been a subject of interest in sexual health research for many years; however, research regarding the sexual health consequences of CSA has been hampered by methodologic changeability. CSA and the sexual victimization of boys and men has been understudied despite its prevalence and potentially detrimental outcomes in the U.S. and worldwide. A large body of research has revealed many adverse psychological and social impacts of CSA in samples of adult male …

Administrative Supervision And Counselor Burnout, Emily Belsito

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental health counselors continue to experience burnout due to their roles and the nature of their work. The supervisory working alliance and clinical supervision have been shown to be one protective factor against burnout, however the research to date on administrative supervision’s relationship to burnout is scant. This quantitative study involved a sample (N =110) of mental health counselors, who met specific criteria, who completed a series of three inventories: the Counselor Burnout Inventory (CBI), the Brief Supervisory Working Alliance Trainee Form (BSWAT), and the Satisfaction of Administrative Supervision Scale (created by researcher). A multiple regression using the enter …

Minority Adolescents And School Referral: The Importance Of School Counselors And The Referral System, Samantha Jo Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate a school-based referral system in northwest Missouri that is effectively able to identify students with mental health concerns, help students find treatment options, and provide any follow-up needed. The main focus in this qualitative case study was on what makes one school district in northwest Missouri have an effective and successful mental health referral system. The theory guiding this study was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This motivational theory is a five-tier model of human needs, including physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Without having all these needs met, an …

Challenges For Children And Adolescents With Autism And Their Families During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Orsolya Pachner, Gabor Aranyi

Journal of Global Awareness

The restrictions and lockdown measures implemented in response to the Covid-19 pandemic have posed a pronounced risk to the mental health of people with autism and their families. We discuss specific difficulties affecting children and adolescents with autism and their families during the pandemic, drawing on a broad range of recently published research in many countries and regions. A global perspective is adopted to provide an overview of the state of affairs and identify good practices. We consider challenges in four areas: research and practice related to autism, challenges facing children and adolescents with autism, specific difficulties in their education …

Community Art For Rebuilding College Communities Following The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Amber Haney

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This paper is an examination of arts-based community engagement projects as a way to creatively engage, support, and endorse healing in college communities. This paper was written with consideration for potential long-term impacts on college students, individually and collectively, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this paper, college student mental health trends in the United States are addressed and existing community engagement projects that center around community, healing, and resilience are examined. This paper argues that art therapy practices that are meant to advance societal healing can occur outside of the traditional, clinical individual or group therapy session …