Counselor Education Commons^™

From Innovation To Interaction: Processes Shaping Animal Assisted Therapy Implementation In Outpatient Settings In The United States, Rachel Rachlinski

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is an emerging mental health specialty marked by rapid growth, inconsistent training pathways, and the absence of regulatory oversight. Although professional organizations have published competencies and guidelines, no regulatory body ensures that educational programs or licensed practitioners adhere to these standards, leading to wide variability in practice and potential risks to clients and animals. This constructivist grounded theory study examined the processes shaping how licensed mental health providers understand and implement AAT in outpatient settings across the United States, with attention to the influence of training, supervision, and prior clinical experience.

Guided by the Consolidated Framework …

The Essence Of Black Parenthood Amid Juvenile Justice Contact: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Through Historical Trauma And Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome, Dana M. Wallace

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Traditional psychology was created by defining adaptive and maladaptive behaviors based on Eurocentric cultural norms. As a result, much of the research within the African American family utilizing Eurocentric ideologies and typologies has contributed to themes of inferiority and deficit-deficiency. This study attempts to move away from a deficit-deficiency model that assumes that because of the historical mistreatment of African American adults in this country, African American parents have developed competency deficits in areas necessary for the rearing/socialization process. In centering the African-ness of the Black family and utilizing Historical Trauma theory and Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome as contextual lenses, the …

Where's Waldo?: Finding The Missing Voice Of The College Counselor, Krystyn K. Dupree

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

College counseling has been integral to higher education for more than a century; however, the role of college counselors has become increasingly complex amid rising student mental health needs, growing symptom severity, and constrained institutional resources. Despite extensive research on college student mental health, little contemporary scholarship has examined the lived experiences of the professionals providing these services. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how college counselors who provide mental health services perceive their professional role within the context of higher education.

Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study conceptualized college counselors as embedded within interconnected …

A Quantitative Exploration Of Risk And Protective Factors Affecting The Mental Health Of Chitimacha Tribal Youth, Daphnie Vilcan-Tanner

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationships between demographics, risk factors, and protective factors with mental distress among Chitimacha Tribal adolescents aged 12 to 18. Using a Positive Youth Development framework, the research aimed to identify the prevalence of mental distress, trauma, discrimination, and protective factors, as well as their collective and individual impacts on mental health. Data were collected through online surveys completed by 73 participants residing on or near the Chitimacha Tribal Reservation. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data. Results revealed that while trauma and discrimination collectively predicted mental distress, family and community …

Building Rapport In Ethnoculturally Dissimilar Dyads: A Critical Grounded Theory Inquiry, Danielle E. Burton

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Multiculturalism is not a new concept within the field of counseling. It is discussed in terms adjacent to competency, theory, and identity development. However, research indicates that students do not usually feel multiculturally-competent following their graduation from counseling programs, nor do they feel that they have adequate skills and techniques to engage diverse clientele. This critical grounded theory study examines counseling skills, dispositional factors, systemic factors, and other experiential factors used in pursuit of rapport within counseling dyads of ethnocultural dissimilarity. Semi-structured interview data was coded to reveal five themes to be used as a heuristic for further discovery. These …

Development Of The Integrated-Cultural Well-Being Index (Icwi): A Content Validity & Inter-Rater Reliability Study With Experts In Clinical Mental-Health Counseling, Brandon L. Selby

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This dissertation study developed and validated the Integrated-Cultural Well-Being Index (ICWI), a psychological measurement that assessed well-being across both Individualist-Cultural (IC) and Collectivist-Cultural (CC) dimensions. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model, the ICWI was conceptualized to reflect the multidimensional nature of well-being in modern integrated societies, where cultural boundaries are increasingly fluid. The ICWI consists of ten latent dimensions of well-being: self-determination, social relationships, self-enhancement, self-contentment, cultural identity, cultural coping skills, communalism, cultural spirituality, life satisfaction, and mental health.

A three-phase expert validation process was conducted, employing both content validity and inter-rater reliability methodologies. Content validity was assessed using …

Behavioral Health Professionals’ Perception Of Anxiety Disorders Amongst African American Clients, Chantel K. Gant

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are frequent and increasing across the United States including for ethnically diverse populations (Carter et al., 2012). There is a need for education in the community on anxiety disorders about indicators of anxiety, severity and therapeutic approaches that would be beneficial (Johnson & Coles, 2013). It is imperative to know the variation in anxiety for African Americans to aid in therapeutic resources and counseling designed for this population (Hopkins & Shook, 2017). Prior research includes more of a focus on behavioral health professionals’ perspectives in conjectural situations rather than actual clinical practice (Joy & Bartholomew, 2021; Lawrence …

Therapeutic Approaches To Working With Perinatal Loss Clients: A Grounded Theory Study, Heather H. Olivier

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal loss (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, termination, and infant death) is commonly referred to in the literature as an invisible loss, non-loss, and even medical event. It is an ambiguous loss exhibiting the dialectical contradiction between the physical absence and psychological presence of the baby accompanied by disenfranchised grief, a reaction to a loss that is unacknowledged by society. Despite the likelihood of mental health clinicians working with clients who have experienced perinatal loss, there has yet to be a therapeutic model designed specifically for the unique grief and trauma reactions presented in this population. Existing grief models do not address …

Theory Application In Home-Based Counseling, Victoria Rodriguez

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Home-based counseling is a modality of counseling where a provider conducts sessions within a client’s home. Providing services in the home can improve access to services in rural areas or for clients without access to transportation or childcare and can increase participation in services in cases where traditional office-based services have been unsuccessful.

Despite these benefits for clients, home-based counselors might struggle with applying counseling theory within this setting. Theory is an integral part of both counselor identity and treatment planning; a theoretical orientation helps counselors conceptualize client issues, guide treatment goals, and assess progress. Due to the lack of …

Perceptions Of Sub-Saharan African International Students In United States: Mental Health Concerns And Help-Seeking Behavior, Adekemi L. Ekanoye

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

International students face a lot of challenges while studying abroad, with or without the supportive system that their families provide. Sub-Saharan Africa international students consists of 3.7 percent of the population, which indicates a 2.1 percent increase prior to previous year. While in the host country, this population is saddled with the self-responsibilities of maintaining their values, cultural identities, personality, language ability, self-perceptions, and attitudes. African international students adopt a masking behavior in the form of adaptive strategies that could hide the mental health concerns experienced.

The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to explore the untold lived …

The Development Of The Interdisciplinary School Violence Prevention Assessment (Isvpa): Exploratory Findings Of A Pilot Study, Lauren B. Clark

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

School violence is a global concern. Although divergent disciplines (i.e., counseling, psychology, criminology, and sociology) have made efforts to address the concern, student violence continues to occur in schools. Currently, threat assessments are widely supported and utilized to prevent school violence by examining the contributing factors to a student’s threatening communication or behaviors. The purpose of the present research was the initial development of the Interdisciplinary School Violence Prevention Assessment (ISVPA) to be used by school personnel with existing threat assessment procedures in order to connect students to counseling services. Several challenges were experienced during the research (i.e., COVID, Hurricane …

Exploring Community- And Society-Level Interventions For Healing Historical Trauma: A Grounded Theory Study, Anabel Mifsud

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Addressing historical trauma in populations that have been exposed to long-term mass violence, persecution, and systematic oppression is a critical step in the healing process in affected communities and societies. Despite the growing consensus for adopting a multilevel approach to mitigate the present-day impacts of historical grievances, extant literature on collective mental health interventions that address historical trauma is limited, fragmented, and largely theoretical. The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to examine how mental health practitioners respond to the challenges of historical trauma at the community and society levels, and to explore the functions that professional counselors …

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Personality Type In Counselor Education Students, Melissa Fleming

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Although emotional intelligence and personality are extensively researched topics, the two concepts are rarely studied within the context of counselor education. Thus, the purpose of the present research was to explore the relationships between 134 counseling students’ demographics, academic experience, emotional intelligence, and personality types who were enrolled in Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited programs in southern Louisiana and Texas. Students completed a Demographic Survey, the Mayer-Caruso-Salovey Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), and Jung’s Typology Test (JTT™). The ability model of emotional intelligence that was developed by Salovey and Mayer (1990) was used as …

A Sociopolitical View Of Mental Health: An Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of Policymakers Regarding Their Perspectives Surrounding Mental Health Policy Construction, Katie C. Fetzer

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A substantial gap exists between those who are considered experts on mental health (e.g., academics, mental health professionals) and those in charge of constructing mental health policies (e.g., legislators, Senators). This gap is in areas of both knowledge and professional relations. Mental health professionals are not adequately trained to engage in policy advocacy and reform efforts and have little to no policy advocacy training (Smith, Reynolds, & Rovnak, 2009). Policymakers lack necessary knowledge related to mental health for effective mental health policy construction (Corrigan, Druss, & Perlick, 2014; Lee, Smith, & Henry, 2013). As a result of this gap, mental …

A Narrative Inquiry Into African American Female Faculty Research Mentorship Experiences In Counselor Education, Chantrelle D. Varnado-Johnson

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, narratological research was to gain a deeper understanding of the stories of three African American counselor educators who experienced research mentorship as counseling students and faculty members while working towards tenure. The three participants were employed as assistant professors in CACREP-accredited counselor education graduate programs provided their perspectives of research mentorship. The primary research question for my research was: How do pre-tenured African American female counselor educators perceive their research mentorship experiences? The foundation for my study was provided by the review of literature focused on critical race theory, marginalized groups in academe, mentorship among …

Einstein Or Columbine: Impact Of School Environment On The Socioaffective Development Of Gifted And Talented Adolescents, Rebekah Granger-Ellis

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Why do some gifted minds thrive in life while others fail to fulfill their potential? The spotlight on violence perpetrated by bright individuals questions what went wrong, could it have been prevented, and whether schools are meeting the needs of gifted individuals. Thus, it is important to examine the impact of participation in various gifted and talented programs on the socioaffective development of gifted adolescents. The purpose of this study was to understand (1) if gifted individuals’ social and emotional development were similarly developed as their academic and creative abilities, and (2) if a particular school environment led to differences …

The Relationship Between The Hearing Distressing Voices Simulation And Changes In Empathy Among Master’S Students In Counseling, Jeffrey G. Strozier

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the hearing distressing voices simulation training, Developing Empathy for the Lived Experience of Psychiatric Disability: A Simulation of Hearing Distressing Voices (HDVS), developed by Patricia E. Deegan, Ph.D., will affect counseling students’ empathy for clients diagnosed with schizophrenia, as measured by the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Students version (JSE-HPS). The experimental design was a quasi-experimental, one-group, pre-test/ post-test, and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Professions Students version was used to measure empathy. A total of 55 participants were drawn from a convenience sample of …

The Relationship Between Administrator Leadership Style And Job Experience Of School Counselors, Lacey Ducote

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Since the inception of the school counseling profession, the role of school counselors has evolved in response to the social, political, and economic needs of society (Ergüner-Tekinalp, Leuwerke, & Terzi, 2009). Currently, the role of school counselors is to address the personal, social, academic, and career needs of students through a comprehensive development program (American School Counseling Association, ASCA, 2005). In school settings, counselors who are satisfied with their work are more effective in caring for clients and students (DeMato & Curcio, 2004). In recent years, administrators, including those working in school settings, have been called on to reassess the …

The Relationships Between Research Training Environment, Researcher Identity Formation Process, And Research Activity Among Counseling Doctoral Students, Heesook Lee Ms

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Current literature claims that the graduate students’ personal aspects not only influence research training outcomes, but they also serve as a mediator between students’ research activity and research training environment. In previous studies, key predictors of scholarly/research productivity among counseling graduate students have been investigated (Brown, Lent, Ryan, & McPartland, 1996; Kahn, 2001; Kahn & Scott, 1997). However, only 17% of the variance in three factors—research self-efficacy, research interests, and number of years in a program—predicted student research activities directly and research training environment indirectly. Bandura’s social cognitive theory was utilized as the conceptual framework for the study. Data was …

Supervision Experiences Of School Counselors-In-Training: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study, Anita M. Pool

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Students pursuing a master’s degree in CACREP-accredited school counseling programs are required to complete supervised field experiences as a part of their course requirements. During their practicum and internships experiences, they receive university supervision by a faculty member or doctoral student supervisor, as well as site supervision at the placement site, typically from a school counselor. University supervisors may lack experience in school counseling and knowledge of the unique roles and supervision needs of school counselors. In addition, site supervisors may lack training or knowledge of clinical supervision. Furthermore, the multiple systems in which SCITs function may have differing goals …

The Shared Experiences Of Counselors Who Practice In Natural Environments, Bonnie King

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to gain a deep understanding of the shared experiences of therapists who provide counseling in non-traditional, natural environment settings. Eight participants shared their experiences about counseling in nature. The primary research question for this study was: What are the shared experiences of counselors who provide nature-based counseling? A review of the literature of nature-based counseling provided benefits to spending time in nature, descriptions of various types of nature-based counseling, and ethical and legal issues that affect nature-based counselors.

Semi-structured interviews comprised of open-ended questions were used to collect data by phone and …

Men And Friendship: An Exploration Of Male Perceptions Of Same-Sex Friendships, Gerard Williams

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Differences between female and male same-sex friendships have been the subject of numerous studies. Additionally, male same-sex friendships have been studied independent of the differences related to female same-sex friendships. Despite these studies, a comprehensive, agreed on definition of male friendship remains unclear or ill-defined. The manner in which men perceive, express and experience same-sex friendships can be viewed as learned behaviors based on gender schema and sex typing. Men’s friendships, as viewed through the gender schema theory, are shaped through the association of gender based male identity and male behaviors. This phenomenological study investigated male perceptions of same-sex male …

How Play Therapists Integrate Knowledge Of Attachment Theory Into Clinical Practice: A Grounded Theory, Karen Marie Swanson Taheri

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The quality of the dynamics within individuals’ early relationships with their caregivers can impact the overall mental health, functioning, and quality of future relationships for those individuals (Aguilar, Sroufe, Egeland, & Carlson, 2000; Bowlby, 1988; Carlson, 1998; Cassidy & Shaver, 2008; Deklyen & Greenberg, 2008; Johnson & Whiffen, 2003; Levy & Orlans, 1998; Ogawa et al., 1997; Renken et al., 1989; Warren, Huston, Egeland, & Sroufe, 1997). Attachment Theory describes the nature, characteristics, and dynamics of the relationship between a child and caregiver, and delineates how an internal concept of self and self and others is created via those relationships …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Reporting Experience For Female Survivors Of Sexual Assault On College Campuses, Candace N. Park

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological design was used to explore the lived experiences of college women who reported sexual assault to law enforcement officials. Utilizing a feminist conceptual framework, the purpose of the present study was to identify the essence of the reporting experience for college women who experienced a sexual assault. Six college women agreed to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with open-ended questions to better understand the experience of the phenomenon under investigation. The Modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method of Analysis of Phenomenological Data (Moustakas, 1994) was utilized for analysis of the data collected in order to …

The Narratives Of Young Women With Brca 1/2 Gene Mutation: A Qualitative Analysis, Drew D. Reilly

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A narrative qualitative research design was used to understand the stories of young women diagnosed with BRCA1 and BRCA 2 genetic mutation. Four participants were selected who met the following criteria: (a) the participant is diagnosed with BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, b) is within the age range of 18 to 35, (c) is without a cancer diagnosis, and is (d) not currently pregnant and does not have children. The four participants were interviewed through open-ended inquiry. The participants’ narratives proved both similar and dissimilar. The themes were organized into within-case narratives and across-case narratives. The narratives revealed that young …

Parents’ Concerns About Their Gay And Lesbian Children: An Attachment Perspective, Danielle Desnoyers

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the concerns of parents upon learning about their children’s gay or lesbian sexual orientation from the conceptual framework of attachment theory. Personal and contextual factors such as parents’ attachment anxiety and avoidance, parent and child gender, length of time since disclosure, and parents’ prior interpersonal contact with gay and lesbian person(s) were examined to see how they influence parents’ concerns. Members of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) support groups were electronically surveyed using the Experiences in Close Relationships - Short Form (ECR-S; Wei, Russell, Mallinckrodt & Vogel, 2007) and …

The Role Balance Experience Of Black Female Counselor Education Doctoral Students Maintaining Full-Time Employment And Significant Relationships, Ariel Encalade Mitchell

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological research study explored the role balance experience of five Black female counselor education doctoral students who were balancing education, full-time employment, and significant relationships. Purposeful and snowball sampling were used to elicit participants who met these criteria: enrolled as a full-time doctoral student, employed full-time (30 or more hours weekly), and involved in a self-defined significant relationship.

The participants in this study individually provided insight into their respective perceived role balance experiences of balancing education, work, and significant relationships. The primary research question for the study was: “What is the role balance experience of Black female counselor …

Counselor Education Doctoral Students' Experiences With Multiple Roles And Relationships, Kristen N. Dickens

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of counselor education doctoral students who participated in multiple roles and relationships. Random purposeful sampling was used to conduct in-depth interviews with current doctoral students in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs who had completed at least one year of full-time enrollment as a doctoral student, participated in a minimum of two multiple roles that were provided in an a priori list, and had access to videoconferencing software in order to participate in the study.

The participants in this study reported and described perceptions of their lived experiences as counselor …