Counseling Commons^™

The Relationship Among Post-Traumatic Growth, Religious Commitment, And Optimism In Adult Liberian Former Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons Traumatized By War-Related Events, Hannah Acquaye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the myriad consequences of war is displacement and refugee-ism. People become refugees when they no longer feel safe in their country of origin. Before, during, and after the journey towards safety, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) endure several challenging circumstances which stretch their normal abilities to cope. In their efforts to cope, these people report several mental health challenges like sleeplessness, hypervigilance, anxiety, and depression. The reported mental health challenges are normal in this population; however, when they persist, they result in posttraumatic stress disorder. Surprisingly, some also report obtaining psychological growth due to their challenging circumstances. …

Cognitive Complexity, Mindfulness, And Reflection In Mental Health Professionals, Dharshini Goonetilleke

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In this cross sectional quantitative investigation, the relationships among mental health professionals' cognitive complexity, mindfulness, and reflection were explored. To determine if there was a correlation between mindfulness and cognitive complexity, a Pearson's correlation was conducted: There was a strong positive correlation between mindfulness and cognitive complexity. To determine whether observing and describing (two key variables of mindfulness) could predict counselor overall cognitive complexity, a simultaneous multiple regression was conducted. The observing subscale significantly predicted counselor cognitive complexity and the describing subscale did not significantly predict mindfulness. To determine if there is a correlation between mindfulness and reflection, a Pearson's …

Curating Flipboard Magazine International Safe Zone To Support International Lgbt Students, Kyoung Choi, Christel Van Der Boom

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Self-Perception Of Leadership Efficacy Of Teachers And The Effects On Student Achievement, Julie L. Clark

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Decades of research and the unprecedented demands being placed on our nation’s schools have revealed changing conceptions in school leadership. Increasingly, teachers are taking a more central role in the daily functions of their schools and are becoming more involved in important decision-making that was once reserved for principals. While the topic of teacher leadership continues to garner support in the literature, little attention has been given to studying teacher leadership through an organizational lens. Closely related to the idea of teacher leadership is collective efficacy, an organizational concept that has previously been linked to student achievement. This study utilized …

The Presence And Predictors Of Complicated Grief Symptoms In Perinatally-Bereaved Mothers From A Bereavement Support Organization, Margaret Mcspedden, Barbara Mullan, Louise Sharpe, Lauren J. Breen, Elizabeth Lobb

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

The present study investigated the presence and possible predictors of complicated grief symptoms in perinatally-bereaved mothers (N = 121) up to 5 years post-bereavement. The presence of complicated grief scores in the clinical range was 12.4%, which is higher than in many other bereaved populations, and the presence of other living children may protect against the development of complicated grief symptoms. The majority of the women were able to negotiate a perinatal loss without developing complicated grief; however, there remains an important group of women who up to 5 years later score in the clinical range for complicated grief symptoms.

School Counseling Faculty Perceptions And Experiences Preparing Elementary School Counselors, Emily Goodman-Scott, Jennifer S. Watkinson, Ian Martin, Kathy Biles

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

School counselors’ job roles and preferences reportedly vary by educational level (i.e., elementary, middle and high school); however, several organizations, such as the American School Counselor Association, conceptualize and recommend school counseling practice and preparation through a K–12 lens. Little is known about how or if school counseling faculty members vary their preparation for specific educational levels. In this article, we discuss a national, mixed methods study of school counseling faculty (N = 132) experiences and perceptions regarding school counselor preparation for the elementary level. We focused on elementary school counselors due to their unique roles. Findings included faculty’s varied …

The Affordable Care Act And Addiction Treatment: Preparing The Undergraduate Human Services Professional, Chaniece Winfield, Rebekah Cole, Laurie Craigen

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The steady growth of the substance abuse and addiction field in addition to the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACT) increases the need for competent and credentialed substance abuse professionals. As generalists in the helping field, human services professionals would benefit from education and sufficient credentialing in substance abuse and addiction treatment. The authors of this article suggest that substance abuse and addiction education be considered for inclusion at the accreditation level for human services programs. Furthermore, a discussion of the Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) international credential and its benefits and implications for human services professionals will be …

"Group Play Therapy" From The Handbook Of Child And Adolescent Group Therapy, Michelle Englbom-Deglmann

Faculty Publications - Graduate School of Counseling

Group therapy, with clients of all ages, has a significant focus on community. As part of this community focus, group therapy has the potential to combat one of the greatest human pains: loneliness. Play therapy clients, most often children, “already struggle for autonomy and identity in this world, and can be cruelly oppressed in the midst of trauma and chaos and left feeling unfairly isolated” (Sweeney, 2011, p. 227). In his discussion of loneliness, Moustakas (1974) poignantly wrote, “It is the terror of loneliness, not loneliness itself but loneliness anxiety, the fear of being left alone, of being left out, …

Mindfulness Behavior And Its Effects On Anxiety, Mary Mayorga, Sabina De Vries, Elizabeth Ann Wardle

Counseling and Guidance Faculty Publications (Archived)

A quasi experimental study was conducted at a South West State University counseling program to investigate if using meditation techniques would lower levels of anxiety and create mindfulness attention awareness among counseling students enrolled in a counseling skills course, taught in a masters-level counseling program. A total of 29 students were recruited from three counseling skills courses, two of which were included in the treatment condition and one was designated as the control condition. Students in the treatment condition were instructed in one pointed breathing meditation and it was practiced for five minutes at the beginning of each class. The …

An Analysis Of Inherent Role Conflicts In The Governance Of Michigan Charter School Boards Contracting With Full-Service, For-Profit Private Management Companies, Roderick D. Atkins

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The analysis of inherent role conflicts in the governance of Michigan charter school boards contracting with full-service, for-profit private management companies provided quantitative and qualitative perspectives of experienced board members. These perspectives included their view of board governance and how responsibilities are divided and shared with for-profit private management companies. The triangulated analysis included three major sources of data: quantitative research, qualitative research, and a qualitative contractual analysis that provided the essence of the contracts between charter school boards of directors and their contracted for-profit private management companies. The theoretical framework that grounded this analysis was inclusive of three theories: …

The Essence Of A College Summer Bridge Program: Voices Of Program Participants Who Completed College, Makeda K. Turner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In efforts to address college attrition and retention concerns, particularly as they relate to underprepared, underrepresented, and first-generation students, a few colleges and universities have created and implemented transition programs for first-year students such as summer Bridge programs (SBPs). SBPs are designed to assist students with transition challenges, enhance academic preparation, and help them achieve equal footing with other students. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of participants in a summer Bridge program developed and implemented by a public Research I Institution in the Midwest. Participants had graduated from the university and were at the time …

Exploring Barriers To The Generalization Of Social Skills Interventions For Children Diagnosed With Asd: A Qualitative Analysis Of ‘Youth Engagement Through Intervention’, Zachary Shindorf

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with social skills and maintaining friendships. In turn, many social skills interventions have been developed to aid in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD, however, have difficulty generalizing the skills learned in social skills interventions to more natural settings like the home and school. This study, therefore, explored the barriers to the generalization of a social skills intervention, Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) for children with ASD. Barriers to the generalization of YETI were explored through the qualitative examination of parents’ acceptability of the …

Gaining Understanding Of Human Services Professionals: A Survey Of Nohs Membership, Narketta Sparkman-Key, Alyssa Reiter

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Through a survey of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS), this article examines the demographics, credentials, and interest in becoming involved in the human services profession as well as in advocacy efforts for human services issues. It is hoped that the findings will be used to further define the nature of the human services professional, to expand recruitment efforts by NOHS, to assist in conference planning, and to help define curriculum standards within human services accreditation.

Incorporating A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports Into School Counselor Preparation, Christopher A. Sink

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

With the advent of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) in schools, counselor preparation programs are once again challenged to further extend the education and training of pre-service and in-service school counselors. To introduce and contextualize this special issue, an MTSS's intent and foci, as well as its theoretical and research underpinnings, are elucidated. Next, this article aligns MTSS with current professional school counselor standards of the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) School Counselor Competencies, the 2016 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards for School Counselors and the ASCA National Model. Using Positive Behavioral Interventions …

School Counselors And A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports: Cultivating Systemic Change And Equitable Outcomes, Christopher A. Sink, Melissa S. Ockerman

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Designed to improve preK–12 student academic and behavioral outcomes, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), such as Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) or Response to Intervention (RTI), is a broadly applied framework being implemented in countless schools across the United States. Such educational restructuring and system changes require school counselors to adjust their activities and interventions to fully realize the aims of MTSS. In this special issue of The Professional Counselor, the roles and functions of school counselors in MTSS frameworks are examined from various angles. This introductory article summarizes the key issues and the basic themes explored by …

Applying John Dewey's Theory Of Education To Infuse Experiential Learning In An Introduction To Human Services Course, Michael T. Kalkbrenner, Radha J. Horton-Parker

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Teaching an introductory human services course is challenging, as educators must provide an overview of effective practice in a highly diverse field. Researchers conducted a review of all of the prior editions of the Journal of Human Services (JHS) to identify previous research on experiential learning strategies in human services education. This brief note examines the pedagogical practice of experiential learning and the application of John Dewey's theory for successfully training students in an Introduction to Human Services course.

Understanding Interprofessional Perceptions And Experiences: An Investigation Of Professional Counselors And Allied Health Professionals, Kaprea F. Johnson

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION Interprofessional collaboration is essential to improve coordination, communication, quality, and safety of patient care. Interprofessional perception is an important variable in interprofessional collaboration as it can impact attitudes, ability to successfully engage in interprofessionalism, and willingness to engage. The study focuses on understanding perceptions and experiences of interprofessional collaboration of professional counselors and other allied health professionals.

METHODS Participants were recruited online and through snowball sampling. The survey was taken by a diverse sample of healthcare professionals. The survey items consisted of demographic information, the 18 item Interprofessional Education Perception Scale (IEPS), and the 16 item individual construct subscale …

Professional Counseling's Alignment With The Core Competencies For Interprofessional Collaborative Practice, Kaprea F. Johnson, Miranda Mj Parries

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Previous findings show that there is a misconception of the counseling profession and a lack of awareness of their role in interprofessional collaboration; which may lead to underutilization of counselors for team based care. As an example, in 2009 six professional health related associations developed core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice and counseling associations were not involved in the development. This manuscript introduces the profession of counseling to others in medical health professions in hopes that similarities will bridge the gap between knowledge and future collaborative practice. The manuscript shows how the profession aligns with the core competencies for interprofessional …

Culturally Competant Pedagogy: Inclusiveness That Extends Beyond Diversity, Shuntay Z. Mccoy, Narketta M. Sparkman-Key

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Institutional practices that go beyond merely securing the presence of diverse students are vital to enhancing the university experience of underrepresented populations. Consequently, this workshop will draw from empirical findings that emphasize cultural inclusivity as a method of cultural competence that extends beyond traditional institutional diversity. Presenters will provide various strategies for engaging in culturally competent pedagogy that will enhance the university experience of all students, including diverse populations.

A Phenomenological Examination Of The Civilian Mental Health Clinicians’ Perceptions About Serving Military Members And Their Famlilies, Lorell Cynthia Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilizes qualitative inquiry to examine the perceptions of nine civilian mental health clinicians. The goal of this study is to answer the primary question: How do civilian mental health clinicians perceive working with the military population? The three sub questions that further direct this study are: (a) how do the clinicians describe their perceptions of their knowledge base to work with the military, (b) how do the clinicians describe their attitudes and beliefs about this special population, and (c) how do the clinicians describe their understanding about the world view of the military population? To answer these research …