The purpose of this dissertation was to increase our understanding of novice counselors as they initially treat adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (ASCSA).
The researcher used the grounded theory approach, a qualitative method, in order to describe richly and sensitively the first interactions between counselors-in-training and ASCSA. Seven novice...
Changing trends within the mental health system treatment practices demand exploration of the cultural context of assessment and treatment of Black/African Americans. Culturally competent assessments include a realistic integration of historical context. Clinicians counseling Black/African Americans must be prepared to assess and address PTSD, racial trauma, micro-aggressions, and other known...
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact a narrative reflecting team experience has on counselor self-efficacy. Through a quasi-experimental design, the use of a narrative reflecting team supervision model was compared to supervision as usual with graduate counseling students (N=12). The Counselor Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) was chosen...
The purpose of this manuscript style dissertation was to increase understanding of the experiences of counselor's with compassion fatigue as they participated in a yoga intervention. Compassion fatigue is a condition that creates both physical and psychological impairment as a result of working in the helping role. Yoga is an...
This qualitative study explored the gendered professional experiences of male elementary school counselors. The participants or co-researchers were twelve men of varied ethnic and racial backgrounds between 25 and 60 years old. They lived and worked in five US states in urban, suburban and rural settings. They provided school counseling...
Grief--the reaction to a significant loss--is a near-universal human experience, from which a subset of grievers (10%-15%) have difficulty recovering, placing them at high risk for negative health and mental health outcomes (Marks, Jun, & Song, 2007). For those showing substantial distress, counseling has been shown to be an effective...
Research indicates that enduring interparental conflict before, during, and after divorce has negative effects on children. Parental conflict can be reduced utilizing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes such as mediation and collaborative divorce. The purpose of this dissertation was to produce two manuscripts examining the role of the child specialist...
There is a knowledge gap concerning the outcomes of early adolescent sexual initiation (ASI). In particular, the influence of early ASI upon adult attachment is unknown. A multiple regression study was conducted to address this knowledge gap. Adult partner/spouse attachment was the criterion variable, and the predictor variables included both...
The field of threat assessment and management in higher education is in the early stages of development. In particular, little is noted in the research literature about the practices of threat assessment teams in this environment. To fill this knowledge gap, a random national sample of 15% (n = 148)...
Latinos have the lowest high school completion rates in the United States (United States Census, 2010). School counselors are well positioned to lead the efforts to increase these rates. Indeed, such leadership is mandated by both the ethical and program standards of the American School Counselor Association. However, little is...
Gaining professional experience via internship is a pivotal career development event for college students, but research indicates that there is class disparity in the access and benefit from of internship. Career counselors on college campuses have a role in facilitating preparation and coordinating systemic supports for equitable access and benefit...
The purpose of this dissertation was to increase understanding of adolescent school counseling groups including a literature review of the quantitative outcome research on group work with adolescents in the schools and a qualitative exploration of the adolescent experience of cohesion in rural school counseling groups. Outcome research on group...
The purpose of the dissertation was to gain an understanding of counselor professional identity and identity development, as well as an understanding of the experiences of doctoral students as they develop their professional identity within a nontraditional (hybrid) counselor education (CE) program. This was accomplished through systematic literature review of...
The purpose of this dissertation is twofold; to review existing literature regarding the process of international student transition to the United States and to specifically increase the understanding of the experiences of a defined international student population through an original grounded theory study. Specifically, the study describes experiences of South...
The American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics states that counselors and
counselor trainees must be competent providers of multicultural counseling, able to practice
effectively with clients whose identities differ from their own. Counseling students and trainees
receive very little training around sexual orientation and how to work with clients who...
Professional organizations in the fields of counseling and psychotherapy-related professions all require counselors and counseling students to work with a vast array of potential clients who may differ significantly from themselves. For example, these counselor and client differences can include one or several factors such as age, race, ethnicity, ability...
The purpose of this dissertation was to contribute to the current understanding about identity development in young adults who experience psychosis and schizophrenia. The article in Chapter 2 Using Authentic Identity Theories to Address the Stigmatization of Young People Who Experience Psychosis and Schizophrenia examined the literature on identity development...
Research exploring methods to improve student learning of leadership, mathematics, and science in the United States is critically important. In this study, I sought to delve into the potential for student learning of leadership, mathematics, and science within the context of school-based agricultural education. Recognizing the teacher as a gatekeeper...
Student success in terms of college preparedness and postsecondary college enrollment is one of the current major focus in the school counseling profession. The current literature indicates that school counselors can positively influence their students’ needs and performance outcomes, yet the profession is calling for more evidence to support the...
The purpose of this dissertation was to contribute to understanding the client's experience of power in their therapeutic relationships with mental health professionals. The manuscript in Chapter 2, A Critical Metasynthesis of the Qualitative Research on the Client's Experience of Power in the Therapeutic Relationship, used qualitative metasynthesis to review...