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The Virtues of Cultural Resonance, Competence, and Relational Collaboration With Native American Indian Communities: A Synthesis of the Counseling and Psychotherapy Literature

Trimble, J. E. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:26:57 PST

The article extends the scholarship, observations, and recommendations provided in Joseph Gone’s article, "Psychotherapy and Traditional Healing for American Indians: Prospects for Therapeutic Integration." The overarching thesis is that for many Indian and Native clients, interpersonal and interethnic problems can emerge when a counselor’s lack of culturally resonant experience and knowledge, deeply held stereotypes, and preconceived notions interfere with the counseling relationship and impede counseling effectiveness. A brief synthesis of the counseling literature themes suggests that there is ample evidence that by using particular culturally resonant techniques, counselors can promote client trust, rapport, and cultural empathy and improve the counselor–client relationship, both in general and with American Indian and Alaska Native clients specifically. Topics consistent with Joseph Gone’s main thesis also are explored that relate to spiritual healing and other counseling considerations involving relational collaborations with Indian and Native communities. Information provided in this article is focused on helping to stimulate effective cross-cultural contacts between mental health counselors and Native American Indians.

Men's Help Seeking for Depression: The Efficacy of a Male-Sensitive Brochure About Counseling

Hammer, J. H., Vogel, D. L. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:08:08 PST

Although depression among men is becoming better understood, men still underuse counseling services. Hence, there is an important need for improved ways to reach out to depressed men. This study examined the efficacy of a male-sensitive brochure aimed toward improving attitudes about seeking counseling and reducing the self-stigma of seeking counseling among 1,397 depressed men who had not previously sought help for their depression. Results indicate that the male-sensitive brochure, which incorporated current knowledge from the psychology of men and masculinity and mental health marketing, improved participants’ attitudes and reduced their self-stigma toward counseling. Furthermore, the new brochure improved attitudes and reduced stigma to a greater degree than previously developed brochures. Implications for mental health marketing, practice, and research are discussed.

The 2009 Leona Tyler Award Address: Moderators I Have Known

Tracey, T. J. G. — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:03:02 PST

School Engagement as a Mediator of Academic Performance Among Urban Youth: The Role of Career Preparation, Parental Career Support, and Teacher Support

Perry, J. C., Liu, X., Pabian, Y. — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:03:01 PST

Drawing from the contributions of vocational psychology, this study examined school engagement as a mediator of academic performance through the effects of career preparation (career planning, career decision-making self-efficacy), parental career support, and teacher support among diverse urban youth in middle school and high school (N = 285). Based on structural equation modeling, all structural paths of the proposed hypothetical model were significant. The effects of teacher support and parental career support on school engagement were mediated by career preparation; in turn, the effect of career preparation on grades was mediated by school engagement. Teacher support also had a direct effect on school engagement. The middle school students had significantly higher grades than the high school students, but there were no significant grade-level differences in terms of school engagement, career preparation, parental career support, or teacher support. The limitations of the study and its implications for research, practice, and public policy are discussed.

Historical Antecedents: Counseling Psychology and the Fulbright Program

McWhirter, P. T., McWhirter, J. J. — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:09:30 PST

The purpose of this research is to develop a comprehensive, field-specific directory of counseling psychologists who have served as Fulbright scholars. First, the authors provide a brief history of the development and mission of the Fulbright program, followed by a review of prominent Fulbright grants. Next, they focus on the Fulbright Senior Scholars program. They detail the method used to explore related archival data and present a list generated from those data to include researchers and educators who professionally identify as counseling psychologists. Host country and dates of international service under the auspices of the Fulbright scholarship are included. Ultimately, the authors seek to provide documentation and stimulate future research into the collective impact of individual Fulbright scholars on counseling psychology as a discipline.

A Qualitative Investigation of Korean Immigrant Women's Lives

Yoon, E., Lee, D. Y., Koo, Y. R., Yoo, S.-K. — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:58:34 PDT

Postimmigration adjustment experiences of 10 Korean immigrant women were examined using the consensual qualitative research method. Seven domains emerged: general life conditions; gender role; changes in family dynamics; ethnic/national identity, cultural competency, and belongingness; value changes; racial relationships; and support systems and attitudes toward counseling. Participants reported English barriers as one of the biggest challenges. They appreciated a better educational environment for children; a sense of liberation from patriarchal, collectivistic pressures (e.g., demands by in-laws, comparison with others); and strengthened family ties. They highlighted Korean immigrant women’s strengths and adaptability for family survival in the new environment. Participants reported lacking cultural competency or a sense of belongingness in the mainstream society but expected their children to succeed and have voices in the mainstream society. All participants experienced racism and developed coping strategies such as verbal confrontation. Concern about gossips in the small ethnic community was a barrier to seeking counseling.

A Qualitative Investigation of Averted School Shooting Rampages

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:22:15 PDT

The recent rash of school violence has again brought to the fore a need to investigate ways to enhance the safety of America’s children. With its emphases on prevention and collaboration with schools, a counseling psychology perspective can add much to the growing body of research on lethal school violence. This article aims to understand school violence prevention from the perspectives of school personnel who intervened to avert deadly shootings. As such, this study used consensual qualitative research methodology. Six primary domains emerged from the data, including school conditions, intervention, crisis planning, relationship, prevention efforts, and problematic issues. A seventh other domain captured important data that did not fit with the aforementioned six domains. From all domains, data were collapsed into 42 core ideas.

Productivity in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Scholarship in Counseling Psychology: Institutional and Individual Ratings for 1990 Through 2008

Smith, N. G. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:01:38 PDT

This study examined individual and institutional productivity in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) scholarship published in counseling psychology—oriented journals for the years 1990 through 2008. Eight journals were included in the analyses. An author-weighted score was calculated for each scholar, using a formula developed by Howard, Cole, and Maxwell. To determine the impact of authors' work, h indices were calculated for the most productive scholars. Finally, institutions publishing LGBT scholarship were proportionally ranked, consistent with the work of Tinsley and Tinsley. Twenty-nine authors and 13 institutions emerged as leaders in LGBT scholarship. Data on percentage of articles published in each journal, as well as trends over time, are presented. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

The Model Does Matter II: Admissions and Training in APA-Accredited Counseling Psychology Programs

Norcross, J. C., Evans, K. L., Ellis, J. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:39:20 PDT

This study collected information on the acceptance rates, admission standards, financial assistance, student characteristics, theoretical orientations, and select outcomes of american Psychological association–accredited counseling psychology programs (99% response rate). Results are presented collectively for all 66 counseling programs as well as separately for practice-oriented PhD, equal-emphasis PhD, and research-oriented PhD programs. Practice-oriented programs accepted more applicants (29%) than equal-emphasis or research-oriented programs (19% and 17%); however, they offered less full funding (30%) than equal-emphasis (72%) or research-oriented programs (83%). average graduate Record examination scores (594 quantitative, 552 verbal) and average grade point averages (3.57) were strong and similar across programs. approximately 70% of incoming students were women, 29% ethnic and racial minorities, and 8% international students. On average, 89% of students secured an accredited internship as part of their 5.5-year-long program. The research-driven portrait of doctoral training in counseling psychology is of highly competitive, multiculturally diverse, and theoretically pluralistic programs in which the training model does matter in several respects.

Adult Attachment, Culturally Adjusted Attachment, and Interpersonal Difficulties of Taiwanese Adults

Wang, C.-C. D., Scalise, D. A. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:49:04 PDT

This study examines the applicability of Western adult attachment perspectives to interpersonal difficulties experienced by individuals with indigenous Chinese cultural backgrounds. a total of 275 Taiwanese university students completed self-report surveys of adult attachment, ideal attachment, and interpersonal problems. Culturally adjusted attachment scores were generated by regressing self-report attachment on ideal attachment to control for cultural difference. Findings from path analyses indicated that culturally adjusted attachment scores had a better fit with the model depicting relationships between attachment and interpersonal problems. Results with adjusted attachment scores indicated that Taiwanese individuals scoring high on attachment dimensions tended to have more interpersonal difficulties, which is consistent with the theory’s prediction. Findings and implications are discussed based on attachment perspectives and the Chinese cultural context in Taiwan.

Content Analysis of Literature About LGB People of Color: 1998-2007

Huang, Y.-P., Brewster, M., Moradi, B., Goodman, M., Wiseman, M., Martin, A. — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:46:12 PDT

This study provides a content analysis of the past decade (1998-2007) of psychological scholarship about lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people of color. Findings revealed that literature about LGB people of color is growing. But, findings also highlighted underused methods, underrepresented subpopulations, and understudied topics in the scholarship about LGB people of color. In addition, divergence found between the topics of focus represented in empirical and nonempirical literature suggested the need for empirical evaluation of themes and topics discussed in the conceptual literature. Finally, understudied topics seemed to reflect areas in which counseling psychologists have expertise and experience and can make substantial contributions to advance scholarship about LGB people of color.

Psychotherapy and Traditional Healing for American Indians: Exploring the Prospects for Therapeutic Integration

Gone, J. P. — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:14:44 PDT

Multicultural advocates within professional psychology routinely call for "culturally competent" counseling interventions. Such advocates frequently cite and celebrate traditional healing practices as an important resource for developing novel integrative forms of psychotherapy that are distinctively tailored for diverse populations. Despite this interest, substantive descriptions of specific forms of traditional healing vis-à-vis psychotherapy have appeared infrequently in the psychology literature. This article explores the prospects for therapeutic integration between American Indian traditional healing and contemporary psychotherapy. Systematic elucidation of historical Gros Ventre healing tradition and Eduardo Duran’s (2006) culture-specific psychotherapy for American Indians affords nuanced comparison of distinctive therapeutic paradigms. Such comparison reveals significant convergences as well as divergences between these therapeutic traditions, rendering integration efforts and their evaluation extremely complex. Multicultural professional psychology would benefit from collaborative efforts undertaken with community partners, as interventions developed in this manner are most likely to effectively integrate non-Western healing traditions and modern psychotherapy.

A Qualitative Investigation of Changes in Graduate Students Associated With Multicultural Counseling Courses

Sammons, C. C., Speight, S. L. — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:14:59 PST

The Critical Incidents Technique was used to gather information from graduate students about the changes they experienced connected to their participation in multicultural counseling courses. Trainees were also asked what course elements were linked to their personal changes. Racial/ethnic differences in response frequencies were analyzed. A diverse sample of 124 trainees from a variety of graduate programs participated in this Web-based qualitative survey. Trainees reported changes in terms of increased knowledge, increased self-understanding, attitudinal changes, and behavioral changes. Trainees attributed these changes to didactic, interactive, and reflective activities, the influence of the instructor, and the course as a whole. The identified themes are illustrated through the use of the trainees’ own words. Chi-square analyses found no differences between students of color and White students in types of changes reported or in elements reported as catalysts for changes. The implications of these findings for the future of multicultural counseling training are discussed.