The Counseling Psychologist recent issues

Korean Supervisors' Experiences in Clinical Supervision

Bang, K., Park, J. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

The demand for mental health services in Korea is increasing, and a corresponding rise in the number of trainees in counseling psychology results in a need for effective supervision. Using a grounded theory approach, this study explored Korean supervisors’ experiences in supervision to better understand the current status of supervision practice in Korea. A model emerging from the data suggests that Korean clinical supervisors in mental health view teaching and explorations of supervisees’ personal issues as the main activities of supervision. Both the method of supervision and the structure of supervision affected the way that supervisors’ theoretical orientations and supervisees’ developmental levels influenced the focus of supervisors’ teaching and explorations of supervisees’ personal issues. To compensate for lack of formal training in supervision, participants in this study engaged in self-development activities. The results of this study are discussed in the context of Korean cultural characteristics and the current status of counseling psychology in Korea. Implications for future supervision training in Korea and in the United States are discussed.

What Counseling Psychologists Can Do to Help Returning Veterans

Danish, S. J., Antonides, B. J. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

The purpose of this article is to describe the needs of service members and their families who have fought or are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and who have sustained psychological and/or physical injuries and how counseling psychologists can help. The focus is twofold: (a) to help the reader better understand those who have served and how what counseling psychologists have to offer may be especially unique and valuable and (b) to describe several programs consistent with the traditions of counseling psychology that those at the Life Skills Center have developed. One program, F.R.E.E. 4 Vets, will be described in some detail.

How White Faculty Perceive and React to Difficult Dialogues on Race: Implications for Education and Training

Wing Sue, D., Torino, G. C., Capodilupo, C. M., Rivera, D. P., Lin, A. I. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

Using consensual qualitative research, the perceptions and reactions of White faculty to classroom dialogues on race were explored. Difficult racial dialogues were characterized by intense emotions in both professors and their students, most notable anxiety, that interfered with the ability to successfully facilitate a learning experience for participants. Among the major obstacles that interfered with teaching competence were fears of revealing personal biases and prejudices, losing classroom control, inability to understand or recognize the causes or dynamics of difficult dialogues, and lack of knowledge and skills to properly intervene. A number of potentially effective teaching strategies were identified: (a) acknowledging emotions and feelings, (b) self-disclosing personal challenges and fears, (c) actively engaging the classroom exchanges, and (d) creating a safe space for racial dialogues.

A Content and Methodological Analysis of 35 Years of Latino/a-Focused Research

Liang, C. T. H., Salcedo, J., Rivera, A. L. Y., Lopez, M. J. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

Two separate studies were conducted to examine the contents and methodology of Latino/a-focused articles published during a period of 35 years in seven major journals used by counseling psychologists as well as the Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences. Together, the two studies suggest that acculturation, academic achievement, assessment, and alcohol, drugs, and tobacco use were the most common topics of inquiry. The results of these two studies also suggest that descriptive field methodologies were most commonly used and that convenience sampling procedures were used most frequently. Trends in the coverage of published research provide some evidence of the increased attention to Latino/a-focused research literature. However, results also indicate that Latino/a-focused articles represented only 2% of the total number of articles published in non—ethnic-specific journals. These two studies also illuminate potentially worthwhile areas for future inquiry.

The Academic Motivation of At-Risk Students in a Counseling Prevention Program

Scheel, M. J., Madabhushi, S., Backhaus, A. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

School dropout is a problem that has distressing personal and societal consequences. Not surprising, students who drop out are typically not academically motivated. This phenomenological study examined the meanings that students construct about academic motivation while participating in a dropout prevention program that primarily uses counseling. Twenty interviews were conducted and transcribed. Six themes emerged from 172 significant statements and corresponding meaning units: self-efficacy, purpose of school, family influences, relationships at school, counselor influence, and school structures and activities. Findings revealed the essence of academic motivation—namely, the importance of relationships in nurturing such motivation. Implications highlight caring relationships as a key factor, fostered through dropout prevention programs that use counseling. Additional implications include the use of career interventions to construct future orientations, the influence of family, and the need for assistance to gain academic self-efficacy.

Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP) Division 17, American Psychological Association (APA): Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting Boston, Massachusetts Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Cornish, J., Richardson, T. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP) Division 17, American Psychological Association (APA): Minutes of the Annual Business Meeting Boston, Massachusetts August 16, 2008

Cornish, J., Richardson, T. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:15:53 PDT

Earn Continuing Education Credit for Reading Articles in The Counseling Psychologist!

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:31 PDT

The Development of Indigenous Counseling in Contemporary Confucian Communities

Hwang, K.-K. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:31 PDT

In view of the limitations of mainstream Western psychology, the necessity of indigenous psychology for the development of global community psychology is discussed in the context of multiculturalism. In addition to this general introduction, four articles underlying a common theme were designed to discuss (a) various types of value conflicts between Confucian cultural heritage and Western individualism in an age of globalization; (b) the psychometric approach for measuring collectivistic conflict; (c) a counseling model of situational self-relation coordination for Chinese clients to handle interpersonal conflicts; and (d) the psychotherapeutic implications of various self-cultivation practices originating from the cultural traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The articles in this special issue may contribute to the development of indigenous counseling practice in multicultural Chinese communities.

Counseling Psychology in Chinese Communities in Asia: Indigenous, Multicultural, and Cross-Cultural Considerations

Leung, S. A., Chen, P.-H. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:31 PDT

This article examines the need to develop an indigenous counseling psychology in Chinese communities in Asia. The cross-cultural limitations and applications of counseling psychology are discussed, using the literature on multicultural counseling and competence as illustrations. The authors elaborate on the scope and nature of indigenous counseling psychology and discuss how indigenization of counseling psychology could be carried out in Chinese communities in Asia at the local, national, and application levels. Meanwhile, several multicultural themes in Chinese communities in Asia were identified as possible focus of indigenous research and practice efforts.

Collectivistic Conflict of Chinese in Counseling: Conceptualization and Therapeutic Directions

Kwan, K.-L. K. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:31 PDT

Rapid Westernization and modernization in most Chinese societies has triggered a process of acculturation to Western value orientations, which induced conflicts between Confucian-based collectivism and Western individualism at both the societal and individual levels. A review of research instruments indicated that a cultural conflict approach is often used when assessing the personality and psychological functioning of Chinese people within and outside the United States. In spite of the receptiveness toward Western influences, family and collectivistic orientation are Confucian virtues and remain dominant values that govern the interpersonal and normative relationships in Chinese societies. Within this cultural conflict context, the concept of collectivistic conflict is proposed to conceptualize the psychological adaptation and counseling concerns of the Chinese. The development of a compromising self and the reintegration of the indigenous coping mechanism of self-cultivation (i.e., striving to be a cultivated, cultured person) are postulated as therapeutic tasks when helping Chinese clients resolve collectivistic conflict.

A Counseling Model for Self-Relation Coordination for Chinese Clients With Interpersonal Conflicts

Chen, P.-H. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:31 PDT

This article proposes a self-relation coordination counseling model for contemporary Taiwanese clients. The model is based on an analysis of the interpersonal disturbances of people suffering from conflict resulting from the coexistence of a Confucian cultural heritage and Western values. The goal of the proposed model is to help clients experiencing conflict between personal interests and social harmony to develop a balanced psychosocial homeostasis by coordinating the self and related others. Major counseling tasks and methods are delineated and discussed.

Self-Cultivation: Culturally Sensitive Psychotherapies in Confucian Societies

Hwang, K.-K., Chang, J. — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:30:31 PDT

This article describes self-cultivation practices originating from the cultural traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. It delineates the therapeutic implications of the three states of self pursued by these three traditions: namely, the relational self , the authentic self, and the nonself. Several psychotherapy techniques derived from each of these traditions are discussed in the context of contemporary Confucian societies in East Asia and North America. The indigenous approach to understanding psychotherapies within a cultural context may contribute to the training program of multicultural counseling psychology.

Helpful and Hindering Multicultural Events in Group Supervision: Climate and Multicultural Competence

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:34:37 PDT

This study examines the relationship between multicultural events in group supervision, group climate, and supervisee multicultural competence using a mixed qualitative/quantitative design. The discovery-oriented approach yielded 196 helpful and hindering multicultural events among 136 participants. The most common events included multicultural learning and peer vicarious learning. Supervisees suggested improving their group supervision through better integration of multicultural issues and more supervisor involvement. Regarding group climate, supervisees reporting peer vicarious learning or multicultural learning experienced higher group engagement, whereas misapplications of multicultural theory related to higher reports of group conflict. Increased multicultural learning and extra-group multicultural events positively related to supervisees' multicultural competence whereas multicultural conflicts with supervisors, misapplication of multicultural theory, and the absence of multicultural events negatively related to supervisee multicultural competence. The findings of this study generated several suggestions for managing multicultural events as well as improving theory, research, and practice for group supervision.

Collectivism, Forgiveness, and Social Harmony

Hook, J. N., Worthington, E. L., Utsey, S. O. — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:34:37 PDT

Existing models of forgiveness and the strategies to promote forgiveness that draw from them are predominantly individualistic. As the United States becomes more diverse and counseling psychology becomes a more global field, counseling psychologists are increasingly likely to encounter clients who have a collectivistic worldview. The authors propose a theoretical model that clarifies the relationship between collectivism and forgiveness. The importance of maintaining social harmony in collectivistic cultures is central to this relationship. The model has two propositions. First, collectivistic for- giveness occurs within the broad context of social harmony, reconciliation, and relational repair. Second, collectivistic forgiveness is understood as pri- marily a decision to forgive but is motivated largely to promote and maintain group harmony rather than inner peace (as is more often the case in individ- ualistically motivated forgiveness). Finally, the authors suggest a research agenda to study collectivistic forgiveness and provide guidelines for address- ing forgiveness with collectivistic clients.

Feminist Relational Advocacy: Processes and Outcomes From the Perspective of Low-Income Women With Depression

Goodman, L. A., Glenn, C., Bohlig, A., Banyard, V., Borges, A. — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:34:37 PDT

This article describes a qualitative study of how low-income women who are struggling with symptoms of depression experience feminist relational advocacy, a new model that is informed by feminist, multicultural, and community psychology theories. Using qualitative content analysis of participant interviews, the authors describe the processes and outcomes of feminist relational advocacy from participants' perspectives; they also consider how emergent themes fit with principles of the model, including the importance of women's narratives, the inseparability of emotional and practical support, the centrality of the advocacy relationship, and oppression as a source of emotional distress. The article concludes with a discussion of the practice and research implications of the study, highlighting the possibilities of feminist relational advocacy as a new tool for counseling psychologists and the lessons for advocacy models in general.

Integrating Internationalization in Counseling Psychology Training Programs

Turner-Essel, L., Waehler, C. — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:34:37 PDT

Previous scholars have made specific suggestions regarding what counseling psychology training programs can do to help future psychologists become more cross-culturally aware. This article addresses the questions of whether and how U.S. counseling psychology training programs are currently employing these suggestions. Forty-seven American Psychological Association— accredited counseling psychology programs responded (67% response rate) to a survey designed to assess the availability of international training opportunities to graduate students in counseling psychology. In-depth interviews were also conducted with faculty members from 10 programs. Several ideas emerged from the data, including the role of students and the most common obstacles for developing an international perspective. Specific examples of programs' international activities are provided, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The Effect of Gender Stereotypes on Explicit and Implicit Career Preferences

Gadassi, R., Gati, I. — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:34:37 PDT

The present study compared gender differences in directly reported and indirectly derived career preferences and tested the hypothesis that individuals' implicit preferences would show less gender-biased occupational choices than their directly elicited ones. Two hundred sixty-six visitors to a career-related Internet site were asked to (a) list 5 to 10 suitable occupations (the directly reported list) and (b) report their preferences in terms of 31 career-related aspects. The latter were used to produce a short list of promising occupational alternatives (the indirectly derived list), using the occupational database of an Internet-based career planning system. Each occupation in the database rated for sex dominance. The findings indicated that the sex dominance ratings of the occupations on the directly reported list accorded with the participants' gender for both men and women: Men's lists included mostly "masculine" occupations, whereas women's lists included mostly "feminine" occupations. This gender bias was significantly lower for the implicit lists. The difference between the directly reported and the indirectly derived lists was larger for women than for men, suggesting that the impact of stereotypes is more pronounced in women's than in men's directly reported career preferences.

Earn Continuing Education Credit for Reading Articles in The Counseling Psychologist!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity: Development and Introduction to the Major Contribution

Mintz, L. B., Bieschke, K. J. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

This article provides a brief overview of this Major Contribution. In addition to previewing the articles contained in this Major Contribution, two principles guiding the use of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth referred to as the "Values Statement") are discussed. In addition, the authors present a concise summary of the development of the Values Statement, including a description of how feedback received influenced the final product. The authors conclude by articulating their hope that this Major Contribution will move the field forward in terms of more directly discussing, and perhaps even resolving, the long-standing dilemma of resolving value clashes.

Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

The Need for a Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

The authors articulate the need for a Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth "Values Statement"). They discuss the historic unwillingness of the field to address values in a sophisticated or complex way and highlight the increasingly common training scenario in which trainees state that certain professional requirements are in conflict with their personal values. The authors explain that the Values Statement grew out of trainers' expressed need for guidance in dealing with these complex and often emotionally charged value clashes in training. They explain how the Values Statement can assist training programs to (a) clearly articulate the profession's diversity-related values, (b) connect individual and professional values to societal value structures that either reinforce or challenge systems of oppression, and (c) help students to develop the philosophical sophistication to reconcile their personal values and the profession's values. Overall, the authors explicate that the Values Statement is needed to assists trainees to comprehend and perform required diversity-related professional behaviors.

Operationalizing, Instilling, and Assessing Counseling Psychology Training Values Related to Diversity in Academic Programs

Winterowd, C. L., Adams, E. M., Miville, M. L., Mintz, L. B. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

In this article, we operationalize the values outlined in The Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth the "Values Statement") by identifying virtues and dispositions for trainees and trainers in academic programs. We describe specific strategies that program faculty may use to help instill these virtues and dispositions within their academic communities. Specifically, we provide specific recommendations for infusing diversity virtues and dispositions throughout all aspects of the academic program. We also provide suggestions regarding the assessment of virtues and dispositions. We then provide a case example of how these strategies might be implemented when trainees' personal values come in direct conflict with the values stated in the Values Statement.

Application of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity to the Admission Process

Loewy, M. I., Juntunen, C. L., Duan, C. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

This article addresses the responsibility of counseling psychology programs to communicate and implement the professional training values regarding diversity as articulated in the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth the "Values Statement") clearly and directly in the advertising and admission process. This will help both applicants and admissions committees assess the best fit between program and applicant and allow for self-selection and committee selection with regard to applicants' aptitude to embody the training values (e.g., self-awareness, openness) specified in the Values Statement. The Values Statement can guide programs in their interview and selection process by providing a framework for assessing applicant readiness to pursue doctoral work in counseling psychology. Current admission practices in counseling psychology are reviewed in the context of the Values Statement. Then a model application review and interview process is described from advertising through selection.

Implementing the Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity in University Counseling Center Internships

Illfelder-Kaye, J., Lese-Fowler, K., Bursley, K., Reyes, E., Bieschke, K. J. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

This article examines the potential contribution of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth the "Values Statement") to predoctoral internship training programs housed in university counseling centers. The purpose of this article is to present recommendations for how to best implement the Values Statement in counseling center internship training programs. The authors begin by summarizing the commitment to diversity-related training and values espoused by the major training organizations relevant to internship training. They then describe issues internship training directors must consider when implementing the Values Statement into their training sites and provide recommendations for how to most effectively implement the Values Statement.

When Human Rights and Cultural Values Collide: What Do We Value?

Vera, E. M. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

This reaction article commends the authors of the Major Contribution articles for their courage and creativity in responding to a tension in the field of multicultural training. In an effort to extend the conversation on how the field should respond when cultural values collide in the training of psychologists, this reaction highlights some of the most provocative points raised in the Major Contribution and, in particular, expands on what are arguably the most contentious aspects of reconciling cultural conflicts in the training process: those conflicts involving religious beliefs.

Implications of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity for Education and Training in Professional Psychology

Grus, C. L. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

Valuing Diversity: Implementing Our Best Intentions

McCutcheon, S. R., Imel, Z. E. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

Articles in this issue describe the genesis, development, and implementation of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity. This commentary extends the dialog on issues inherent to the Values Statement and the accompanying articles contained in this issue, with particular attention to the resolution of conflicting values and to empirical findings related to attitude change of bias and prejudice.

Addressing Concerns and Taking on the Third Rail

Bieschke, K. J., Mintz, L. B. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:01:41 PDT

In this rejoinder, the authors begin by addressing some of the questions raised about the Values Statement. They then focus on next steps, first briefly summarizing a few excellent suggestions made by the authors of the reaction papers and then zeroing in on the tension-wrought issue of when values regarding sexual orientation and religion collide. Reasons for the polarization in the field regarding this issue are discussed, and the contribution of the Values Statement to addressing this polarization is reviewed. A next step to decrease this polarization, developing Implementing Regulations for Footnote 4, is also suggested. The authors conclude with the hope that this Major Contribution has helped to move the field toward an approach to training that provides guidance when resolving highly charged values conflicts.