Journal of Counseling and Development最新文献

Suicide remains a leading cause of death among young adults, including those in mental health treatment. This study examined how social determinants of health (SDOH) influence suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts among 3,690 young adults (ages 18 to 25 years) who received mental health services in the past year. Using data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, analyses were based on a weighted sample representing approximately 9.1 million young adults in the United States. Multivariable logistic regression analyses controlled for sex, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, psychological distress, and functional impairment. Results indicated that several SDOH indicators were associated with suicide risk. Lower educational attainment was linked to higher odds of suicidal ideation, while lack of health insurance and frequent moves were associated with suicide attempts. These findings underscore the importance of integrating SDOH into assessment, safety planning, and intervention in counseling with young adult clients.

We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of two online counseling modalities, metaverse counseling (MC) and Zoombased videoconferencing psychotherapy (VCP), comparing therapeutic changes and outcomes between the two. Thirty-one students participated (16 MC, 15 VCP). Data analysis included mixed ANOVA and multilevel modeling to evaluate changes over sessions (Level 1) while also considering between-client variables (Level 2). We observed significant reductions in psychological symptoms across time points, with no significant differences between modalities. While both counselors and clients reported stable levels of working alliance and therapeutic presence over time, further analysis revealed that modality moderated the trajectory of the working alliance for counselors. Specifically, VCP counselors reported a steady increase in the working alliance as sessions progressed, while metaverse counselors exhibited a slower rate of improvement. Thus, while both digital counseling formats suggest preliminary support for effectiveness, the nature of engagement and relational development may vary depending on the platform.

Traditional role-playing methods in counselor education, such as peer counseling and actor-based simulations, enhance trainee competencies but have also created ethical dilemmas. These methods are not cost effective and may not capture and address client diversity. With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), new opportunities have emerged for enhancing training through AI-driven simulations. This study explores the use of GPT-4, a large language model (LLM) with voice capabilities, for client simulation in counseling role-play practices. We created 12 fictional client scenarios and engaged in simulation sessions with the fictional clients via GPT-4, then assessed its content-level performance using qualitative content analysis. Findings indicated that GPT-4 showed high-level performance in generating client narratives that include realistic descriptions of presenting concerns, emotional experiences, and culturally relevant descriptions. These results suggest that GPT-4 may offer a cost-effective, accessible, and useful training tool for counselors to independently practice and enhance skills.

This study examined the relationship between personal growth initiative and personal self-concept, investigating the mediating roles of the presence of meaning and search for meaning within a parallel mediation model, using a sample of 211 Romanian adults. Personal growth initiative was positively associated with both the presence of meaning and the search for meaning. The presence of meaning had a positive indirect effect on self-concept (β = 2.69, SE = 0.55, 95% CI [1.69, 3.83]), whereas the search for meaning had a negative indirect effect (β = −0.85, SE = 0.32, 95% CI [−1.56, −0.28]). These findings suggest that while personal growth initiative may foster a stronger sense of self by enhancing the presence of meaning in life, an intensified search for meaning might indicate existential uncertainty, which could weaken an individual's self-concept. The implications of these findings for counseling practice are further discussed.

Childhood trauma is widely recognized as a significant predictor of long-term psychological and social functioning. This study adopts a person-centered approach to examine how childhood trauma profiles relate to social competence and self-stigma of seeking help (SSOSH) among young adults. Using a latent profile analysis (LPA), we identified distinct trauma profiles among 109 individuals aged 18–29 years. We then examined differences in social competence variables (social isolation, social anxiety, and social adjustment) and SSOSH across these profiles. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the relative contributions of sociodemographic factors, social competence, and trauma profiles to SSOSH. Results revealed multiple trauma profiles that varied in type and severity of exposure. Significant differences emerged across profiles in both social competence and self-stigma levels. These findings highlight the value of understanding trauma through a developmental and person-centered lens, offering practical implications for designing tailored, stigma-informed interventions for trauma-exposed young adults.

Sexual harassment is a pervasive experience within the workplace. Healthcare and social service providers are at an increased risk of experiencing sexual harassment and other types of workplace violence, which includes sexual harassment. However, counselors’ experiences of workplace sexual harassment are undocumented. A cross-sectional survey was used to investigate the prevalence of workplace sexual harassment among professional counselors (N = 1877) using a modified version of the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire. The results of this study show that workplace sexual harassment is a pervasive issue within the counseling profession. Strategies to increase sexual harassment awareness, prevention, and intervention efforts are included.