Journal of Counseling and Development最新文献

The rapid growth of mobile technology and the increasing prevalence of mental health issues highlight the need to investigate the potential of mobile apps for promoting mental health. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to systematically review and synthesize research studies published between 2002 and 2021. The search yielded 46 eligible studies (26 comparative studies and 20 within-group studies) evaluating the effectiveness of mental health apps (MHAs) in treating depression, with outcome data from 4207 participants. Overall, analyses showed small (for comparative studies) and medium (for within-group studies) effect sizes favoring MHAs reducing depression symptoms. In within-group studies, participants had significantly more treatment gain with MHA interventions lasting over 4 weeks, with over 8-week intervals associated with the greatest reductions in depression symptoms. Gender, ethnicity, intervention type, and app type are not significant moderators.

This study examined the utilization of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) treatment components, as well as factors that predicted therapist TF-CBT component use. Participants were 264 TF-CBT-trained mental health therapists. The most frequently used components, as reported by therapists, were affect regulation, relaxation, and psychoeducation about trauma, while the least frequently used were in vivo exposure, conjoint sessions, and caregiver involvement. Results of a hierarchical linear regression indicated that therapist self-efficacy and child trauma clinical beliefs (i.e., clinical structure and verbal capacity) positively predicted therapist TF-CBT component use. Perceived barriers to TF-CBT use negatively predicted therapist TF-CBT component use. Implications for counseling practice and future research directions are included.

Childhood psychological abuse (CPA) has failed to obtain substantial focus in existing literature when compared to other types of child maltreatment (CM), though those exposed are more likely to experience lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and report more severe symptoms. Far less is known regarding mechanisms predicting the maintenance and development of PTSD among young adults with CPA histories. With these factors in mind, our study examined the relationship between type of CM, negative meta-emotions (i.e., negative emotional appraisals about one's emotions; NMEs), and current PTSD symptomology among a sample of college students (N = 387). Findings from correlational and multiple regression analyses indicated that CPA was the most substantial predictor of NMEs in our sample. Further, among those exposed to CPA, NMEs explained 42.6% of the variance in present PTSD symptoms. Finally, we discuss implications for counseling practice and future research.

Among eating disorder (ED) professionals, counselors of color (COCs) are underrepresented. Given the prevalence of EDs among people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the low number of COCs working in the profession and its problematic implications, this study is warranted to include the experiences of COCs in EDs and understand how to grow the specialty with counselors of all backgrounds. In this study, we interviewed 10 COCs and analyzed transcripts using a post-intentional phenomenological design. Tentative manifestations of unprepared, isolating spaces, unspoken knowing, and exhaustion, as well as provocations of cultural inclusion, changemaker, and vulnerability, emerged. We present implications, limitations, and research considerations.

Hazardous or harmful alcohol use is very prevalent among the US population. With 15.1 million adults in the United States currently identified as having an alcohol use disorder, identifying hazardous and harmful drinking earlier is necessary for early intervention strategies. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test's (AUDIT) strong psychometric properties lead it to be a screening tool of choice across countries, cultures, and subgroups. A psychometric analysis aggregates all available evidence of reliability and validity to support the use of an instrument for screening, diagnosis, and treatment planning. AUDIT internal consistency for the 10-item total scale was α = 0.817 (n = 247,963). The two-factor model had the most structure validity support and aggregated convergent validity comparisons with other alcohol use assessments ranged from r = 0.578 to r = 0.701. The optimal cutoff score for diagnostic validity was 6/7, rather than the 8 recommended by the AUDIT authors. Clinically appropriate use and interpretation of the AUDIT as well as study limitations and suggestions for future research were discussed.

School counselors serve as frontline mental health professionals in schools. Although school counselors have a meaningful impact on students and the school climate, burnout negatively impacts school counselors’ self-efficacy. Hope may serve as a protective resource for school counselors’ self-efficacy. We conducted a sequential regression among 102 school counselors to determine if burnout and hope predicted their self-efficacy. While burnout predicted school counselors’ self-efficacy, hope contained the largest single explanative influence on self-efficacy scores. In this study, we provide evidence to support hope as a statistically significant and substantial protective factor for enhancing school counselor self-efficacy. We provide implications for school counseling practice, training, and research.

Clinical work with challenging, difficult, or dislikable clients can elicit negative experiences for professional counselors. Using quantitative content analysis methodology embedded in a cross-sectional, correlational design, we examined the prevalence of challenging client presentations and their influence on latent counselor interpersonal stress profiles using a large sample (n = 1356). Challenging client presentations associated with client expectations and progress, therapy-interfering behaviors, client traits and behaviors, and counselor concerns and experiences predicted counselor membership in Disconnected, Exasperated, Paralyzed, Anguished, and Distressed Counselor profiles in comparison to the Relaxed Counselor profile. Recommendations for strengthening clinical practice and counselor wellness when working with challenging, difficult, or dislikable clients are provided.

This quantitative study explored the relationship between counselor burnout (Counselor Burnout Inventory, CBI), life balance (Life Balance Inventory, LBI), and self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale, SCS) among 331 fully licensed and provisionally licensed counselors throughout the United States with at least 2 years of experience in various clinical settings and providing direct clinical services. Results of two canonical correlation analyses (CCAs) explored the relationship between (a) the subscales of the LBI and the CBI and (b) the subscales of the SCS and the CBI. Both CCAs indicated a statistically significant relationship demonstrating that: (a) increased life balance was associated with lower burnout and (b) increased self-compassion was associated with lower burnout. Counselors experiencing burnout may turn to increasing their life balance or increasing self-compassion practices to increase their quality of life.

Centering is a contemplative practice derived from centering prayer. In the context of counseling, our study explores centering as an intervention to enhance counselors’ empathy. Additionally, we investigate the moderating influence of nonduality, particularly bliss, on the changes in empathy over time. Through a randomized controlled trial involving counseling graduate students across the United States, we measured empathy and nonduality. Following a 4-week centering meditation treatment, the initial growth curve model revealed a statistically significant and sustained increase in empathy (p < 0.001). The second model underscored the significance of the three-way interaction between group, time, and nondual bliss, indicating a time-varying moderating effect on empathy. This research has practical implications for counseling and counselor training, endorsing centering meditation as a valuable tool for grounding counselors pre- and post-sessions and providing avenues for future exploration and application.

The American School Counseling Association has continuously defined school counselors as having a role in the classroom across four different iterations of the ASCA Model. And yet, the amount of scholarly production is limited along with the amount of time school counselors report actually spending time in the classroom with students. Further, the social-emotional learning (SEL) movement, among others, has encouraged the utilization of teachers in classrooms to provide lessons and interventions related to the social-emotional development of students rather than school counselors who have been trained to do so. The current study examines the literature on school counselor-facilitated classroom interventions over the past 30 years utilizing systematic review procedures to do so. The results indicate that only 40 classroom intervention studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals over the past 30 years. Implications for counselor education scholars and school counselors are discussed.