Boyhood Sex-Role Development: Implications for Counseling and School Practices

Counseling boys requires an understanding of sex-role development in shaping a boy's personality because establishing gender identity is a major developmental task of boyhood. This article presents a 3-stage model of sex-role development and discusses school practices to promote sex-role development.     

Spirituality in Counseling: A Faith Development Perspective

This article describes the use of Fowler's (1981) faith development theory (FDT) in counseling. FDT is a stage model of spiritual and religious development that allows counselors to identify both adaptive qualities and potential encumbrances in spiritual or religious expression. FDT offers a nonsectarian model of spiritual growth that permits assessment of spiritual development apart from the specific contents of various faith traditions. This article summarizes Fowler's faith stages and demonstrates their clinical utility through composite vignettes.     

Learner-Centered Counseling Theory: An Innovative Perspective

One of the most useful tools counselors possess is a consistent, effective theoretical orientation. Yet, counselors often experience theory as an academic-only enterprise, rather than a skill-set informed by reason and empiricism. This article presents an alternative approach to learning and harnessing the power of theory to impact clients’ lives.     

Counseling as an Interpersonal Influence Process: A Perspective for Counseling Practice

J. D. Corrigan, D. M. Dell, K. N. Lewis, & L. D. Schmidt. Counseling as a social influence process: A review. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1980, 27, 395–441 (Monograph).     

Genetic Counseling: A Transnational Perspective

Although the basic goal and components of genetic counseling appears to be the same across the globe, judged by my experiences there are significant differences in the provision of genetic counseling services in Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) and India. There is poor recognition of the professional status of a genetic counselor in India at present. This may be partly because genetic counseling itself is a relatively new discipline within the medical field in India, although some types of genetic services and research have been conducted since 1960s. In this paper, I aim to provide insight from my personal transnational experiences.     

Grounded Theory in Genetic Counseling Research: An Interpretive Perspective

As qualitative inquiry has gained wider acceptance in genetic counseling research, it has become increasingly important for researchers and those who evaluate their work to recognize the diversity of methods that fall under this broad umbrella. Some of these methods adhere to the traditional conventions of scientific research (e.g., objectivity, reliability, validity, replicability, causality and generalizability). When such studies are evaluated by reviewers who are well versed in scientific methods, the rigor of the study may be readily apparent. However, when researchers are using methods that do not conform to traditional scientific conventions, the distinction between well conducted and poorly conducted studies may become more difficult to discern. This article focuses on grounded theory because it is a widely used qualitative method. We highlight key components of this method in order to contrast conventions that fall within a scientific paradigm to those that fall within an interpretivist paradigm. The intent is to illustrate how the conventions within these two different paradigms yield different types of knowledge claims—both of which can advance genetic counseling theory and practice.     

Counseling in Thailand: Development From a Buddhist Perspective

The authors present historical and current accounts of the counseling profession in Thailand. In addition to the influences of Buddhism on counselor training and practices, professional issues such as licensure, professional organizations, and the relationship between counselors and other mental health professionals are summarized. The role of counselors in recent political and natural disasters is highlighted, along with the importance of adapting Western counselor training and service practices to better meet the needs of the Thai population.     

Development of the Bias in Attitudes Survey: A Sex-Role Questionnaire

Empirical research into sex bias continues to grow at the same time that societal attitudes are changing. For this reason, broader and more sensitive measuring tools are necessary. The present study describes the development of such an instrument, the Bias in Attitudes Survey, a female/male role questionnaire. The BIAS was developed from the responses of 354 male and female college students to a 89-item tryout draft. Thirty-five items were retained, yielding a reliability estimate of.91. Scores across gender, age, and marital status are discussed, as well as implications and applications for further study.     

The Need for Counselor Licensure: A Rehabilitation Counseling Perspective

The legal, ethical, and professional problems related to the private practice of rehabilitation counseling are described. Counselor licensure is recommended as a remedy.     

Battered Women: A Developmental Life-Career Counseling Perspective

The authors describe a career counseling strategy based on specific psychosocial characteristics of battered women. The approach is developmental in nature, focusing on the client's self-concept. A group format based on a pilot intervention is proposed to assist battered women in developing appropriate life and career decision-making skills.     

The Revolution in Counseling: A Sociological Perspective

Revolution, from a sociological perspective, requires more than a full acceptance of behavioral techniques and applications by counselors. What the behaviorists have contributed is not a revolutionary stance but a newly coherent set of strategies for dealing with client problems. It is still the client who is encouraged to acquire behaviors more consistent with the immediate social milieu rather than the reverse—It is easier to fit the individual into the existing social order than to confront and change the social order. A revolution would entail taking on society as the client, and then developing and applying efficacious change strategies to social structures.