Gerontological Counseling Trends in Adultspan Journal: 1999–2019

Using quantitative content analysis, we categorized 76 out of 154 articles (49.35%) published in Adultspan Journal from 1999 to 2019 as focused on gerontological counseling. This study explored publication trends for these articles and compared results with a larger study (Fullen et al., 2019) on publication trends for gerontological counseling across all counseling‐related journals.     

Publishing a Master’s Thesis: A Guide for Novice Authors

Publication of original research, clinical experiences, and critical reviews of literature are vital to the growth of the genetic counseling field, delivery of genetic counseling services, and professional development of genetic counselors. Busy clinical schedules, lack of time and funding, and training that emphasizes clinical skills over research skills may make it difficult for new genetic counselors to turn their thesis projects into publications. This paper summarizes and elaborates upon a presentation aimed at de-mystifying the publishing process given at the 2008 National Society of Genetic Counselors Annual Education Conference. Specific topics include familiarizing prospective authors, particularly genetic counseling students, with the basics of the publication process and related ethical considerations. Former students’ experiences with publishing master’s theses also are described in hopes of encouraging new genetic counselors to submit for publication papers based on their thesis projects.     

Employment of Gerontological Counseling Graduates: A Follow-Up Study

Twenty-five counselor education departments offering specializations in gerontological counseling were asked to survey their graduates who had completed course work or a specialization in aging. Implications are presented concerning employment opportunities for counseling graduates wanting to work with older people.     

From “Forgotten and Ignored” to Standards and Certification: Gerontological Counseling Comes of Age

The specialty of gerontological counseling has a 20-year history that began with a dearth of information and has progressed to the development of preparation standards and a national certification, both based on a nationally endorsed statement of competencies for gerontological counselors. The question of whether generalization or a specialization will best serve the needs of older persons continues to be central to the development of this specialization.     

Spirituality,Religion, and CACREP Curriculum Standards

Survey data of the general population, counselors, and counselor educators indicate that spiritual and religious issues are therapeutically relevant, ethically appropriate, and potentially significant topics for counseling and counselor education in secular settings. In this article, the authors propose that a balanced, thoughtful inclusion of these topics in Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) core curriculum areas is a reasonable and sound approach to preparing counselors to work ethically and effectively with these issues in secular counseling settings. Methods and examples for achieving this inclusion are presented for each of the CACREP core curriculum areas.     

Group Counseling Approaches With Persons Who Have Sustained Myocardial Infarction

In this article the authors describe the application of group counseling strategies for working with clients who have sustained myocardial infarction or a heart attack. The advantage of group counseling with this population, the primary goals inherent in this approach, and the most commonly encountered topics during sessions are discussed. In addition, the function of the group leader and specific practical issues to be considered are presented.     

Counseling Military Populations: A Content Analysis of Counseling Journals From 1998 to 2018

Mental health scholarship of military populations is largely guided by researchers in psychiatry and psychology. Recent advocacy efforts have created increased opportunities for professional counselors to serve military clients, but the research within the profession has yet to be explored. A content analysis of 23 professional counseling journals from June 1998 to June 2018 was conducted to determine military population research trends. Findings indicated that counselors are researching topics similar to those of other mental health fields, such as posttraumatic stress, but are contributing to those topics conceptually rather than empirically. Topical areas in which counselors do produce more empirical studies include career counseling, and these studies relied on college student veteran populations. Suggestions for incorporating the philosophical principles of counseling into future research are provided to inform the trajectory of military scholarship in the profession.     

Personal Versus Vocational Focus in Career Counseling: A Retrospective Outcome Study

In this archival study the authors sought to determine the relationship, if any, between counseling outcomes and the topical focus in career counseling. Twenty-two counselors saw 46 adult clients at a community-based clinic for an average of eight sessions. Counseling outcome and topical focus (the extent to which the actual content of counseling sessions reflected relatively more vocationally or personally focused topics) were assessed from follow-up questionnaires to former career clients and from trained raters' evaluations of the counselors' written progress notes. Results showed that, from the counselors' perspective, outcomes were better when the focus of the sessions was relatively more vocational than personal and when relatively more interviews were held. Client satisfaction, on the other hand, was predictable only from the counselor's level of experience. Satisfaction with occupational status was not associated with any of the client, counselor, or treatment factors. Discussion focuses on the contribution of the results to career counseling practice and on the feasibility and validity of retrospective, archival research.     

网络心理咨询的疗效与展望

心理学家预测,通过互联网开展的心理咨询,在未来的10年里将成为第二大快速增长的服务领域。该文综述了近期国外有关网络心理咨询的概念和种类,有关网络心理咨询疗效的实证研究以及确保网络心理咨询疗效所采取的措施等。在此基础上作者指出网络心理咨询研究中存在的问题,相信随着这些问题的改进,网络心理咨询必将迈向规范、标准和科学的轨道     

Facilitating Online Counseling: Perspectives From Counselors in Training

To address the need for research regarding online counseling, the authors explore the experiences of 4 female and 2 male Caucasian counseling students who facilitated 5 chat‐based online counseling sessions. Conducting semistructured interviews based in grounded theory methods, the authors discuss technological barriers, counseling without visual and verbal cues, online counseling techniques, counseling from home, and factors related to the pace of the sessions. They suggest that online counseling requires specific technical, ethical, and clinical considerations.     

Spirituality and Religion: Implications for Counselors

In recent years, the topics of spirituality and religion have become more evident in the counseling literature. It seems logical that these areas could be of great interest to those in the counseling profession. This article summarizes W. R. Miller and C. E. Thoresen's (2003) overview of the field of research dealing with spirituality, religion, and health. Possible roles for spirituality and religion in counselor education and school counseling are highlighted.     

Identifying Dynamics of Counseling Leadership: A Content Analysis Study

The authors synthesized counseling leadership literature to identify themes of counseling leadership. Using an inductive approach to content analysis, the authors analyzed 11 empirical articles, 9 conceptual articles, and 13 leadership profiles. Results yielded 24 emergent leadership themes that were sorted into 3 groups. Findings pave the way for more comprehensive research on counseling leadership and allow for increased intentionality in teaching, training, and practicing counseling leadership.     

A Content Analysis Technique for Evaluating Outcomes in Counseling

This study involved the content analysis of tape-recorded interviews in an attempt to validate criteria used for evaluating outcomes of counseling. A reputation (sociometric) inventory was used to select three types of students: socially effective, aggressive, and withdrawn. Each student was interviewed by a trained interviewer, and the content of interviews was analyzed according to topics discussed and affect associated with the topics. In general, socially effective students discussed a significantly greater number of topics than either the aggressive or withdrawn students. Few significant differences were found in positive- to negative-affect ratios but the socially effective did generally display more positive affect than the other groups. Though this study failed to validate this technique for appraising outcomes of counseling, the investigators believe that it has promise sufficient for further research.     

The Relationship Between Personality Organization as Assessed by Theory-Driven Profiles of the Dutch Short Form of the MMPI and Self-Reported Features of Personality Organization

Research on and with the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration (P-F) Study and its precursors, 1934-1974, is presented. Investigations with the original versions of the P-F in English and the parallel, standardized versions in Europe. Asia and the Americas are covered. More than 500 articles and books are organized by topic in a Citation Index giving authors and dates. The available references for a given topic can then be readily located. The major topics include basic (construct) research, reliability, validity and pragmatic applications. These applications pertain to developmental and individual differences, clinical disorders, antisocial behavior, personnel selection, counseling and therapy, educational and school psychology, cultural and differences, and experimental psychodynamics.     

Which topics are important to address in premarital counseling? A survey of clergy

Pastoral counselors who provide premarital counseling must address the topics that are most relevant to couples as they prepare for marriage. This article presents the results of a survey of clergy who provide premarital counseling, demonstrating the relative importance that clergy ascribe to premarital counseling topics, as well as the relationship between religious affiliation and ratings of topic importance.     

Research in Counseling: A 10‐Year Review to Inform Practice

This study reviewed 4,457 articles from 1998 to 2007 in American Counseling Association division‐affiliated journals to identify research articles published in counseling; 1,139 articles (25.6%) were quantitatively research based. The authors provide details related to quantitative research publications, including individual journal contribution to the research base, focus areas for research, and independent and dependent variables highlighted by researchers. One summary finding was that only 6% of counseling research articles explored effectiveness of counseling interventions.     

Embodying the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competency Movement: Voices From the Field

This article illustrates counselors’ embodiment, over time, of the multicultural and social justice counseling competency movement leading to the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (Ratts, Singh, Nassar-McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2015). The authors discuss the multicultural and social justice counseling competency movement in the context of relationships as appropriate to the counseling field. Aligned with contemporary research perspectives, the authors focus on the lived experiences of 2 pioneering social justice and multicultural competency advocates, Drs. Patricia Arredondo and Derald Wing Sue. The authors integrate scholarship with these historical and personal perspectives, as well as their own, to demonstrate the ways in which people and movements drive counseling leadership and advocacy.     

A Review of School Counseling Outcome Research: Implications for Practice

In this review, the authors summarize school counseling outcome research published between 1988 and 1995. Gysbers and Henderson's (1994) comprehensive developmental guidance model served as the organizing model through which the status of empirical literature regarding school counseling is examined. Results indicated that research focused more on remediation activities as compared to preventive interventions. This review found tentative support for career planning, group counseling, social skill training activities, and peer counseling. Practical implications and future research direction are drawn from these conclusions.     

Meta‐Analysis: A Systematic Method for Synthesizing Counseling Research

The authors provide a template for counseling researchers who are interested in quantitatively aggregating research findings. Meta‐analytic studies can provide relevant information to the counseling field by systematically synthesizing studies performed by researchers from diverse fields. Methodologically sound meta‐analyses require careful planning, diligent literature searches, detailed coding of study information, and knowledge of meta‐analytic approaches to statistical analyses. The authors provide steps to guide counseling researchers in conducting meta‐analytic reviews.     

Standards for the Reporting of Genetic Counseling Interventions in Research and Other Studies (GCIRS): an NSGC Task Force Report

As the demand for evidence to support the value of genetic counseling increases, it is critical that reporting of genetic counseling interventions in research and other types of studies (e.g. process improvement or service evaluation studies) adopt greater rigor. As in other areas of healthcare, the appraisal, synthesis, and translation of research findings into genetic counseling practice are likely to be improved if clear specifications of genetic counseling interventions are reported when studies involving genetic counseling are published. To help improve reporting practices, the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) convened a task force in 2015 to develop consensus standards for the reporting of genetic counseling interventions. Following review by the NSGC Board of Directors, the NSGC Practice Guidelines Committee and the editorial board of the Journal of Genetic Counseling, 23 items across 8 domains were proposed as standards for the reporting of genetic counseling interventions in the published literature (GCIRS: Genetic Counseling Intervention Reporting Standards). The authors recommend adoption of these standards by authors and journals when reporting studies involving genetic counseling interventions.