Genetic Counseling Milestones: A Framework for Student Competency Evaluation

Graduate medical education has recently increased focus on the development of medical specialty competency milestones to provide a targeted tool for medical resident evaluation. Milestones provide developmental assessment of the attainment of competencies over the course of an educational program. An educational framework is described to explore the development of Genetic Counseling Milestones for the evaluation of the development of genetic counseling competencies by genetic counseling students. The development of Genetic Counseling Milestones may provide a valuable tool to assess genetic counseling students across all program activities. Historical educational context, current practices, and potential benefits and challenges in the development of Genetic Counseling Milestones are discussed.     

Parents' Experiences with Genetic Counseling After the Birth of a Baby with a Genetic Disorder: An Exploratory Study

Little is known about factors determining which families utilize genetic counseling services. We conducted semistructured interviews with parents of four children born with cystic fibrosis (CF) and ten with Down's syndrome (DS) to ascertain reasons for using, or not using, genetic counseling services in the state of Victoria, Australia. We also explored the usefulness of genetic counseling for the families who had experienced it, and the perceived role of genetic counseling. All mothers of children with CF see a genetic counselor as part of a structured education program following diagnosis through newborn screening. Information overload was identified by them as an important problem. There is no specific program for families of children with DS. Six of them had received genetic counseling and four had not, either because it was not specifically offered to them or because they did not pursue it in the context of misconceptions about its purpose. The timing of the offer of genetic counseling is important and needs to take into account parents' coping strategies after diagnosis. Several parents commented on the favorable aspects of counseling, including getting information they needed to deal with the diagnosis and relief of guilt. Better awareness of genetic counseling by referring physicians, and providing counseling at more than one visit, may contribute to a more effective service.     

Using Art-Based Strategies in Group-Based Counselor Supervision

In addition to course work and experiential learning experiences, a vital aspect to counselor training is clinical supervision. Supervision acts as a mediator bridging the gap between theory and practice. Using creative interventions has been increasing in clinical work and may be beneficial to be used more in training counseling students. One way to incorporate creative and expressive techniques into a counseling program is to use art-based strategies in clinical group supervision. Research and clinical experiences are discussed.     

Pastoral counseling training: training goals in a changing environment

Pastoral counseling training is redefining itself in a changing environment. Theological education and ordination and church relatedness once was the crucible that shaped pastoral counselors. Today that formation process is being redefined as an increasing number of non-theologically trained students who are not seeking ordination come to increasingly fewer pastoral counseling training programs for formation in integrating spirituality and psychotherapy. This article outlines a statement of who an ideal intern would be in one pastoral counseling training program, lists fourteen goals of the training program along with the method of achievement, and who in the training program is responsible to see that the goals are accomplished.     

Program Evaluation and Counseling: Yesterday,Today, and Tomorrow

Spawned by intensified demands for accountability, expanding counselor roles and functions, and increased counselor attention both in the counseling literature and in counseling practice, program evaluation has emerged as a vital aspect of counselor functioning in recent years. This article highlights the differences between program evaluation and research, a long-standing source of confusion; presents major issues in the practice of counseling program evaluation; and identifies current trends in program evaluation.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL AND DROPOUT MDTA TRAINEES1

A study was designed to compare several variables of Manpower Development Training Act (MDTA) clients who dropped out of the program with those of clients who completed the program. A random sample of application cards was drawn for individuals enrolled in MDTA adult classes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trainees who completed the program were more likely to be married, older, characterized by a more stable employment history prior to entering the program, and slightly more educated than were program dropouts. Clients who completed the program versus those who did not were not significantly different on the following variables: (1) sex; (2) counseling versus no counseling; (3) race; and (4) client reported physical disability.     

Sexuality and birth control: impact of outreach programming

If there is a safe place to be on campus, it is the counselor's office. No one except the client knows what is happening, and no one can be criticized for providing help to someone in need—unless, that is, one has a vision that problems are better prevented than solved. Outreach programming attempts to do just that: prevent problems from occurring. In a bold educational effort, Johnston assisted the health center and the counseling center at the University of Maine in cooperatively creating a campuswide sex education program that included seminars, appropriate physical examinations, and personal peer counseling. The program includes an evaluation component that has provided continuous data to be used for program reconstruction.     

Multimedia in guidance and counseling

This article examines some of the typical functions of the guidance program and describes the usefulness of multimedia as extensions of the counselor's abilities and work. Media may also be important where the counselor's own potential is limited. The author describes briefly his own research and use of affect simulation and videotape recall to accelerate the usual counseling processes and to better assure that traditional goals in counseling will be achieved. He also examines the potential of multimedia for allowing a client to view objectively his own “inner” reactions as well as his “outer” behaviors to himself and his environment.     

the personal study program as a tool for career planning and personalization of adult learning

The personal study program (PSP) can be defined as a tool for the successful accomplishment of vocational adult training. The program defines the objectives of education and training and the best means of achieving these. Through counseling interaction with other members of the group and the trainer/instructor, the adult learner may redefine her or his goals and relation to a future profession and so revise her or his PSP. PSP practices may help a competence‐based qualifications system to function well. PSP and other individualizing practices in vocational adult education and training can be regarded as a part of the individualization processes that are typical of modernization and reflexivity within the wider society.     

A Program and Cost Analysis of a Self-Directed Career Decision-Making Program in a University Career Center

This article describes a procedure for analyzing personnel salary costs of a self-directed career decision-making program using actual client data. These data are then compared to hypothetical data for a comparable individual career counseling program. Policy and management issues related to self-directed and individual career counseling service delivery program models are discussed.     

Marriage preparation and marriage enrichment: The preventive approach

Premarital counseling and marriage enrichment are viewed as two areas of a life continuum prevention program. Premarital counseling is seen as the first step in preparation for marriage, to be followed six months to a year after marriage by a neomarital counseling experience. Content and process for the counseling are elaborated. Marriage enrichment groups are recommended at various points during the life of a marriage. Three models for enrichment are presented. Prevention programs are viewed as vital experiences for personal and relationship maintenance and growth.He is also a member of the faculty of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Waterloo, Ontario.     

The draft and counseling

This article regards draft counseling as a specialized extension of personal, educational, and vocational counseling. It can be a necessary and valuable outreach program and is needed because most students are unaware of their rights under the Selective Service System. Professional counselors have a crucial role to play in draft counseling by helping to establish a Draft Information Center, by training and supervising students and faculty as draft counselors, and by serving as a referral source for individuals needing further counseling. Suggestions are included for the establishment of a Draft Information Center in high schools and colleges.     

Consulting with faculty: necessary and possible

Through case and program consultation with counselors, faculty can become more effective in helping troubled students. In this article the authors offer examples of counseling agency consultation with faculty individuals and groups. They identify and evaluate conditions that inhibit consultation as well as circumstances that facilitate it, with the view that effective use of consultation may affect the future development of university counseling services.     

Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: A Review for Policymakers and Practitioners

This article describes components of effective school counseling programs that have emerged from 30 years of empirical research and professional standards. Results are summarized in seven sections: core principles of school counseling programs, program resources, program interventions, program evaluation, program renewal, written policies, and program climate.     

Accountability: A Total Commitment

The counseling profession has the knowledge and methodology to provide accountability in delivering its services. What remains is for leaders to use these resources and to develop more effective services. This article describes the program concepts and procedures implemented in one state employment service agency to establish an accountable counseling program. These procedures include the development of a compentency-based training and supervision system. The competency model is described and its goals are specified. Accountability at all levels of the system is defined, including the responsibility of management to guarantee the public quality counseling services.     

Adding a Family Counseling Training Component to a Community Agency Counseling Master's Degree

This article presents an example of the planning and implementation of a program to retrain counselor education faculty members and then to add a family counseling specialty component to a master's degree community agency counseling program. Implications for professional development, credentialing, and improving relationships with agencies and the community are discussed.     

Differential outcomes of skill training,group counseling,and individual cognitive therapy for persons with acquired visual impairment

As part of the Living Skills Training Program, group counseling and individual cognitive therapy were implemented to decrease psychological distress for adults with acquired visual impairment. This quasi‐experimental design study compared the outcomes of a 6‐month skill training program combined with a group counseling program (n = 37), with (n = 9) or without (n = 10) individual cognitive therapy, and with a control group (n = 42). The outcome measures were the Profile of Mood States and the Nottingham Adjustment Scale Japanese Version. The results showed that participants with low psychological distress decreased anxiety and increased acceptance of disability, even when they did not participate in group counseling. However, among the participants with high distress, they did not show any improvement without group counseling or individual therapy. The participants with high distress who engaged in group counseling showed an improving trend in attitudes toward others. Moreover, the participants who chose to engage in individual therapy in addition to group counseling showed decreased tension‐anxiety, depression, and fatigue, and significantly improved acceptance of disability. These results suggest that group counseling, combined with individual cognitive therapy, can be an effective part of rehabilitation treatment for clients who have high psychological distress.     

College Students' Perceptions of the Relationship Between Fee and Counseling

Fee as a variable that could have an impact on college students' perceptions of counseling was explored because of the authentic concerns about college counseling centers needing to charge direct fees for their services. Participants (N = 350) represented a cross-section of potential consumers of psychological services, not just individuals currently receiving services. On an overt level, fees seemed to be less influential in counseling considerations, but were taken into account on a more covert level. This study supports the psychological literature, which suggests that fee is not the most important factor in clients' decisions to seek counseling. Implications for counselors, administrators, researchers, and program planners are discussed.