Psychological applications on the internet: A discipline on the threshold of a new millennium

The rapid developments in computers and information technology over the past decade has had an impact on psychology, which has moved in this context from local computer applications to network applications that take advantage of the Internet. This article critically reviews various psychological applications in use on the Internet, with special emphasis given to their promises and advantages as well as to their shortcomings and problems. Specifically, 10 types of psychological Internet applications are reviewed: information resources on psychological concepts and issues; self-help guides; psychological testing and assessment; help in deciding to undergo therapy; information about specific psychological services; single-session psychological advice through e-mail or c-bulletin boards; ongoing personal counseling and therapy through e-mail; real-time counseling through chat, web telephony, and videoconferencing; synchronous and asynchronous support groups, discussion groups, and group counseling; and psychological and social research. Following a discussion of ethical and related concerns, a call is voiced for intensive research and international brainstorming.     

Psychological counseling as an adjunct to stuttering treatment: Clients’ experiences and perceptions

PurposeStuttering can trigger anxiety and other psychological and emotional reactions, and limit participation in society. It is possible that psychological counseling could enhance stuttering treatment outcomes; however, little is known about how clients view such counseling. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of clients’ experiences with, and perceptions of, a psychological counseling service that was offered as an optional adjunct to speech therapy for stuttering.MethodNine individuals who stutter (13-38 years old) participated in semi-structured interviews. Six participants had taken part in psychological counseling; three participants did not do so. Interview data were analyzed using grounded theory as a guiding framework.ResultsFour thematic clusters emerged from participants’ accounts: insights into personal decision-making, why others may not participate in counseling, psychological counseling as a worthwhile part of therapy, and counseling as a necessary component in a stuttering treatment program.ConclusionIn addition to experiencing barriers and facilitators to help-seeking that are reported in related fields, participants accounts also revealed novel facilitators (i.e., a ‘why not’ mentality and the importance of having a pre-existing relationship with the clinician who offered the service) and barriers (i.e., viewing the service as a ‘limited resource,’ and, the overwhelming nature of intensive stuttering treatment programs). Findings suggest that clients value the option to access psychological counseling with trained mental health professionals to support the stuttering treatment provided by speech-language pathologists. Participants made recommendations for the integration of psychological counseling into stuttering treatment programs.     

社区心理辅导实验模型的建构及其价值

建立实验模型,探索社区心理辅导的路径、具体实施的方法及其价值,为居民的心理健康和社区精神文明工作提供心理学理论和实践的依据;方法：采用症状自评量表(SCL-90)评估辅导前和辅导后社区居民的心理状况并进行自身比较;结果：l、辅导前居民的心理卫生存在问题较多;2、辅导后居民的心理卫生出现显著的变化;3、与辅导前比较,辅导后的居民心理卫生有明明显进步,特别在敌对的人际关系、偏执的认知方式和焦虑、抑郁的情绪等方面改变最为突出。结论：l、开展社区心理辅导是促进精神文明建设的全新理念和有效方法。2、建立、健全社区心理辅导网络对提高居民心理素质,减少心理疾病的发生、发展具有重要而又深远的作用。3、社区心理辅导实验模型的建立为广泛开展有关工作提供了理论和实践依据。     

我国心理咨询业的伦理学探讨

目前我国心理咨询需求日趋增加,心理咨询师培训异常火爆,但是从业者的素质良莠不齐,心理咨询工作者的伦理道德和行业规范不健全,导致了来访者和咨询师之间的伦理学困惑和问题,本文系统地分析我国心理咨询工作中的伦理学现状,结合欧美国家心理咨询伦理规范的发展历程,提出了自己的几点思考。     

Counselor Roles According to Two Counseling Worldviews

This article defines the traditional psychological worldview and the emergent systemic worldview in counseling theory. The two counseling worldviews are described as presenting distinct roles for professional counselors with respect to assessment, remediation, and case management.     

Evaluation of a Measure of Self-Esteem Based on the Concept of Unconditional Self-Regard

A measure of unconditional self-regard (USR) derived from Rogerian (client-centered) theory was evaluated in four studies. Results indicated that USR was highly reliable and was strongly related to other measures of self-esteem and negatively related to depression, anxiety, and symptoms of psychological distress. The measure was significantly related to the control and commitment dimensions of psychological hardiness but not to its challenge dimension. Evidence for discriminant validity was provided by findings that USR was unrelated to social desirability or private self-consciousness. Finally, female students'self-regard was significantly related to the unconditional positive regard they reported receiving from their mothers. Other correlations between self-regard and perceived regard from others, although nonsignificant, were often large in absolute value. Implications for counseling interventions are discussed.     

Spiritual Formation in Christian School Counseling Programs

This article makes the case that Christian school counselors should be more directly engaged in student spiritual formation. To accomplish this aim, the historical context for the discussion is first explored, followed by a review of contemporary medical and psychological research associating a positive spirituality with healthy functioning across a variety of developmental domains. The argument is then situated within developmental theory and systems thinking as well as the Christian theological—philosophical writings of John Macmurray. Recommendations for improving Christian school counseling practice as they relate to student spiritual formation are included.     

Differentiation of Self,Personal Adjustment,Problem Solving,and Ethnic Group Belonging Among Persons of Color

This study focused on examining the cross‐cultural validity of Bowen family systems theory (M. Bowen, 1978), namely differentiation of self for individuals of color. Ethnic minority men and women completed measures of differentiation of self, ethnic group belonging, and 3 indices of personal adjustment. Initial support for the cross‐cultural utility of Bowen family systems theory was observed. Higher levels of differentiation of self predicted better psychological adjustment, social problem‐solving skills, and greater ethnic group belonging among persons of color. Limitations regarding the cross‐cultural utility of differentiation of self, directions for further research, and implications for counseling are discussed.     

对心理咨询中价值干预问题的理性思考

对价值问题的处理是心理咨询中的重要哲学命题.人本主义心理学所遵循的"价值中立"原则,是心理咨询中回避价值干预的根源所在.通过对心理咨询理论的整体审视,提出不能简单地把价值中立原则拓展到整个心理咨询之中,不能忽视心理咨询的教育功能和社会责任,纯粹的"价值中立"是无法实现的.     

解析心理冲突的新角度--评介凯根的结构-发展理论

本文介绍了自我发展研究领域中罗伯特凯根提出的结构-发展理论及其特点,简析它与其它自我发展阶段论的异同。探讨了该理论在抚育、学校教育和临床咨询等方面的实践意义。     

Professional Counseling in Hong Kong

The authors provide an overview of recent developments in professional counseling as related to schools, career counseling, and community services in Hong Kong. The strategic position of counseling professionals, counseling associations, and counselor certification is discussed. The future development of counseling in Hong Kong is also considered.     

Foundations for Ethical Standards and Codes: The Role of Moral Philosophy and Theory in Ethics

Ethical practice is a concern for all who practice in the psychological, social, and behavioral sciences. A central problem is discerning what action is ethically correct in a particular situation. It has been said that there is nothing so practical as good theory, because theory can help counselors organize and integrate knowledge. It seems, therefore, that a sound means to facilitate ethical competence in counseling would be through a knowledge and understanding of foundations and theories of ethics. Much of this pragmatic foundation is found in moral philosophy and related ethical theory.     

Counseling's Inescapable Moral Visions

In this article, philosophical hermeneutics is combined with interpretive social science perspectives to generate a framework for considering the influence of cultural values and assumptions on counseling theory and practice. The core of this framework is the claim that people necessarily live within moral visions that answer the questions: (a) what is a person? and (b) what should a person be or become? Culture provides answers to these questions not only through folk and indigenous psychologies but also by shaping psychological and counseling theories. Moral visions are generally unacknowledged because of the fact-value dualism and the ideals of neutrality that pervade Western culture. Consequently, moral visions, like individualism, operate as disguised ideology in counseling theory and practice.     

Quality of Life of Persons With Medical Illnesses: Counseling's Holistic Contribution

This article presents a rationale for the addition of psychological counseling in the treatment of persons with medical illnesses. Empirical data on the mind‐body connection are presented, and I. Pollin's (1995) Medical Crisis Counseling model is outlined as an example of an effective intervention. The authors discuss the issues and counseling techniques related to the model within the frameworks of individual, group, and family counseling; use case studies to illustrate intervention strategies; and suggest implications for future research and training.     

The role of problem-solving appraisal in the process and outcome of career counseling

Because problem-solving appraisal has been demonstrated to be a critical variable in psychological adjustment, this study examined its potential role as both a static and dynamic client attribute influencing the process and outcome of career counseling. Participants were 151 adults who received an average of five sessions of naturally occurring career counseling; data were collected before, during, and after counseling. The results indicated that: (a) in line with a static attribute model, clients' pre-counseling problem-solving appraisal scores predicted post-counseling career and psychological outcomes as well as career decidedness even after partialling out clients' pre-decidedness scores; (b) in line with a dynamic attribute model, clients who experienced positive changes in problem-solving appraisal in counseling were more likely to have more positive career resources to use in their career transitions as well greater goal directedness; (c) participation in career counseling related to positive change in problem-solving appraisal scores at a level similar to problem-solving training workshops; and (d) clients' changes in problem-solving appraisal related to changes in the working alliance over time.     

A Historical Review of Counseling Theory Development in Relation to Definitions of Free Will and Determinism

This review traces the development of counseling theory in relation to the philosophical constructs of free will and determinism. Problems associated with free will are discussed, and an analysis of related theoretical trends and convergent paradigms is provided. Results indicate that (a) no major theory of counseling addresses the free will versus determinism problem or includes indeterminate free will as a component; (b) no grand, comprehensive theory of counseling currently exists; and (c) recent findings relating to free will suggest the need for research along theoretical lines of inquiry. The relevance of such research to counseling professionals is emphasized.     

Improving Medicare coverage of psychological services for older Americans

Professional psychology's ability to meet older Americans' psychological needs and to simultaneously thrive as a profession will be closely tied to the federal Medicare program over the coming decades. Despite legislative changes in the 1980s providing professional autonomy to psychologists and expanding coverage for mental health services, Medicare coverage policies, reimbursement mechanisms, and organizational traditions continue to limit older Americans' access to psychological services. This article describes how psychologists can influence Medicare coverage policy. Specifically, the authors examine widely unrecognized policy processes and recent political developments and analyze the recent creation of a new Medicare counseling benefit, applying J. W. Kingdon's (1995) well-known model of policy change. These recent developments offer new opportunities for expanding Medicare coverage of psychological services, particularly in the areas of prevention, screening, and early intervention. The article provides an analysis to guide psychologists in engaging in strategic advocacy and incorporating psychological prevention and early intervention services into Medicare. As Medicare policy entrepreneurs, psychologists can improve the well-being of millions of Americans who rely on the national health insurance program and, in so doing, can help shape the future practice of psychology.     

Evaluating Genetic Counseling: Client Expectations,Psychological Adjustment and Satisfaction with Service

Periodic evaluations of genetic counseling services are useful for determining the effectiveness of counseling in meetings its psycho-educational aims, as well as identifying where improvements to the service may be made. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic counseling services provided by Genetic Services of Western Australia (GSWA) to determine the impact of counseling on client expectations, satisfaction with the service, and psychological adjustment, defined as wellbeing and perceived personal control (PPC). A total of 122 clients participated in a self-administered survey conducted pre- and post-counseling. Client expectations of the service as a means of providing information were met, and opportunities for counselors to meet client’s expectations of psychological support were identified. Furthermore, counseling was found to maintain and enhance psychological wellbeing of clients. The role of counseling in facilitating the development of PPC was a key contributor to a high sense of satisfaction in clients.     

Fantasy in Career Development

Fantasy activity has long been recognized as a normal psychological process that individuals use to deal with emotions, goals, and beliefs. Recent developments in this area have led some counselors to employ fantasy as a technique in the counseling relationship. This article explores the development of fantasy activity as a part of career development, reviews relevant research, and cites examples of the use and implementation of fantasy.