Reliability and Validity of Three Measures of Multicultural Competency

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of 3 measures of multicultural competency, the Multicultural Counseling Awareness Scale: Form B (MCAS), the Multicultural Awareness‐Knowledge‐and‐Skills Survey (MAKSS), and the Survey of Graduate Students' Experiences with Diversity (GSEDS). Data were collected from 120 master's‐level students from counseling programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or the equivalent. The findings generally support the psychometric soundness of these surveys, with some important exceptions. Guidelines for their use and directions for additional research are provided.     

Evaluation of a participatory,competency‐based model of staff training in a community habilitative setting

This study evaluated a participatory model of staff training within a community habilitative setting for adults with developmental disabilities. The objectives were to formulate an approach to training that was not time intensive, included multiple instructional methods, and incorporated all levels of staff involvement. Senior administrative, middle‐level supervisory, and direct‐care personnel comprised a committee that designed and implemented a training program that targeted performance and verbal report competencies required by ‘on‐line’ staff. Training consisted of corrective feedback, modeling, rehearsal, and practice procedures that were carried out with three individuals in a multiple baseline design across sets of target competencies. The training program was effective in establishing staff competencies although individual learning effects were revealed. The implications of these findings for the design of staff training programs within human service agencies are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Help from faculty: Findings from the acadia institute graduate education study

Doctoral students receive many kinds of assistance from faculty members, but much of this support falls short of mentoring. This paper takes the perspective that it is more important to find out what kinds of help students receive from faculty than to assume that students are taken care of by mentors, as distinct from advisors or role models. The findings here are based on both survey and interview data collected through the Acadia Institute's project on Professional Values and Ethical Issues in the Graduate Education of Scientists and Engineers. The paper describes various kinds of assistance that students receive (or do not receive) from faculty members in their roles as teacher/coach, sponsor, and counselor, It concludes with a section on advisors assigned to doctoral students, notably the extent of their contact with and influence on students.     

Effects of frustration justification on hostile aggression

The present study tested Berkowitz' [1989: Psychological Bulletin 106:59-73] reformulation of the frustration-aggression hypothesis which states that any negative or aversive stimulus such as frustration, even if justified, will result in some measurable tendency to aggress, Participants' attainment of an expected gratification was either blocked in an unjustified manner, blocked in a justified manner, or not blocked at all. Degree of hostile aggression directed at the frustrating individual was measured. As predicted, justified frustration produced less hostile aggression than unjustified frustration, but even justified frustration produced more hostile aggression than no frustration at all. Results support Berkowitz' frustration-aggression reformulation. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.