The Relation Between Masculine Role Conflict and Psychological Distress in Male University Counseling Center Clients

This is the first study to examine the relations between components of masculine gender role conflict and specific symptoms of psychological distress in a sample of men seeking counseling services. One hundred and thirty male clients from 2 university counseling centers completed the Gender Role Conflict Scale and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Participants reported moderate to high levels of psychological symptoms, which were correlated with components of masculine role conflict. Results of simultaneous multiple regressions supported previous findings in nonclinical samples of relations between masculine role conflict and depression and interpersonal issues. In addition, masculine role conflict significantly predicted paranoia, psychoticism, and obsessive compulsivity. Implications for counseling and future research are discussed.     

Credentialing Career Counselors

The credentialing of career counselors is an important step in ensuring quality service to individuals entering the work environment for the first time as well as individuals making midlife career changes. With over 50 million jobs changing in the next two decades, the need for credentialed career counselors is expected to multiply.     

Psychopathology in childhood and adolescence as reflected in projected afterimage serials

A serial visual afterimage (AI) test was administered to 136 normal and 75 anxiety-ridden children 4–16 years of age. The scoring of the AI serials involved signs of primitive functioning (size-constant and positive AIs), anxiety (large and dark AIs together with primitive AIs in older children) and process discontinuity (intermittent regressions to small, positive, or physiognomic AIs). Differences between normal and clinical children were generally highly significant in these respects. Special attention was directed to the difference between subjects with intermittent regressions to primitive functioning and subjects where regression represented a lasting functional alternative. The former subjects were more often characterized by paroxysmal or primary anxiety.     

Family Secrets:

Family secrets are examined in a two-part article. Part I explores the dynamics of secrets in the relational context. Terminology is proposed for different types of family secrets as well as for different roles within the relational context. Guidelines for identifying family secrets are presented, and typical patterns accompanying or underlying secrets are explored. Different stances toward secrets are discussed, with particular emphasis on ethical issues. Finally, individual and relational consequences of secrets are proposed. Part II extends this discussion to the management of family secrets in marital and family therapy. Ethical and strategic dilemmas facing the therapist are examined as are consequences of secrets in treatment. A particular therapeutic stance is recommended and illustrated with examples of both reparative and preventive applications.     

Acting the Role of a Counselor

In this article, Yager and Hector argue that all people, including counselors, developmentally learn and subsequently act out a set of roles that includes both “real self” roles and other, less familiar, and more uncomfortable roles. They suggest that certain principles employed in the training of actors can be applied to counselor preparation. The authors briefly discuss relevant research and offer specific implications and suggestions for counselor educators.     

Misperceptions of Motivation of Economically Disadvantaged Employees in Work Settings

The present study was designed to assess the cross-cultural perceptions of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors for three sets of role relationships. Employers and economically-disadvantaged job trainees were asked to rate the appropriateness of various behaviors for superordinate/subordinate, subordinate/superordinate, and peer/peer relationships. Results suggest that job trainees perceived the role of a superordinate as being more punitive, more deceitful, and less friendly than the employers thought would be appropriate. The findings are discussed in light of the concept of “ecosystem distrust”.     

Self-Psychology,Shame, and Adolescent Suicide: Theoretical and Practical Considerations

Using the psychoanalytic self-psychology of Heinz Kohut as the theoretical foundation of this article, the authors discuss the role of shame in adolescent suicidal behaviors. Shame is described as a central component of suicidal behavior within the context of adolescence, a fundamental stage in the development of the healthy self. Normal and pathological self-development are described and important issues pertaining to the development of the self during adolescence are explored. A theoretical explanation of adolescent suicidal behavior from a self-psychology perspective is offered. Finally, suggestions for treatment of the suicidal adolescent and an illustrative clinical vignette are presented.     

Marital Status and Gender Similarity in Marital Therapy

This analogue study was designed to examine the effects of therapists' marital status and therapist and participant sex on participants' perceptions of therapist and expectations for therapy. Each partner of 20 couples presenting for marital therapy at four outpatient counseling centers independently completed one of four protocols. The protocols differed only on the therapist's marital status and sex. Results revealed that neither therapist marital status nor therapist sex had an effect on participants' perceptions of therapists or therapy expectations. Female participants, however, perceived therapists as more trustworthy, attractive, and expert and had higher expectations for therapy than did male participants.