Counselling psychology in the United States

Counseling psychology (CP) emerged in the US as the result of the convergence of a number of trends in early applied psychology, a number of social factors, as well as changes in the organizational structure of the American Psychological Association. We offer an overview of the history of counseling psychology in the US, focusing on key events that have helped establish and shape the profession. Struggles over the definition of CP as a specialty and its relations with clinical psychology and professional counseling are discussed, as are matters related to the licensing of CP practitioners, and the profession’s relationships with counseling-related professional organizations. The educational and professional preparation of CPs, the profession’s core values that affect both training in and the practice of counseling psychology, and the settings in which CPs work are briefly described. We close with a discussion of several of the challenges facing CP as it is organized and institutionalized in the US.     

Counselling psychology’s genotypic and phenotypic features across national boundaries

This article integrates the survey results presented in the introductory article of this journal issue as well as the articles describing counselling psychology in each of the countries covered in the issue to examine the international character of counselling psychology. Specifically, it addresses the similarities and differences in the histories, education and training, demographics, and practice characteristics of the specialty within and across these national boundaries. The article concludes with an analysis of the value dimensions describing the international character of counselling psychology and addresses where the different countries place themselves along the two dimensions that were identified: Dimension 1 capturing basic research as different from most of the other values, and Dimension 2 being defined by an applied client focus versus a more indirect clinical perspective (i.e. social justice and research adding to the knowledge base).     

Functional Disability in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Accumulating evidence suggests that the pre-dementia syndrome mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by decrements in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The current review was a quantitative synthesis of the available literature to objectively characterize IADL disability in MCI while clarifying inconsistencies in findings across studies. It was hypothesized that individuals with MCI would display significantly greater functional impairment relative to cognitively intact controls. Candidate moderators specified a priori included functional assessment approach, MCI subtype, depressive symptoms, and language conducted. Online databases (PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO) and reference lists were searched to identify peer-reviewed publications assessing IADL in MCI compared to normal aging. A total of 151 effect sizes derived from 106 studies met inclusionary criteria (N?=?62,260). Random effects models yielded a large overall summary effect size (Hedges’ g?=?0.76, 95 % confidence interval: 0.68???0.83, p?<?.001) confirmed in multi-level analyses adjusted for nesting of effect sizes within studies (g?=?0.78, 95 % confidence interval: 0.69???0.87). Functional assessment strategy and MCI subtype were significant moderators of effect size, whereas depressive symptoms and language were not. Results convincingly demonstrate that MCI is associated with significant difficulties in the performance of complex everyday tasks. It appears that functional decline, like cognitive decline, exists on a continuum from healthy aging to dementia onset. Implications for clinical practice and research priorities are discussed.     

Are Some of the Things Faculty Do to Maximize Their Student Evaluation of Teachers Scores Unethical?

This paper provides a philosophical analysis of some of the things faculty do to maximize their Student Evaluation of Teachers (SET) scores. It examines 28 practices that are claimed to be unethical methods for maximizing SET scores. The paper offers an argument concerning the morality of each behavior and concludes that 13 of the 28 practices suggest unethical behavior. The remaining 15 behaviors are morally permissible.     

Unsatisfactory Supervisory Experiences Reported by South Korean Supervisors: Types,Responses, and Cultural Context

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy - Eleven Korean supervisors were interviewed about their unsatisfactory supervisory experiences (USEs) and the interview data were analyzed using a grounded...     

Relationships among self-esteem, stress, and physical activity in college students

The purpose of this study was to identify population and sex-specific relationships between perceived stress, self-esteem, and physical activity in college students. 90 students, ages 18 and older and enrolled in five sections of a health and human behavior class during the spring 2010 semester, were contacted for this study with 74 consenting to serve as study participants. Each participant completed three surveys: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Significant correlations were observed between perceived stress and self-esteem in men, and in women. Physical activity was not significantly correlated with perceived stress or self-esteem.     

Sustaining Primary Control Striving for Achievement Goals During Challenging Developmental Transitions: The Role of Secondary Control Strategies

Developmental transitions are imbued with ubiquitous uncertainties that undermine goal striving in many otherwise committed individuals. Our seven-month study examined whether cognitive selective secondary control strategies (motivation-focused thinking) facilitate the enactment of achievement goals among young adults experiencing the landmark school to university transition. Sequential regression analyses demonstrated that (a) achievement goals predicted selective secondary control, (b) selective secondary control predicted behavioral selective primary control striving, and (c) selective primary control predicted final course grades. Findings support Heckhausen et al.'s (2010 Heckhausen , J. , Wrosch , C. , &; Schulz , R. ( 2010 ). A motivational theory of life-span development . Psychological Review , 117 , 32 – 60 .[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) proposition that selective secondary control bolsters selective primary control striving and enables goal attainment during difficult transitions.     

Body Image or Body Images?: Comparative,Multidimensional Assessment Among College Students

A major criticism of research on body image concerns the dubious assumptions of the unidimensionality of the construct and the equivalence of body-image measures. Our study of 125 male and female college students compared multiple measurement methods within each of two modalities of body image. (a) perceptual (body-size estimation) and (b) attitudinal (body-image affect and cognition). Clinically relevant indices of psychological adjustment and eating disturbance were included. Results clearly supported the distinction between attitudinal and perceptual modalities of body image and indicated more convergent and discriminant validity for the former than for the latter. Whereas one method of assessing size-estimation accuracy and most body-image attitudes produced relationships with maladjustment, only attitudinal body image and perceptual, self-ideal discrepancy measures were significantly linked to eating disturbance. Relationships were generally more consistent for women that for men. Implications are discussed in the context of extant and future research on body image with clinical and nonclinical populations.     

African American Men,Gender Role Conflict,and Psychological Distress: The Role of Racial Identity

Little research exists exploring the intersection of male gender role conflict (GRC), racial identity, and psychological distress. Accordingly, using a sample of 130 self‐identified African American male participants, this study explored which aspects of racial identity mediated the relationship between GRC and psychological distress. Results demonstrated that racial identity attitudes reflective of internalized racism (Self‐Hatred) partially mediated the relationship between GRC and psychological distress.     

Stereotyping and victim blaming of individuals with a laryngectomy

This study examined whether individuals with a laryngectomy are at risk for stereotyping and victim blaming. Undergraduate students (3 men and 41 women) volunteered to listen to a recording of a man who used tracheoesophageal speech or a man who was a typical adult speaker. A written vignette was provided prior to the listening activity to assess whether knowing that the speaker did or did not have a history of smoking affected the listeners' judgments of the speaker. Semantic differential data and qualitative responses indicated that participants did not report victim blaming; however, they did report that users of tracheoesophageal speech were less highly employable than typical adult speakers. Participants also indicated they relied on the vocal characteristics of speakers and used empathy- or experienced-based reactions to make judgments about users of such speech.