The College Plans of Academically Talented Students

Academically talented students scoring in the 95th and 99th percentiles on the 1986 ACTs were compared to each other and to “high average” students scoring in the 80th percentile in terms of their choices for college majors, extracurricular plans, and desires for services. Academically talented students were found to be narrow in their choices of majors but broad in their extracurricular interests. Although uninterested in personal counseling, they are demanding of career counseling, independent study, and honors opportunities.     

Hiring Practices for Human Resource Professionals: Implications for Counseling and Curriculum Development

Employers of human resource professionals described their hiring practices. This information is especially useful for counselors and for developing curricula for nonbusiness majors interested in human resource careers.     

THE INFLUENCE OF ASSESSEE PERFORMANCE VARIATION ON ASSESSORS'JUDGMENTS

Assessors evaluated assessees'performances in one of three performance conditions in an assessment center simulation: a consistent performance condition, a within-assessee performance variation condition, or a between-assessee performance variation condition. Contrast effects influenced ratings of assessees when there was variation in performance within assessees. For each assessee, the low target performance was rated lower when the assessee's prior performance had been dissimilar (high) than when the assessee's prior performance had been similar (low). Contrast effects also infiuenced assessors'ratings of the target assessee when there was variation in performance among assessees. The low performing target assessee was rated significantly lower when he was evaluated with two high performers than when he was evaluated with two low performers. In addition, ratings obtained when there was performance variation among assessees were more accurate than those obtained when there was no performance variation, suggesting that under some circumstances contrast effects may not lead to inferior judgments.     

Abuse and Older Persons: Issues and Implications for Counselors

Counselors can play a vital role in addressing the needs of increasing numbers of older persons subject to and at risk for abuse from their families, caretakers, and themselves.     

Teachers do not Deal in Widgets

Although the use of merit pay, incentive pay, bonus pay, and job promotion are well-established measures in the private or corporate sector of American society, few examples of successful teacher merit pay systems exist. In 1983, the Eastern Washington University Department of Education surveyed six major private corporations to determine whether corporate merit pay programs could be applied to teachers and educational institutions. Survey findings suggest several reasons why merit pay programs for teachers will probably fail: (a) lack of monetary goals; (b) the necessity for subjective evaluation, which requires multiple measurement devices, extensive supervision, and time; (c) the absence of a many-tiered corporate structure in most educational institutions; and (d) increased supervisory direction that could stifle creativity and flexibility.     

A model for counselor-student-teacher involvement

School counselors need to adopt some new supplementary roles in order to get more involved in the classroom learning situation. The Inquiry Role Approach (IRA) offers such a program for counselor involvement. The IRA establishes teams of students who work with the counselor and the teacher in the regular classroom. Individual referrals to the counselor are accepted as part of the classroom routine. Preliminary evaluation of the program suggests that certain attitudes and social skills are enhanced, and the counselors benefit by dealing directly with more students in a classroom situation.     

The 59-Cent Dollar

The American female earns 59 cents to every dollar the American male earns. Approximately 66% of this variance is the result of type of employment, age, and amount of work experience.     

Moderating Effects of Sociocultural Variables on Acculturation Attitudes of Hispanics and Asian Americans

Literature on acculturation is reviewed, and the effects of acculturation on the mental health of Hispanics and Asian Americans are discussed. In this study we attempted to understand acculturation processes at the group level (Hispanics versus Asian Americans) and at the individual level (within-group heterogeneity). The Majority-Minority Relations Survey measured acculturation attitudes of two American ethnic minority groups, Hispanics and Asian Americans, in a Midwestern university. Data were obtained from 282 participants for a 54% return rate. Instrument analysis included assessment of generalizability (using Pearson correlation coefficient procedures), LISREL confirmatory factor analysis, and tests of internal consistency reliabilities (using coefficient alpha). Significant effects for ethnicity, Asian culture subgroups, and for the sociocultural variables of generational status, voluntary immigration versus political asylum, and religion were indicated by parametric and nonparametric tests. Therefore, although differences between the Hispanics and the Asian Americans were indicated, within-group differences for both minority groups were also influenced by select sociocultural variables. Se revisa la literatura sobre aculturacion, y se discuten los efectos de aculturación en la salud mental de Hispanos y Asiático-Americanos. Este estudio intenta comprender el proceso de aculturación a nivel de grupo (Hispanos versus Asiático-Americanos) a nivel individual (dentro de la heterogeneidad del grupo). La Encuesta de Relaciones Mayoría-Minoría midió las actidudes aculturales de dos grupos de minorías étnicas americanas, Hispanos y Asiático-Americanos, en una universidad del Medio-oeste. Se obtuvieron los datos de 282 sujetos para un cifra de vuelta del 54 por cien. El instrumento de análisis incluó una estimación de generalización (usando los procedimientos del Coeficiente de Correlación de Pearson), el factor confirmador de análisis LISREL, y las pruebas de fiabilidad interna (usando el coeficiente alfa). Las pruebas parametricas y no-paramétricas indicaron efectos significativos para etnicidad, subgrupos culturales asiáticos, y los variables socioculturales de estado generacional, emigración voluntaria vs. asilo político, y religión. Entonces, aunque se indicaron diferencias entre Hispanos y Asiático-Americanos, las diferencias entre grupos para ambos grupos minoritarios fueron influenciadas también por variables socioculturales escogidas.     

Taking Counseling to Minority Students: The Classroom As Delivery Vehicle

This article discusses an alternate treatment approach for helping minority students learn a variety of academic and coping skills. A Special Services course was designed and taught by two counseling psychologists, who were assisted by peer counselors and graduate student group leaders. The goals of this course were to help students develop a more positive set of self-evaluations and to increase individual responsibility and group cooperation among the students. Specifics of the course are presented, and evaluation methods are suggested. In addition, there are implications of this course for minority student retention.