Influence of a Cross-Cultural Training Course on Racial Identity Attitudes of White Women and Men: Preliminary Perspectives

The authors examine the influence of cross-cultural training on the racial identity attitudes of 35 White graduate counselors in training (10 men and 25 women) and the impact of gender on training. A pretest-posttest comparison of responses to the White Racial Identity Attitudes Survey (WRIAS) was used. Results indicated that the cross-cultural training course (a) influenced racial identity attitudes of White counselors in training and (b) racial identity attitudes were influenced by gender.     

Determinants of subjective novelty

Subjects were exposed to sequences of colored shapes and required torate each stimulus on a 7-point scale for “novelty.” The sequences were such that 12 hypotheses regarding determinants of subjective novelty could be tested by orthogonal comparisons. The results of two experiments confirmed eight of the hypotheses.     

Following Inspiration: A Conversation With Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter

Our distinguished guest for the 3rd installment in this inaugural Hearing our Elders series is former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Mrs. Carter is arguably among the most active former First Ladies since she and her husband, the 39th President of the United States, James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, left the White House in 1981. The zeitgeist of the mid‐1950s through the 1970s provides the context that frames Mrs. Carter's responses to questions about her involvement in the mental health movement that continues to the present day. The historical as well as contemporary social and political environments relative to understanding and appreciating mental health and wellness in the United States, then and now, are explored and illuminated in portions of the interview with Mrs. Carter. The interview revealed 6 critical themes: really listening with an empathic ear, resilience/persistence, commitment across time, thinking like a global citizen, a quiet‐storm leadership style, and self‐discovery in service to others. Nuestra distinguida invitada en la 3ª entrega de esta serie inaugural de Escuchar a Nuestros Mayores es la ex Primera Dama Rosalynn Carter. La señora Carter es sin duda una de las ex primeras damas más activas desde que en 1981 dejó la Casa Blanca junto con su marido, el 39° Presidente de los Estados Unidos James Earl “Jimmy” Carter. El espíritu cultural del periodo entre la mitad de la década de los años 50 hasta los 70 proporciona el contexto en el que se enmarcan las respuestas de la señora Carter a preguntas sobre su implicación en el movimiento para la salud mental que continúa hasta hoy. Los entornos social y político de ayer y hoy, tanto en su perspectiva histórica como contemporánea, y cómo estos se relacionan con la comprensión y valoración de la salud y bienestar mental en los Estados Unidos se exploran e ilustran en varios segmentos de la entrevista con la señora Carter. Esta entrevista reveló 6 temas críticos: la escucha con atención y empatía, la resiliencia/persistencia, el compromiso a lo largo del tiempo, el pensamiento como ciudadanos globales, un estilo de liderazgo firme pero calmado, y el autodescubrimiento a través del servicio a otros.     

A High By Any Other Name: Exploring the Motivations for Consumption of “Legal Highs”

A large number of legal, semi-legal, synthetic, and organic drugs are sold online or through commercial vendors as novelties, often labeled as “not for human consumption.” It is fairly common knowledge, however, that many, if not all, of the purchasers of such products buy them for personal use. This study conducted ethnographic interviews with 26 synthetic and organic drug users over a five month period. Using a grounded theory approach, the authors created a typology of users that fell into three general categories: Risk reducers (who saw these drugs as either safer or less likely to be detected than illegal drugs), plan “B” users (those who preferred illegal drugs but used these drugs when their preferred drugs were unavailable), and novelty seekers (who used these drugs experimentally, or simply for fun and recreation).     

Challenges and Promises of Becoming a Culturally Competent Counselor in a Sociopolitical Era of Change and Empowerment

This article explores the historical and sociopolitical contexts of the multicultural competency movement and the challenges and promise of becoming a culturally competent counselor. Specific attention is directed to the promise and opportunity for those who commit to a culturally competent personal and professional way of life.     

Toward a meaningful spirituality for people of color: lessons for the counseling practitioner

This article attempts to capture a significant aspect of the counseling process for people of color: the spiritual dimension. It is argued that spirit and spirituality are relevant dimensions that should be integrated in counseling because spirituality is a key ingredient in the cultural upbringing and socialization of many people of color. Further, religious and spiritual beliefs are affected by experiences of racism and oppression, which then affects psychological coping. Reflective guidelines are offered to understand the essence of spirituality and cultural diversity, and lessons for the practitioner are recommended.     

Physique Attitudes and Self-Presentational Concerns: Exploratory Interviews with Female Group Aerobic Exercisers and Instructors

The purpose of this study was to explore physique attitudes and self-presentational concerns among women who regularly participate in or instruct group aerobic classes. We were interested in conceptualizations of the ideal body, self-presentational concerns, and the influence of instructors in the group aerobics context. Five instructors and 6 exercisers participated in semi-structured interviews. Two higher order themes were identified from the interview data: (a) perceived body ideals and (b) body image experiences in the group aerobics context. Participants described the ideal body as lean and toned and attainable, but cautioned that being too muscular was unattractive and should be avoided. Exercisers experienced heightened self-presentation during aerobics more than the instructors did. Both exercisers and instructors thought that instructors should serve as body role models.     

Qualitative analysis of feedback on functional imagery training: A novel motivational intervention for type 2 diabetes

Objective: Effective motivational support is needed in chronic disease management. This study was undertaken to improve a novel type 2 diabetes motivational intervention, (functional imagery training, FIT) based on participant feedback and results from a self-management randomised controlled trial.

Design: Qualitative inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews.

Main outcome measures: Open-ended questions on participant experiences of the FIT intervention content, process, most/least helpful features, suggestions for improvement and general feedback.

Results: Eight themes emerged. Participants thought FIT promoted autonomy and self-awareness. They found the intervention interesting and helpful in keeping their health on track through accountability provided by regular phone calls. However, boredom with repetitive use of imagery, feeling inadequately equipped to manage unhealthy cravings, and difficulty with the time commitment was reported by some. Supplementary written material was recommended.

Conclusion: Several well-received features of FIT overlapped with those from traditional motivational interviewing. FIT sessions should ensure content is regularly adapted to new health-enhancing goals. After self-management behaviour becomes habitual, imagery practice could be restricted to challenging contexts. Provision of a written rationale and use of mindfulness for cravings is recommended. With these improvements, the impact of FIT on diabetic control may be substantially enhanced.