The goal of this study was to establish empirical benchmarks for Cohen's d in child counseling research. After initial review of over 1,200 child intervention research studies published from 1990 to 2016, 41 randomized clinical trials were identified in which intervention and control groups were compared with children 3-12 years old (N = 3,586). Upon identification or calculation of a Cohen's d for each study, I calculated a weighted mean d by multiplying the effect size of each study by the number of participants in that study then dividing by total number of effect sizes. The weighted mean accounted for study sample size and served as the suggested medium effect size benchmark. Results indicated effect size is impacted in large part by type of reporter, with parents apparently most sensitive to improvement and yielding higher effect sizes overall; teachers relatively less sensitive, perhaps due to difficulty observing change in a classroom setting; and children self-reporting lowest levels of improvement, perhaps reflecting a lack of sufficient measures of child development. Suggested medium benchmarks for Cohen's d in child counseling literature are .70. for parent report, .50 for teacher report, and .36 for child self-report. Small and large benchmarks are suggested based on the use of standard deviations of the mean Cohen's d for each reporter.

Many recent studies have confirmed that mindfulness meditation has wide ranging potential to improve the mental health and well-being of adults, though few studies have explored its potential to help younger populations. In the current study, a sample of 4th and 2nd grade students was trained in the techniques of mindfulness meditation. Baseline electroencephalograms (EEGs) were taken before the training, and again after a 10 week period of daily meditation practice. Measures of attention, creativity, affect, depression, behavioral inhibition/activation, emotion regulation, impulsive/aggressive behaviors, and social anxiety were also administered before and after the meditation practice period. Results indicate that mindfulness meditation produces increased relative left-frontal alpha activation, a brain pattern that has been associated with increased positive affect and more adaptive coping responses to aversive events. Significant post-meditation improvements in depression and creativity were also found in the experimental condition. / by Sara Elizabeth Klco. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-168). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99141

This project entails a curriculum targeted at helping improve the parenting skills of single parents that have children who are considered "at risk" by societal standards. This curriculum is the survival kit for the single parent. Learning the skills provided in this curriculum, the single parent will discover that parenting their "at risk" youth on a positive realm will become a fundamental standard for their lives.

This investigation used a descriptive approach to explore and evaluate early recollection changes of children in Adlerian counseling. The study addressed seven research questions regarding early recollection change for children in Adlerian counseling as compared with children not in Adlerian counseling. The treatment group was engaged in Adlerian counseling for 10 weeks. The investigator conducted pre-counseling and post-counseling interviews to collect six total early recollections from 9 subjects. The comparison group was not engaged in treatment for counseling. The investigator conducted interviews at an interval of 10 weeks to collect six total early recollections from 9 subjects. The Manaster-Perryraan Manifest Content Early Recollection Scoring Manual was used for analysis of early recollection content. Following training sesions, raters scored absence or presence of content variables in early recollections. Tables were employed to reveal findings of early recollection content change as addressed by the seven research questions of this study. A descriptive evaluation of' the data indicated that the treatment group manifested greater change in early recollection content as compared to the comparison group in six of seven research questions. On the basis of these findings, this study concluded that early recollections of children are a valid source of potential in measuring therapeutic progress and are a reliable measure of the thematic apperception of children. The data from this study provide a foundation from which to build the clinical utility of the early recollections of children. In view of these results, this study recommended the routine use of early recollections of children in Adlerian counseling.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The main aim of this research inquiry was to explore the use of indigenous knowledge by Black-African educational psychologists in South Africa when working with children who have been traumatised. I hoped that the results would provide a better understanding of how indigenous knowledge can be applied in therapeutic interventions in a way that takes into account the client’s cultural preferences. Mental health professionals are becoming more aware that cultural customs and beliefs have considerable influence on therapeutic interventions. The Western conceptualisation of health and illness is insufficient in a culturally diverse society like the one found in South Africa. There is a need to explore how traditional concepts can be incorporated into psychology and how indigenous knowledge can contribute to the wellbeing of a person, from a culturally congruent worldview. In indigenous knowledge, there is recognition that communities have their own definition of healing needs and strategies when addressing trauma. The perception and beliefs about the causation, communication and acknowledgement of the problem are all culturally constructed and can influence psychotherapy. However, there is a lack of research on applying indigenous knowledge in therapy, specifically in the context of children who have been exposed to exploitative trauma (abuse) and loss (death). As such, there is a need in South Africa for the development of psychotherapeutic interventions that are culturally valid, which can be applied to children who have been traumatised. The research approach employed within this study is qualitative. A phenomenological design was followed. The overarching framework was that of social constructivism. I interviewed five black educational psychologists who live in the Gauteng area through the use of snowball sampling. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews. The data collection and analysis process was done through the use of thematic analysis, whereby certain themes were revealed. The psychotherapeutic interventions that were discerned were based mostly on the trauma children experienced due to child abuse and the death of parents. These included 1) use of oral traditions comprising stories, folklore, proverbs and metaphors; 2) rituals, comprising visiting the grave, communication with ancestors through the slaughter of animals and cleansing ceremonies involving the slaughter of animals; 3) games, specifically masekitlana; 4) music, especially singing and drums; 5) the use of Ubuntu to support clients through care, as well as using available family systems to promote systemic support. These interventions are thought to be useful as they are non-threatening; they allow clients to express themselves, they are a way of relating/identifying, they release emotion and they help to release any “impurity”. With the choice of psychotherapeutic interventions, it is important to consider the “goodness of fit” or congruency between the culture and belief system of both the therapist and client. The findings of the study could make a contribution to the field of psychotherapy in South Africa, since it makes a strong case for the inclusion of psychotherapeutic interventions that are sensitive to cultural differences and meet the needs of children’s cultural beliefs.

Over the last twenty years women have gradually entered number of occupations that have been considered "traditionally male". Despite recent gains, women continue to be underrepresented in science, mathematics and engineering career fields. Based on the application of Bandura's self-efficacy theory as applied to career development, the purpose of this study was to determine whether there was any difference in career choice self-efficacy, career decision-making self-efficacy or career maturity after participating in one of two performance-based research programs, specifically, a community-based mentorship program or a school-based research program. In addition the study investigated gender and personality differences between the groups, the student and mentor/supervisor perceptions of the quality and enjoyment of the experience, the quantitative application, the time involved and ways to improve the programs. The quasi-experimental study used a non-randomized control-group pretest-posttest design with two experimental groups and one control group. To determine the reliability and validity of the student perception instrument and the mentor/supervisor validation assessment, a pilot study was conducted. The groups were pre and post tested using the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale, the Career Development Inventory and the Self-Efficacy for Technical/Scientific Fields Scale. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with PSAT scores and grade point averages serving as covariates. The results of the study found no differences in gain scores between the experiential programs and ordinary maturation. However, students in the mentorship program felt more positive about their mentor, the scientific/technical nature of the experience, and the application and enjoyment of the program than did the school-based group. The groups differed generally on the judging/perceiving characteristic of the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator scale. Gender differences were found in time supervisors spent with students: whereas, mentors spent over twice as much time helping females, school-based teachers spent twice as much time with males. Recommendations include further validation of self-efficacy measures, further investigation of the effectiveness of self-efficacy based interventions, and replication with more diverse and special populations as well as with elementary and junior high school students. / Ed. D.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Seksuele misbruik is 'n brutale vorm van kindermishandeling wat kommerwekkende afmetings in Suid-Afrika aanneem. Hierdie traumatiese gebeurtenis het emosioneel 'n geweldige negatiewe impak op die kinderslagoffer. Hierdie studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat terapeute, deur middel van Gestaltspelterapie, hierdie kinderslagoffers moet lei in die hantering van hierdie trauma en die gevolge daarvan. Die gebrek aan riglyne vir die terapeut om die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare te hanteer is as navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was dus om vanuit 'n Gestaltspelterapeutiese benadering riglyne vir terapeute daar te stel in die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare ten einde die kind te bemagtig. Om hierdie doel te bereik, is die navorsingsproses deur kwalitatiewe navorsing gerig en individuele gevallestudies voltooi deur die terapeutiese proses met drie kinderslagoffers te deurloop. Die data wat bekom is kon deur middel van data-analise en literatuurkontrole aangewend word om riglyne saam te stel. Daar is dus in die doel van die ondersoek geslaag, naamlik die daarstelling van riglyne vir die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare. / Sexual abuse is a brutal form of child abuse that has reached exasperating proportions in South Africa. This traumatic event has an enormously negative emotional impact on the child victim. This study is directed by the premise that therapists', by means of Gestalt play therapy, should guide these victimized children in dealing with this trauma and its consequences. The research problem for the study was formulated as the lack of guidelines for the therapist to deal with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. The aim of the study was to provide therapists' with guidelines designed from the approach of Gestalt play therapy for dealing with and empowering the sexually abused child in middle childhood. In order to achieve this goal, qualitative research was employed, while individual case studies were carried out by applying the therapeutic process to three victimized children. The data obtained was analyzed, checked against existing literature, and used to compile the guidelines. Thus, the goal of the research was achieved, namely to provide guidelines for dealing with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The purpose of the study was to find out about provision of guidance and counselling in the schools in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape. Guidance and counselling services are crucial to the success of lifelong learning policies, providing assistance and advice to learners so that they make better informed and future educational and career choices suitable for them. Through guidance and counseling services, students develop a clear understanding of self, their attitudes, abilities, interests, ambitions, resources and limitations from career counselling. They are also guided into various entrepreneurial activities, training, advancement and other benefits for sustainable self-reliance and self-worth. Students are able to achieve and live fulfilled lives and contribute meaningfully to the development of their country in all spheres of life once they receive appropriate guidance and counselling services. Guidance and counseling services look at the holistic development of the learner by taking into account the psycho-social, intellectual, emotional and physical development aspects of the learner within the context of the learner’s environment. The provision of guidance and counselling programmes and services is the shared responsibility of all school staff. A team approach should be employed, wherein all staff members have specified roles to play. School counsellors play a key role in planning and implementing programmes and service. Guidance and counselling programmes and services are systematically planned to meet the needs of all learners and are infused into the daily activities of schools. Using a quantitative research design, the research sample included Department of Education (DoE) Officials and teachers in seven districts in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics in were used to analyse the provision of guidance and counselling in the schools in the Transkei sub-region of the Eastern Cape. The results revealed that guidance and counselling is necessary in schools and that it should be provided in all schools in the districts. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Seksuele misbruik is 'n brutale vorm van kindermishandeling wat kommerwekkende afmetings in Suid-Afrika aanneem. Hierdie traumatiese gebeurtenis het emosioneel 'n geweldige negatiewe impak op die kinderslagoffer. Hierdie studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat terapeute, deur middel van Gestaltspelterapie, hierdie kinderslagoffers moet lei in die hantering van hierdie trauma en die gevolge daarvan. Die gebrek aan riglyne vir die terapeut om die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare te hanteer is as navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van die studie was dus om vanuit 'n Gestaltspelterapeutiese benadering riglyne vir terapeute daar te stel in die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare ten einde die kind te bemagtig. Om hierdie doel te bereik, is die navorsingsproses deur kwalitatiewe navorsing gerig en individuele gevallestudies voltooi deur die terapeutiese proses met drie kinderslagoffers te deurloop. Die data wat bekom is kon deur middel van data-analise en literatuurkontrole aangewend word om riglyne saam te stel. Daar is dus in die doel van die ondersoek geslaag, naamlik die daarstelling van riglyne vir die hantering van die seksueel misbruikte kind in die middelkinderjare. / Sexual abuse is a brutal form of child abuse that has reached exasperating proportions in South Africa. This traumatic event has an enormously negative emotional impact on the child victim. This study is directed by the premise that therapists', by means of Gestalt play therapy, should guide these victimized children in dealing with this trauma and its consequences. The research problem for the study was formulated as the lack of guidelines for the therapist to deal with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. The aim of the study was to provide therapists' with guidelines designed from the approach of Gestalt play therapy for dealing with and empowering the sexually abused child in middle childhood. In order to achieve this goal, qualitative research was employed, while individual case studies were carried out by applying the therapeutic process to three victimized children. The data obtained was analyzed, checked against existing literature, and used to compile the guidelines. Thus, the goal of the research was achieved, namely to provide guidelines for dealing with the sexually abused child in middle childhood. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)