Thesis (D. Min.)--Western Theological Seminary, 1987. / Includes abstract and vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-104).

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of ABC on adaptive functioning in high school males. Specifically, a pretest/posttest, experimental design (N = 46; Caucasian = 26, Hispanic = 20) was used to examine the changes in adaptive and maladaptive functioning in ABC participants (n = 21) compared to those in a control/waitlist group (n = 25) as measured by the Behavior Assessment System for Children, second edition (BASC-2). Participants randomly assigned to the treatment group engaged in 10 ABC sessions. In order to better understand group process in ABC, I had experimental group participants complete the Group Climate Question Short form (GCQ-S) three times during the intervention. A mixed between/within subjects ANOVA of the BASC-2 scores revealed a statistically significant increase in adaptive functioning for both groups, F(1, 33) = 8.58, p < .01, with a partial eta squared of .21 indicating a large effect. There was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control/waitlist groups, F(1, 33) = .064, p = .80, and a very small effect size (partial eta squared < .01). A repeated measures ANOVA of the GCQ-S scores revealed a statistically significant increase in engagement, F(2, 38) = 4.067, p = .025, with an eta squared of .21, indicating a large effect. Limitations of the study, implications of the results for practice, and recommendations for future research are presented.

No description available.

<p> Grounded theory methodology was used to explore women&rsquo;s internalization of religious messages regarding their sexuality. Two research questions served as the guide for this study: how are women&rsquo;s sexual self-views informed by their religious teaching, and how are these messages, along with their experiences, lived in them sexually, psychologically, and spiritually? Eleven women (ages 30-74) were chosen who had been raised in a Western Christian tradition in the US (8 Protestant, 3 Catholic). Participants were interviewed through an in-depth three-interview process to gain an understanding of their experiences and how they resolved their concerns with sex and spirit. The findings revealed that fear, shame, and objectification served as the primary manner of regulating the women&rsquo;s sexuality within their religious traditions, resulting in detriment to sexual, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing through ruptures of sexual and spiritual safety. Complex (developmental) trauma arose as the overall impact of their religious sexual socialization, captured through seven categorical outcomes: identity conflicts, shame, self-blame, self-objectification, sexual and relationship problems with men, spiritual and sexual conflicts, and affect dysregulation. The theory of negotiating safety best captured the participants&rsquo; attempts to reclaim psychological, sexual, and spiritual wellbeing, through their ongoing efforts to secure sexual and spiritual safety. Grace was found to provide the safety needed for sexual and spiritual growth, experienced in marital and therapeutic relationships that were egalitarian, and for one woman, her egalitarian church. Grace was shown to be manifested with self, others, and God through embodiment, whole-hearted relating, and trust. Recommendations for clinicians and faith practitioners were provided. </p>

<p> This exploratory qualitative study seeks to describe and understand the career decision-making process of unemployed American women who make up the younger cohort of the baby boom generation, namely those born between 1955 and 1964. Career decision making is a complex process involving a number of generational characteristics as well as personal and economic considerations. Unemployment further complicates this process, especially in the decade prior to receiving retirement benefits. This study uses interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze semi-structured interviews with eight unemployed younger baby boom women to investigate how their thoughts, assumptions, and opinions affect their career decision-making experience. Bronfenbrenner&rsquo;s bioecological model (2005), Erikson&rsquo;s lifespan theory (1959), and selected career development theories provide lenses through which these women&rsquo;s experiences can be understood. Eight themes emerged from the data, including the following: unemployment as a preparation period; career aspirations; digital natives; age discrimination; bioecological systems influence; generativity vs. stagnation; identity expressed in career decision making; and influence of intuition, chance, and personal factors. The findings suggest that the women used the period of unemployment to become self-aware and thoughtful about future career decision making, and enhance their computer as well as career decision making skills. Implications for theory and counseling practice as well as suggestions for future research are provided.</p>

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a structured group experience (focusing on cognitive reprogramming) on the life satisfaction and subsequent adjustment of functional elderly persons residing in a nursing home. The study was designed to change the negative attitudes of participants towards themselves as elderly and to facilitate their adjustment to institutionalization. We are living in an aging society where increasing numbers of elderly people will spend their final years in a nursing home. The results of this study should be of significance to personnel employed in nursing homes, i.e., social workers, counselors, nurses, geriatricians, and others, who must assist new residents in making a successful adjustment. The study population consisted of twenty persons institutionalized for one year or less, who were at least sixty-five years of age, and physically able/willing to participate. Participants were assigned randomly to the experimental or the control group. The degree of change between pre and post-testing was measured on the Salamon-Conte Life Satisfaction In the Elderly Scale. The groups were homogeneous. The experiment was conducted for 1.5 hours biweekly for four consecutive weeks. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the two groups only in the life satisfaction variable. This difference led to the conclusion that the structured group experience was effective in improving life satisfaction among members of the experimental group.

<p> In education, much emphasis is placed on academic achievement without fully understanding the role counseling programs can have to ensure all students are learning at high levels and are college and career ready. The staff of Midwest School District believes that guidance and counseling is an integral part of each school&rsquo;s total education program. As a commitment to this belief, the district developed a program evaluation plan to both consistently and effectively evaluate district programs. An essential component of a school counseling program&rsquo;s accountability is to provide evidence that what school counselors do makes a measurable difference in the lives of students, particularly academic achievement and school success. The purpose of Midwest&rsquo;s guidance and counseling evaluation was to examine the current reality and establish expectations related to programming and design, K-12 alignment of services, and best meet student needs. The district program follows the Missouri Comprehensive Model Guidance Program (MCMGP) and addresses the academic, personal/social, and career planning of every Midwest student. At the end of the program evaluation, the school district and other educators will have an assessment of the professional school counselors, college and career specialist and school social workers as well as considerations for improvements and a perspective on the service delivery models employed by the district to address the needs of K-12 students.</p>

This study examines the type of memory techniques a selected group of graduate students used to achieve high scholastic scores. This researcher utilized the survey design to acquire the data relevant to this study. This design allowed this researcher to obtain the subjects’ opinions about their memory techniques. Consequently, this study found that more subjects utilized a combination of techniques to achieve high scholastic scores. Moreover, the literature presented in this study supports the importance and usefulness of memory techniques in feasibly reaching optimal scholastic achievement.

From 2011 to 2012, 1.1 million workers were impacted by work related stress, lack of professional support and bullying (Health and Safety Executive, 2013). "Burnout" is not easily defined but it can be described as a phenomenon that affects both the personal and professional dimensions of an individual's life. This study investigates counselling psychologists' experience and management of "burnout" using the qualitative method of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Six qualified counselling psychologists from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States of America were interviewed via telephone. The three main themes that were found are: (1) "batteries run out" which includes the physical and emotional effects, as well as the disillusionment of the reality of the profession, (2) "Prisoner of an eroding system" describes the professional dimension of the experience such as locus of control, effect on client work, boundaries and values, and (3) "Recharging the batteries" which gives an insight into how the participants managed their experience, such as their personal view of "burnout", the issue of reclaiming their space and time, as well as the role of support. Overall, there was an underlying sense that the participants wanted to be taken care of by others but were unable to ask for help. The relevance of this study to the field of Counselling Psychology is discussed in relation to theory and professional practise. The limitations and shortcomings of this investigation are highlighted and suggestions for future research are made.

<p> The issues of multicultural counseling competence within intensive in-community counseling stem from the lack of research on the lived experiences of African American families receiving intensive in-community counseling services. This research project includes exploring the perceptions of counseling experiences within the African American family, examining the perceptions of multicultural counseling competence in the African American family, and providing a document that explores the African American viewpoints of the home-based counseling experience. This study incorporated phenomenological research and used the CCCI-R to rely on the participants' views of the multicultural counseling competence of home-based therapists. The themes include: (a) awareness of cultural differences; (b) comfort in the session; (c) time to understand the family needs; and (d) counseling strategies. A summary, conclusions, and recommendations for future research are included.</p>