M.A. (Practical Theology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

An individual's sex and associated gender-role expectations exert a primary influence on one's sense of self and nearly all the individual's interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this research project is to investigate how male counsellors experience the phenomenon of being a man, relative to issues associated with his sex and gender-role expectations, in the field of counselling. Because the emphasis is on the experience of sex and gender-role issues for male counsellors a phenomenological research method was chosen. Seven male counsellors were interviewed. The investigator conducted two interviews with each counsellor. The initial interview was designed to elicit the person's experiences of the phenomenon of being a male counsellor. After a preliminary analysis of this interview, a summary was prepared and shared with the respondent during the follow up interview. The purpose of this meeting was to verify the interpretation of the previous interview and to offer the individual an opportunity to supplement or modify his remarks. The interviews were transcribed by the investigator and analyzed using a method described by Karlsson (1993). The analysis of the data yielded three general categories of experience. They were experiences related to gender-role stereotyping, the experience of erotic feelings and the experience of being a man in a field in which they are a minority. A fourth category, which described the experience of the interviews, was included to further illuminate the results. for counsellor training, consultation The findings are discussed in light of previous research and include suggestions and further research.

An individual's sex and associated gender-role expectations exert a primary influence on one's sense of self and nearly all the individual's interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this research project is to investigate how male counsellors experience the phenomenon of being a man, relative to issues associated with his sex and gender-role expectations, in the field of counselling. Because the emphasis is on the experience of sex and gender-role issues for male counsellors a phenomenological research method was chosen. Seven male counsellors were interviewed. The investigator conducted two interviews with each counsellor. The initial interview was designed to elicit the person's experiences of the phenomenon of being a male counsellor. After a preliminary analysis of this interview, a summary was prepared and shared with the respondent during the follow up interview. The purpose of this meeting was to verify the interpretation of the previous interview and to offer the individual an opportunity to supplement or modify his remarks. The interviews were transcribed by the investigator and analyzed using a method described by Karlsson (1993). The analysis of the data yielded three general categories of experience. They were experiences related to gender-role stereotyping, the experience of erotic feelings and the experience of being a man in a field in which they are a minority. A fourth category, which described the experience of the interviews, was included to further illuminate the results. for counsellor training, consultation The findings are discussed in light of previous research and include suggestions and further research. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This follows an earlier study of the same data set, which, through its findings, presented new questions that are investigated in this study. Both studies used a prospective controlled design, wherein women receiving genetic counseling for breast cancer risk were randomized into two groups. Subjects receiving an audiotaped recording of their genetic consultation (tape group) were compared to subjects who also had a genetic consultation but did not receive an audiotaped recording of it (no-tape group). Participants were drawn from attendees at the genetic clinics of two London hospitals and included 115 women with a family history of breast cancer. Cancer worry and psychological distress were assessed before genetic consultation (baseline), and at one- and six-month follow-ups by post. Objective risk was estimated by the geneticist during the consultation, and subjective risk was assessed at one month follow-up. The goals of the current study were to investigate relationships between cancer worry, psychological distress, and recall of genetic risk for breast cancer in a sample of women receiving genetic counseling for breast cancer risk, and to investigate the role sociodemographic variables on cancer worry, psychological distress, or risk recall for these women. Results for this sample of women with a family history of breast cancer found that there were consistent relationships between cancer worry, psychological distress, objective risk, and subjective risk before and after genetic consultation. This suggests that women=s psychological responses are appropriate to their level of cancer risk. There were no differences found between the tape and no-tape groups for objective or subjective risk, or for nearness of recall accuracy or degree of under-/over-estimation. Provision of an audiotaped recording of the genetic consultation did not appear to enhance recall of risk information. The role of sociodemographic variables on the psychological and risk variables assessed in this study was very minor. Age was mildly correlated with cancer worry, and employment was predictive of cancer worry only at baseline.

Kim, Atkinson, and Umemoto (2001) proposed that the therapy process is enhanced when the client’s cultural values are consistent with values embedded in counseling. Thus far, empirical studies have yielded inconsistent results in terms of the effect of client adherence to Asian cultural values on perceived counselor effectiveness. The present study used an audiovisual analogue design to evaluate whether participants’ adherence to Asian cultural values predicts their perceived counselor effectiveness of an Asian American counselor, based on counseling styles (Asian vs. Western style). Five sets of contrasting features were identified from the literature that differentiated Asian-style vs. Western-style counseling, including: (1) counselor roles (facilitator vs. expert); (2) individualistic vs. collectivistic approaches (i.e. focus on individual vs. focus on context/family dynamics); (3) counselor preferred mode of expression (verbal vs. non-verbal; or low context vs. high context communication); (4) avoidance of direct guidance/suggestion vs. direct guidance/suggestion; (5) avoidance of counselor self-disclosure vs. counselor self-disclosure of strategies used in the past. We hypothesized that: 1(a) stronger adherence to Asian cultural values will predict higher rating of Asian-style counseling; 1(b) weaker adherence to Asian cultural values will predict higher rating of Western-style counseling; and (2) stronger adherence to Asian cultural values will predict larger difference between ratings for Asian-style counseling and Western-style counseling. Results from the present study failed to support the first hypothesis, which states that stronger adherence to Asian cultural values will predict higher rating of Asian-style counseling. In fact, participants rated the Asian American counselor as equally effective when she employed Asian-style counseling and Western-style counseling. The lack of a significant effect of participants’ adherence to Asian cultural values on perceived counselor effectiveness based on counseling styles in our study was not unexpected given inconsistent results from past research based on one-session volunteer client study. Our study based on video vignette of a mock session of an Asian American dyad was not able to provide empirical support to Kim, Atkinson, and Umemoto (2001)’s proposition.

The problem of this study was the determination of the relationship between Myers-Briggs personality temperament and extraversion-introversion, and group counseling norms, as reflected by the group counseling outcome measures: Survey of Attraction to Group, self and leader-report Interpersonal Relationship Rating Scale (IRRS), and Sociometric Choice Status Survey. The Mvers-Briggs Temperament Indicator (MBTI) and the four outcome measures were administered to a sample population of 103 graduate and undergraduate counselor education students after completion of a semester-long group counseling experience. Fifteen groups of five to nine members were surveyed. It was expected that group members whose temperaments were compatible with group counseling norms would be more likely to receive confirmation, support, and acceptance in the group, be attracted to the group, receive higher leader and self-report ratings of interpersonal skills, and be more highly valued by other members than would members whose temperaments were incompatible with group norms. It was also thought that extraverts were more likely to be attracted to the group, receive higher self and leader ratings of interpersonal skills, and to be more highly valued by other members than were introverts. No significant relationship was found between temperament and the four outcome measures. Possible explanations for this finding were discussed. However, mean scores for extraverts were significantly higher than mean scores for introverts on the Survey of Attraction to Group and leader-report interpersonal Relationship Rating Scale instruments. A related finding was that the NF temperament was overrepresented in the sample population of counselor education students by a factor of four. The INFP type was overrepresented by a factor of 16.5, and the ENFP type had the highest frequency of occurrence. Together, INFPs and ENFPs constituted 34 percent of the sample. In the general population, INFPs and ENFPs would be expected to account for only six percent of the total.

The problem of this study was to investigate the Adlerian concept of social interest in a peer counseling training program. The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether or not social interest of high school juniors and seniors could be impacted by a peer counseling training program.

A prevention-oriented telephone line intended as an intervention program for latchkey children was studied to determine its impact on the self-esteem, anxiety level, and in-school and at-home behavior of these children.

[Truncated abstract] Background: A review of the literature indicated there was a need for more long-term randomised controlled studies on the effects of BRCA counselling/testing on high risk women, including improved strategies for risk communication. Reviews have also shown women are confused about the significance of inconclusive or non informative results with a need for more research in this area. Aims: The general aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of breast cancer genetic counselling on psychological distress levels, perception of risk, genetic knowledge and understanding of BRCA testing/test results in a cohort of 207 women from high risk breast cancer families who were referred for genetic counselling in Perth during the period 1997 to 2001. Short- and long-term impact of BRCA genetic counselling/testing was determined in women with and without cancer in a randomised controlled trial as part of which women were randomised to either receive immediate versus delayed genetic counselling. This included family communication patterns before BRCA testing, anticipated outcomes of testing on oneself and family including intentions for result disclosure. Comprehension of index and predictive BRCA testing with possible results was assessed both in the short- and the long-term and understanding of individual or family BRCA test results was evaluated at long-term. The effect of genetic counselling on breast cancer risk perception in unaffected women was evaluated. This study considered a theoretical framework of educational learning theories to provide a basis for risk communication with possible relevance for future research. ... Only 25% of the original study population (52/207) reported BRCA results and women's understanding of results is concerning. Key findings were: 1. The majority of affected women received an inconclusive result. 2. Out of twelve unaffected women who reported results, seven were inconclusive which are not congruent with predictive testing. This implies that these women did not understand their test result. 3. A minority of untested relatives did not know whether a family mutation had or had not been found in their tested family member or what their actual test result was. This implies either a lack of disclosure or that woman did not understand the rationale for and significance of testing for a family mutation. 4. Three relatives did not understand a positive result was a mutation. Conclusion: The implication of this research for breast cancer counselling and testing services is that women who wait for counselling are no worse off in terms of short- or long-term general psychological distress than women who receive the intervention early. There is a suggestion that unaffected women without the disease found counselling more advantageous than affected women. The meaning of BRCA results as reported by women is concerning particularly women's understanding of negative and inconclusive results and further research is needed in this area. Too much information presented at counselling may affect women's comprehension of risk, BRCA testing and future test results and further research is required to evaluate the effects of information overload.

Este trabalho constitui um estudo acerca da convivência, sentimentos e vivência na adaptação dos casais com um dos cônjuges na expectativa de mudança de vida com o transplante hepático. Para este estudo foram realizadas entrevistas com seis casais na faixa etária entre 24 a 77 anos, com tempo mínimo de convivência de quatro anos e espera na lista de transplante a partir de seis meses. O diagnóstico da doença hepática foi oriundo de distúrbios metabólicos e virais dissociado da dependência química. Foi realizada uma entrevista semidirigida com os cônjuges, individualmente, contendo dados sócio-demográficos e questões que atendem aos objetivos da pesquisa. Foram analisados os conteúdos verbais e não verbais do discurso dos cônjuges categorizando-se as respostas por temas afins, baseando-se na Análise Temática. O estudo aponta que os casais vivenciam tensão e ansiedade enquanto aguardam o transplante; a entrada em lista, na grande maioria, provocou um impacto muito grande; as necessidades apresentadas foram a realização rápida do transplante e dificuldades financeiras em decorrência dos gastos com a doença e a baixa remuneração dos mesmos. As atitudes de paciência, compreensão e mais os sentimentos de confiança, amor e fé religiosa foram apontados como recursos para enfrentar a situação. A relação conjugal, após entrada na lista, trouxe alterações para os casais, abertos para a experiência de mudança, abrangendo os familiares e o grupo social. Os projetos e expectativas apresentados mostraram-se aprisionados à espera do transplante. A conclusão a qual se chegou com esse estudo é que a interação conjugal perpassada pelo processo de adoecer apresenta peculiaridades com nuances individuais e conjugais que, para sua resignificação conjugal, necessita de um cuidado interdisciplinar para possibilitar qualidade de vida ao casal. Espera-se que este trabalho contribua na melhoria do suporte psicológico ao casal frente à expectativa do transplante hepático e ofereça subsídio clínico-teórico aos profissionais interessados na área de saúde mental / This research is an investigation about feelings and adjustment of couples in their expectation of a change life with a liver transplant. For this study were conducted interviews with six couples in the age bracket between 24 to 77 years, with minimum time four years of coexistence, and expects the list of transplant from six months; diagnosis multifactorial decoupled from chemical dependency. It held an interview more or less conducted, individually containing socio-demographic issues that meet the objectives of the research. Were analyzed the contents of the verbal and non-verbal speech of the spouses, analysing for the answers related themes based on the Thematic Review. The study suggests that couples live tension and anxiety while awaiting a transplant, the entry list in the vast majority caused a catastrophic impact, the needs were presented the achievement of rapid and transplantation financial difficulties as a result of spending on disease and low pay . Attitudes of patience, understanding and more the feelings of trust, love and religious faith have been identified as resources to address the situation. The conjugal relationship after entry in the list has brought changes for couples open to the experience of covering the changing family and social group. The projects submitted and expectations have been trapped in hopes of the transplant. The conclusion which was reached in that study is: the interaction conjugal, the process of sicken has peculiarities with nuances that individual and marriage to his resignification conjugal, they needs a careful interdisciplinary quality of life to enable the couple. It is hoped that this work, help in improving the psychological support to the couple before the expectation of liver transplantation and offers clinical-theoretical allowance for professionals interested in the area of mental health