No description available.

This study investigated the impact of counselor smoking behavior upon nonsmoking clients' perceptions of therapists both during and at the conclusion of treatment. Clients' impressions when counselor smoking behavior was consistent across sessions and when counselors smoked in only the first or only the second interview were examined. In addition, the effect of therapists' smoking behavior on the outcome of counseling was assessed in two ways: changes in clients' career decisiveness and counselors' ability to influence client behavior. Eighty-two female undergraduates met with a vocational counselor for two sessions during which the counselor either smoked or refrained from smoking. Prior to the first interview, subjects completed the Behavioral Indecision Scale. Subjects then met and discussed their vocational concerns with a counselor. Following the interview, subjects completed the Counselor Rating Form and the California Occupational Preference System. The latter instrument, an interest inventory, was interpreted by the counselor during the second interview. The Counselor Rating Form and the Behavioral Indecision Scale were again administered following the conclusion of treatment. Data were analyzed by 2 (counselors) X 2 (conditions) X 2 (interviews) multivariate analyses with repeated measures on the third factor. No significant differences emerged for clients' perceptions when the counselors' indulgence in or restraining from smoking was constant from the first to the second sessions. Similarly, clients' impressions did not differ in relation to the inconsistency of counselors' smoking behavior from the first to the second interviews. In addition, subjects' compliance to a counselor initiated behavioral task and reported certainty of career choice were not differentially affected by counselors' smoking behavior. In conclusion, this study suggests that it makes no difference in nonsmoking clients' impressions of therapists and in counseling outcome if the latter smoke during treatment. Suggested variables to further explore include the effects of counselors' smoking in brief and extended psychotherapy, the impact of therapists' smoking implements other than cigarettes, and smoking clients' perceptions of smoking therapists.

Research suggests that counselor educators continue to debate whether general personality characteristics, relationship building skills, or other knowledge or skills are important in selecting the most effective counselors (Crews et al., 2005). Further, counselor educators continue to rely on measures that have limited ability to predict counseling competence or success in graduate programs. Such measures include GRE and GPA scores along with heavy reliance on the personal interview that is well-known for bias. Moreover, research supports that there is a need for assessments that will assist in determining the most effective counselors and emphasize the importance of measuring those characteristics that have a solid empirical link to client outcomes. The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap in the literature and to measure counselor characteristics that have are grounded in current outcome literature. Outcome research has suggested that counselor empathy is one of the strongest predictors of client outcome. Therefore, two constructs were explored in this study that are linked to empathy: Loevinger‘s (1976) Theory of Ego Development and Altruistic Caring as measured by the Heintzelman Inventory (Robinson, Kuch, & Swank, 2010). The sample consisted of 81 graduate-level counselor trainees in their first or second semester of practicum at a large South Eastern university. Results revealed no statistically significant relationship between variables. However, further exploratory analysis yielded a statistically significant relationship between a component of altruistic caring, specifically early career choice in the counseling field (4.1% of the variance explained), and client outcome. Implications for counselor educators are presented along with areas for future research.

Based on the research findings, the researcher suggested ideas for the betterment of social work profession, social work education and also direction for future research. The researcher hoped that the suggestions would facilitate further development of social work knowledge and social work profession. / The findings of this study revealed that all participants affirmed the importance of social workers' use of self However, most of them felt quite perplexed in the positive use of self in their helping process. Even though they did not consciously utilize self, all of them showed that they were deeply involved in this helping profession. The ways they used their self were very diversified which included self-awareness, self acceptance, self-disclosure and self-presentation. Their use of self ranged from the cognitive level to the affective level. They were pragmatic in using the self Some clang to use self as an instrument, taking it as a technique in direct social work practice. Others opened up themselves and fully involved in the helping process. / The narratives of the participants showed that their lived experiences, especially at their early years, had important influences on their use of self At the same time, their professional learning and direct practice experiences were also crucial factors in affecting their re-construction of self and the use of self. Besides the above, Chinese culture and the strong emphasis of management and accountability in the profession were also important environmental factors. For some participants, they struggled in their self assurance and felt confused in their self-evaluation in an atmosphere of managerialism in their work setting, and they found it difficult in exercising their self On the one hand, they assured themselves of their proper attitude in their helping profession; while on the other, they experienced a sense of failure and self-doubt in their helping career and have difficulties in integrating themselves. / This research was a narrative analysis of Taiwan clinical social workers' use of self in their helping process. The purposes of this research were to understand clinical social workers' subjective experiences and their interpretation of self and their use of self in the helping process, to explore how the self was shaped in their personal and professional life, and to find out how Chinese culture influenced the development of self and the use of self in their professional practice. Fifteen clinical social workers in Taiwan participated in this study. Each of them was invited to attend two or three in-depth interviews with the duration of two hours each. / 鄭佩芬. / Adviser: Mong Chow Lam. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-03, Section: A, page: 1031. / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 290-308). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Zheng Peifen.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores patterns of separation and/or connection in the narratives of the respondent, a female farm worker living and working in the Western Cape, South Africa. The major objective of this qualitative case study is to examine the possible construction, co-existence and interaction of separation-connection themes in the reality of the respondent. Founded within the social constructivist tradition, an approach that assumes reality to be constructed through language and within relationships, a window on the respondent's narrative construction of her reality, relationships and separation-connection processes was obtained. To compliment the explorative nature and social constructionist approach of the study, Grounded Theory and Narrative Analysis were administrated. Through the analysis the two central themes, separation and connection, manifested on two different levels - firstly on a content level (what the participant has to say regarding the themes) and secondly on a process level (what is happening between participant and researcher). Findings provided a preliminary understanding of the techniques the respondent implores to construe a sense of separation and connection. Results confirmed the co-existence of separation-connection themes and indicated a possible interaction between the two constructs. Findings also provided a glimpse on the experiences and impact of the separation-connection process in the idiom of the respondent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie belig patrone van binding en/of skeiding in die narratiewe van die respondent, In vroulike plaaswerker in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Dié kwalitatiewe gevallestudie is gerig op In ondersoek van die potensiële konstruksie, naasbestaan en interaksie van binding- en/of skeidingstemas soos wat die respondent dit beleef en verwoord. Deur die fundering van die navorsing in die sosiaal-konstruktivistiese tradisie, In benadering wat glo dat die realiteit in verhoudings via taal gekonstrueer word, is toegang tot die respondent se narratiewe konstruksie van haar realiteit, verhoudings en binding- en/of skeidingstemas verkry. In ooreenstemming met sosiaal-konstruktivistiese aannames, het die data-analise Narratiewe Analise en Grounded Theory metodiek behels. Met behulp van die ontleding het die twee sentrale konsepte, binding en skeiding, op twee vlakke gemanifesteer - eerstens op In inhoudsvlak (dit wat die respondent daaroor vertel) en tweedens op In prosesvlak (dit wat tussen die respondent en die onderhoudvoerder gebeur). Die resultate bied In voorlopige verstaan van die wyses waarop die respondent binding en/of skeiding konstrueer. Bevindings bevestig die naasbestaan van binding- en skeidingstemas en dui op In moontlike interaksie tussen dié twee konstrukte. Die studie verskaf ook In blik op die respondent se ervaring van die konstrukte in haar eie idioom.

This study involved a survey of 164 undergraduate students and sought to determine whether relationships exist between 1) religiosity and preferences for a counselor's use of religious interventions in counseling, and 2) gender and preferences for a counselor's use of religious intelentions in counseling. It was hypothesized that high religiosity in students would be related to a strong preferences for a counselor's use of religious interventions. It was also hypothesized that females would show stronger preferences for religious interventions in counseling. Results supported both hypotheses, indicating that a significant relationship exists between religiosity and preferences for religious interventions, and between gender and preferences for religious interventions. These results have important implications for counselors working with religious clients. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education

The present study examined age cohort differences in older and younger adults as they relate to perceptions of helpful counselor characteristics. The present study also assessed whether previous help-seeking behavior influences perceptions of what counselor characteristics would be helpful. The social influence model is used as basis for predictions. The first research hypothesis for the present study was that there would be an age by cohort interaction in perceptions of helpful counselor characteristics at both Time 1 (1991) and Time 2 (2001). The second research hypothesis was that there would be a main effect for cohort, with more recently born cohorts preferring more interpersonal counselor characteristics. The third research hypothesis was that there would be a main effect for age in endorsement of the social influence model. The fourth research hypothesis was that there would be a significant difference between the perceptions of those individuals who had previously sought help from a mental health professional and those individuals who had not sought help, regardless of age and cohort. A revised Adjective Check List (Gough, 1965; Gough & Heilbrum, 1983) was used to assess perceptions of helpful counselor characteristics. Chi-square analyses, MANOVA/supplementary ANOVAs, and exploratory factor analyses were used to test the research hypotheses. The first and second research hypotheses were supported. The third research hypothesis was not supported. The fourth research hypothesis was supported for Time 1, but not for Time 2. Limitations of the present study and implications of this research are discussed.

The purpose of this research was to determine if a relationship exists between quality of the therapeutic working alliance and counselors' and clients' Adlerian personality priorities. Variables included counselors' and clients' Adlerian personality priorities and ratings of working alliance. Information for counselors' and clients' Adlerian personality priorities was obtained on the Allen Assessment for Adlerian Personality Priorities (AAAPP; Allen, 2005). Working alliance was measured with the Working Alliance Inventory- short revised (WAI-SR; Hatcher & Gillaspy, 2006). Participants included 14 counselors and 31 clients from a community counseling clinic on a university campus in the southwest United States. Results suggested that match between counselors' and clients' Adlerian personality priorities is related to counselors' perceptions of quality of the therapeutic working alliance. Statistically significant values were found on one hypothesis, as well as large effect sizes.

Child-centered play therapists are taught unique relationship building approaches and therapeutic methods to utilize when working with children. The purpose of this study was to determine if adult clients counseled by child-centered play therapists would demonstrate greater positive therapeutic outcomes than adult clients who were counseled by non-educated child-centered play therapists. This study also attempted to determine if the play therapists' clients would show greater, significant improvement in any particular areas of client distress (i.e., depression/anxiety, relationship issues), more so than the clients of the non-play therapists. Archival data from an assessment, The Adult Self-Report Inventory (ASR), was gathered to measure reported pre and post-test client symptomology. This study utilized a 2X2 repeated measure ANOVA design to analyze the impact of counselors who were educated in child-centered play therapy who saw adult clients, versus their non-play therapy counterparts who saw adult clients. Before treatment pre-test and after treatment post-test administration was collected for use in the analysis. The population consisted of 60 adult clients seeking counseling services at a major university in the southwest. All clients were seen by Master's practicum students for ten sessions. The clients were divided into two groups - 30 were seen by play therapists, 30 were seen by non-play therapists. Five scales on the ASR were measured using a 2x2 split-plot design and Eta squared. There were three independent variables: group, measurement occasion, and the interaction between group and measurement. The results of this study did not reveal any statistical significance. However, clinical significance was demonstrated as the play therapists' clients did report greater reductions in symptomology on all five scales, some more than others.

Studies investigating aspects of social influence or power in counseling settings have examined the relationship between nonverbal cues and social influence or power. This study investigated perceptions of power, responsiveness, attractiveness, expertness, and trustworthiness by manipulating posture, facial expression and sex of therapist. After viewing photographs of stimulus therapists and listening to audio tapes, 96 male and 98 female undergraduates completed the Counselor Rating Form and a questionnaire measuring therapists' power and responsiveness. Results indicated that facial expression was more salient than posture. Smiling decreased ratings of power and increased ratings of attractiveness, responsiveness, and trustworthiness. Open posture was seen as more attractive and more powerful than closed posture. Surprisingly, females were viewed as more powerful than males. Other gender differences were found only in interaction with other variables.