Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Counseling, 2008. / "December, 2008." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 12/30/2008) Advisor, Robert C. Schwartz; Committee members, Xin Liang, Sandra Perosa, Cynthia A. Reynolds, Sandra Spickard-Prettyman; Department Chair, Karin B. Jordan; Dean of the College, Cynthia F. Capers; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-106). Also available on the World Wide Web.

The number of single individuals in Western societies has increased and continues to rise. Research suggests that single women do not find it easy to be single. This thesis explores the lived experience of being single in female counselling psychology trainees. Seven single women engaged in semi-structured interview, which were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. From the analysis, four main themes emerged. The first was an existential search for relatedness, encompassing the realisation that human relationships are fundamentally necessary; participants experienced being single as a choice that provoked anxiety. The second theme, the paradox of singleness, highlighted ambivalent emotions regarding freedom, but also the absence of a partner. The third theme viewed the training as an all-demanding partner, leaving no space for a romantic relationship, and whose presence at times felt like the loss of one’s soul. The final theme of longing for a romantic relationship addressed participants’ relational longing, feelings of isolation, loneliness, sense of struggle and being different to individuals with a partner. The relational nature of the training brought participants’ singleness into their awareness and this was experienced as difficult. In line with the research examined in the literature review, this study confirms the overall experience of being single as an ambivalent one, which causes individuals to struggle with their singleness. Moreover, this study furthers the previous literature by examining the experience in a rarely studied group. The insights gained from this research have deepened our understanding of the experience of single female counselling psychology trainees and contribute to knowledge within the profession. Specifically, this study suggests that counselling psychology trainees would benefit from training that addresses relational issues and the experience of being single. This would lead to improved clinical practice with single clients and an enhanced awareness of their own process.

This study investigated the ability of U.S. counseling psychology and Japanese clinical psychology trainees to recognize facially expressed emotions. Sixty U.S. counseling psychology students and 60 Japanese clinical psychology students viewed photographs of U.S.-Caucasian and Japanese individuals expressing seven basic emotions: anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. Participants completed a survey that assessed their ability to recognize emotions and their intensity ratings of these emotions. Two four-way mixed factors ANOVAs were performed to examine the effects of participant nationality, participant gender, poser nationality, and poser gender on emotion recognition accuracy scores and emotion intensity ratings. A significant three-way interaction effect for participant nationality, poser nationality, and poser gender on accuracy scores was discovered. Two significant interaction effects for intensity ratings involving poser nationality and participant nationality, and poser gender and participant nationality were also found. Results are discussed in light of prior research on emotion recognition and intensity ratings. Implications for counseling psychology and future research investigations are also presented. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The present study was undertaker, to examine the effects of various methods of training during the practicum experience upon subsequent counselor trainees' behavior and skill. This study has a two-fold purpose. The first is to examine which of two methods of training was most effective in producing behavioral changes in counselor trainees during a five month practicum situation. The second is to compare the effects of these forms of training with a control group which did not utilize the training procedures.

The primary purpose of this longitudinal, quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effects of a bipartite, standardized case conceptualization training among participants in comparison to those who were exposed to both the training and deliberate practice coaching. The secondary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of the training and aspects of deliberate practice, along with participants’ attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP). A total of 84 counselor trainees were recruited from two South Florida universities. Participants in both the experimental group (n = 35) and comparison group (n = 49) received two, three-hour training lectures, which explained the integrative case conceptualization model developed by Dr. Len Sperry in 1989. Over a period of eight weeks, the lectures were separated by approximately four weeks in order to assess whether the training effects persist over time. As measured by the Views About Case Conceptualization (VACC) instrument, the first training lecture effectively reduced case conceptualization myths for both groups by approximately 4 points (out of 25), t (83) = -8.53, p < .001. Repeated measures MANOVA showed that the training had a significant impact on the entire sample. As measured by the Case Conceptualization Evaluation Form (CCEF) 2.0, the comparison group’s overall mean score improvement was approximately 40 points (out of 100) and the experimental group’s overall mean score improvement was approximately 63 points (out of 100), F (4.256, 348.974) = 32.102, p < .001. The results reveal that the training and coaching had a significant effect on counselor trainees’ ability to write effective case conceptualizations with a partial eta-squared effect size of .281. Using both the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) and Moulaert Questionnaire, this study also examined the influence of attitudes toward EBP and aspects of deliberate practice on trainees' case conceptualization competence. Paired samples t-tests and correlation analysis revealed that participants became more “open” to EBP, t (83) = -5.280, p < .001. However, it was determined that coaching did not act as a mediating or moderating variable. Overall, the findings support that case conceptualization training and deliberate practice coaching increase counselor competence, and that the effects persist over time. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis supervisor: Tarrell Awe Agahe Portman. Thesis supervisor: Susannah M. Wood. Includes bibliographic references (p. 154-158).

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2009. / Directed by Craig S. Cashwell; submitted to the Dept. of Counseling and Educational Development. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 14, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 166-190).

xiv, 204 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The purpose of this study was to examine counselor trainees' perceptions of adopted clients and explore how trainee perceptions may vary according to counselor trainees' adoption-related knowledge, attitudes, and clinical skills. This study extends the limited body of research examining mental health professionals' potential bias related to adopted clients in their approach to treatment and case conceptualization. Counselor trainees (N = 430) read one of six client case study vignettes that were identical except for variations on client adoption status (adopted, transracially adopted, nonadopted) and client sex (male or female), resulting in six different stimuli conditions. Group differences were examined for two independent variables (client adoption status and client sex) and dependent variables measuring counselor trainees' perceptions of clients in four areas: (a) seriousness of treatment plan and prognosis, (b) assignment of favorable or unfavorable adjectives to clients, (c) counselor trainees' assessment of client level of functioning, and (d) diagnosis behavior. Preexisting counselor adoption knowledge, attitudes, and skills were assessed by the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills of Adoption Survey (KASAS) that was created and validated specifically for this study. Results of exploratory factor analyses on the KASAS revealed a cogent, three-factor structure for the measure with high factor internal consistency. The main study research questions were then addressed within the context of several univariate general linear models. Findings demonstrated that counselor trainees perceive adopted clients generally more negatively than nonadopted clients. Participants rated same-race adopted clients as lower functioning than nonadopted clients, reported having greater overall concern for adopted clients (both same-race and transracially adopted) in comparison with nonadopted clients, and rated adopted clients' problems as more severe than those of nonadopted clients despite being presented with otherwise identical presenting issues. Descriptive data revealed that 64% of trainees reported lack of preparation to deal with or no knowledge about adoption, and 89% reported wanting additional clinical training about adoption Implications for future research and practice are presented. / Committee in charge: Benedict McWhirter, Chairperson, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Deanna Linville-Knobelspiesse, Member, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Paul Yovanoff, Member, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership; Ellen Herman, Outside Member, History

Counselor educators are charged with facilitating the development of counseling students towards becoming ethical and competent counselors (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2005; Council for Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs [CACREP], 2009). In addition, counselor educators serve as gatekeepers for the profession and deny entry to counseling students who demonstrate deficiency of necessary competencies (ACA, 2005; Association for Counselor Education and Supervision [ACES], 1993; CACREP, 2009). Numerous assessment tools utilized for the evaluation of counseling competencies have been developed, yet none has gained universal acceptance in the field of counselor education. The Counseling Competencies Scale© (CCS, UCF Counselor Education Faculty, 2009) is a 32 item counseling-student assessment tool developed to measure counselors-in-training counselor competencies (counseling skills, professional dispositions, and behaviors). The psychometric properties of the CCS have been investigated (Swank, 2010); however, questions related to perceptions, purposes, and uses of the CCS remained. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive, exploratory phenomenology was to understand counseling students‘ and practicum supervisors‘ lived experiences with the CCS. The sample included counseling practicum students (N = 23 [individual student interviews only, n = 11; student focus group interviews only, n = 4, individual student interviews and student focus group participants, n = 8]) and practicum supervisors (N = 6) from a CACREP accredited counselor education program in the Southeastern United States. The data was collected through individual interviews and focus groups with practicum students and individual interviews with practicum supervisors. All data was recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes (Creswell, 2007; Moustakas, 1994). The data analyses utilized a research key iv comprised of 34 meaning units (Devenish, 2002; Moustakas, 1994) and identified five themes within the data: (a) Cognitive understanding, (b) Emotional Understanding, (c) Feedback, (d) Trustworthiness, and (e) Gatekeeping. A visual metaphor was developed to illustrate the interaction of the five themes. Trustworthiness measures employed throughout the research included the use of (a) descriptions of researcher positionality, (b) a self-reflective field journal, (c) triangulation (student and supervisor individual interviews, student focus group interviews, and examination of the CCS document), (d) member checking, (e) peer debriefers, (f) an external auditor, (g) an extensive description of previous literature, and (h) an openness to disconfirming evidence (Creswell, 2007; Marshall & Rossman, 2006; Moustakas, 1994). The results supported that counseling students and their clinical supervisors identified the CCS as an appropriate and comprehensive supervisory tool; however, they acknowledged CCSrelated limitations including inconsistent application, problematic scoring system, pass/fail structure, and delivery by instructors and practicum supervisors who demonstrated minimal investment of time and effort. Implications for counselor educators include the importance of program and faculty members‘ engagement and consistency regarding the use of (a) evaluation and feedback tools, (b) remediation and gatekeeping processes, and (c) counseling student performance expectations. Replication of this study at diverse institutions is suggested. In addition, quantitative and qualitative investigations examining counseling student competencies and development (e.g., CCS) would contribute to the counselor education, counseling-student development, and counseling supervision literature. A discussion of the investigation‘s limitations is included.