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Leaders of the social justice research movement in school psychology argue that since the inception the profession, school psychology has had social justice as a key agenda item. A closer look at the representation of diverse backgrounds in researchers and practitioners and observations of the impact the profession has had on the education of marginalized groups, one could argue that school psychology has contributed to the oppression of said groups. In recent efforts, social justice has been made a focus (i.e. social justice task forces within National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), efforts of individual school districts and graduate training programs to recruit more trainees and practitioners of color, etc.). However, there is still more to be done when training future and current school psychologist who practice, those who train graduate students, and those who do research. The goal of this study is to inquire if the multi-cultural competence and social justice intervention, the Temple Social Justice Project, impacts self-perception of professional performance with social justice matters including multicultural competence using quantitative research methods. Evidence from the current study indicates that more frequent experiences working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities is a significant predictor of higher self-report ratings of social justice orientation. While self-reflection and learning social justice principles may have helped TSJP intervention participants to conceptualize their roles in schools as allies, increased time spent in practicum experiences working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities appears to be effective at predicting higher multicultural competence and social justice orientations as measured by self-report ratings. Findings align with intergroup contact theory which states that intergroup contact reduces prejudice (Pettigrew et. al., 2011). While coursework and professional development/training opportunities are essential for the purposes of prioritizing social justice and multicultural competence and providing individuals with safe spaces to process their social experiences and come to terms with inequality, the data suggests that efforts to diversify our spaces is one of our strongest tools in improving multicultural competence and social justice. / School Psychology

Millions of people around the world have fled their home countries in search of refuge, and there is a great likelihood they experience traumatizing events in their journeys to safety. Refugees are screened for mental health issues in the resettlement process in the United States, and there is a large body of established research regarding refugee mental health needs and strengths. However, far less is known about counseling refugees, and even less so about counselors working with the population. This dissertation study sought counselors' reflections on their experiences, both personal and professional, they feel help prepare them to see refugee clients. Four post-masters counselors participated in the video interviews. Participants were diverse (3 women, 4 ethnicities, counseling refugees from all areas of the world). Minimum criteria was having three adult refugee clients for a minimum of three sessions each. Four main themes emerged as result of analysis: 1) Trauma-informed, 2) Cultural competence and humility, 3) Counselor determination, and 4) Integration of Self. Participants specifically identified trauma-informed practices, cultural competence, and cultural humility as integral parts of necessary training for counselors to see this population. Counselors in this study found they were ill-prepared when they began seeing refugees and had to overcome obstacles to provide needed therapy. Results show a gap between what is known about refugees in academic literature and counselors' knowledge of the population which highlights the need for accessible curriculum and training on refugee issues as well as best practices for serving refugee clients. Implications for counselors, counselor educators, and future research are shared. / Doctor of Philosophy / People who have refugee status often struggle to meet basic needs upon resettlement. They have experienced potentially traumatizing events in their journeys, and their mental health needs are not often met. While a great body of research on refugee mental health exists, far less is known about counseling refugees, and even less so about counselors working with the population. This dissertation study sought counselors' reflections on their experiences, both personal and professional, they feel helped prepare them to see refugee clients. Four counselors participated in the video interviews. Minimum criteria was having three adult refugee clients for a minimum of three sessions each. Four main themes emerged as result of analysis: 1) Trauma-informed, 2) Cultural competence and humility, 3) Counselor determination, and 4) Integration of Self. Counselors in this study found they were ill-prepared when they began seeing refugees and had to overcome obstacles to provide needed therapy. Results show a gap between what is known about refugees in academic literature and counselors' knowledge of the population which highlights the need for accessible curriculum and training on refugee issues as well as best practices for serving refugee clients. Implications for counselors, counselor educators, and future research are shared.

As the diversity of U.S. society continues to expand and interrelate, so do the training needs of counselors in training and early counseling professionals who encounter these very diverse populations and needs. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the perceptions of advanced masters'-level mental health counseling students and recent graduates regarding multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills to provide effective counseling services and interventions to African American women who have co-occurring histories of childhood sexual abuse and substance abuse. During a 2-month period, in-depth interviews were conducted with counselors in training and early counseling professionals who were working with African American women at the time of the study or who were likely to work with them in the future. This study arose partially from the personal experiences of the researcher who is an African American woman and masters'-level counselor who previously encountered women with these co-occurring histories. The study was also derived from a review of current research that indicated this ever-growing population lacks the level of engagement and effective therapeutic services that focus specifically on their needs. The participants engaged in individual interviews consisting of a demographic survey, vignettes, and a structured open-ended interview guided process. Three methods of inquiry were utilized to promote triangulation of the data, thereby ensuring trustworthiness of the study. The results of this study promote awareness of participant perceptions of their multicultural competence as identified in the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development's Multicultural Counseling Competencies. The findings also contribute to future training and supervision experiences provided by counselor educators and supervisors who are gatekeepers for the profession and who assist in the multicultural development of counselors in training and early counseling professionals. Findings from this study revealed that current practice in multicultural counseling training promoted some level of awareness, knowledge, and/or skills in the ability of counselors in training and early counseling professionals to counsel African American women with dual diagnoses of childhood sexual abuse and substance abuse. Emerging themes from the participants' responses included awareness of personal strengths and limitations in multicultural competencies, significance of the relationship with population-specific clients, desire for increased exposure to population-specific content and interactions during the training process, desire for increased experiential opportunities to promote interactions with lesser known populations, and supportive and diverse supervision experiences. Recommendations for specific multicultural competencies related to counseling African American women with the dual diagnoses of childhood sexual abuse and substance abuse and for future research are included.

xv, 177 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 dissertation was to develop and conduct initial validation procedures for the Environmental Justice Advocacy Scale (EJAS). Environmental justice refers to the equitable distribution of environmental risks and benefits across diverse groups in terms of the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. Environmental justice advocacy involves efforts to organize communities and collaborate with policymakers to prevent or remediate environmental injustice. The findings of three studies are presented and describe reliability, concurrent and discriminant validity, and internal structural validity analyses. A national sample of graduate students, practitioners, and faculty in the specialties of counseling psychology, counseling, and social work were surveyed ( n = 43, n = 294, and n = 295, respectively). Study 1 addresses initial scale development procedures that resulted in a 47-item measure. In Study 2, an exploratory factor analysis suggested a three-factor structure (Attitudes, Knowledge, and Skills) with excellent reliability and strong concurrent and discriminant validity. The results indicated that two of the subscales were correlated ( r = .16 and r = .1 6, p < .01) with a measure of social desirability. In Study 3, a confirmatory factor analysis failed to replicate the three-factor model. However, four factors (Attitudes, Knowledge-General Environmental Justice, Knowledge-Psychological and Physical Health Environmental Justice, and Skills) explained a statistically significant amount of variance in question items. Suggestions for modification of the measure and recommendations for future research, training, and practice related to environmental justice advocacy for mental health professionals are provided. / Committee in charge: Ellen McWhirter, Chairperson, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Benedict McWhirter, Member, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Keith Zvoch, Member, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership; Michael Dreiling, Outside Member, Sociology

The diversity of the undergraduate student population encourages understanding of others and provides opportunities for students to challenge their assumptions of cultures, political and religious views, values, and personal backgrounds. However, it also creates challenges for academic and student success as faculty and administrators struggle to meet different generational and cultural needs. A broader, more inclusive definition of student success may help meet the needs of a more modern complex institutional student demographic. It may also allow for new avenues of research specifically related to success for Black, Hispanic, and White undergraduate male students, as these students continue to struggle in higher education (Bailey & Moore, 2004; Barker & Avery, 2012; Conger & Long, 2010; Harper, 2006b; Harper & Kuykendall, 2012; Kuh & Love, 2000; Kuh et al., 2007; Sax & Arms, 2006; Sax & Harper, 2007; Spruhill, Hirt, & Mo, 2014; Strayhorn, 2010a; Sutton & Kimbrough, 2001). Meanwhile, the concept of globalization and global citizenship are being integrated into higher education at many levels in both academic and student affairs. Many institutions are integrating these concepts into policies and programs, which provide opportunities for diverse interactions, conversations, and experiences. Informal interactional diversity, which is defined as “the opportunity to interact with students from diverse backgrounds in the broad, campus environment” (Gruin, 1999, para. 4), is a concept related to globalization and global citizenship, but not much research exists to show how it might impact student success. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to further explore informal interactional diversity in Black, Hispanic, and White undergraduate males and its possible relationship to the multi-faceted nature of student engagement. The resulting framework for this study was built around Tinto’s (1993) theory of social integration, Astin’s (1993a) theory of student involvement, and persistence research by Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) because these models highlighted important environmental factors that informed research on informal interactional diversity. In this quantitative study, the researcher utilized a purposeful, national sample of secondary data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to analyze levels of informal interactional diversity in Black, Hispanic, and White undergraduate men. The sample included 3,613 Black, Hispanic, and White undergraduate men who were enrolled at five participating large, public predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in the United States and completed the survey with an appended Experiences with Diverse Perspectives topical module in 2013 and 2014. The majority of the males in the sample were White and classified as seniors, or fourth-year undergraduate students (n = 1,830). Statistical analyses, such analysis of variances (ANOVAs) and multiple regressions tests, were conducted to examine the relationships between variables (informal interactional diversity, classification in college, and student engagement). Results of the analysis indicated the relationships between informal interactional diversity, male ethnic group, and student engagement were statistically significant. Additionally, findings indicated there was a significant relationship between levels of informal interactional diversity and classification in college, as well as classification in college and male ethnic group. Implications for future research based on the findings of this study included: a) investigating how reflective and integrative learning, as well as supportive environment, affect engagement for the undergraduate male populations studied; b) examining why decreases in qualitative reasoning, effective teaching practices, and collaborative learning occur for these undergraduate male populations; c) investigating these variables using samples of participants at different types of institutions; and d) conducting a mixed-methods study with a qualitative portion, or a purely qualitative study, focused on male student perceptions of informal interactional diversity, student engagement, and campus climate or race relations at PWIs to gain more insight on the lived experience of Black, Hispanic, and White males. The conclusion of this research study was that the findings support much of the literature related to informal interactional diversity, as well as the success of Black, Hispanic, and White males.

In this thesis, I trace my personal journey and the precursors of unlearning and conversation necessary to start to move towards anti-racism. With a focused look on specific aspects of feminist history, Scripps College as a place was historically contextualized. This allowed for an exploration of its student body, a look at the ways in which traditional gender meanings and expectations necessarily operate within that space. White students who claim the label feminist add complexity to that space, though their reactions to conversations of race can be traced back to the historic and gender over-determined systems of domination and victimhood that produce caustic white feminist tears. Finally, different ways of having difficult conversations are discussed, along with detailed understandings of why those conversations are necessary. In conclusion, I try to envision a kind of feminism that I would like myself and my peers to continue to work for, and emphasize again the sort of education that one must undergo in order to continue their awareness and work.

There exists a strong endorsement in the literature of the effectiveness of an individual counseling experience as an influence in the personal and professional development of counseling students, yet few counselor education programs seem to require that students complete such an experience. Thus, the question arises as to why the required individual counseling experience as a client is not being required by a large proportion of counseling programs. The purposes of this descriptive, exploratory study were to determine the prevalence of the required experience as a client in individual counseling, examine the opinions of counselor education program leaders regarding the risks and benefits of experiential training components, determine the modalities used to deliver experiential training components, obtain counselor education program coordinators' views on the various modalities, and explore policies and procedures used in counselor education programs with respect to experiential training components. Finally, this study attempted to determine the level of satisfaction of those program directors who do utilize a required individual counseling experience, as well as their policies and procedures with regard to outcome measurement. Results of the study showed that there were some significant inverse relationships between counselor education program directors' opinions regarding potential benefits for counseling students and their policies regarding a required individual counseling experience. Additionally, although respondents did not strongly endorse the potential risks associated with the exercise, it is still not required by the majority of the counselor education programs surveyed. However, those program directors who do endorse a required individual counseling experience reported on its many benefits, and offered qualitative insights into how the requirement is implemented. The results of this study have implications for the counseling profession by offering empirical evidence regarding the prevalence of a required individual counseling experience for master's-level counseling students. The results of this study contribute to the counseling profession's knowledge base by determining counseling program directors' opinions of the potential benefits and risks of a required individual counseling experience, and by establishing that program directors whose programs require this exercise are overwhelmingly satisfied that the experience accomplishes the purposes for which it is intended.

In the present study, the Cultural Adaptation Process Model was applied to an online module to include adaptations responsive to the online students' culturally-influenced learning styles and preferences. The purpose was to provide the online learners with a variety of course material presentations, where the e-learners had the opportunity to select their preferred structure for learning. The research methodology for the study is Design-Based Research (DBR), which has been identified by many prominent researchers in Instructional Technology as the most productive research approach for the field. DBR integrates different data types and data collection methods (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed) with experience in instructional development and the participants' collaboration. The study produced design principles that are expected to be useful for practitioners when adapting online courses to multicultural audiences. To provide thorough information to instructional designers, the research report includes a detailed description of each phase, an estimate of hours invested per development and testing stages, a list of outcomes found, and a set of recommendations for improving the cultural adaptation model applied. The study is expected to be valuable for educational institutions and corporations that offer online courses to multicultural groups of e-learners.

xvii, 169 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The development, maintenance, and integration of multicultural competence into all aspects of psychologists' work is critical to ethical practice in an increasingly diverse society. Measurement of multicultural competency is critical to investigating the development of multicultural competence and the effectiveness of multicultural competency training. However, existing measures of multicultural competence are limited in scope and are not congruent with the conceptualization of multicultural competence as a lifelong process. The purpose of this dissertation study was to address the limitations of existing instrumentation through development and initial validation of the Multicultural Competence Change Scale (MCCS). The MCCS assesses the development of multicultural competence from a "stages of change" perspective. The stages of change model provides a framework for assessing subtle cognitive, emotional, and behavioral modifications indicative of change. Participants included 221 counseling, clinical, and school psychology graduate students. An exploratory factor analysis and the generalized graded unfolding model were used to establish the MCCS factor structure. The MCCS was found to have a five factor structure, with each factor representing one of the stages of change. Internal consistency reliabilities for the MCCS subscales ranged from .64 - .74. Estimates of validity were obtained by examining relationships between the MCCS and other measures, such as the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Survey, Counselor Edition, Revised (MAKSS-CE-R). The MCCS Precontemplation, Contemplation, and Preparation subscales were significantly and negatively correlated with the MAKSS-CE-R, and the Action and Maintenance subscales were significantly and positively correlated with the MAKSS-CE-R. Examination of the sensitivity of the MCCS to respondent variability revealed that psychology trainees' who participated in a greater number of diversity-related trainings, who currently participate in diversity-related research, and who are members of underrepresented groups based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, and ability were more likely to be in either the action or maintenance stage of change. The MCCS provides a novel approach to multicultural competence assessment; however, it is still in the initial stages of development and additional items are needed to strengthen the factor structure and psychometric properties of the instrument. / Committee in charge: Ellen McWhirter, Chairperson, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Paul Yovanoff, Member, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership; Krista Chronister, Member, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Michael Hames-Garcia, Outside Member, Ethnic Studies