American Counseling Association Research Articles

KODE ETIK DALAM PROFESI KONSELOR BERDASARKAN ORGANISASI PROFESI BIMBINGAN DAN KONSELING (ABKIN) DAN ORGANISASI KONSELOR LAINNYA

The counselor profession has an important role in helping individuals overcome various emotional challenges and problems. In carrying out their duties, counselors are expected to adhere to a strict code of ethics, which guides their professional behavior. The code of ethics for counselors is established by the counselor professional institution. For the Indonesian territory, the code of ethics for counselors is determined by the Indonesian Counseling Guidance Association (ABKIN). A code of ethics is a guide or guideline for professional behavior or a moral foundation that is practiced, secured and upheld by counselors as members of professional organizations. This article explores aspects of the ABKIN code of ethics, codes of ethics of other counselor professions and compares the ABKIN Code of Ethics with codes of ethics issued by other counselor organizations, such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) in the United States. The method used in this research is a literature study with a qualitative descriptive approach. The data source comes from collecting documents in the form of books and previous research originating from various references. The data analysis technique used is descriptive analysis. The results of this research provide a better understanding of the importance of ethics in the counselor profession and illustrate how codes of ethics function as a guide to professional behavior for counselors based on regulations issued by several counselor organizations.

Social justice content in counseling journals: Comparison of publication rates

AbstractSocial justice is listed as a professional value for the American Counseling Association (ACA) (2014), yet professional publication in this topic may not be commensurate with its importance to the profession. This article presents the results of a qualitative content analysis (QCA, Schreier, 2012) of titles and abstracts of 917 articles in 18 ACA journals and one American School Counselor Association journal to document each journal's publication rate of social justice‐related articles for 2 years: 2018 (2 years before the ACA Anti‐Racism Statement, 2020) and 2022 (2 years after the statement). Results for each journal are presented, and topics of social justice content are listed. Implications are provided for researchers, association leaders, editors, and reviewers.

A 50‐year content analysis on Black males' experiences in counseling

AbstractThe view of Black male identities has historically been distorted. Traditionally, it has reflected the dehumanization of Black males through the lens of criminality and lacking dignity. However, in a similar fashion, little is known about the Black males in counseling, due to simultaneous under examination in empirical literature. Therefore, the researchers conducted a content analysis on the family of American Counseling Association and affiliate journals to observe the current state of scholarship on Black males’ experiences with counseling. Using an intersectional lens to the approach, our review yielded 102 articles on Black males' experiences with counseling published between 1972 and 2022. Implications for culturally responsive practices and counselor education are further discussed.

Wisconsin becomes 31st state to sign interstate Counseling Compact into law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines took another step forward as Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed into law his state's Counseling Compact legislation, according to a Dec. 8, 2023 American Counseling Association news release. This milestone makes Wisconsin the thirty‐first state to ratify the Counseling Compact, which allows professional counselors licensed and residing in a Compact member state to practice in other member states without the need for multiple licenses. “The Compact continues to expand across the country as states recognize that the ability to practice across state lines is essential in meeting the mental health needs of so many people,” said Lynn Linde, project lead. “The Compact represents the biggest change in the profession in 20 years and is truly historic. This is truly a milestone for the profession.” Funded and created by the American Counseling Association, the Counseling Compact, finalized in December 2020, enables professional counselors who meet uniform licensure requirements to quickly obtain a privilege to practice, which is equivalent to a license to practice counseling in another state.

A Critical Analysis of Immigrant Children and Adolescents in U.S. Professional Counseling Literature

ABSTRACT In this content analysis, we examined 20 years of peer-reviewed counseling research with immigrant children and adolescents published between 2002–2022. We conducted a comprehensive analysis that included a total of 32 articles from American Counseling Association (ACA) and ACA division journals. We analyzed the articles and identified five overarching themes that shed light on the publication trends and existing gaps in the literature concerning issues of immigrant children and adolescents. Recommendations are presented and discussed for advancing future practice and research in the counseling field.

Professional Ethics in Counselor Education: Ethical and Unethical Situations from The Sopranos TV Series

The aim of this study was to present examples of ethical and unethical situations through therapy scenes and therapy-related scenes of The Sopranos TV series and to create a supportive teaching material for ethical decision-making processes. The ethical codes of American Counseling Association (ACA) and Turkish Counseling and Guidance Association (TCGA) were taken as reference in the evaluation of ethical situations. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Research data were collected from therapy scenes and therapy-related scenes in all episodes of The Sopranos series (6 seasons and 86 episodes). As a result of this research; ethical and unethical behavior examples were determined in counseling relationships, multiple relationships, boundaries, confidentiality, dangerous clients and professional competence. This study shows that the therapy and scenes related to therapy in The Sopranos can be used as experiential learning materials while teaching professional ethics in counselor education.

Family and Systems Theory in Counselor Education: A PRISMA Systematic Review

An exploration of peer-reviewed articles published in the last decade in 11 journals from the American Counseling Association (ACA) was conducted to identify the state of research on teaching family and systems theory in the field of counselor education. This study presents a review of the relevant literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. While much has been published over the past decade specific to family and systems theory, few recommendations exist for counselor educators attempting to select the most recent and relevant publications to include in their counselor education curricula. A summary of the review and recommendations for counselor educators who are designing and teaching counselor education curricula on family and systems theory are provided.

Mental Health Excellence in Schools Act reintroduced

U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R‐N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D‐N.H.), and Todd Young (R‐Ind.) have reintroduced the Mental Health Excellence in Schools Act legislation to address the shortage of mental health providers in schools. Specifically, the bill would boost the pipeline of individ‐uals training to become school psychologists, counselors and social workers by authorizing the U.S. Department of Education to help cover students’ costs at certain graduate programs via partnerships with eligible academic institutions, according to a news release from Cramer's office. “Like so many fields across the state, there simply aren't enough school‐based mental health professionals. Ensuring our kids’ well‐being and academic success should be our first priority,” said Cramer. “Our bill will alleviate the financial strain of earning a graduate degree by encouraging more practitioners to work in schools across the state.” The National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of one school psychologist per 500 students. However, the national average ratio is estimated to be approximately one school psychologist per 1,200 students, with wide variation among states. The senators’ legislation looks to bridge this gap. It is endorsed by the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association, the School Social Work Association of America, the American Counseling Association, and the American Psychological Association. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R‐Pa.) and Jared Golden (D‐Maine) lead the companion bill in the House.

Content Analysis of Child and Adolescent Counseling Outcome Studies in Counseling Journals

ABSTRACT This content analysis provides an overview of articles specific to outcome-based research on children and adolescents in the counseling field published in the American Counseling Association (ACA), American School Counselor Association (ASCA), and American Mental Health Counseling Associated (AMHCA) affiliated journals between the years 2012 and 2021. Results indicated that minimal articles (133 articles or 3.11%) were outcome research examining efficacy of counseling interventions across community and school settings with most of interventions being evidence-based and group-based, and the target outcome being prosocial behavior. Of 133 articles, Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling is the most prevalent journal that published outcome research with children and adolescents (18.45%), followed by Journal of Specialist in Group Work (12.97%), and Professional School Counseling (7.04%). The paper concludes with a discussion of limitations and recommendations for future research.

Refugees in Counseling Journals: A 20-Year Content Analysis

This article is a 20-year content analysis of counseling journals exploring refugees and refugee issues from 1998-2018. The investigation intended to identify publication trends in counseling journals and the field’s responsiveness to the refugee crisis and global climate. An exhaustive analysis of American Counseling Association (ACA) and ACA division journals was conducted. Themes of the publishing trends, gaps in the literature, and recommendations for future research are presented for the counseling field.

Development of a Scale for Measuring the Competencies of Islamic Counselors

The competence of an individual's personality is a crucial aspect in determining the success of guidance and counseling services. It is important to measure the personality competence of Islamic counselors to assess their preparedness to fulfill their responsibilities in the workplace. This measurement serves as a benchmark for the quality of prospective Islamic counselors and can be used as an evaluation tool. The objective of this study is to develop a scale to measure the personality competence of prospective Islamic counselors based on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the Minister of National Education Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 27 Year 2008 related to counselor competencies. The study employed a qualitative approach in formulating statement items and a quantitative approach to test the internal validity of the scale. The internal validity was confirmed through V-Aiken analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using the Kaiser Meyer Olkin (KMO) test. Additionally, the reliability of the scale was tested using the Cronbach Alpha method. The results showed that the Islamic counselor personality competence scale was declared to be valid and reliable for all indicators and items.

Counselling in Itself

The discipline of Mental Health Counseling, referred to in this essay as Counseling, has no substantial philosophy. In the United States, much of Counseling philosophy is rooted in the American Counseling Association’s code of ethics. However, this is a code of material conduct, not a substantial Counseling philosophy, and by this orientation the distinction between doing and the knowledge that informs activity is not understood important. Counseling theories thereby adhere in a third principle that is left to disseminate in foreign powers. This is to say, Counseling is commonly understood as a name for a loose set of theoretical practices bound by ethical standards, that these practices are reckoned to lay apart from one another while all referencing or otherwise answering to psychology. Due to this deferment, the apparent rise of mental health issues could be attributed to a weakening of intentional focus, since psychology, by its own scientific standard, is less a standard of care than an experimental method oriented in discovering and implementing an objective reality through which it then offers corrective protocols. This essay draws upon philosophical efforts more rigorous than a granting of epistemological deferment to propose that Counseling is a practice unto itself, in-itself, of a true substance, concerned, involved with, and related to psychology but not subject to it.

Counselor Self-Reported Competence for Working with Kink Clients: Clinical Experience Matters

The experience of counselor stereotyping, bias, and misunderstanding is often very real for those who participate in adult, consensual, non-diagnosable paraphilic sexuality, commonly referred to as kink. A created Counselor Self-Reported Competency Scale, drawn from American Counseling Association competencies, and the Attitudes about Sadomasochism Scale were used to assess counselor knowledge and attitude for working with kink clients. This research suggests competence with kink clients increases as clinical experience working with kink clients increases. The ability to maintain a nonjudgmental attitude and open therapeutic environment seems linked to increased clinical experience with this sexual subculture.

Content analysis of articles on collaboration between counselling professionals and school personnel in American Counseling Association (ACA) journals over the last 15 years

ABSTRACT This content analysis provides an overview of articles on collaboration between counselling professionals and school personnel published in the 21 American Counseling Association (ACA) journals over the last 15 years. In addition to the number of collaboration-specific articles published each year during this time period, other content areas such as authorship and institutional contributors; type of article, methodology of empirical research, and application settings; target populations; and topics of focus are identified. Recommendations for counselling scholars are provided.

Insecurely-attached Supervisees’ Perspectives of Attachment in Supervision

Professional counselors are called upon by the American Counseling Association (2018) This narrative research study examines the experiences of counselors in training and how they engage with their supervisors through an attachment lens throughout their first practicum course. Three participants were identified as having an insecure attachment style. Each participant shared their experiences in supervision through semi-structured interviews and a photo elicitation journal writing project. Seven narrative categories emerged from the data which detailed how participants’ personal history and attachment style influenced their relationship with their supervisor. Implications for supervision include utilizing the emergent narrative categories to guide interventions to meet the attachment needs and influence the development of their supervisees.

Professional Counselors’ Roles and Opportunities in Special Education Advocacy

Professional counselors are called upon by the American Counseling Association (2018) to advocate on behalf of clients and their families to empower them and facilitate treatment goal achievement. They may accomplish this advocacy work in a variety of ways, including the provision of education and support when external barriers prevent clients' access to valuable community systems and resources. Special education (SPED) represents one such systemic resource that many clients and their families interface, but the lack of knowledge of a family's rights in the individual education planning (IEP) process continues to hinder their participation and utilization of SPED services (Jung, 2011; Lo, 2012). In this article, we illuminate opportunities for clinical mental health counselors to adequately prepare client families for the SPED process and act on behalf of families to advance their children’s treatment progress, educational prospects, and lifelong success.

Social justice outcomes and professional counseling: An 11‐year content analysis

AbstractArticles that assessed the outcomes of interventions based on multicultural‐social justice principles, and that were published in a journal sponsored by the American Counseling Association or its divisions, Chi Sigma Iota, or the National Board for Certified Counselors, were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A total of N = 35 empirical studies were identified for inclusion. The year published, methodology, population studied, sample size, operationalized constructs, and whether the study espoused a systemic or community focus were coded. Principal findings indicated a slight increase in multicultural‐social justice outcome research over time, a need for more rigorous multicultural‐social justice outcome research, and a need for scholars and practitioners to enhance their systemic and community‐based conceptualizations of their clients’ presenting concerns. Other implications for counseling, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Introduction to the Special Edition: Policies and Practices

The criteria used to measure whether a particular form of work, service, or vocation has developed into a profession include (a) university-based training to obtain the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions; (b) a form of status or power that is conferred by the profession upon its members; (c) a national association that forms a professional identity, advocates and supports its members, transmits professional values to its members, and disseminates scholarly research; and (d) a code of ethics and attempts at self-regulation through the use of licensure and certification (Francis & Dugger, 2014; Gorman & Sandefur, 2011). The profession of counseling, and more specifically clinical mental health counseling, has met and exceeded these criteria (Francis & Dugger, 2014).The American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA) was created in 1976 and affiliated with the American Counseling Association (ACA) in 1977 (Field, 2017). Since that time, AMHCA has developed from a division of ACA to an independent organization seeking to advocate for and influence the future of clinical mental health counseling. During its early years of development, the AMHCA leadership established important priorities to help the profession develop, including (a) advocating for the creation of licensure laws, (b) obtaining payments for services rendered from third party payers (i.e., insurance companies), (c) creating a scope of practice for mental health counselors, (d) achieving parity with other members of the mental health community (e.g., psychologists, clinical social workers), and (e) creating standard treatment plans for special populations (e.g., the elderly, chronic mental illnesses; Colangelo, 2009). Also included in this list of priorities was the creation of educational (i.e., accreditation) and certification standards that reflected the unique knowledge base necessary for clinical mental health counselors (CMHCs) to practice (Field, 2017).Clinical mental health counseling has matured beyond its early years and fully entered the mainstream of the mental health counseling profession. It has helped develop and revised educational standards (i.e., CACREP) and has its own codes of ethics (AMHCA, 2020). A scope of practice and licensure laws have been developed, and now the profession is lobbying for the standardization of state laws to increase the portability of licensure across state lines (AMHCA, 2021). Licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) are being paid by insurance companies, and they continue to lobby the federal government to include CMHCs in Medicare (AMHCA, 2021). LMHCs are being included on multidisciplinary care teams and working within integrated systems.Yet, as one challenge is met, another persists or a new one presents itself as both the profession and society develop. The focus of this special edition of the Journal of Mental Health Counseling is to address the many policy and educational challenges that impact the continued development of clinical mental health counseling.Charles J. Jacob et al. (2022) address the issue of boundary violations (sexual misconduct) in the profession. The ethics of both the ACA (A.5.) and AMHCA (A.4.) clearly prohibit sexual and/or romantic relationships between counselors and clients. Yet a majority of malpractice insurance claims continue to include boundary violations. Counselor education programs, as well as state licensure boards, do not adequately address this issue beyond telling counselors this behavior is inappropriate. Jacob et al. offer a standard of self-care to manage the attraction to clients and challenge counselor educators to address this issue with more depth and training to prevent boundary violations from happening.The CACREP curriculum requirements have evolved over the life of the accreditation body. As the needs of clients have changed, and as research has increased the knowledge base of the profession, this curriculum has changed. Counselors now have a heightened awareness of the impact of discrimination and racial injustice and its toll on the mental health of all people. In addition, they have a greater understanding of the impact of adverse childhood trauma on the development of children. These crises have also highlighted the need to provide increased training in the area of trauma across the life span. Yoon Suh Moh and Katherine Sperandio (2022) review the research concerning trauma and provide information on the increased need for comprehensive clinical training in trauma treatment and prevention to better prepare clinical counselors to practice in today’s world.AMHCA continues to work with Congress to amend the Medicare law so that CMHCs can be included in the panel of mental health care providers. Each day CMHCs are denied provider status, the national provider shortage worsens. This impacts the beneficiaries of Medicare and society in general. Amy Morgan et al. (2022) provide an overview of the problem and its impact on the beneficiaries and current and potential providers. They offer CMHCs information for use in advocacy efforts to impact legislation.Integrated health care (IHC) offers CMHCs the chance to be part of a larger team of mental health providers in various clinical settings. Varinder Kaur et al. (2022) explore the challenges, opportunities, and current barriers CMHCs face in the current IHC models of care and offer a holistic integrated model that addresses the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of the client. This model places CMHCs at the forefront of models of care by identifying symptoms, addressing potential disorders, providing diagnosis, and offering the necessary counseling services.IHC systems and other service structures will offer CMHCs the opportunity to work with other mental health professionals in providing mental health care to clients. While counselors have a strong intraprofessional identity, these questions remain: What is the level of their interprofessional identity and interprofessionalism, and how does that impact their attitudes and work in integrated systems? Jennifer Klein and Eric Beeson (2022) explore this question with the goal of helping the profession understand how attitudes and beliefs impact interprofessional education and collaboration efforts.A code of ethics is a living document that evolves as the profession and society grow and change. It is also a reflection of the values of the profession and a statement of how the profession will interact with the public (Francis & Dugger, 2014). Anabel Mifsud and Barbara Herlihy (2022) review the prevailing codes of ethics and challenge the profession to move beyond the foundation of principle ethics and integrate a more culturally responsive method of ethical reasoning based on virtue and relational ethics. In so doing, ethical reasoning can become more responsive to collective interventions that reflect CMHCs’ interactions with a more diverse society.Each article provides the CMHC with information to address the priorities and policies laid out in the early development of AMHCA and continue to provide direction to the profession as it faces the future of mental health counseling in a complex and diverse world.

Avoiding Boundary Violations: Recommendations for Managing Attraction to and From Clients in Response to the Healthcare Providers Service Organization’s 2019 Report

The standards regarding sexual relationships with clients are among the most clearly stated in the codes of ethics for the American Counseling Association and the American Mental Health Counselors Association. However, the majority of liability claims filed against counselors are for boundary violations of a sexual/romantic nature. Aggregate insurance liability data are presented, followed by management strategies related to attraction.

Disability Content in the Journal of Counseling and Development and Social Work: A Comparative Analysis

The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of how disability is addressed in the Journal of Counseling and Development (JCD), the flagship journal of the American Counseling Association. A review of disability content in JCD was compared with a review of disability in Social Work (SW), the flagship journal of the National Association of Social Workers. A series of between and within analyses for JCD and SW addressed the frequency, focus areas, and trends concerning how both journals addressed disability content over their histories. Overall, SW published a higher rate of disability content articles. Mental health was the most common disability domain addressed in both journals; however, JCD has published most of its disability content articles on mental health over the past two decades. The findings of the present study are discussed concerning prior research, historical events, and implications for accreditation.