Counseling Psychology Literature Research Articles

A content analysis of counseling psychology literature: Resilience against oppression among people of color.

The researchers analyzed articles from two flagship counseling psychology journals (i.e., Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist) to examine current understandings of resilience. There were 54 articles included in the final analysis that spanned the years 1997-2022. The researchers conducted a content analysis to identify, analyze, and report patterns across counseling psychology journals with regard to how resilience has been defined, the racial/ethnic groups that were of focus, and the forms of oppression that were studied or addressed. Five themes were generated that are a direct representation of the topics within previous literature on resilience in the field of counseling psychology. Those topics included: (a) ways of coping, (b) ethnic and racial identity, (c) advocacy/collective action, (d) personality factors, and (e) ability to endure stress and thrive. Implications for future research, clinical applications, mentoring, and advocacy are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for A Content Analysis of Counseling Psychology Literature: Resilience Against Oppression Among People of Color

Supplemental Material for A Content Analysis of Counseling Psychology Literature: Resilience Against Oppression Among People of Color

“But I Am a Runner”: Trying to Be a Rogerian Person-Centered Practitioner With an Injured Athlete

This reflective case study presents the experience of a trainee sport and exercise psychologist during a period of applied consultancy with an injured runner. This was the trainee’s first consultancy experience attempting to practice from a Rogerian/classic person-centered perspective. As a trainee, his sport psychology delivery process followed academic and professional training models. After identifying an incongruence relating to the client’s identity as a runner, Rogers’s rejection of formulation and intervention led to tensions. Drawing on sport and counseling psychology literature to guide reflection and approach, maintaining a relationship between client and practitioner consistent with Rogers’s necessary conditions of change was the intervention. The trainee’s reflections consider being challenged by conflicts between philosophy and training requirements, their limited practice experience, and responding to the client during sessions that sometimes felt inconsistent with person-centered principles. Ultimately, the client reported moving toward being a more authentic self by contextualizing running as only one aspect of their life.

Dismantling and eradicating anti-Blackness and systemic racism.

Anti-Blackness and systemic racism are long-standing pressing social issues that have received increasing attention in the counseling psychology literature. However, the past few years have demonstrated what can only be described as an emboldening of anti-Blackness-the brutal individual and systemic threats of emotional and physical violence and loss of life that Black individuals and communities face on a daily basis-and a harsh reminder of the systemic racism that continues to threaten the well-being of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In this introduction for the special section on Dismantling and Eradicating Anti-Blackness and Systemic Racism, we provide readers an opportunity to pause and reflect on the ways in which those of us in the field can more intentionally seek to disrupt anti-Blackness and systemic racism. We believe that counseling psychology has an opportunity to increase its real-world relevance as an applied specialty area of psychology to the degree to which it evolves its ways of disrupting anti-Blackness and systemic racism in every content area and domain of the field. In this introduction, we review exemplars of work that helps the field re-envision its approaches to anti-Blackness and systemic racism. We also offer our perspectives on additional ways in which the field of counseling psychology can increase its relevance and real-world impact in 2023 and beyond. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A Content Analysis of the Counseling Psychology Literature on Religiousness and Spirituality

This study reviewed the literature on religiousness and spirituality (RS) published in three major journals in counseling psychology. We aimed to evaluate (a) the content and methods of RS research and (b) operational definitions of RS constructs and suggestions for research and practice. At Level 1, we reviewed 901 articles that included an RS related word(s) anywhere in the article. At Level 2, we further analyzed 108 empirical studies and 31 conceptual articles that included RS as a study variable or a primary topic. Both quantitative and qualitative (i.e., thematic analysis) methods were used for data analysis. To summarize the key findings, major topics related to RS included mental health, wellbeing, LGBTQ experiences, help-seeking, counseling process, eudaimonic wellbeing, identity, discrimination, and minority stress. Religiousness and spirituality tended to be defined in a dichotomous way. We suggest future directions for research, practice, advocacy, education, and training, building on the holistic, multicultural, and positive premises of counseling psychology.

Assisting students with career decision-making difficulties: Can career decision-making self-efficacy and career decision-making profile help?

Building on the counseling psychology literature, this study examined the effects of each dimension of career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and career decision-making profile (CDMP) on hospitality students' career decision-making difficulties (CDD). A sequential regression analysis with 273 valid questionnaires was performed while controlling participants’ demographic background information. CDMSE and CDMP explain 27.9% and 25.6% of the variance in CDD respectively. Goal selection in CDMSE, as well as locus of control, effort invested in the process, procrastination, and speed of making the final decision in CDMP are significant predictors of CDD. Specific practical implications that assist students with CDD are discussed.

Practice recommendations for addressing racism: A content analysis of the counseling psychology literature.

Although racism persists as a significant public health issue that adversely impacts the mental health of people of color (U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, 2001), there has been very little systematic guidance for mental health professionals to address racism through practice (S. Harrell, 2000). Therefore, we conducted a content analysis of the peer reviewed counseling psychology literature-the first of its kind-to provide a summary and critique of the extant practice recommendations and facilitate the development and enhancement of practice efforts aimed at addressing racism. We reviewed racism-related articles published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, and Counseling Psychology Quarterly and identified 73 relevant articles, of which 51 provided practice recommendations. Based on our review of this literature, we identified eight general categories of recommendations for addressing racism: psychoeducation, validation, self-awareness and critical consciousness, critical examination of privilege and racial attitudes, culturally responsive social support, developing positive identity, externalize/minimize self-blame, and outreach and advocacy. We found that most recommendations within each category were at the individual level with far fewer at the group and systemic level. A critique of recommendations is provided along with suggestions for developing and bolstering practice, research, and consultation efforts aimed at addressing racism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Workplace climate and satisfaction in sexual minority populations: An application of social cognitive career theory.

Workplace sexual identity management has drawn increasing attention in the counseling psychology literature. Disclosing a sexual minority identity at work may lead to greater levels of work satisfaction, but it may also lead to occupational barriers (e.g., lack of advancement opportunities, interpersonal harassment) when disclosing in nonaffirming workplace environments. The present study used social-cognitive career theory (SCCT)'s self-management model with a sample of 214 American sexual minority employees recruited via Facebook to examine the adaptive nature of workplace sexual identity management and its resulting impact on work satisfaction. The present model employed path analysis to hypothesize more affirmative workplace environments lead to greater levels of identity disclosure through the mediating variables of disclosure self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Further, the model posited workplace climate moderates the relationship between sexual identity disclosure and work satisfaction such that work satisfaction increases in the presence of both an affirming workplace climate and employee's decision to self-disclose. Results largely supported all hypotheses and demonstrate continued use of SCCT's self-management model for examining sexual identity management while also highlighting the importance of both an affirming workplace climate and factors that influence an employee's decision to self-disclose. Specifically, the relationship between identity disclosure and work satisfaction was strongest in the presence of more affirming workplace environments. These findings provide support for inclusive workplace policies such as nondiscrimination ordinances in order to maximize sexual minority work satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Counseling Issues: Addressing Behavioral and Emotional Considerations in the Treatment of Communication Disorders.

Counseling is an important fundamental professional activity and an established component of the speech-language pathology/audiology scope of practice as documented by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2004a, 2016a). Appropriate incorporation of counseling into practice can optimize service provision, help address comorbid behavioral and emotional reactions to communication disorders, and enhance prognosis. Practitioner insecurity in incorporating counseling into practice has been documented by Phillips and Mendel (2008), as well as Atkins (2007). This tutorial seeks to present general counseling constructs and treatment applications primarily utilizing a humanistic counseling perspective. This tutorial incorporated relevant publications from communication disorders and counseling psychology literature databases over a 3-year period. The tutorial evolved through interviews with practicing speech-language pathology practitioners and educators and was undertaken to provide transparency and clarity to support the assertions and recommendations offered. This tutorial organizes and presents general counseling considerations along with specific suggestions, which can help practitioners who are seeking to expand their understanding, skill, and confidence in incorporating counseling into their practice. The tutorial identifies some of the potential and impactful comorbid emotional and behavioral responses to experiencing a communication disorder and/or to the treatment process for the communication disorder issue(s). Theoretically grounded considerations for mitigating such potentially impactful responses are offered. Continued and enhanced efforts may be necessary to meet American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's mandate for universal incorporation of empirically supported counseling approaches and in advancing universal speech-language pathology/audiology training in this area. It is hoped that this tutorial serves as an initial guide for addressing this need until universal preparation and practice is achieved.

Older adult research in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, and Counselling Psychology Quarterly: A 15-year review and implications for research

In preparing for an aging global population, older adults’ well-being has become an urgent priority across the world. Counseling psychologists have also called upon the field for more empirical attention on older adults. Yet, a review of the literature revealed that older adults were represented in less than 2% of all the articles in the Journal of Counseling Psychology (JCP) and The Counseling Psychologist (TCP) from 1991 to 2000. The current study presents a follow-up review of older adult research in counseling psychology literature between 2001 and 2015 in the following mainstream journals: Counselling Psychology Quarterly (CPQ), JCP, and TCQ. Results suggest a decline in the past 15 years, with less than 1% of the total articles in JCP, TCP, and CPQ devoted to older adults. Most of the studies employed cross-sectional survey research design to examine predictors of mental health. A number of studies focused on culture-specific experiences of diverse older adults. Implications and suggestions for future research on older adult issues are discussed in relation to the principles and interests rooted in the field of counseling psychology.

Positive Psychology on the College Campus by John C. Wade, Lawrence L. Marks, and Roderick D. Hetzel

Reviewed by: Positive Psychology on the College Campus by John C. Wade, Lawrence L. Marks, and Roderick D. Hetzel Alan M. Schwitzer Positive Psychology on the College Campus John C. Wade, Lawrence L. Marks, and Roderick D. Hetzel New York, NY: Oxford, 2015, 376 pages, $69.95 (hardcover) Student development theory and higher education practice traditionally have been informed by closely related fields such as the various specialties of professional psychology. In particular, counseling psychology’s historical emphasis on individuals’ adaptive strengths, inner resources and resiliencies, and psychological well-being is especially consistent with the higher education goals of promoting student growth, development, adjustment, and success (Moores & Popadiuk, 2011). Most recently, positive psychology has emerged from the counseling psychology literature as a field of study that is useful for looking beyond deficits in a person’s functioning and instead focusing on positive characteristics and facilitative institutional experiences. Positive Psychology on the College Campus, edited by John C. Wade, Lawrence L. Marks, and Roderick D. Hetzel, applies this scientific study of positive emotions, positive character, and positive institutions to student development work. As a result, this new book is a timely addition to the literature, informing contemporary practices to support student success. The book’s lead authors are college counseling center psychologists who were motivated by the ways the positive psychology approach had enhanced their counseling center work to examine its potential for “applications beyond the counseling center and to almost all areas of student affairs work” (Wade, Marks, & Hetzel, 2015; p. ix). The resulting text is as an introduction to the topic written for practitioners throughout higher education. The book is logically organized and comprises 15 chapters. These are divided up so that the first 4 chapters introduce readers to the dynamics of positive psychology theory in the context of today’s campuses, and then the remaining chapters offer applications of the theory to practice inside and outside the classroom. In chapter 1, Laurie A. Schreiner builds the case for a close alignment between the priorities of higher education and the goals of positive psychology. On one hand, Schreiner acknowledges the modern importance of institutional outcomes related to student persistence, graduation, and career. On the other hand, she reminds readers that U.S. higher education also has traditionally set out to positively influence character development, psychosocial and cognitive development, and the growth of fulfilled individuals who will be active contributors to society. Whereas a narrower institutional emphasis on admissions standards, graduation rates, and career outcomes potentially can lead to a deficit view of students – identifying mostly gaps in adjustment and areas of poor functioning to which campuses must respond with remediation—a broader view of institutional success that retains an emphasis on student development outcomes allows for practices that can facilitate students’ growth as fulfilled individuals and can create institutional climates in which the potential for thriving across diverse student populations is intentionally advanced. Because positive psychology focuses more on talents, strengths, and resilience than on deficits and remediation, it is presented in the chapter as a good strategy for achieving this broader approach to institutional outcomes. [End Page 620] The next chapters expand on these themes. In chapter 2, Frank Shushok Jr. and Vera Kidd describe the most recent cohort of U.S. college students: Millennials. This is an especially useful chapter for readers who are relatively unfamiliar with generational viewpoints. The chapter presents the primary features characterizing the Millennial generation of students—including, for example, their exposure to rapid cultural change, immersion in technology and social connectedness, high levels of education, diversity, self-expressiveness, experience of relatively protective family backgrounds, intellect, priority on relevance, service-orientation, as well as their experience of heightened pressure to succeed and high expectations. The chapter balances these unique generational features with a discussion of the ways in which Millennials also share with each previous generation of adolescents and young adults the compelling identity questions of “What are my gifts and talents?” “Why am I in college and will I be successful?” and “How can I matter?” The main point of the chapter is that positive psychology approaches are an effective fit with the developmental characteristics Millennials bring with them to campus. In...

Male Asian international students' perceived racial discrimination, masculine identity, and subjective masculinity stress: a moderated mediation model.

This study examined male Asian international college students' perceptions of racial discrimination, subjective masculinity stress, centrality of masculine identity, and psychological distress by testing a moderated mediation model. Participants were 160 male Asian international college students from 2 large public universities. Participants' perceived racial discrimination was positively related to their subjective masculinity stress only at high (but not low) levels of masculine identity centrality. Additionally, subjective masculinity stress was positively related to psychological distress, although this association was stronger among those who reported high levels of masculine identity centrality. The authors also detected a moderated mediation effect in which subjective masculinity stress mediated the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and psychological distress only at high (but not low) levels of masculine identity centrality. These findings contribute to the counseling psychology literature by highlighting the connections between race- and gender-related stressors as well as the relevance of masculine identity to an understanding of men's mental health.

Vocational Psychology, Offenders and Ex-Offenders, and Social Justice

The vocational needs of offenders and ex-offenders have received little attention in the counseling psychology literature. The authors of this special issue have called attention to the importance of and possibilities associated with the development and implementation of vocational interventions for such populations. This reaction discusses the merits of the articles in this special issue, and proposes that in addition to focusing on developing effective interventions for offenders and ex-offenders, we must interrogate the U.S. prison enterprise with respect to goals, outcomes, and ultimately, social justice.

Emerging Approaches to Counseling Intervention

This article provides an overview of the major contribution that presents three emerging approaches to counseling: narrative therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. The three theoretical systems were chosen because they are current, for the most part not addressed in the mainstream counseling psychology literature; have well-defined theoretical structures and associated research support; are of significant interest in the wider practice community; and are consistent with the values and philosophy of counseling psychology. This overview includes a brief description of the theoretical approaches, the reasons for choosing them, and the structure used by the authors to present them. In addition, training implications are briefly addressed.

Disability research in counseling psychology journals: A 20-year content analysis.

We conducted an exploratory content analysis of disability research in 5 major counseling psychology journals between 1990 and 2010. The goal was to review the counseling psychology literature to better understand the prevalence of disability research, identify research methods most often conducted, and elucidate the types of concerns most studied. We searched 5 journals (Journal of Counseling & Development, Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology) using keywords derived from disability terms defined by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). Articles were categorized by methodology and disability category examined. We found that disability research continues to comprise an extremely small amount (from less than 1% to 2.7%) of the counseling psychology literature, with the frequency of articles plateauing in recent years. The research design of articles published has changed, with an increased number of empirical articles and a decrease in literature reviews. We conclude by calling for increased empirical investigation of disability among journals specific to counseling psychology to recognize disability as an important aspect of diversity within the field.

The Influence of Coworker Justice Perceptions on Worksite Accommodations and the Return to Work of Persons with Disabilities

This literature review explores research on coworker justice perceptions regarding workplace accommodation necessary in the employment of persons with disabilities. A review of rehabilitation counseling and organizational psychology literature yielded meaningful research acknowledging the importance of coworker's attitudes pertaining to accommodations of employees with disabilities. Research findings suggest that the behaviors of workplace employees are influenced by their feelings of fairness. In the organizational literature the term justice is equivalent to fairness. Research indicates that disability characteristics, organizational factors and coworker perceptions regarding the procedural fairness of accommodations may impact the successful implementation of accommodations for persons with disabilities and are/actors which deserve further exploration and study.

The Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior to Prevention Science in Counseling Psychology

The theory of reasoned action and planned behavior (TRA/PB) is a model of behavior change that has been extensively studied in the health sciences but has had limited exposure in the counseling psychology literature. The model offers counseling psychologists a framework to conceptualize prevention research and practice. The model is important to consider since the training of counseling psychologists is heavily dominated by theories of psychotherapy that emphasize remediation rather than prevention. This article discusses a brief history and explanation of TRA/PB along with relevant research, limitations, and multicultural considerations. Elicitation research, an important component of the model, receives emphasis because it solicits population-specific cognitions and social influences relevant to targeted behaviors, thus strengthening prevention interventions. An example demonstrates how TRA/PB can be used as a theoretical framework to support prevention research. Recommendations for prevention training of counseling psychologists are presented.

The Intersections of Work, Health, Diversity, and Social Justice

Although counseling psychology has discussed vocational issues, health concerns, diversity, and social justice, discussion of these topics has typically been narrowly focused. This article uses the example of persons with HIV (PWHIV) to demonstrate how these areas can be intertwined. The counseling psychology literature is also examined to determine the degree to which direction has been provided regarding clients facing health concerns, disabilities, confusion regarding career issues, or possible discrimination. Because HIV is now considered to be a chronic illness for many people, there is an increased likelihood that PWHIV will be faced with employment issues, as well as significant barriers to beginning work, returning to work, or keeping a job. After highlighting characteristics of PWHIV, we review the degree to which the vocational literature addresses the needs and issues of PWHIV. We also examine the role of social justice in relation to PWHIV who are considering work.

Forgiveness and Therapy: A Critical Review of Conceptualizations, Practices, and Values Found in the Literature

This article is a critical review of how forgiveness is conceptualized in the family therapy, counseling, and clinical psychology literature. A systematic analysis of themes in a fairly comprehensive set of texts was carried out. Three main dimensions emerged along which therapist authors' viewpoints can be located: essentiality, intentionality, and benevolence. Therapy practices and values that correspond with positions along these dimensions are presented. The analysis reveals that greater exploration is needed regarding how forgiveness is related to diversity (e.g., gender, culture, religion, etc.), marginalization, and relations of power. Our objective is to provide a conceptual map for clinicians so that they might locate their own thinking about forgiveness and be better equipped to work sensitively with the forgiveness views and values of their clients.

Advanced Applications of Structural Equation Modeling in Counseling Psychology Research

Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a data-analytic technique that allows researchers to test complex theoretical models. Most published applications of SEM involve analyses of cross-sectional recursive (i.e., unidirectional) models, but it is possible for researchers to test more complex designs that involve variables observed at multiple points in time or variables implicated in reciprocal feedback loops (i.e., bidirectional models). Given SEM’s popularity among counseling psychology researchers, this article aims to introduce three SEM designs not often seen in the counseling psychology literature: cross-lagged panel analyses, latent growth curve modeling, and nonrecursive mediated model analysis. For each design, the authors provide a brief rationale regarding its purpose, procedures for specifying a model to test the design, and a worked illustration.