Counseling Psychology Research Articles

The Potential of ‘Self-Ie’ Module as SDG’s Work Performance Intervention for Malaysian Low-Performing Civil Servants

Background: The SELF-IE module was developed by integrating the Reality Therapy Theory and the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Bahaviour Change, in order to obtain a module that is suitable for the intended target group. The module was applied in programs involving mental health, physical health, counseling, and financial management that acted as a holistic counseling psychology intervention. Objective: The objectives of this study were to obtain the validity and reliability of the SELF-IE module which involved five (5) experts who are psychology officers, university lecturers, and civil servants. Methods: The validity was measured in terms of content validity, whereas the reliability was determined via the Cronbach's Alpha (α) value calculated by the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) Results: After the analysis, it was found that the minimum percentage obtained for content validity was 80.4%. Meanwhile, the reliability showed that the degree of agreement among experts was high, with the value of α = 0.864. Conclusion: The results indicated that SELF-IE module has high validity and reliability; thus, it could be used effectively as counseling psychology intervention to assist the low-performing civil servants. The module possessed the potential to also be applied for the same group of employees in private sector as SDG’s tool for work performance improvement.

SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT IN VETERAN DEVELOPMENT CENTERS: PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Institutions of higher education actively participate in the implementation of the state veteran policy. The article characterizes the practical experience of the Center for Veteran Development in providing first-level psychological assistance. Research methods applied: analysis of the activities of the Center for Veteran Development of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, generalization of the main forms of social and psychological support for veterans and their family members; study of the official website of the institution of higher education. The main form of socio-psychological support for veterans and veterans is Veteran Development Centers. The article`s purpose is to characterize the practical experience of the Center for Veteran Development in providing first-level psychological assistance. Research methods: analysis of the activities of the Center for Veteran Development of Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, generalization of the main forms of social and psychological support for veterans and their family members; study of the official website of the institution of higher education. Since 2023, such a center has been created based on Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University. The university staff is working on creating a barrier-free space and accessible services. Among the forms of work of the center: individual psychological counseling is provided; group therapeutic classes, psychoeducation, and information sessions are practiced; rehabilitation programs are being developed; measures to support families are in demand; relaxation techniques and therapies are effective; individual work on social and psychological adaptation is carried out; training work is popular. Volunteer activities are systematically carried out by specialists and volunteers of the Center. It is possible to study for veterans at the university, as well as to study a foreign language.

Patterns of overeating in middle-aged Chinese from Hong Kong

Abstract Background Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for non-communicable diseases worldwide. Overweightness may be attributable to a wide spectrum of overeating behaviours. However, the various types of overeating behaviors are under-studied in Asia, particularly in non-adolescent age groups. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with various overeating patterns among middle-aged Chinese adults. Methods A random telephone survey was conducted in 2023 on Hong Kong Chinese adults between 35 and 59 years or age (n = 785). An instrument composed of modified Positive-Negative Emotional Eating (EE) Scale, Night Eating Questionnaire-Chinese (NEQ), Binge Eating Disorder Screener (BED-7), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), demographic factors, BMI and number of reported gastrointestinal (GI) conditions was used. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the association of demographic factors, BMI, GI conditions as well as dysphoric mood with overeating behaviors. Results Hong Kong Chinese middle-aged adults reported the following past-month prevalence of overeating behaviors: positive EE (26.1%), general overeating (12.4%), negative EE (9.2%), binge eating (6.0%) and night eating behavior (1.8%). Nightshift work, mental stress, being single and younger age were common risk factors for the various overeating patterns among middle-aged men. Anxiety, high/low educational levels and younger age were common risk factors among middle-aged women. Obesity was associated with binge eating and positive EE in men (OR: 1.7-4.0) and associated with negative EE and general overeating (OR:2.3-2.7) in women. Conclusions This study noted that binge eating, night eating, positive/negative EE, and GOB were distinct eating patterns requiring different clinical approaches. The significant association between various overeating behaviors with BMI, indicates that these individuals should be prioritized to receive healthy eating interventions. Key messages • Adult overeating is not a singular behavior but represents an array of different eating patterns with different risk factors. • Like their Western counterparts, overeating behaviors in Chinese adults are often linked to dysphoric mood, therefore treatment of obesity may require psychological counseling.

Evaluating the impact of rational emotive behavior therapy on post-traumatic stress in farmers with experiences of natural disaster.

This study was necessary due to the increasing number of cases of natural disasters such as flood, air pollution, erosion, etc in Nigeria, particularly in the Abia state, as well as the accompanying psychological and health issues affecting individuals within families and society as a whole. The study aimed to examine the impact of rational emotive behavior therapy on farmers' post-traumatic stress (PTS) in Abia State, Nigeria. A randomized control trial was conducted in Abia state, with a sample size of 118 farmers with experiences of natural disasters. Two assessments were conducted before the treatment, immediately after the treatment, and 2 months later to evaluate PTS and irrational beliefs among the farmers. The treatment involved a self-developed PTS-focused rational emotive behavior therapy manual, consisting of 12 sessions lasting 60 minutes each, delivered by counseling psychologists trained in rational emotive behavior and family therapies. Data from the pretest, posttest, and follow-up test were analyzed using chi-square, percentage, partial eta squared, and analysis of covariance statistical tools. The results showed no significant gender differences in the socioeconomic status, employment, and debt status of the participants. The rational emotive behavior therapy was effective in reducing PTS caused by the flood among farmers. Gender did not have a significant moderating effect on farmers' experiences with PTS. The study suggested that family health specialists and rational-emotive therapists collaborate with local authorities to provide career counseling services to farmers and establish community-based rational emotive institutes in each state of Nigeria.

The real experiences of nurses after patient suicide: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

To systematically evaluate the qualitative study of nurses' real experience after patient suicide, and to provide theoretical basis for reducing the influence of patient suicide on nurses and reducing the incidence of patient suicide. A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. These databases including The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CMB, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were searched by computer to collect relate qualitative researches. The retrieval time was from database established to February 2024. Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Research Quality Evaluation Form was used to evaluate the literature quality and Meta-integration. A total of 12 studies were included and 47 results were obtained, which were summarized into 8 new categories and 3 integrated results were obtained. Theme 1: impact on nurses themselves; Theme 2: the nurse's thoughts and suggestions of patient suicide; Theme 3: coping strategy. Nursing managers should fully pay attention to nurses' feelings and cognitive attitudes after patients' suicide events, strengthen psychological counseling for nurses, so as to reduce the impact of patients' suicide events on nurses.

Neglect, School Violence, and Internalizing Behaviors in Children from Multicultural Families in Korea

Children from multicultural families (i.e., families with at least one parent from a foreign country other than Korea) in South Korea face increased risks of adverse life conditions at home and school. However, few studies have investigated the cumulative effects of family and school adversities, especially internalizing behaviors in this population. This study examined the association between neglect and internalizing behaviors (i.e., depression and social withdrawal) and whether victimization from school violence amplifies the impact of neglect. Data were drawn from the second wave of the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS), which was constructed by the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI) and included 1500 fifth-graders surveyed in 2012. We first examined the moderating effect of school violence victimization on the association between neglect and depression and subsequently tested the same model to predict social withdrawal. This study showed that neglect significantly increased depression and social withdrawal. Additionally, the impact of neglect on depression and social withdrawal intensified when school violence coexisted. The findings of this study suggest that children from multicultural families exposed to co-occurring adversities require more attention. Assessment of polyvictimization and psychological counseling are necessary for supporting these children who have suffered violence at home and school.

Visualization Analysis of Integrating College Sports Training and Psychology into Basketball Physical Education Teaching System Based on Image Recognition Algorithm

ABSTRACT On this basis, a basketball movement model based on ORB (Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF) local feature extraction has been proposed, and a basketball teaching visualization analysis system has been constructed. By extracting images from athletes’ videos in basketball, and using their training as a standard, tracking the frequency of their various celebration postures appearing and improving their scores in the game, corresponding feature points are extracted, and then the BP (back propagation) neural network algorithm is used to classify feature points. Ten different participants were selected from 10 games. Their movements were tracked, and then the extracted feature actions were imported into the visualization system for visual analysis, comparing the changes before and after psychological intervention. The results showed that there were significant differences in scores, errors, hit rates, steals, and motivation among subjects who received psychological cues and incentives compared to the data before psychological counseling. The scores and positive and negative values increased to 2–4 points, which had a certain positive impact on the competitive results.

Lived experiences of women with uterine rupture who were managed at Nekemte specialized hospital: a qualitative study

BackgroundUterine rupture is a rare but severe obstetric complication that poses significant risks to maternal and fetal health. Understanding the lived experiences of individuals who have undergone uterine rupture is crucial for improving care and support for those affected by this condition. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals who have experienced uterine rupture.MethodThe study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, conducting 12 in-depth interviews and four key informant interviews with individuals who had experienced uterine rupture. Data analysis was conducted thematically using Atlas ti software to identify patterns and themes within the participants’ narratives.ResultsThe analysis of the interviews highlighted six key themes: experience during diagnosis and initial symptoms, perceived predisposing factors of uterine rupture, challenges faced by individuals with uterine rupture, impacts on their lives, and coping and resilience strategies. The findings revealed that women often failed to recognise the initial symptoms of uterine rupture due to a lack of preparation, a preference for home deliveries, husband refusal, and a general lack of awareness. This delay in seeking care resulted in severe consequences, including the loss of their babies, infertility, fistula, psychological trauma, and disruptions to daily life and relationships. To cope, many women resorted to accepting their situation, isolating themselves, and using traditional healing techniques.ConclusionsThis study’s findings provide valuable insights into the complex and multifaceted nature of uterine rupture, shedding light on the experiences of those affected by this condition. To address the challenges, it is essential to enhance awareness and education through community education programs and comprehensive antenatal classes. Additionally, improving access to healthcare by strengthening health infrastructure and deploying mobile health clinics can ensure better prenatal care. Furthermore, encouraging hospital deliveries through incentives and the support of community health workers can reduce risks. Providing psychological counselling and establishing support groups can help affected women cope with the consequences. Moreover, engaging men in maternal health through educational programs and involving them in antenatal care can foster better support. Finally, promoting safe traditional practices by integrating traditional healers and respecting cultural sensitivities can increase acceptance and adherence.

Counseling Psychology Marches Toward Racial Justice as Society Embraces “Neutrality”

In the inaugural speech for the Society of Counseling Psychology’s Janet E. Helms Racial Justice Award, the author thanked the multiple parties responsible for establishing the award in recognition of her efforts toward promoting racial justice and for providing impetus for future generations to carry forth the mission of racial justice in the various domains that define counseling psychology. In addition, she contended that the march toward racial justice has been obscured by multicultural pluralism that denies the effects of racism on everyone regardless of culture or other isms. As a consequence, counselors’ skills are often inadequate for addressing systemic policies intended to neutralize racial justice efforts. The author proposes some crude racial justice guidelines for counselors to encourage them to mitigate the confusion that now exists with respect to racism, racial justice, and culture in our profession and society at large.

Mindfulness meditation among South African psychologists: a pathway to ‘being’ amid existential suffering in contemporary South Africa

Mindfulness is currently regarded as a life skill as well as part of an approach to life that can generate beneficial intrapersonal and relational outcomes. Given the centrality of intrapersonal and relational outcomes in psychotherapeutic encounters, it seems logical that the practice of mindfulness by psychologists would be relevant to explore, especially in contemporary South African contexts where high levels of trauma, interpersonal distress, and resultant existential and intrapsychic struggles prevail. The study seeks to address an identified gap in existing research concerning the experienced relevance of long-term mindfulness meditative practice for counselling psychology and therapeutic practice generally, particularly in the South African context. Located within an interpretivist paradigm and interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored the mindfulness and mindfulness meditation practices of 11 South African counselling psychologists and the ways in which these practices informed their being in both personal and psychotherapeutic settings. Each participant was invited to participate in a semi-structured interview and reflexive journalling task as part of the research process. The findings centralise the being capacities afforded to psychologists through a mindfulness practice and identify how the related elements of non-judgement, nonattachment, and (re)connection enable enhanced relational encounters with clients. The findings contribute to the limited literature related to the value of psychologists’ mindfulness practices in relation to the way in which they manage their own responses to clients, as well as the potential for mindfulness practices to help clients manage presenting trauma responses.

Краткая версия Шкалы аутентичности в отношениях: психометрическая проверка в российской культуре

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective</strong>. Psychometric validation of the Russian-language short version of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale (AIRS), which allows you to assess the degree of authenticity in various contexts: partners, parents, friends and colleagues. <br><strong>Background.</strong> The basis of close relationships as an absolute value for different cultures is honest self-presentation, which contributes to a person’s psychological well-being and increases satisfaction with communication. Authentic relationships include unacceptability of deception and intimate risk taking. In authentic relationships, there should be no desire to produce and maintain ideas about oneself and one’s partner that do not correspond to reality. They also imply a desire for more open, close communication, i.e., revealing one’s real self to another person. To measure this quality, the Authenticity in Relationships Scale was developed in the USA and GB, which has not yet been subjected to systematic psychometric testing, although there are no analogues to this instrument in Russia, which determined the relevance of this study. <strong>Study design.</strong> Standard psychometric validation of the methodology was carried out for each of the four contexts: partners, parents, friends, colleagues. The Cronbach coefficient alpha was analyzed on the full sample of respondents; half of the respondents’ answers were selected for exploratory factor analysis, the other half for confirmatory factor analysis. <br><strong>Participants.</strong> The study involved 449 respondents aged 18 to 60 years (10% male, 90% female; average age – 27 years (min = 17, max = 60)). The study participants are Russian–speaking citizens of the Russian Federation, representatives of different professions. <br><strong>Measurements.</strong> The main method was a short version of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale, which included 10 statements for each context. Data were collected online using the 1ka.si service. Jamovi (v. 2.3.21.0) was used for data processing. <br><strong>Results.</strong> The scale is applicable only to the context of a romantic relationship. For other contexts, the original model has not been confirmed. <br><strong>Conclusions.</strong> The methodology can be applied in research and in psychological counseling to study the authenticity level of romantic relationships. The scale's applicability to other social contexts requires further testing.</p>

Factors Predicting Intentions to Seek Psychological Counseling Among Undergraduate University Students of Lahore, Pakistan

Factors Predicting Intentions to Seek Psychological Counseling Among Undergraduate University Students of Lahore, Pakistan

Evaluation of clinical aspects of obesity among undergraduate healthcare students- a cross-sectional study at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

BackgroundObesity among healthcare students (HCs)is a growing concern that needs to be addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, perceptions, practice, and preparedness of obesity, and associated factors among undergraduate HCs.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024 using an online prevalidated questionnaire, to assess clinical aspects of obesity.Simple random sampling was applied for data collection from nursing, emergency medical services (EMS), and pharmacy students at Saudi University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. All data were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS).ResultsA total of 456 HCs participated in this study. Among those 68% believed eating high carbohydrates, fats, and sugars leads to obesity. At the same time, 52.2% and 57.2% were aware that smoking and stress can contribute to obesity. On the other hand, 41.9% live a healthy lifestyle and 38.65% engage in physical activity to control their obesity. The demographic variables such as age (p = 0.0001), gender (p = 0.0001), professional classification (p = 0.0001), presence of chronic diseases (p = 0.0001), history of weight loss treatment (p = 0.0001) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with knowledge of obesity(p = 0.001). Similarly, students’ age (p = 0.001), presence of chronic diseases (p = 0.004) history of weight loss treatment (p = 0.0001), BMI (p = 0.001), and active status (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with the perception of the obesity.ConclusionUndergraduate HCs possess a good understanding of the clinical prospects of obesity. They know its causes, risks, and treatment options. Additionally, they are well-prepared to support individuals in managing their weight through lifestyle modifications and psychological counseling.

Psychological Techniques for Counselling Individuals on Sexual Attitudes and Discrimination

The importance of studying the psychology of sexuality and exploring counselling techniques for individuals dealing with sexual attitudes and discrimination is steadily growing on a global scale. In recent years, democratic reforms, the rise of the feminist movement, increased communication freedom between men and women, the surge of research across various scientific disciplines, and other factors have all contributed to the growing public interest in this branch of sexology. The present era is shaping new laws and patterns, which are still being defined within today’s science. Emerging are new types, categories, subdivisions, and fields that form the structural framework of this scientific field. The categories within the psychology of sexuality are regularly reassessed. Today, the development of sexology as a scientific field demands focused attention from both the scientific community and the state. This includes the publication of specialized literature, the training of university-level educators, the creation of master’s programmes, and the formal recognition of the psychologist-sexologist profession (psychologist-consultant in sexology), along with the opportunity to defend master’s and doctoral theses in this discipline. This reflects the dual challenge of clearly defining the scope of the psychology of sexuality while emphasizing the need for psychologists to be actively involved in sexology. The article highlights the psychologist’s role within sexological support services, presents various models of psychological counselling for individuals facing sexual attitude issues and discrimination, and outlines ethical principles in psychological counselling.

Application effect of psychological counseling intervention based on WeChat platform in chemotherapy of gastrointestinal tumors with completely implanted venous infusion ports.

This study's objective was to observe the application effect of psychological counseling intervention based on the WeChat platform for patients with gastrointestinal tumors undergoing chemotherapy with completely implanted venous infusion ports. From October 2022 to December 2023, 110 patients with gastrointestinal tumors undergoing chemotherapy with completely implanted venous infusion ports were selected from our hospital. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the different types of care. The control group received routine psychological counseling intervention, while the WeChat group received psychological counseling intervention based on the WeChat platform in addition to the routine intervention provided to the control group. A comparison was made between the 2 groups in terms of adverse events, compliance, hope level scores, and changes in coping strategy scores. The WeChat group experienced 7 adverse events, with an occurrence rate of 12.73%, while the control group experienced 17 adverse events, with an occurrence rate of 30.91%. The occurrence rate of adverse events in the WeChat group was significantly lower than that in the control group, showing a statistically significant difference (P < .05). The hope level scores before intervention in the 2 groups were compared (P > .05). Compared to before intervention, both groups showed an increase in scores for life attitude, proactive behavior, intimate relationships, and total scores. The WeChat group had higher scores after intervention compared to the control group (P < .05). The coping strategy scores before intervention in the 2 groups were compared (P > .05). Compared to before intervention, both groups showed an increase in facing scores and a decrease in avoidance and resignation scores (P < .05). After intervention, the WeChat group had higher facing scores and lower avoidance and resignation scores compared to the control group (P < .05). The overall chemotherapy compliance in the WeChat group was higher than that in the control group (P < .05). Psychological counseling intervention based on the WeChat platform can improve the level of hope, promote patients to face the disease with a positive attitude, increase chemotherapy compliance, and reduce the occurrence of adverse events in patients with gastrointestinal tumors undergoing chemotherapy with completely implanted venous infusion ports.

Overseas Returnee Executives and Digital Transformation of Enterprises: From the Perspective of Executive Compensation Gap and Executive Overconfidence

This article selects panel data of A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2013 to 2022, uses a fixed effects model to study the relationship between overseas returnee executives and digital transformation of enterprises, and analyzes the moderating effects of executive compensation gap and executive overconfidence. The research results indicate that overseas returnee executives can significantly promote the digital transformation of enterprises; The salary gap and overconfidence of executives play a negative moderating role in the positive relationship between overseas returnees executives and digital transformation of enterprises; Heterogeneity analysis shows that overseas returnee executives have a greater impact on high-tech enterprises, low marketization areas, and enterprises in the eastern region than on non-high-tech enterprises, high marketization areas, and enterprises in the central and western regions. To better solve the problems of "not being able to transform", "unwilling to do", and "afraid to transform" in the process of enterprise digital transformation, firstly, it is necessary to effectively utilize the high-quality human resources of overseas returnee executives and provide them with reasonable care and support to better play their role; The second is to optimize the executive compensation structure and strengthen the correlation between compensation and performance; The third is to pay attention to leadership training and psychological counseling for executives, and ensure objective analysis and sufficient discussion in the decision-making process of digital transformation.

2024 Report: Student Affiliates of Seventeen (SAS)

The Student Affiliates of Seventeen (SAS) is the national student organization for Society of Counseling Psychology (SCP). In August 2024, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s counseling psychology program finished its 2-year tenure as the 16th and final host institution of the SAS. The purpose of this report is to review the efforts of the SAS in the past year as well as across our term as a whole. More specifically, we highlight the efforts from committee members across the SAS as well as identify three themes across our tenure: fostering structural stability, fostering community, and fostering advocacy and liberation. We also provide final reflections on the SAS as an organization and our vision for the future directions of the SAS.

The Role of Psychological &amp; Philosophical Counseling in Technology Adoption in Education

The rapid advancement of technology has significantly impacted education, necessitating effective integration strategies. This chapter explores the essential role of psychological and philosophical counseling in the adoption of technology in education. Integrating technology in educational settings is complex, involving cognitive, emotional, and ethical dimensions. The conceptual framework combines psychological strategies to address resistance, enhance motivation, and reduce anxiety, with philosophical approaches to promote critical thinking and ethical reflection. The study utilizes quantitative surveys and a comprehensive literature review to assess attitudes, stress levels, and ethical considerations among educators, students, and administrators. Findings suggest that psychological counseling effectively reduces resistance and anxiety, while philosophical counseling fosters critical engagement and ethical awareness. The combined approach of both counseling types provides a holistic support system, ensuring successful and thoughtful technology integration. Recommendations emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and holistic interventions to enhance educational outcomes and support all stakeholders in the adoption process.

6942 Should there be a consensus statement about managing Inguinal Hernia In females? A Case of Delayed Diagnosis in Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS)

Abstract Disclosure: S. Echetebu: None. Introduction: Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome is usually due to a missense mutation that encodes part of the androgen receptor. More than 50% of females with CAIS present with inguinal hernias (4:1 female to male ratio). Previous CAIS studies have estimated the incidence of CAIS to be 0.8% to 2.4% in girls with inguinal hernias. 90% of the girls with CAIS will undergo inguinal hernia repair during childhood. The prevalence of germ cell tumors is estimated as 0.8% therefore, post-pubertal gonadectomy is now the recommended therapy for individuals with CAIS. Clinical Case: We present a case of a 15-year-old patient with primary amenorrhea who underwent bilateral inguinal hernia repair at the age of 5 weeks and was raised as a female. Initial ultrasound imaging at the age of 14 years revealed an absent uterus and complex hemorrhagic cysts of the ovaries. Further laboratory results revealed 46 XY chromosomal analysis, confirming her diagnosis of CAIS. Her laboratory values are: FSH 6.0 mIU/ml (1.0 to 18.6), Prolactin 15.6 ng/mL (&amp;lt;25), 17OHProgesterone 49 ng/dl (&amp;lt;265), Estradiol 30 pg/ml (&amp;lt;47), LH 17 mIU/ml (0.4 -11.7), Anti Mullerian Hormone 368 ng/ml (&amp;lt;13), Testosterone 629 ng/dl (&amp;lt;55 ). Upon our review of her past medical records from a different hospital, the operation note reports that her gonads resembled testes. Gonads were relocated in the abdomen without follow-up or consultation with an endocrinologist. Upon receiving her new diagnosis, the patient experienced significant emotional distress. As a result, both the patient and her family received psychological counseling and were referred to a genetic counselor to assess any potential risks for her younger sister. There is currently no consensus on the management of females with inguinal hernias in the available literature. It is widely accepted to perform gonadectomy. Currently, researchers at NIH are conducting an observational study on the benefits of additional delays in gonadectomy. Although most surgeons are familiar with this condition, it would be beneficial for families and patients to have an early diagnosis and provide appropriate education regarding future sexual encounters and fertility concerns. Conclusion: We propose to initiate a consensus statement for pediatricians, surgeons, and endocrinologists to perform systematic genetic testing in females with inguinal hernia. Such testing may include either a buccal mucosal smear, karyotype, or skin biopsy in all females with inguinal hernias. If the family chooses to delay orchiectomy, it is recommended that during hernioplasty, the testes should be repositioned in a location that allows for easy monitoring using annual imaging. By adopting this methodology, we can increase awareness about the effects of diagnosis and foster discussions among healthcare professionals regarding suitable management options. Presentation: 6/3/2024

Investigating the effect of digital storytelling on multicultural competencies and social justice: A mixed method study in psychological counseling education

This study examined the effect of an education process supported by digital storytelling (DST) regarding immigration on the multicultural competencies and social justice of psychological counselor candidates. The research was designed with mixed methods. Twenty-two junior students studying in the guidance and psychological counseling department of the Faculty of Education of a state university participated in the study. The study was conducted over nine weeks. In the quantitative phase of the research, a single group pretest posttest quasi-experimental design was used. To collect data for the qualitative phase, the researchers created an open-ended questionnaire to collect the opinions of psychological counselor candidates about the application process. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, one of the non-parametric tests, was used to analyze quantitative data in the study. As a result of the application process, there was a positive significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the students in the study group regarding their multicultural competence and their attitudes towards social justice. According to qualitative findings, four themes emerged regarding multicultural competencies: (a) Awareness, (b) Understanding different cultures, (c) Professional skills, (d) Concepts. The themes that emerged regarding social justice are as follows: (a) Sensitivity, (b) Advocacy for rights, (c) Social structure, (d) Fundamental rights. Considering these findings, educational process supported by migration-themed DST positively contributed to the multicultural competencies of psychological counselor candidates and their attitudes toward social justice.