Counseling Psychology Research Articles

The Relationships between Job Performance, Job Burnout, and Psychological Counselling: A Perspective on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Job burnout (as an independent variable) and job performance (as a dependent variable) are often correlated, and one of the main arguments is that psychological counseling can mitigate job burnout, which in turn influences job performance. This article aims to introduce a new perspective on the subject by establishing a new paradigm in the field. It also explores the role of psychological counseling as a precautionary measure. Furthermore, it aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 8, which seek to enhance public health, collective well-being, and decent work or at least equitable workplace conditions. Adopting a quantitative analysis method, this study used panel data from 2020 to 2023 and group regression to analyze these data. The instruments comprise job performance (KPI) and mental health records. This study revealed that job burnout as experienced by academics is regulated by their job performance (β = −0.013, p < 0.001. This study revealed that academics’ job performance remained unchanged despite the number of psychological counseling and interventions conducted, so consequently, psychological counseling and interventions do not affect performance directly. This research contributes to the literature by utilizing a novel measurement approach. It is concluded that competency is the key to having a decent work environment and staff experiencing collective well-being.

The Impact of Group Psychological Counseling on Counseling Self-Efficacy: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study aims to examine the impact of group counseling practice conducted with undergraduate psychological counseling and guidance (PCG) students on their counseling self-efficacy levels. The study group consisted of 36 third-year students enrolled in the Group Counseling Principles and Techniques course in the spring semester of 2019 at the Department of PCG at Atatürk University. Since the course content was theoretical and students needed to have fundamental knowledge related to the course, it was taught theoretically for the first 7 weeks (until the midterm exam). After the midterm, group counseling practice was conducted with students divided into three groups for the remaining 7 weeks. The researcher led the sessions, and the students participated as group members. The Counselor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales was administered immediately before and one week after the practice. After the practice, students were also asked to fill out a semi-structured form to evaluate their group experiences. This study was designed using the explanatory sequential design, one of the mixed research methods. The quantitative aspect of the research was conducted as a single-group pretest-posttest design, one of the weak experimental designs. In analyzing the quantitative data, the Paired Samples t-Test was used for pretest-posttest comparisons. For the qualitative aspect, content analysis was performed on the forms filled out by the students. The study found that group counseling practice significantly increased the counseling self-efficacy of the counselor candidates, and the students’ qualitative responses supported this finding. Furthermore, students indicated that the practice contributed to their development in both professional skills and personal relationships. It is observed that individual counseling practices are generally emphasized in psychological counselor education. Considering the inadequacy of group counseling practices in counselor education and the lack of research addressing the contributions of these practices to the personal and professional development of psychological counselors, it is evaluated that the results of this research will contribute to the field.

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy in Slovenia: quality of life and costs from patient perspective

IntroductionLeber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is the most commonly diagnosed mitochondrial disorder, resulting in colour vision abnormalities and rapid but painless deterioration of central vision. While numerous studies have assessed the impact of LHON on the quality of life (QoL) of LHON patients, the financial impact of the disease remains unexplored. This study attempts to calculate both the direct non-medical costs and the indirect costs associated with productivity losses experienced by people with LHON and their unpaid caregivers in Slovenia, in addition to assessing their QoL. Due to the rarity of the disease, the study involved a small sample size, which is important to note for interpreting the results.MethodsThe analysis was conducted on nine adult participants diagnosed with LHON, representing one-third of the total number of known Slovenian patients with this condition. To thoroughly assess the economic and social impact of LHON, tailored questionnaires were designed to collect information on demographics, socioeconomic status, LHON severity, and associated non-medical and indirect costs.ResultsThe mean age of the study participants was 48.8 years (SD 13.3; n = 9). The annual productivity loss attributable to LHON, taking both absenteeism and relative presenteeism into account, was calculated to be EUR 11,608 per person affected. The mean VFQ-25 score, a measure of vision-related quality of life, for adult LHON patients was 30.4 (SD 12.9).ConclusionThe findings highlight the significant economic and social burden of LHON on patients and their families. Ensuring prompt, accurate diagnosis, access to treatment, financial support, and psychological counselling and services are critical to helping individuals cope with and mitigate the profound challenges of vision loss and living with LHON.

Optimizing Postpartum Depression Prevention in Primary Health Care Services

Post-partum depression (PPD) is a post-natal disorder that not only impacts the mental health of the mother but also has long-term effects on the development and well-being of the child and family. PPD is a preventable disorder, starting from interventions at primary health care facilities. As one of the developing countries with a PPD incidence of 22% per 100,000 births, PPD is considered an urgent public health issue in Indonesia. In practice, evaluation, and improvement of services at primary health care facilities are needed. This study aims to identify and adapt international intervention strategies to reduce post-partum depression prevalence in Indonesian primary health care. A scoping review analysis method was used, involving previous studies on activities from pregnancy to post-partum that can prevent and reduce post-partum depression. The reviewed articles employed Randomized Controlled Trials or Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT) methods with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were collected from relevant sources, and a synthesis was conducted on 16 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The results show that direct psychological support activities (through health professionals or groups) and indirect support using digital platforms and applications are effective in reducing depression. Strategies such as digital technology, direct support programs, physical therapy, pharmacological therapy, community involvement, and strengthening health services, particularly post-partum psychological counseling, are recommended to enhance prevention. This research supports the expansion of evidence-based strategies that can be implemented in primary healthcare facilities to address post-partum depression.

Investigating the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship Between Authenticity and Alexithymia in University Students.

The aim of our study is to investigate the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia by examining the relationships between authenticity, alexithymia and self-compassion. The data collected via email by using three scales from the students of a foundation university in Istanbul/Turkey in the spring semester of 2022-2023. The data collection method was a descriptive cross-sectional study and the data were collected on a voluntary basis. Since it was thought that there would be a difference between the departments, data were collected from three different departments. The sample included 263 participants, 139 were English Language Teaching, 107 were Guidance and Psychological Counseling, and 17 were Elementary Mathematics Teaching students. The average age of the participants was 22.11 ± 3.59, 257 of them were single and 6 of them were married. The data were evaluated by using the SPSS 22.0 and LISREL 8.80 programs. While descriptive analyses were used in the evaluation, the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia was tested with Structural Equation Modeling. When the measurement model was examined, it was seen that there was a relationship between authenticity and alexithymia (r = -.40; p < .000), between self-compassion and alexithymia (r = - .85; p < .001) and between self-compassion and authenticity (r = .43; p < .001). When the structural equation model was examined, it was found that the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia in the measurement model (r = -.40) decreased to (β = - .05; p > .005) when the mediating role of self-compassion was examined and the relationship was found to be insignificant. When this path was removed from the model and the model was re-examined, the goodness of fit values of the model were χ2/df (71.12/51) ratio = 1.174; RMSEA = .039; SRMR = .050; CFI= .99; NFI = .96; NNFI = .98; IFI = .99; RFI = .95 and GFI = .96. In the study, it was found that self-compassion has a full mediating role in the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia in three departments. The relationship between authenticity and alexithymia goes through self-compassion.

Assessing Covi-19’s Effects on Mental Health in Nursing Students During E-Learning in Pandemic

Introduction: Covid-19 declared by WHO as a pandemic, from the time of experiencing it for the first time until now has caused many deaths all over the world. As a consequence of this pandemic, all public and private institutions tried to adapt life and work. Academic institutions in this period choose to continue with online platforms. This sudden switch from face to face to online learning has caused not only problems during lessons but also in mental and physical health of the students. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the level of anxiety among nursing students who study at public nursing faculty in Tirana, Albania. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was performed in April- May 2023 at Faculty of Technical Medical Science Tirana, Albania. The study involved nursing students in their third year of Bachelor and first year of Professional Master and Master of Science because only these students have taken online lessons. They were 278 in total. Results: The students responded (n = 278) to a questionnaire following GAD7 and HAM-A with some other basic information. Our findings showed that the level of moderate, severe and very severe anxiety range 30.53%, 3.38% and 1. 53% respectively. A significant relationship was found between gender, age and psychological impact (p=.057; p=.001). The most dominant symptoms were headache (192, 69.10%) and eye irritation (191, 68.70%). 137,49.30% of the respondents think that the lockdown had moderate impact on study. Conclusions: By applying different methods of assessing the level of anxiety, we found that our nursing students experienced anxiety caused on by the COVID-19 pandemic and isolation just like other nursing students around the world. Designing and consolidating strategies (mental health services or psychological counseling) by faculty members to face similar pandemic situations in the future, would help reduce anxiety among students because they will be professionals tomorrow, thus it is important to take care for their mental health.

Should Universities partner with NGOs? A Case Study of a University of Technology and a Coding School for Refugees

This paper explores the advantages of a University-NGO Partnership between the Faculty of Informatics at Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) and the NGO „refugees{code}―, a coding school for refugees in Vienna, Austria. The goal of this collaboration is twofold: Firstly, to help students apply coding skills practically and enhance their proficiency through teaching experiences with underrepresented groups; and secondly, to provide refugees with meaningful activities that match their profession, education, and personal interests, which might have been interrupted in their home countries. The study evaluates the perspectives of the stakeholders involved. To do so, written surveys and interviews with computer science students, refugees and team members of the NGO were conducted. The results indicate that meaningful educational benefits for computer science students can be created within such partnerships, such as enhanced teaching abilities, dispelled prejudices, insights into the factors affecting refugees' educational and career trajectories, as well as improved communication and empathy skills. However, challenges for such partnerships also exist, including giving student teachers more time for meetings and discussions, empowering them to make decisions, providing access to counseling psychologists and interpreters, and offering support in managing participants' expectations. The findings shed light on the potential benefits from participating in campus-community partnerships and suggest several measures to improve them, such as providing additional ECTS credits, intensifying promotional activities to encourage greater student participation, providing alumni support, and issuing official certificates.

Return to Work After Release From Prison.

Work preservation is crucial for the reintegration of ex-prisoners and the prevention of recidivism. We describe the application of an interdisciplinary diagnostic protocol (occupational health visit, psychiatric interview, psychological counselling and testing) in the case of a dairy industry worker (female, 45-year-old), released on half-freedom after approximately a year of detention in prison for attempted murder. This crime can seriously hamper job resumption. The evaluation revealed a slightly depressed mood (consistent with recent life events), in the absence of major psychiatric disorders or other disturbances that could compromise working abilities or represent a danger for the coworkers. The patient was, therefore, judged able to resume her job. At six months follow-up, she had fully served her sentence and had returned to her previous job, with good relations with her colleagues. However, she encountered hostility from her employer, which induced her to find a new job as a secretary. Her mental health status was improved. The interdisciplinary approach described here may allow ex-prisoners to return to work by helping the company physician to formulate the judgement of job fitness, offering at the same time suggestions for a rational occupational reintegration.

Effect of older adult health and age on psychology doctoral trainees’ expectations of clinical work with older adult clients

ABSTRACT This experimental, repeated-measures study investigated the effects of client health and client age on doctoral psychology students’ clinical expectations for their work with older adult clients. Doctoral clinical and counseling psychology trainees (N = 223) completed measures assessing clinical expectations for three older adult clients of varying health status (healthy, recent Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) diagnosis, heart disease) who all presented with depressive symptoms. Trainees were randomly assigned to the 71-year-old or 81-year-old condition. Trainees perceived a depressed client with a recent AD diagnosis as a less appropriate candidate for therapy, less motivated and less responsible for therapy, and less able to develop a therapeutic relationship. Additional health-based differences in prognosis, comfort, and competence were moderated by client age. Although age did have a small effect, the health of the older adult client had a stronger influence on trainees’ clinical expectations for work with older adults. Cognitive health concerns were perceived as a greater barrier to clinical work with older adults than were physical health concerns. Health biases for clinical work with older adults could impact the quality of mental healthcare provided.

The Role of Educational and Psychological Counseling in Improving the Educational Process

The study aimed to identify the role of educational and psychological counseling in improving the educational process in school education. Where the narrative critical approach was used, which is based on reviewing, scrutinizing and extracting theoretical literature well; The study was conducted in the second semester of the academic year (2022/2023); Where the study reached a set of results related to its research subject, which is the great importance of educational and psychological counseling in the school educational process by including some subjects with various topics related to educational and psychological counseling, or allocating a scientific subject for educational counseling similar to some other scientific subjects that are taught by experienced and competent; In addition, educational and psychological counseling represents an essential and essential aspect of the human life of the individual. The study also concluded that it is necessary for teachers, without exception, to carry out the process of educational and psychological counseling for students, as it is one of their basic academic tasks in practical life.

The Application of Psychological Therapies in Addressing Adolescent Disengagement from School.

The issue of adolescent aversion to school not only affects their academic performance but can also lead to psychological health problems. This article reviews the application of several psychological therapies in addressing the problem of adolescent aversion to school, including mindfulness therapy, sandplay therapy, life review method, adaptive psychological counseling, and humanistic therapy.

Multivariate analysis of psychological health among hospital infection prevention and control practitioners in Tianjin

Objective: To understand the occupational stress and mental health status of hospital infection prevention and control practitioner (HIPCPs) in medical institutions, and analyze their main influencing factors. Methods: In November 2021, 550 nosocomial infection managers in Tianjin were randomly selected to conduct a questionnaire survey using the Concise Occupational Stress Questionnaire, Depression Screening Scale (PHQ-9) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). 497 valid questionnaires were obtained, and the total recovery efficiency was 90.36%. Single factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression method were used to analyze the main influencing factors of occupational stress and mental health status of psychiatric managers. Results: The detection rate of anxiety and depression among 497 HIPCPs was 22.73% (113/497) and 58.95% (293/497), respectively. Gender and major were the influencing factors of depression (P=0.000, 0.001). Average working hours>52 hours per week and night shift days>1 days per week were the influencing factors of anxiety (P=0.035, 0.014). Average working hours>52 h per week, night shift days >1 d per week and different majors were the influencing factors of occupational stress (P=0.000, 0.025, 0.010). Multivariate logistic regression results showed that the risk of anxiety in those who worked more than 52 hours per week was 1.753 times that of those who worked less than 52 hours per week (P=0.038), and the risk of depression in women was 3.071 times that of men (P=0.006) . Conclusion: Working hours are an important influencing factor for occupational stress and anxiety among HIPCPs. In order to reduce the occurrence of occupational stress and mental health problems, it is necessary to strengthen psychological counseling for HIPCPs and balance work and rest.

Assessment of Prognostic Indicators and Survival-Based Impact of Holistic Approach in Oral Cancer Patients: An Observational Study.

Oral cancer is recognized as the sixth most common type of cancer globally. Instances have been recorded demonstrating an increase in its incidence, particularly in the territories of southern Asia, with a significant emphasis on India.Thus, the objectives of this investigation were to assess the efficacy of a holistic approach on the life expectancies of patients diagnosed with oral cancer, and to assess the prognostic indicators in such patients. A retrospective study was conducted on medical records of 60 clinically and histopathologically confirmed cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) who received complete surgical intervention or radiation therapy or a combination of both modalities depending on stage of OSCC from January 2015 to December 2016. After completion of their treatment, 30 patients underwent Cancer Care program of Annabhai Chudamani Patil Memorial Medical College which consisted of yoga sessions, meditation, psychological counselling, nutritional counselling, emotional and social support (embracing a holistic approach, group 1) and 30 patients did not enroll in the Cancer Care initiative (not opting for holistic approach, group 2). The program was conducted for 21 days every six months for two years. Data pertaining to demographic characteristics, stage of OSCC, modalities of treatment administered, histopathological characteristics of the neoplasm, as well as the clinical outcome (Survival/Deceased) post a five-year duration subsequent to the primary diagnosis were extracted from the medical records to assess the role of holistic approach and various factors on the overall survival (OS) of the patients in both the groups. The data collected was subsequently subjected to a thorough statistical analysis. The mean age of the patients was 44.33±8.66 years (95% CI: 39.53-49.13) in group 1, and 51.20±9.99 years (95% CI: 39.53-49.13) in group 2. The mean survival time for group 1 was 81.60±5.02 months (95% CI: 78.817-84.383), and 66.00±20.29 months (95% CI: 54.761-77.239) in group 2 with statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.007). Group 2 showed a 1.31 relative risk of mortality to group 1. The probability of death in group 2 was 1.39 times more than in group 1. Cox regression analysis revealed group 2 was significantly associated with the risk of OSCC in this analysis. Other variables were not significantly associated with the risk of the OSCC in this analysis. The current research indicated that employing a holistic strategy proves to be a successful approach in increasing the OS of patients with OSCC.

Attitudes of university students towards people with mental health disorders: a survey-based study

BackgroundIraq and Iraqi Kurdistan face significant challenges regarding mental disorders. Individuals with mental health disorders often conceal their conditions, particularly in certain cultural contexts, due to the negative attitudes they face. This study aims to explore the attitudes of university students towards individuals with mental health disorders.MethodsA sample of 294 university students from five distinct colleges within a public university in the Kurdistan region of Iraq was selected to participate in an attitudinal survey. The participants were chosen using convenience sampling. The survey encompassed 34 items, which were categorized into six overarching conceptual sub-scales: benevolence, separatism, stereotyping, restrictiveness, pessimistic prediction, and stigmatization. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the gathered data.ResultsThe findings indicate that the majority of participants held negative attitudes towards individuals with mental health disorder. Furthermore, the study identified statistically significant associations between socio-demographic variables and students’ attitudes across most of the subscales.ConclusionThe study highlights the prevalence of negative attitudes towards individuals with mental health disorder among university students. It suggests the establishment of a psychological and guidance counseling center at the university to promote awareness about mental health disorder and provide guidance and training to mitigate its severity, similar to physical illnesses.

A Study on the Impact of Psychological Counseling for Minor Medical Students in Clinical Teaching and Learning

A Study on the Impact of Psychological Counseling for Minor Medical Students in Clinical Teaching and Learning

Research on the Innovative Integration of Psychological Counseling and Heart-to-Heart Conversations in Private College Party Branches

Research on the Innovative Integration of Psychological Counseling and Heart-to-Heart Conversations in Private College Party Branches

Evaluation of the Intervention Effects of College Psychological Counseling Services on the Self-Concept of Impoverished College Students

Evaluation of the Intervention Effects of College Psychological Counseling Services on the Self-Concept of Impoverished College Students

The effects of online intervention program implemented during COVID-19 on the quality of life and physical activities of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their mothers.

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of the Online Intervention Program implemented during the COVID-19 period on the quality of life (QoL) and physical activity (PA) levels of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and their mothers. The experimental method was used in this study. A total of 184 people, 92 individuals with intellectual disability and their mothers participated in the study. By random assignment method, 40 participants with ID and their mothers were assigned to the experimental group (EG) and 52 participants and their mothers were assigned to the control group (CG). The participants with ID in the EG participated in PA and music activities for 60 minutes a day, three days a week for 12 weeks, and the mothers participated in a psychological counseling program for 80 minutes a day, one day a week. "Personal information form" and "WHOQOL-BREF Turkish version" for mothers, "WHOQOL-BREF & Intellectual Disability Module" for individuals with ID, and "International Physical Activity Questionnaire" for mothers and individuals with ID were used as data collection tools. As a result of the analyses, it was found that the mothers and the individuals with ID who participated in the online intervention program maintained their PA levels, the mothers showed a significant increase in all sub-dimensions of QoL, and the individuals with ID had a partial increase in their QoL.

Associations Between ADHD Symptoms and Rejection Sensitivity in College Students: Exploring a Path Model With Indicators of Mental Well-Being

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and rejection sensitivity in college students, and whether it is mediated or moderated by elements of mental well-being. Using a cross-sectional design, the study examined 304 Hungarian college students who responded online to a set of questionnaires that included the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, The Mental Health Test, and the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire. Path analysis indicated that well-being, creative/executive proficiency, self-regulation, and resilience partially mediated the relationship between ADHD symptoms and rejection sensitivity, while savoring moderated this link. The model explained up to 50% of the total variance in rejection sensitivity scores. Findings suggest that university students with ADHD symptoms may particularly benefit from acquiring savoring skills to enhance their mental well-being and lower rejection to sensitivity. As such, the results carry significant implications for counseling psychologists, educators, and mental health professionals working in the higher education sector.

Development and validation of the head and neck cancer psychosocial distress scale (HNCPDS) to identify patients at high risk for psychological problems : a multicenter study

To develop the Head and Neck Cancer Psychosocial Distress Scale (HNCPDS) with the aim of identifying high-risk individuals for psychosocial distress among patients, and to assess its reliability, validity and applicability. Using the classical test theory, a total of 435 head and neck cancer patients from six tertiary hospitals in China were recruited for developing the HNCPDS. Delphi expert consultation and item analysis were used to improve the content validity of the preliminary HNCPDS. Factor analysis (FA) and Structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to test the structural validity of HNCPDS. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, Spearman-Brown coefficient and Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to test the internal consistency and retest reliability of HNCPDS. Multiple stepped-linear regression was used to analyze the risk factors of psychological disorder, and Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between psychosocial distress and quality of life (QOL). The HNCPDS consisted of 14 items, which were divided into 3 subscales: 3 items for cancer discrimination, 5 items for anxiety and depression, and 6 items for social phobia. The HNCPDS had good validity [KMO coefficient was 0.947, Bartlett’s test was 5027.496 (P < 0.001), Cumulative variance contribution rate was 75.416%, and all factor loadings were greater than 0.55], reliability (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.954, Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.955, test–retest reliability was 0.845) and acceptability [average completion time (14.31 ± 2.354 min) and effective completion rate of 90.63%]. Financial burden, sex, age and personality were found to be independent risk factors for HNCPDS (P < 0.05), and patients with higher HNCPDS scores reported a lower QOL (P < 0.01). The HNCPDS is effective and reliable in early identification and assessment of the level of psychosocial distress in patients with head and neck cancer, which can provide an effective basis for health education, psychological counseling, and social support in the future.