Effect Of Counseling Research Articles

The Effectiveness of Lactation Consultants and Lactation Counselors on Breastfeeding Outcomes.

Breastfeeding for all infants starting at birth and continuing until at least 6 months of age has been recommended by the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The health benefits to infants and mothers have been demonstrated in many studies. Dedicated lactation specialists may play a role in providing education and support to pregnant women and new mothers wishing to breastfeed to improve breastfeeding outcomes. The objective of this review was to assess if lactation education or support programs using lactation consultants or lactation counselors would improve rates of initiation and duration of any breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding compared with usual practice. A systematic literature review of the evidence was conducted using electronic databases. The review was limited to randomized trials and yielded 16 studies with 5084 participants. It was found that breastfeeding interventions using lactation consultants and counselors increase the number of women initiating breastfeeding (odds ratio [OR] for any initiation vs not initiating breastfeeding = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.67). The interventions improve any breastfeeding rates (OR for any breastfeeding up to 1 month vs not breastfeeding = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.09-2.04). In addition, there were beneficial effects on exclusive breastfeeding rates (OR for exclusive breastfeeding up to 1 month vs not exclusive breastfeeding = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.20-2.44). Most of the evidence would suggest developing and improving postpartum support programs incorporating lactation consultants and lactation counselors.

The Unfolding of the Real Relationship in Counseling: Effect of Counselor and Client Attachment

The Unfolding of the Real Relationship in Counseling: Effect of Counselor and Client Attachment

Clinical Supervisors' Perceptions of Counselor Characteristics Associated with Effective and Well-Balanced Practices

Counselors are expected to have certain personal attributes and professional skills to be effective in their work. Personal wellness is viewed as a significant contributor to counselor effectiveness and is included in the expectations of instructors, advisors, supervisors, and employers. The purpose of the present study was to identify characteristics of effective and well-balanced counselors by directly engaging those who have provided clinical supervision to this population. Twenty-seven counseling supervisors (encompassing rehabilitation, school, addictions, and mental health specialty areas) brainstormed 71 elements in response to the following question: What are the characteristics of a counselor in your field who is effective and well-balanced? These were condensed to 37 elements, and supervisors then categorized them into four categories: Counseling Skills, Solution Focused, Personal Characteristics, and Taking Care of Self. The academic research team independently sorted these clusters into four categories: Counseling Skills, Organization and Management Skills, Personal Characteristics, and Well-being. Comparisons of the products created by the two groups revealed a difference in perceptions in the arena of Personal Characteristics. The academic team was more likely to use the Personal Characteristics category than the field supervisors. Implications for counselor education and supervision regarding the conceptualization of skills vs. traits are discussed.

The Effect of Counseling on Cataract Patient Knowledge, Decisional Conflict, and Satisfaction

Purpose: Cataract is the leading cause of non-refractive preventable blindness, and comprehensive strategies to increase cataract surgery rates are imperative, including high-quality supportive patient education. We evaluated the effectiveness of non-physician pre-surgical counselors teaching patients about cataract and cataract surgery in improving patient knowledge, decisional conflict, and satisfaction.Methods: A survey was given before and after 61 newly-diagnosed cataract patients underwent pre-surgical counseling at the Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India. The survey measured change in cataract knowledge and decisional conflict, a measure of anxiety surrounding the decision to undergo surgery, along with patient satisfaction. Multiple regression was used to identify factors that influenced change in knowledge.Results: Both patient knowledge scores and decisional conflict scores improved following counseling (mean difference +2.0, p = 0.004 and +8.4, p < 0.0001, respectively). Multiple regression analysis identified female sex (β = 2.5, p < 0.001) and being illiterate (β = 1.7, p = 0.04) as important predictors of increased knowledge post-counseling.Conclusion: Counseling both improved knowledge and reduced decisional conflict about cataract surgery, particularly among patients who had traditionally had more limited access to healthcare such as women and illiterate patients. Increased use of high quality counseling might help to further reduce the global burden of cataract and other forms of blindness.

An Investigation of the Perceptions of School Administrators Towards the Roles and Duties of School Counselors

An Investigation of the Perceptions of School Administrators Towards the Roles and Duties of School Counselors

Patient Perceptions of Telephone vs. In-Person BRCA1/BRCA2 Genetic Counseling.

Telephone genetic counseling (TC) for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer risk has been associated with positive outcomes in high risk women. However, little is known about how patients perceive TC. As part of a randomized trial of TC versus usual care (UC; in-person genetic counseling), we compared high risk women's perceptions of: (1) overall satisfaction with genetic counseling; (2) convenience; (3) attentiveness during the session; (4) counselor effectiveness in providing support; and (5) counselor ability to recognize emotional responses during the session. Among the 554 participants (TC, N = 272; UC, N = 282), delivery mode was not associated with self-reported satisfaction. However, TC participants found counseling significantly more convenient than UC participants (OR = 4.78, 95% CI = 3.32, 6.89) while also perceiving lower levels of support (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.40-0.80) and emotional recognition (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.37-0.76). In exploratory analyses, we found that non-Hispanic white participants reported higher counselor support in UC than in TC (69.4% vs. 52.8%; OR = 3.06, 95% CI = 1.39-6.74), while minority women perceived less support in UC vs. TC (58.3% vs. 38.7%; OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.39-1.65). We discuss potential research and practice implications of these findings which may further improve the effectiveness and utilization of TC.

The Effects of Consumer Counselor’s Reaction and Counseling Work Stress on Counseling Work Satisfaction and Work Performance

This study examined differences in counseling work and work performance in a firm by the individual characteristics of counselors. This study also investigated the effects of consumer counselor’s reaction and stress from counseling work on counselor satisfaction in regards to counseling work and work performance. The results of this study are as follows. First, consumer counselor’s work satisfaction was high for female counselors, university-educated, with middle or high status occupations, had short work years, had a higher tendency towards consumerism, worked in a counseling department with an active reaction policy towards consumer complaints, and had a lower level. Second, the work performance of a counselor was high for those who were older, university-educated, had short work years, worked in large-size counseling departments in a firm, had a higher tendency of consumerism, and worked in counseling departments with active reaction policies toward consumer and consumer’s complaints. Third, consumer counselor’s work stress effected work satisfaction but did not influence work performance. The counselor’s reaction towards consumer’s complaints influenced the work performance but did not influence the work satisfaction of a counselor.

The effect of counselor’s job autonomy and opportunity for professional development on job engagement: The mediating roles of calling and self-efficacy

The effect of counselor’s job autonomy and opportunity for professional development on job engagement: The mediating roles of calling and self-efficacy

The Effects of Counselors' Metacognitive Awareness and Focusing Manners on Countertransference Management Ability According to Counseling Experience

The Effects of Counselors' Metacognitive Awareness and Focusing Manners on Countertransference Management Ability According to Counseling Experience

An Exploration of the Personal Experiences and Effects of Counselors’ Crying in Session

This article describes a qualitative interview study of 11 counselors’ personal experiences of crying in session with a client and their perception of its effects on the therapeutic relationship. Semistructured interviews with counselors at a mid-sized university in the Midwest found that tears could be an appropriate response to a client’s unique situation and helpful in empathizing with the client. Themes of awareness, empathy, modeling and authenticity as well as implications for counselors are discussed.

A Counseling Formula: Introducing Beginning Counseling Students to Basic Skills

Teaching basic skills to beginning counseling students can be an overwhelming experience. In each therapy session, students bring their own human qualities and life experiences that have shaped them as individuals. Trainees must understand that their needs, motivations, values and personality traits can either enhance or interfere with their counselor effectiveness. Cognitive mapping can help expand students' awareness while building the foundation of their counseling skills because it involves practical integration of learning attributes and prior knowledge into a new situation. Through the use of simple graphic visual learning tools, students can successfully incorporate basic skills into their development as counselors in an attempt to enable a positive initial learning experience that does not overwhelm them with the nuances and complexities of advanced counselor development.Keywords: counseling students, basic skills, counseling formula, cognitive mapping, graphic visual learning toolsWhy does occur in therapy? Theorists have attempted to answer this question over the decades. Certainly the starting place is to focus on the importance of the therapeutic relationship, which is central and foundational to therapeutic growth (Slattery & Park, 2011, p. 235). Specifically, the outcome of counseling involves a connection between the counselor and client that begins with warmth, empathy, respect and genuineness (Chang, Scott, & Decker, 2009; Flaskas, 2004; McClam & Woodside, 2010; Smith, Thomas, & Jackson, 2004).Rogers (1951, 1957, 1958) discussed his ideas about unconditional positive regard, congruence and empathy as basic key factors in the development of a therapeutic relationship. Moursund and Kenny (2002) summarized Lazarus' perspective and proposed that establishing the therapeutic relationship is the most important skill for clinicians, and involves a connection between the counselor and the client. Each influences the other by bringing individual strengths, knowledge of the situation, life experiences, as well as their own personal values and beliefs. therapeutic relationship is viewed as both a precondition of and a process of change (Prochaska & Norcross, 2003, p. 492). The purpose of this article is to explore one method of breaking down basic counseling skills into a manageable counseling formula in order to enable a positive initial learning experience for students without overwhelming them with the nuances and complexities of advanced counselor development.Challenges of Mastering Basic SkillsInitially, when introduced to counseling basic skills from a written textbook, students can find acquiring this knowledge to be challenging. Without prior experience, the challenge may intensify and become daunting when successful academic progress becomes an expectation defined by mastery of clearly defined basic skills. Counseling students struggle to appropriately apply these skills, while linked with timing and delivery.Counseling is a unique experience that is different from daily communications in social interactions. As counselors-in-training learn the art of counseling, they become aware of the necessity of using their skills to empower their clients to set appropriate goals. Often empowerment, a concept that focuses on clients' ability to choose their own solutions in life situations and issues, is a lofty ideal that is difficult to define. Even the definition of empowerment is ever-evolving (Asimakopoulou, Gilbert, Newton, & Scrambler, 2012). Empowerment's overarching theme further contributes to the complexities of the learning process for beginning students (Hill, 2005).While no one would argue the importance of empowerment or the significance of the therapeutic relationship, it also is critical that beginning students master many interpersonal skills while learning to observe, effectively attend to, and play an interpersonal role in shaping and guiding the counseling session (Ackerman & Hilsenroth, 2001; Chang et al, 2009; Jacobs, 1994; Jacobs, Masson, Harvill, & Schimmel, 2012; Meier & Davis, 2011). …

The Effects of Counselor on the Sense of Reality of Clients: A Single Case Study of a Female Adolescent

The Effects of Counselor on the Sense of Reality of Clients: A Single Case Study of a Female Adolescent

Impact of peer counselors on breastfeeding outcomes in a nondelivery NICU setting.

Although the independent effects of lactation consultants and peer counselors have been shown to improve breastfeeding outcomes, the joint effects have yet to be considered, particularly in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in nondelivery hospitals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of lactation staff type on breastfeeding outcomes during hospital stay after the addition of peer counselors to a NICU lactation program. A total of 596 mother-infant pairs admitted to Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, pre- and postlactation program expansion. A descriptive pre-/posttest study as conducted. Differences in provision of any maternal breast milk, exclusive breast milk, or direct breastfeeding during NICU stay and at discharge were evaluated pre and postprogram implementation. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between lactation staff type and each outcome during hospital stay. Infants receiving any breast milk during NICU stay increased from baseline to postprogram year 1 (63% vs 73%; P= 0.03). Direct breastfeeding increased from baseline to postprogram year 4 (42% vs 53%; P= 0.03). Mothers seen by only peer counselors were less likely to provide any breast milk at discharge, provide exclusive breast milk during stay or discharge, to be direct breastfeeding during stay or at discharge compared with mothers seen by both peer counselors and lactation consultants. NICU lactation programs should consider including both peer counselors and lactation consultants to improve breastfeeding outcomes during hospital stay.

Factorial Composition of Counsellor Effectiveness Scale

The study developed a set of items that could measure counsellor effectiveness. It reduced the initial set of variablesrelated to counsellor effectiveness to such number of variables that are generally perceived as indicative ofcounsellor effectiveness and determined the factorial composition of the scale. in order to identify the major factorsthat underpin counsellor effectiveness with a view of developing an homogeneous items of counsellor effectivenessscale suitable for Nigeria Schools. The study design was exploratory using Principal Component Analysis (PCA)with interaction. The sample size consisted of 50 counsellors selected by convenience sampling from the populationof counsellors in 148 schools in Ondo State as at the time of the study. Alongside, an initial 800 counsellee who weresecondary school students were purposively selected from 12 secondary schools in six local government areas of thestate. The instrument used for this study was Questionnaire that measured counsellor effectiveness. This consisted ofan initial number of 51 items describing an effective counsellor in terms of personality characteristics, personalqualities, and performance indicators. These were derived from available description and characteristics ofcounsellor effectiveness in literatures. The responses were coded and analyzed using Principal Component Analysis.Items that failed to meet the baseline scores of eligibility into the final list were dropped. The final list consisted of35 items were subjected to Principal Component Analysis which provided the initial factor. These were rotated usingOrthogonal (Varimax) Method which yielded five underlying components of counsellor effectiveness. These wereidentified as expertness, sense of responsibility, pleasantness and integrity. The fifth factor could not beconceptualized from the regression weights and factor loadings of the items.

An Analysis of Pastoral Counselling Practices for Married Persons among Selected Christian Churches in Gweru Urban

The study investigated the effectiveness of pastoral counselling practices for married persons among selected Christian churches in Gweru Urban. The research design adopted for this study was the descriptive survey design. The research used a convenient sample of 70 ordinary church members to respond to the counsellor effectiveness questionnaire, 5 pastors/priests responded to the pastors questionnaire and 12 ordinary church members participated in the focus group discussion making a total of 87 research respondents. Data were collected by use of questionnaires and focus group discussions. Results indicated that church members present marriage issues that are found in any other population for counselling. Marriages within the church are traditional, civil or church based. To deal with issues presented, pastoral counsellors use mostly group counselling and individual counselling to a limited extent. Training of pastors does not include counselling though clients think it is part of the training. These findings agree with reviewed literature though there is conflicting direction as to the influence of culture and how it should be handled within the church. The study therefore recommends that research be conducted into pastoral counselling which should also include observation of how pastoral counsellors do their work in addition to use of other instruments to get a clearer picture of what takes place.

An evaluation of the effects of a breastfeeding support program on health outcomes.

To estimate the causal effect of a Michigan peer counselor (PC) breastfeeding support program for low-income women on infant health outcomes. Program referral forms, program forms (enrollment, birth, and exit data), and state administrative data from the Women Infants and Children program, Medicaid, and Vital Records. Quasi-random enrollment due to the excess demand for PC breastfeeding support services allowed us to compare the infants of women who requested services and were enrolled in the program (the treatment group, N = 274) to the infants of women who requested services and were not enrolled (the control group, N = 572). Data were analyzed using regression. The PC program increased the fraction breastfeeding at birth by 19.3 percent and breastfeeding duration by 2.84 weeks. Program participation also reduced the fraction of infants with gastrointestinal disorders by a statistically significant 7.9 percent. The program, if anything, increased the overall health care utilization. This Michigan PC breastfeeding support program resulted in improvements in breastfeeding and infant health outcomes as measured by the diagnosis of ailments while increasing health care utilization.

Integrating Left-Brain and Right-Brain: The Neuroscience of Effective Counseling

Based on emerging findings from neuroscience, the counseling professional can consider a different approach to research-informed by integrating leftand right-brain processing in client care. This new model is commensurate with counseling's historical lineage of valuing the counseling relationship as the core ingredient of effective counseling.Keywords: counseling, neuroscience, evidence-based, effectiveness, right-hemisphere, intuitionDuring the past decade, the field of counseling has considered the notion of identifying effective counseling practices. In 2005, the American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics included a recommendation to use therapies that an empirical or scientific foundation (C.6.e). The Journal of Counseling & Development introduced a new journal feature in 2007, entitled Best Practices. In 2009, the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) modified their Standards for addiction counseling (1.3., p. 22), clinical mental health counseling (1.3., p. 34), and marriage, couple, and family counseling (I.3., p. 39) to require that the student knows treatments (EBTs; p. 5). In the September 2012 edition of Counseling Today, Dr. Bradley Erford, the current ACA President, asserted the following in his monthly column:If professional counselors use the best available research-based approaches to help clients and students, then counselor effectiveness, client satisfaction and third-party insurer satisfaction all improve. When professional counselors provide effective services, it also helps our professional advocacy and lobbying efforts with federal, state, and local politicians and bureaucrats, and leads to more counseling jobs and higher pay scales, (p. 5)Erford argues that counselors must use research to inform practice-the public, insurance companies, and clients demand it. Yet until recently, only one approach to research-informed practice has been available to the counseling profession-namely the EBT movement that originated in the field of psychology. Many techniques and theories exist outside of the EBT movement, in addition to other models for best practices such as the common factors movement (Duncan, Miller, Wampold, & Hubble, 2010). Counselors may feel confused about which model to follow. An approach to research-informed practice that is more commensurate with the counseling profession's values and identity is the application of research evidence from neuroscience to inform counseling interventions.Current Direction: The Left-Brain PathwayThe left side of the brain is responsible for rational, logical, and abstract cognition and conscious knowledge. Neuroscientists such as Allan Schore (2012) have suggested that activities associated with the left hemisphere (LH) currently dominate mental health services. This is evidenced by the current reliance upon psychopharmacology over counseling services, the manualization of counseling, a reductionist and idealistic view of evidence-based practice, and a lack of respect for the counseling relationship in client outcomes despite a large body of evidence. McGilchrist (2009) takes this argument further: if left unchecked, the modem will increase its reliance upon the LH compared to the than right hemisphere (RH), with disastrous consequences. A world would lead to increased bureaucracy, a focus on quantity and efficiency over quality, and a valuing of technology over human interaction, and uniformity over individualization. While this dystopia has not been fully realized yet, one could argue that the field's current reductionist and cookiecutter approach to mental health services and reliance on quantitative over qualitative research all point in one direction.To understand the importance of the association between the LH and the current mental health system, the author reviews the history of the counseling effectiveness movement, along with the counseling profession's gradual adherence to this left-brain movement. …

The Effects of Vocational Counselor's Perception of Organizational Justice on Job Satisfaction, Organization Commitment and Turnover intention: Focused on Mediating effects of Perceived Organizational Support and Moderating effect of Empowerment

The Effects of Vocational Counselor's Perception of Organizational Justice on Job Satisfaction, Organization Commitment and Turnover intention: Focused on Mediating effects of Perceived Organizational Support and Moderating effect of Empowerment

Standardizing the Pre-Licensure Supervision Process: A Commentary on Advocating for Direct Observation of Skills

The present paper advocates for standardized regulations and laws for supervision of pre-licensed counselors in the United States, particularly for direct observation of clinical skills. A review of regulations by the American Counseling Association's (ACA) Professional Affairs Division (2012) reveals that only two states (Arizona and North Carolina) specify requiring supervision interventions that include the use of reviewing audio or videotapes, or live supervision modalities, to help evaluate pre-licensed counselors competence. Literature on the current state of regulations as well as extant research in supervision practices, and effects on satisfaction with supervision and self-efficacy is presented and framed in terms of standardized policy.Keywords: pre-licensed counselors, regulations, laws, satisfaction with supervision, self-efficacy, direct observationA review of regulations by the American Counseling Association (ACA) Office of Professional Affairs (2012) reveals that all fifty states require the practice of counseling under supervision for two or more years after the completion of the master's degree prior to licensure. However, there are no unified national standards that govern post-master's degree supervision (e.g., ACA, 2012 Borders & Cashwell, 1992). Supervised counseling experience ranges from 1000 to 4500 hours (ACA Office of Professional Affairs), with the amount of face-to-face clinical supervision occurring either in an individual or group setting varying greatly (ACA, 2007). Furthermore, only two states (Arizona and North Carolina) specify requiring supervision interventions that include the use of reviewing audio or videotapes, or live supervision modalities to help evaluate pre-licensed counselor competence (ACA Professional Affairs Division). Some studies have investigated supervision in this counselor pre-licensure stage, including factors related to counselor effectiveness such as self-efficacy and satisfaction (e.g., Bernard & Goodyear, 2004; Fall & Sutton, 2004; Magnuson, Norem, & Wilcoxon, 2002). The use of direct observation of skills in supervision is noted to lead to more positive effects in terms of counseling performance and outcomes. Standardization of required direct observation of clinical skills is especially necessary. The literature indicates that observation of skills is crucial to counselor professional development and practice (Herbert & Trusty, 2006). Moreover, standardization of required direct observation of clinical skills is a key factor in licensure policy The following review calls for such standardization, with a summary of current regulations, extant research in counseling outcomes and supervision practice, and recommendations and advocacy for regulation.Supervision Background and StandardsACA, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and the American Association of State Counseling Licensure Boards (AASCB) have all attempted to define best practices in counselor supervision. The ACA Code of Ethics standard F. 1 .a, discusses a primary obligation of supervisors in the role of monitoring services of counselors-Neal in-training. This monitoring consists of case notes, samples of clinical work or live observation of the trainee (Herlihy & Corey, 2006). In 1990, model legislation for licensed professional counselors was developed by the American Counseling Association to promote acceptable professional standards within the realm of counseling. This proposed licensure bill recommended state licensure boards consider what is the nature of the supervision co-therapy, direct observation, audio and/or videotaping (Bloom et al., p. 520). ACES also addressed this issue in two different documents. First, the Ethical Guidelines for Counseling Supervisors states that supervisors are responsible for actual work samples via audio or videotape or live observation... which should be reviewed by the supervisor as a regular part of the ongoing supervisory process (ACES, 1995, p. …

Six Month Outcomes of a Primary Care-Based Weight Loss Trial Using a Lay-Trained Counselor.

Obesity remains an important problem in primary health care settings. Intensive counseling from trained nutrition professionals has proven efficacy but is resource intensive. Trials have begun to assess the effectiveness of lower cost counselors. This paper describes the 6-month outcomes of a high intensity counseling intervention on weight (primary outcome), as well as cardiovascular disease risk factors and health-related quality of life (secondary outcomes). We also sought to assess whether baseline characteristics were associated with 6-month weight change. Participants (n=106) had obesity and at least one co-morbid medical condition. The trial used a trained layperson counselor and provided study participants with subsidized access to an evidence-based regimen of portion-controlled foods. Weight change data were analyzed using intention-to-treat analysis. Participants who dropped out prior to 6 months were assumed to have regained weight. Average weight loss after 6 months was 7.0 kg, equal to 6.5% of initial weight. Significant improvements were noted in blood pressure, waist circumference, glycemic control, mood, and overall health-related quality of life. Most baseline characteristics were not associated with weight loss after 6 months. An intensive lifestyle intervention, using a trained layperson and portion-controlled foods, produced clinically significant weight loss at 6 months. Improvements were also noted in cardiovascular disease risk factors and in quality of life.