Effective Counseling Techniques Research Articles

The theory of correctional counseling and modern challenges - focusing on human-centered psychotherapy -

수용자들의 바람직한 수용소 적응과 사회 복귀시 건전한 사회생활을 위하여 교정상담은 필수적이나 교정상담 관계자들의 소통부재와 적절한 상담기법의 미비 등으로 문제가 발생하고 있으며 교정현실에서 효과적인 상담기법에 대한 논의가 활발히 진행되지 못하고 있어 이에 관한 심층적 연구가 필요하다. 교정상담의 이론을 살펴보고 이의 기초위에 상담기법의 모습과 현대적 과제를 제시하는데 연구의 목적이 있다. 다양한 접근 중 심리치료모형에 따라 정신분석적 상담에 연구의 범위를 한정한다. 주로 문헌연구와 자료, 그리고 교정상담기법의 현황분석에 따른 현대적 과제를 검토하였다. 연구결과 교정상담 기법의 현대화, 교정상담 인적 인프라의 전문화, 위기상황에 따른 전략수정필요, 수용자 전문병원(일반, 정신)설치 등이 필요하다는 것을 알게 되었다. 이 연구가 21세기 첨단교정의 선진화라는 교정목표를 달성하는데 일조가 될 것으로 기대한다.In-depth study is needed for correctional counseling, which is essential for inmates to adapt to the prison and to live a healthy social life when returning to society, as problems arise due to a lack of communication among people concerned with correctional counseling and a lack of appropriate counseling techniques, etc. but discussions on effective counseling techniques are not actively progressing in the reality of correction. The aim of the study is to examine the theory of correctional counseling and to present the status of counseling techniques and modern challenges based on this. The range of the study is limited to psychoanalytic counseling according to the psychotherapy model among various approaches. Through literature research, data and analysis of the current status of correctional counseling techniques, this study examined modern challenges. The result of the study highlights the need for modernization of correctional counseling techniques, specialization of personnel infrastructure for correctional counseling, change of strategies according to crisis situations, and establishment of a hospital specializing in inmates (general, mental), etc. This study is expected to contribute to achieving the goal of advancing corrections services in the 21st century.

Survivors with Dissociative Identity Disorder: Perspectives on the Counseling Process

Although individuals diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID) report high levels of trauma across their lifetime, there has been little research on survivors of DID and what they perceive as effective counseling techniques, therapist qualities, and treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives on the counseling process of clients diagnosed with DID (N = 13). This article spells out the implications of the findings for counselors working with survivors of DID.

Freedom: Toward an Integration of the Counseling Profession

Freedom is presented as an overarching paradigm that may align and bring together the counseling profession's diverse counseling theories and open a doorway to a new generation of counseling techniques. Freedom is defined and discussed in terms of its 4 modalities: freedom from, freedom to, freedom with, and freedom for. The long‐standing problem of theoretical integration of counseling and psychotherapy is explored in combination with the phenomenon of therapeutic change in the context of freedom. The new paradigm generates new and possibly more effective counseling techniques by aligning and incorporating freedom with such ideas as agency, self‐determination, metacognition, mindfulness, and often unexamined Asian therapeutic techniques from yoga and Buddhism.

Socio-demographic factors associated with loss to follow-up of HIV-infected women attending a private sector PMTCT program in Maharashtra, India

Currently, 40% of HIV-infected women enrolled in national prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program in India are loss to follow-up (LTF) before they can receive single dose Nevirapine. To date no study from India has examined the reasons for inadequate utilization of PMTCT services. This study sought to examine the socio-demographic factors associated with LTF of HIV-infected women enrolled during 2002–2008 in a large-scale private sector PMTCT program in Maharashtra, India. Data on HIV-infected women who were enrolled during pregnancy (N=734) and who reported live birth (N=770) were used to analyze factors associated with LTF before delivery and after delivery, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between being LTF and socio-demographic factors using generalized linear models. Eighty (10.9%) women were LTF before delivery and 151 (19.6%) women were LTF after delivery. Women with less than graduate level education (RR = 6.32), from a poor family (RR = 1.61), who were registered after 20 weeks of pregnancy (RR = 2.02) and whose partners were HIV non-infected or with unknown HIV status (RR = 2.69) were more likely to be LTF before delivery. Similarly, the significant factors for LTF after delivery were less than graduate level education (RR = 1.82), poor family (RR = 1.42), and registration after 20 weeks of pregnancy (RR = 1.75). This study highlights the need for innovative and effective counseling techniques for less educated women, economic empowerment of women, better strategies to increase uptake of partner's HIV testing, and early registration of women in the program for preventing LTF in PMTCT programs. This need for innovative counseling techniques is even greater for PMTCT programs in the public health sector as the women accessing care in the public sector are likely to be less educated and economically more deprived.

Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program to Primary Care

Research on the translation of efficacious lifestyle change programs to prevent type 2 diabetes into community or clinical settings is needed. The objective of this study was to examine the reach, implementation, and efficacy of a 6-month lifestyle program implemented in primary care by nurse practitioners (NPs) for adults at risk of type 2 diabetes. The NP sites (n = 4) were randomized to an enhanced standard care program (one NP and one nutrition session) or a lifestyle program (enhanced standard care and six NP sessions). These NPs recruited adults at risk of diabetes from their practice (n = 58), with an acceptance rate of 70%. The program reached a diverse, obese, and moderately low income sample. The NPs were able to successfully implement the protocols. The average length of the program was 9.3 months. Attendance was high (98%), and attrition was low (12%). The NPs were able to adopt the educational, behavioral, and psychosocial strategies of the intervention easily. Motivational interviewing was more difficult for NPs. Mixed-model repeated-measures analysis indicated significant trends or improvement in both groups for nutrition and exercise behavior. Participants of the lifestyle program demonstrated trends for better high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and exercise behavior compared with the enhanced standard care participants. Twenty-five percent of lifestyle participants met treatment goals of 5% weight loss compared with 11% of standard care participants. A lifestyle program can be implemented in primary care by NPs, reach the targeted population, and be modestly successful. Further research is indicated.

Reflection on teaching effective social work practice for working with Muslim communities

In many academic departments like social work, psychology, and psychiatry there is a growing consensus that teachers need to instruct students to be culturally competent especially if they are going to be effective helpers with diverse populations. Multicultural instructional counseling methods are imperative if we are to ensure that our students of counseling are well prepared to work with diverse families, particularly those from Muslim backgrounds. In this narrative the author writes about the challenges of teaching non-Muslim students effective counseling techniques with Muslim families. Culturally innovative teaching methods are illustrated to facilitate students’ learning how to be effective counselors with Muslim communities.

What Do Pediatric Primary Care Providers Think Are Important Research Questions? A Perspective From PROS Providers

To describe what pediatric primary care providers involved in the Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) research network think are important yet inadequately addressed questions in pediatric primary care research. A total of 1785 pediatric primary care providers in the PROS network were asked what they thought were important yet inadequately addressed areas of primary care research. We used a single, open-ended question in a mail survey. Written answers to this question were analyzed by qualitative methods to determine the main themes of interest to pediatric primary care providers. Overall survey response rate was 48.7%; the open-ended question yielded 1109 individual answers. Six lines of inquiry were identified as being important to these providers: (1) effective counseling techniques to use in anticipatory guidance; (2) strategies to prevent and treat obesity; (3) the effectiveness of well-child care; (4) ongoing management of patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; (5) the role of the primary care provider in caring for children with mental health needs; and (6) optimal organization of office practices. The translation of research into practice may be improved by a better understanding of the needs and interests of those who see pediatric patients in the primary care setting.

Transactional Analysis Case Report: Street-Level Prostituted Women as Mental Health Care Clients

Despite recognition that mental health treatment is paramount in successfully intervening on the behalf of prostituted women, minimal information exists delineating effective counseling techniques for working with this unique population. Importantly also, understanding the culture of street-level prostitution is essential for effective treatment. Women prostituted on the streets have typically experienced life-long patterns of victimization, often resulting in substance addiction and continued self-destructive behavior. The culture of street-level sex work is built on numerous psychological and sociological factors which permeate the thinking patterns, social interaction, and daily activities of prostituted women. Professional counselors are ill equipped, academically and experientially, in addressing the diverse needs of the female street-level prostitute. A theoretical integration of transactional analysis and psycho-social concepts for a prostituted woman is provided in a case report to promote a more effective approach to therapy for this population. Counselors and prostituted clients will benefit from this blended therapeutic model.

Behavioral counseling interventions for primary prevention of coronary heart disease in individuals with type-2 diabetes

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in diabetes. CHD risk can be altered by lifestyle modification. Behavioral counseling interventions are effective at changing behavior. This article discusses effective counseling techniques in primary care for people with diabetes.

Exercise counseling by primary care physicians in the era of managed care

Background: Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) advise all adults to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week, but many U.S. adults engage in no leisure-time physical activity. Since primary care providers can play an important role in exercise counseling and prescription, we wanted to assess the proportion of primary care physicians from four hospitals who asked about exercise habits, counseled about exercise, and prescribed exercise; and the factors that were associated with their counseling and prescription habits. Design: Survey of 326 internists, family practitioners, and internal medicine and family practice residents. Results: One hundred seventy-five physicians completed the questionnaire (54% response rate). Two thirds of physicians reported asking more than half of their patients about exercise, 43% counseled more than half of their patients about exercise, but only 14% prescribed exercise for more than half of their patients. Only 12% of physicians were familiar with the new ACSM recommendations. Physicians aged 35 and over were more likely than physicians less than 35 year old to ask about (82% versus 60%), counsel about (58% versus 37%), and prescribe (30% versus 8%) exercise. Family practitioners were more likely to ask about (85% versus 62%) and counsel about (59% versus 39%) exercise than internists. Physicians who felt they had adequate exercise knowledge were more likely to ask about (72% versus 49%) and counsel about (48% versus 29%) exercise than those who felt their knowledge was inadequate. Finally, physicians who felt that they were successful in changing behavior were more likely to ask about and counsel about exercise. The most important barriers to exercise counseling were not having enough time and needing more practice in effective counseling techniques. Conclusion: Many primary care physicians are not asking about, counseling about, or prescribing exercise for their patients. Since primary care physicians are in the best position to provide individualized exercise prescriptions for their patients, future research should focus on training physicians in effective counseling techniques that can be done as brief interventions.

Health Promotion Outreach for Rural Family Physicians: A Feasibility Study

This project examined the feasibility of using an educational representative, modeled in part on a drug detailing representative, to increase health promotion counseling by rural family physicians in east Texas. The physicians were offered, at no charge, materials for patients and training for themselves and their office staff on patient education regarding smoking, weight problems, sedentary living, and stress. Visits from the representative were accepted by 76 percent of the physicians, about half of whom requested training for themselves and/or their office staffs. A high degree of satisfaction with the training was expressed by trainees in follow-up interviews. Pretest data indicated that the physicians were using at least one counseling technique before the introduction of the intervention. Posttest data suggested that use of more effective counseling techniques and materials increased. Use of an educational representative when travel time and costs are minimized appears to merit further exploration.

PARENTAL SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING BY PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS

The adverse effects of parental smoking on children are widely recognized, yet little is known about how often and how pediatricians counsel patients' parents to stop smoking. We, therefore, surveyed 80 pediatric residents from four North Carolina training programs to determine self-reported practice of parental smoking cessation counseling. The response rate was 85% (67/80).Although 84% of the responding residents agreed that pediatricians should try to convince parents to stop smoking, residents reported infrequently counseling parents to do so. On average, residents asked 35% of new patients' parents and 26% of return patients' parents to stop smoking. In those who were counseled, counseling was brief; mean duration was 2.8 minutes. Very few residents used specific counseling techniques to help parents quit: only 8% often or always assessed motivation to quit, 5% advised the parents to set a quit date, 3% discussed obstacles to quitting, 2% gave the parent self-help written materials, and none prescribed nicotine gum or scheduled follow-up to monitor progress. A third of residents (35%) did not feel confident in their ability to counsel, half (51%) felt ill-prepared to counsel, and most (91%) felt their counseling was unsuccessful.Despite positive attitudes about trying to convince patients' parents to stop smoking, pediatric residents seldom counsel parents and even less often use effective counseling techniques.