Counseling Research Research Articles

Defining Systemic Change in School Counseling: A Delphi Study

ABSTRACT Systemic change is regarded as a key component of professional school counseling practice for increasing positive, equitable outcomes for PreK-12 students. Although related constructs like leadership and advocacy have been thoughtfully explored, systemic change requires consultation and collaboration with educational and community partners. To date, there has been a lack of clarity around how systemic change looks in practice for school counselors. The purpose of this study was to explore the foundational components of systemic change in school counseling. Using Delphi methodology, an expert panel of 22 participants consisting of professional school counselors, counselor educators, and school counseling supervisors developed a consensus list of 130 items describing the core beliefs, knowledge, dispositions, and skills necessary for school counselors to conduct systemic change. The findings suggest future implications for school counseling research, preparation, and consultation.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of a French version of the perceived personal control questionnaire as an outcome measure instrument for genetic counseling.

The perceived personal control (PPC) questionnaire serves as an instrument to assess the concept of PPC, which refers to a person's perception of their ability to achieve positive outcomes while avoiding the negative effects of a given situation. Developed and used as a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) in genetic counseling, the PPC questionnaire has been translated and validated in several languages, but not in French. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate a French version of the PPC questionnaire to evaluate genetic counseling services for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). After the translation into French, cognitive interviews were conducted with nine participants who had attended genetic counseling for HBOC to examine the adequacy of this French version and to verify participants' understanding of the questionnaire items. Cognitive interview data suggested that slight modifications should be made to four of the nine items and that it would be beneficial to add a short introduction to ensure that participants' interpretation corresponded to the intended meaning. Psychometric validation was then conducted with 99 participants who had also attended genetic counseling for HBOC. Counselees completed the questionnaire before and after their genetic consultation. The acceptability of the questionnaire was demonstrated by the presence of few missing items. The original three-factor solution was not confirmed by our exploratory factor analysis, suggesting that the questionnaire should be used as a one-dimensional instrument. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was high, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.89 before genetic counseling and 0.88 after. The significant increase in PPC scores before and after genetic counseling supports the responsiveness of the questionnaire. Convergent validity was confirmed by positive association with counselees' satisfaction with genetic counseling. These properties suggest the French PPC questionnaire is a valuable instrument for use as a PROM in genetic counseling research.

Machine learning predictive models to guide prevention and intervention allocation for anxiety and depressive disorders among college students

AbstractCollege student mental health has been a critical concern for professional counselors. Anxiety and depressive disorders have become increasingly prevalent over the past decade. Utilizing machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), we developed predictive models (i.e., eXtreme Gradient Boosting [XGBoost], Random Forest, Decision Tree, and Logistic Regression) to identify US college students at heightened risk of diagnosable anxiety and depressive disorders. The dataset included 61,619 students from 133 US higher education institutions and was partitioned into a 90:10 ratio for training and testing the models. We employed hyperparameter tuning and cross‐validation to optimize model performance and examined multiple measures of predictive performance (e.g., area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], accuracy, sensitivity). Results revealed strong discriminative power in our machine learning predictive models with AUC of 0.74 and 0.77, indicating current financial situation, sense of belonging on campus, disability status, and age as the top predictors of anxiety and depressive disorders. This study provides a practical tool for professional counselors to proactively identify students for anxiety and depressive disorders before these conditions escalate. Application of machine learning in counseling research provides data‐driven insights that help enhance the understanding of mental health determinants, guide prevention and intervention strategies, and promote the well‐being of diverse student populations through counseling.

Forgotten Victims of War: A Rapid Review of Counseling Needs and a Proposed Intervention Model for Civilian Survivors

The counseling needs of civilian war victims, particularly those not classified as refugees, have been largely neglected in academic counseling research. This study addresses this gap by conducting a rapid literature review to evaluate the current state of counseling services available to these individuals. Using Google Scholar and Web of Science, we identified and reviewed studies on counseling services for war veterans, refugees, and civilians in conflict zones. This review revealed a significant lack of structured counseling support for non-refugee civilian war victims, despite their high vulnerability. Findings indicate that while substantial efforts have been made to support refugees and veterans, the mental health needs of civilians who remain in conflict areas are often unmet, with existing services being sparse and inadequately documented. To address this issue, we propose a preliminary model that includes culturally sensitive counseling programs, training for local counselors, and international collaboration to provide sustainable support. This study highlights the urgent need for focused research and practical interventions to develop comprehensive counseling programs for these overlooked victims of war, and encourages researchers to address this critical gap in mental health services.

Evaluation of the Spanish Version of the Machismo Measure with Mexican Men Who Have a History of Domestic Violence

Gender bias attitudes such as hypermasculinity and machismo have been connected to violence against women in general. The concept of machismo plays a unique role in these phenomena on the U.S.-Mexico border. The construct of machismo has been measured with men in the general population who identify as Hispanic but has not been measured with men who live in a Hispanic country and have committed acts of domestic violence. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Machismo measure among Mexican men who have a history of domestic violence and to explore the difference in scores based on demographic information. Confirmatory measurement models were used to evaluate the factor structure of the instrument and item characteristics. Findings from 210 participants demonstrated that the original model with 20 items was rejected and suggested to drop several items. Specific implications for counseling research and interventions are discussed.

“Being Able to Think Outside the Box”: Exploring Counselors' Competency Development Working with Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Families

Professional counselors can play a critical role in treating symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children and working alongside their families. While ethical mandates and best practices for treatment center on holding clinical competencies and working within one's scope, the exploration of counselors in the field who specialize in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD has not been previously explored in counseling research. Through a focus group format, we utilized interpretative phenomenological inquiry to investigate how six professional counselors who specialize in treating ASD diagnosis made sense in building clinical expertise. Implications for professional counselors were presented to better serve this ever-increasing client population.

Qatar’s genetic counseling landscape: Current insights and future prospects

Genetic counseling is a dynamic and rapidly growing field. In Qatar, the significance of genetic counseling is underscored by the distinctive demographic characteristics of the population, including elevated rates of consanguinity and larger family sizes, contributing to the increased incidence of many genetic conditions. This emphasizes the crucial role of genetic counseling in addressing the specific needs of the community. Over the past decade, key health care institutions in Qatar, such as Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medicine, have significantly expanded genetic counseling services encompassing premarital, reproductive, prenatal, pediatric, adult, and cancer care. This multifaceted approach reflects Qatar’s health care system’s commitment to addressing various aspects of genetic health and well-being across different life stages.A pivotal milestone in the field’s development in Qatar was the establishment of a genetic counseling master’s program at Qatar University in 2018, showcasing the country’s dedication to fostering indigenous expertise in genetic counseling with the necessary competencies and cultural sensitivity to address the unique genetic counseling needs of the population. The recognition of genetic counseling as a profession and the licensure by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar is another key achievement to ensure the high quality of service and protection of the profession. Contributing to global genetic knowledge, various academic and research entities in Qatar are conducting genetic/genomic/genetic counseling research toward advancing precision medicine in the country, and initiatives such as the Qatar Biobank and Qatar Genome Program have played a major role in catalyzing these efforts.

Creating Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Counseling: Lessons Learned

Action research has long been heralded as the solution to narrowing the gap between counseling research and practice. Collaborative research partnerships are a cornerstone of action research, but these partnerships remain rare in the counseling profession due to the barriers researchers and practitioners must navigate. This article offers an overview of action research and the associated barriers. We, the coauthors, reflect on the lessons learned from our collaborative research partnership in order to provide concrete and pragmatic advice that informs future researcher-practitioner partnerships.

The development and validation of an instrument to examine clients’ perspectives about their counselors’ ability to broach racial, ethnic, and cultural concerns

AbstractThe current study evaluated the validity of the broaching attitudes and behavior survey‐clients (BABS‐C), a self‐report measure that examined minoritized clients’ perceptions of their counselors’ ability to discuss issues of race, ethnicity, and culture during treatment. A series of confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the BABS‐C framework and its subconstructs achieved excellent model fit and stable factor structures. The measurement invariance was examined with seven covariates using multiple indicators and multiple cause methods. Implications for counseling research and practice are discussed.

Scoping Review Methodology: A Practical Guide for Counseling Researchers

Scoping review methodology is an accessible knowledge synthesis research method for counseling researchers that has the potential to significantly impact the counseling research ecosystem. Scoping reviews can be mobilized to analyze a body of academic literature in order to map concepts, develop critical research questions, and focus research efforts. Learning how to conduct scoping reviews can facilitate counseling researchers’ emergent scholarly interests and agendas. This research guideline aims to introduce scoping review methodology to the counseling profession, present key methodological steps and considerations for counseling researchers, and share lessons learned from previous team-based scoping review studies.

A CBPR approach to multicultural and socially just counseling research

A CBPR approach to multicultural and socially just counseling research

Contraceptive Counseling: Construction and Validation of Instrument-"5C Contraceptive Counseling".

Contraceptive illiteracy leads to non-adherence, discontinuation, and dissatisfaction with the method. Person-centered contraceptive counseling is based on quality care on a communicative basis that promotes shared decision-making, leading to a choice adapted to the woman's needs, lifestyle, and health condition. We intend to build and validate an instrument that serves as a guide for quality contraceptive counseling, facilitating decision-making about contraceptive methods. We used the Delphi method in a total of two rounds. The content was validated through a panel of eighteen experts with experience in teaching, research in contraceptive counseling, and obstetric nursing. To assess the consensus and stability of the responses, two questionnaires were administered and the Content Validity Index and Content Validity Ratio were calculated. The initial version of the guide, consisting of six indicators and thirty-five items, was submitted to the panel of experts to obtain consensus and stability from respondents (first round). The results showed a response rate of 66.0%; thirty-four indicators reached consensus and one did not reach consensus. Suggestions for modifying the indicator were received by the experts and incorporated in the next round. In the second round, the response rate increased to 78.0%. Two indicators were resubmitted, of which one was accepted. This resulted in the final version of the instrument, with six points and thirty-five items. The guide proved to be a valid tool for nurse-midwives to provide quality contraceptive advice to women, allowing them to make autonomous and informed choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health.

Making the Case for Case Studies in Counselor Education: Applications to Child and Adolescent Research

ABSTRACT How do researchers understand the complex and nuanced lives of children and adolescents? Though researchers have many methods from which to choose, we present the case for utilizing an established research method that allows researchers to uniquely explore the intricate realities of children and adolescent populations: case study research. In this conceptual manuscript, we explore what case study research is, what it is not, and how counseling researchers can apply case study research methods within the profession to explore research in schools, partnership research, and program evaluation. Finally, we conclude with case study research steps and a case example so that counseling researchers are equipped to begin applying case study research to their own research agendas.

A Content Analysis of Recent Qualitative Child and Adolescent Counseling Research and Recommendations for Innovative Approaches

ABSTRACT Children and adolescents communicate differently than adults and require use of creative, behavior, and play-based interventions in the counseling process. However, these strategies are not as often utilized to capture the experiences of children and adolescents in counseling-related qualitative research studies. Utilizing content analysis, we examined qualitative research studies published in counseling journals in the last six years to identify contributions, gaps, and opportunities for growth in child and adolescent qualitative research. Based on the results, we provide recommendations for conducting qualitative research using innovative adaptations to represent the voices of children and adolescents in developmentally meaningful ways.

Amplifying Youth Voices: Redefining Qualitative Research with Child and Adolescent Co-Researchers

ABSTRACT In youth research, children are the main stakeholder, but researchers have historically relied on adult data sources to convey the lived experiences of youth. Over the past few years, there has been a stronger call for ethical considerations in child research, including how to best capture youth voices. Due to the developmental differences between children and adults, however, it is crucial for qualitative researchers to choose measures that are appropriate for the co-researchers involved and implement trustworthiness checks that directly include those being investigated. In this article, we aim to support the qualitative inquiry process for counseling researchers working with children and adolescents (ages 3 to 17). We summarize qualitative designs that empower youth voices, as well as evidence-based youth interviewing strategies, such as drawing and play-based approaches that can be utilized within these designs. Lastly, we discuss methodological challenges and possible solutions throughout.

공무원 심리상담 분야의 연구 동향

This study examines research trends in the field of psychological counseling for civil servants in Korea and summarizes related research results to suggest directions for future theory establishment and field practice. The subject of analysis was 107 papers published in domestic academic journals from 2015 to December 2023. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics according to the analysis criteria of publication year, research subject, research method, research topic, and related variables. As a research results: First, public servant psychological counseling research papers are showing an increasing trend, starting with 6 papers in 2015 and with 20 papers in 2023, and the research subjects were civil servants in specific positions at 56%, followed by general civil servants at 42.1%. Second, quantitative research accounted for 71% of the research methods and was used as the main research method, and the research topics appeared in the following: career and occupation, personality and adaptation. Based on these results, implications were presented on the direction of development of psychological counseling research for civil servants.

Dark Side of the Career: Reflections from an Online Discussion Platform

Career counseling research has neglected how workplace experiences affect employees’ careers. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the employees’ feelings and thoughts regarding their working life. Accordingly, this study adopted a qualitative approach and investigated 1928 posts by using Thematic Analysis from an online discussion platform. The research data were the entries of the platform under the title of "working life" from 2000 to 2022. These entries were analyzed by using MAXQDA software. Results showed three clusters: The naïve cluster comprised expectations and skills from the beginning of working life. In naïve cluster, users expressed how different their expectations in working life from reality. The black box cluster included workplace deviance and poor working conditions. In this cluster, users especially expressed problems about interpersonal relationships in the working environment. Finally, the cost cluster comprised physical, emotional, behavioral, and spiritual outputs of working life. In these outputs, users revealed their burnout, insecurity, and unhappiness. The findings were discussed from the psychology of working theory perspective, and related literature.

Expanding Frameworks: Conducting Discourse Analysis in Counseling Research

Discourse analysis encompasses a variety of disciplinary approaches that broadly aim to understand how individuals and groups use language to construct and maintain their psychological and social realities. A central concept in discourse analysis is we all use discourse to accomplish our communication goals despite being unaware of most discourses we evoke. While discourse studies could help counseling professionals to better understand how they deploy discourses to maintain identities, inequalities, and status quo, the method is not well-represented in counseling research in the United States. This methodological guide presents an introduction to discourse analysis and an overview of the analytic framework, highlighting discourse studies conducted germane to counseling research and practice.

A review of counseling research using single‐case research design

AbstractSingle‐case research designs (SCRDs) are a vital tool for researchers and practitioners in counseling to evaluate intervention and treatment effectiveness. This content analysis reviews the application of SCRDs in counseling to highlight knowledge accrued and existing gaps in the literature. We evaluated the methodological design and reporting adherence against recommended guidelines to provide guidance for future research. We included 50 SCRDs published between 2015 and 2021 across 15 journals (42 reviewed). Content results showed several trends, strengths, and areas of improvement in counseling SCRDs. No studies completely met the What Works Clearinghouse (2022) design standards or Single‐Case Reporting Guideline in Behavioural Interventions (SCRIBE) reporting standards, yet several indicators had high levels of adherence. We discuss how the experimental design process can be enhanced to improve the internal validity, ways to improve transparency in reporting SCRD results, and the importance of contextualizing SCRD methodology to the counseling field.

The Role of Mindfulness in the Relationship Between Social Interest and Psychological Health

ABSTRACT: Social interest is the cornerstone of psychological health. Recently, the psychological construct of mindfulness, which is closely linked to psychological health, has received a great deal of attention in counseling research and practice. Mindfulness plays a prominent role in traditional and modern Buddhist approaches that emphasize social justice and equality, as does Adlerian theory. In this regard, this study explores the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between social interest and psychological health. The sample consisted of 261 Turkish university students. The participants were administered the Demographic Information Form as well as three other instruments. Overall, results indicate that mindfulness positively mediates the relationship between social interest and psychological health.