Single Counseling Session Research Articles

CASE STUDY: WEIGHT LOSS CAUSES IMPROVEMENT IN METABOLIC SYNDROME AND COST EFFECTIVE

A case report study conducted in a tertiary care hospital to determine the effectiveness of supervised exercise diet plan along with behavioral therapy to reduce weight in the metabolic syndrome. A 54 years old obese male was selected to conduct the study that suffering from diabetes for last 10 years, hypertensive previous 13 years, knee osteoarthritis previous 8 years back and also has complaint of dyspnea as a result facing severe problems in his ADL. He was on 8 different medications when he visited a Physiotherapy OPD in a tertiary care hospital by his consultant to secure his health status. He was than enrolled in fitness program to reduce weight under supervision of a physical therapist. According to his lab reports he was highly on health risk and was going in severe depression due to the difficulty facing in his daily life. The out measures of our study was Visual Analogue scale, Exercise and diet plan with counseling sessions, after 16 weeks supervised exercise diet plan and counseling sessions we observe a marked improvement in glucose tolerance, exercise tolerance, lipid profile and hypertension. The patient was following exercise plan for 5days/week and diet plan throughout the month with a single counseling session in a week with marked reduction in medications. Our study concludes that the medically supervised weight-loss program facilitates is safe and effective in weight

Maternal preferences regarding counseling of congenital heart disease in their children at a tertiary care hospital

Background Communicating bad news to mothers of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is a challenging task and an ethical dilemma for the physician. It is never a pleasant task but breaking it at the wrong time or in the wrong way can be even worse, so it’s important to know the best approaches to breaking bad news. Aim To know the preferences of mothers regarding breaking bad news about the diagnosis of congenital heart disease in their children. Methods The study was conducted in our Pediatric Cardiology Department between 1st October 2010 to 1st September 2012. A cross sectional interview was conducted including Saudi mothers whose children had CHD. The questionnaire consisted of 27 questions. Verbal consent was obtained. Results Total 889 mothers were included in the study and 39 refused to participate in the survey. The results revealed that 58.4% mothers were from urban areas while 41.6 from villages and 98.3% were educated. Based on answers to questionnaire we found 20 different preferences. Counseling is preferred: immediately after diagnosis 92.7%, directly in person 99.9%, both parents present 96.4%, single session counseling 92.2%, detailed counseling 93.9%, detailed medical report 98.2%, isolated and quiet place of counseling 64.3%, counseling with help of heart model 85.3%. Most mothers want counseling by their primary physician 92.3%. The mothers accepted to have their nurse present at time of counseling but not relative or friend. Discussion Counseling parents about diagnosis of congenital heart disease in their children is a challenging task for physician and an ethical dilemma. The diagnosis of any congenital heart disease in children leads to parental anxiety. Our results confirm previously reported preferences by mothers from western countries and Egypt to be told early, detailed and in person. We found that mothers want a completely quiet room, presence of nurse and detailed counseling as well as detailed medical report both in paper and electronic form. They want counseling to be done by their primary physician. Conclusion Our study delineates that mothers of patients with CHD in our area have clear preferences for how bad news should be conveyed to them. We believe that following these directions might reduce their anxiety to an accepted level.

The case for single-session therapy: Does the empirical evidence support the increased prevalence of this service delivery model?

BackgroundA significant increase in the number of walk-in counselling clinics offering single-session therapy (SST) prompted this review of the empirical support for the effectiveness of SST.AimsThe article is intended to (1) increase practitioners' knowledge of the empirical support for the effectiveness of single-session counselling with client populations typically served in community-based mental health and counselling agencies and (2) identify priorities for future research on SST.MethodA thorough review of relevant databases was undertaken to locate published studies reporting client outcomes following SST. The focus of the review is research involving clients and presenting problems typically seen in community-based mental health and family counselling agencies.ResultsThe findings suggest that the majority of clients attending either previously scheduled or walk-in SST find it sufficient and helpful. The studies imply that this model of service delivery leads to perceived improvement in presenting problems in general, and on specific measures of variables such as depression, anxiety, distress level and confidence in parenting skills.ConclusionsMany of the studies have methodological limitations, and future research requires increased use of standardized measures, control groups and larger and more diverse samples.

Walk‐In Counselling Services: Making the Most of One Hour

This article describes walk‐in single session counselling, a form of service delivery that enables clients to receive one session of counselling without the usual hurdles of intake and wait times. We distinguish between walk‐in counselling and single session therapy by appointment. We describe a mindset for therapists that supports walk‐in work. We also describe the workings of a walk‐in session using a transcript, with commentary, of an actual session. Benefits and possible applications of the walk‐in counselling concept are discussed.

A Pilot Clinical Trial of Varenicline for Smoking Cessation in Black Smokers

Varenicline, a first-line non-nicotine medication, has not been evaluated in Black smokers, and limited attention has been paid to pharmacotherapy adherence in smoking cessation trials. This pilot study estimated quit rates for Black smokers treated with varenicline and tested a behavioral intervention to aid varenicline adherence. Seventy-two Black smokers (>10 cigarettes per day; cpd) were randomly assigned to adherence support (AS; n = 36) or standard care (n = 36). All participants received 3 months of varenicline and a single counseling session focused on making a quit plan. AS participants received 5 additional counseling sessions to encourage medication use. Outcome measures included salivary cotinine, and carbon monoxide confirmed smoking abstinence, reductions in self-reported cpd, and pill counts of varenicline adherence at Months 1, 2, and 3. Sixty-one participants (84.7%) completed follow-up at Month 3. Participants were female (62.5%), 46.8 years of age, and smoked 16.3 cpd. No treatment group differences were found on the smoking or adherence outcome measures (p > .05). Collapsing across treatment, varenicline adherence was adequate (86.1%), yet despite a reduction of 12.2 (6.5) cpd from baseline to Month 3 (p < 0.001), only 23.6% were confirmed quit at Month 3. Participants who were quit at Month 3 had higher varenicline adherence rates (95.8%) than those who continued to smoke (80.8%, p ≤ .05). Studies are needed to examine the efficacy of varenicline among Black smokers. Interventions to facilitate adherence to pharmacotherapy warrant further attention as adherence is linked to improved tobacco abstinence.

Effect of single session counselling on partner referral for sexually transmitted infections management in Bangladesh

ObjectivesThis study evaluated the role of single session counselling on partner referral among index cases diagnosed as having sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Bangladesh.MethodsA quasirandomised trial was conducted in 1339...

Features and benefits of online counselling: Trinity College online mental health community

ABSTRACT Universities have a responsibility to develop appropriate interventions to respond to the mental health needs of their students. Students’ use of technology is an integral part of how they communicate and relate to the world; it is reasonable to consider engaging the internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for mental health service delivery. Internet-delivered counselling brings with it many distinct advantages, but also challenges. Investigating the effectiveness of any internet-delivered counselling intervention is important so as to establish a sound evidence-based practice. A unique feature of online delivery is that the internet can facilitate community and therefore allow counselling interventions to act therapeutically for an online community of users. This paper reports on the use of the online counselling service at Trinity College Dublin, including its uptake and usage, the issues and benefits of online counselling to students and whether clients are satisfied with their experience of online counselling. The paper highlights the positive effect of disinhibition and the therapeutic benefit of writing. Single session counselling is discussed as a model that fits the experience of users and the service provider. Users have reported satisfaction with online counselling and the service's impact within the community of users is complementary. The benefits of increasing access, flexibility and on-time and on-demand services are given attention as is the use of online counselling as an element of a stepped care approach to service delivery.

Developing a Single-Session Counseling Model for Students Adapting Reality Therapy

Developing a Single-Session Counseling Model for Students Adapting Reality Therapy

Single-Session Motivational Enhancement Counseling to Support Change Toward Reduction of HIV Transmission by HIV Positive Persons

Given the enormous successes in treating HIV disease with antiretroviral therapies, there is a burgeoning population of healthy, sexually active HIV+ men and women. Because HIV prevention counseling has focused traditionally on persons at risk of becoming infected, there is an urgent mandate to explore ways to engage HIV+ persons in transmission risk reduction counseling. Using two case examples, this article presents an overview of motivational interviewing in a single counseling session as a promising treatment for addressing ambivalence about safer sex with HIV+ persons.

Effects of Client Expectation for Counseling Success, Client-Counselor Worldview Match, and Client Adherence to Asian and European American Cultural Values on Counseling Process With Asian Americans.

After assessing their expectation for counseling success, adherence to Asian cultural values, and adherence to European American cultural values, 88 Asian American volunteer clients with personal concerns engaged in single-session counseling with 1 of 11 female counselors who either matched or mismatched the client’s worldview. Clients in the worldview match condition perceived stronger client–counselor working alliance and counselor empathy than those in the mismatch condition. Client adherence to Asian cultural values was positively related to client–counselor working alliance. Client adherence to European American values was positively associated with client–counselor working alliance and session depth. In addition, an interaction effect was observed such that high expectation for counseling success and strong adherence to European American cultural values were associated with increased perception of counselor empathy.

Changing Sexual Behavior Among Gay Male Repeat Testers for HIV

Context: High-risk sexual behavior is increasingly prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) and among men with a history of repeat testing for HIV. Objectives: The study assessed whether one counseling intervention session focusing on self-justifications (thoughts, attitudes, or beliefs that allow the participant to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors) at most recent unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) is effective in reducing future high-risk behaviors among HIV-negative men. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized, controlled, counseling intervention trial was conducted at an anonymous testing site in San Francisco, California, between May 1997 and January 2000. Participants were 248 MSM with a history of at least one previous negative HIV test result and self-reported UAI (receptive or insertive) in the previous 12 months with partners of unknown or discordant HIV status. Two intervention groups received standard HIV test counseling plus a cognitivebehavioral intervention, and two control groups received only standard HIV test counseling. Follow-up evaluation was at 6 and 12 months. Main Outcome Measure: Number of episodes of UAI with nonprimary partners (of unknown or discordant HIV status) in the 90 days preceding the interview was measured via self-report during face-to-face interview. Results: A novel counseling intervention focusing on self-justifications significantly decreased the proportion of participants reporting UAI with nonprimary partners of unknown or discordant HIV status at 6 and 12 months (from 66% to 21% at 6 months and to 26% at 12 months, p = .002; p < .001) as compared with a control group when added to standard client-centered HIV counseling and testing. Conclusions: A specific, single-session counseling intervention focusing on a reevaluation of a person's self-justifications operant during a recent occasion of high-risk behavior may prove useful in decreasing individual risk behavior and thus limiting community-level HIV transmission.

Zones of Expertise and the Management of Uncertainty in Genetics Risk Communication

In the context of risk communication in genetic counseling, there appears to be a tension between clients seeking an authoritative, definitive risk assessment and the geneticist-expert actively defining the boundaries of his or her (in)expertise through formulation of uncertainty that is such a feature of genetic disorders. In the process of demarcating his or her zone of expertise, he or she defers to the judgment of other medical colleagues with expertise in "adjacent" areas. Our claim is that the genetic counselor delineates his or her (in)expertise through a systematic deployment of a range of modalized discourse strategies (e.g., contrast and hedging) while claiming authority in a limited knowledge field. At the broader professional level, this is motivated in part by the limits to professional knowledge and in part by the desire to maintain a "nondirective" (i.e., neutral) stance. Our analysis focuses on the expert formulation of uncertainty in a single counseling session around 4 strategic moments: (a) display of specialist knowledge, (b) pronouncement of considered judgment, (c) response to clients' volunteered information, and (d) maintenance of a nondirective stance in the face of explicit advice seeking by clients.

Brief Therapy in College Counseling and Mental Health

Several factors have converged to make brief counseling and therapy the preferred mode of individual service delivery for college counseling and mental health services. The authors introduce the topic of brief therapy, offer a rationale for its use in college contexts, and discuss significant issues, research findings, and therapist attitudes in support of successful use of these approaches. This is followed by a description of issues of implementation, including assessment processes, interventions (short-term intermittent approaches, very brief therapy, single-session counseling, crisis intervention within brief therapy, connections with multiculturally oriented psychology, and brief group therapy), and referral issues. General conclusions about brief therapy in college settings and recommendations for research on furthering use of these approaches are offered.

Effects of a Culturally Congruent Intervention on Cognitive Factors Related to Drug-Use Recovery

This paper describes a culturally congruent intervention to promote recovery from illegal drug use among African Americans and reports initial outcomes. The intervention was based on the transtheoretical stages-of-change model and on techniques of focused dyadic counseling and motivational interviewing. Subjects were randomly assigned to the culturally congruent intervention or to a control condition. Each condition featured a single counseling session during which drug-related and other needs were assessed and appropriate referrals offered. Posttest data indicated that subjects in the culturally congruent condition were more involved in the counseling session, more willing to self-disclose. more motivated to seek help for drug-use-associated problems, and higher on preparation for change.

Promoting Recovery from Drug Abuse: An Africentric Intervention

This article describes the Engagement Project, a culturally congruent intervention in which Africentric concepts are applied in single-session counseling for African American drug users.

Short-term response to dietary counseling of hyperlipidemic outpatients of a lipid clinic

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a limited dietary intervention delivered by dietitians in a single counseling session on plasma lipid levels in free-living subjects with hyperlipidemia. Design A 2-month, nonrandomized comparative study of dietary counseling efficacy in subjects with hyperlipidemia. Dietary instruction was conducted in a lipid clinic by dietitians. Subjects were instructed to follow a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol (National Education Cholesterol Program step 1 or 2 diets) for 2 months with concomitant energy restriction for weight reduction when necessary. Another group of patients who did not receive dietary counseling during the same period served as a control. Subjects Ambulatory patients were recruited from the Lipid Clinic of the Montreal Clinical Research Institute. Intervention Dietary counseling was provided to 104 subjects with hypercholesterolemia and 113 subjects with hypertriglyceridemia. They were compared with 72 subjects with hypercholesterolemia and 80 subjects with hypertriglyceridemia who did not receive dietary counseling. Results In the hypercholesterolemic group, significant reductions in plasma cholesterol (mean±standard deviation= −5.7±11.7%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (−7.3±14.2%) and no changes in plasma very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were observed after dietary counseling. The LDL-C response to diet was normally distributed, and 20% of the individuals with hypercholesterolemia reached LDL-C levels below 4.1 mmol/L. In patients with hypercholesterolemia and no clinical evidence of familial hypercholesterolemia, (n=76) the reductions in plasma cholesterol (−6.6±10.8%) and LDL-C (−8.2±14%) were more pronounced. Among the latter patients, 27.6% reached LDL-C levels below 4.1 mmol/L. In subjects with hypertriglyceridemia, the reductions in plasma cholesterol (−4.8±12.8%), triglycerides (−20.7±33%), and VLDL-C (−19.5±29%) were associated with an increase in LDL-C (+8.5±25.7%) and HDL-C (+5.5±18%). Of the subjects with hypertriglyceridemia, 20% had triglyceride levels below 2.3 mmol/L after treatment. No significant changes were observed in the control groups during the same period. Conclusions Dietary counseling of subjects with hypercholesterolemia or hypertriglyceridemia was associated with beneficial changes in plasma lipid levels after 2 months of dietary intervention. However, longer and more controlled dietary interventions are necessary for most patients to achieve lipid goals.

Transference, Insight, and the Counselor's Intentions During a Counseling Hour

The interactive effects of transference and client insight on session quality, and the relationship between transference and counselor intentions, were studied within the context of a single counseling session. Thirty‐eight experienced counselors audiotaped one counseling session and rated their intentions for each intervention. Counselors also rated transference, insight, and session quality. As hypothesized, when transference was high, client insight was positively related to session quality. Furthermore, negative transference was related to several counselor intentions. Negative transference may signal counselors to focus on the relationship and underlying client issues, and to avoid structuring and directing behavior change.

Relation of nonverbal behavior to client reactions.

Sixteen therapists each saw a volunteer client for a single counseling session. During a videotape review the clients recorded their reactions and the therapists recorded their perceptions of client reactions to each therapist intervention. Client nonverbal behaviors (speech hesitancies, vertical and horizontal head movements, arm movements, leg movements, postural shifts, adaptors, illustrators, and smiles) were examined to determine whether they were consistently associated with client reactions

Counselor and helpee perceptions of counselor intentions in relation to outcome in a single counseling session.

Counselor and helpee perceptions of counselor intentions in relation to outcome in a single counseling session.

Counselor and helpee perceptions of counselor intentions in relation to outcome in a single counseling session.

Counselor and helpee perceptions of counselor intentions in relation to outcome in a single counseling session.