Systemic cognitive-developmental therapy: A counselling model and an integrative classification schema for working with partners and families

Systemic Cognitive-Developmental Therapy (SCDT) represents a holistic, non-pathological, and integrative approach to partner and family counselling. The model directly links developmental constructs to the counselling process and offers specific assessment and treatment strategies that can be easily learned and applied in the immediacy of the counselling encounter. Additionally, it offers a classification schema that clinicians can use to organize familiar counselling and therapy approaches into a developmental framework. This article introduces the theory and practice of SCDT, illustrates the techniques and strategies specific to the model, and provides illustrative partner, family, and client examples for clarification.Paper presented in April, 1994 at the International Conference on Counselling in the Family in München, Germany, sponsored by the International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling.     

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ ETHICAL STRAIN AND RUMINATION: INDIVIDUAL PROFILES AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH WEEKLY WELL‐BEING

We investigated school psychologists’ experiences of ethical strain (the frequency of ethical dilemmas at work and the stress caused by these dilemmas) and dilemma‐related rumination outside working hours. Individual latent profiles were estimated at the study baseline based on these three dimensions. The psychologists’ weekly well‐being (vigor, exhaustion, and sleep quality) was compared against their profile during the following three working weeks. The sample included 133 school psychologists, among whom four groups were identified: Low ruminators (39%), an Intermediate group (39%), High ruminators (20%), and Atypical outliers (2%). High ruminators fared least well in terms of weekly well‐being. Of all the groups, they reported the lowest levels of vigor, the highest levels of exhaustion, and the lowest sleep quality. The study contributes to understanding how psychologists differ in their experiences of ethical strain, and highlights the role of ruminating: mental detachment from ethical demands is especially important for school psychologists’ well‐being.     

Factors associated with school psychologists' perceptions of campus violence

Recent concern about school violence has increased demands on school psychologists to respond to safety concerns on their school campuses. In this study, 123 school psychologists responded to a survey about their perceptions, experiences, and readiness to meaningfully address school violence. School psychologists reported that they do not worry about their personal safety at school (78%), but most felt unprepared to deal with school violence (73%) and had received no specialized training in this area (85%). A principal components analysis of the types of violence school psychologists perceived to occur on their campuses identified a range of incidents from bullying to antisocial behavior. School psychologists working in inner-city schools were more likely to believe that their schools had high levels of violence (45.6%) compared with those working in urban-not inner-city (14.3%), suburban (4.9%), or rural (0%) schools. Recommendations to prepare school psychologists to help prevent, reduce, and respond to campus violence are discussed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

人性观与心理咨询策略

探讨人性的本质有助于心理学家更好地了解人、关心人。在心理咨询和治疗中，人性观是一切方法和技术的理论基础，不同学派有其不同的人性观假设。在进行心理咨询时，应充分考虑到咨询师自己的人性观和来访者的人性观背景，在确立咨询态度时，注意自己的基本假设。     

“Are two better than one?” the impact of years in head start on child outcomes, family environment, and reading at home

This study examined whether children attending Head Start for two years have better developmental outcomes than children attending for one year and whether their families enjoy a more positive family environment. Forty-five children were in the one-year duration group and 29 were in the two-years duration group. The Family Environment Scale (FES), the Child Development Inventory (CDI), and a demographic questionnaire were administered. Results indicated that children’s scores on the CDI did not differ as a function of the length of participation in Head Start. However, families who participated for two years reported an increased intellectual-cultural orientation, and increased active recreational orientation. These families placed greater emphasis on organization, and read more times to their child during the week than families who participated in the program for only one year.     

An examination of the adjustment journey of international students studying in Australia

This study examined at two Australian university campuses the types of problems that prompt international students to seek counselling services. The concerns reported by ninety students fell within three broad categories; adjustment issues, academic concerns and psychosocial problems. Follow-up interviews with a subset of these students (21) were used to gain more detailed information about their personal adjustment issues and also their experience of counselling services. Counsellors were also interviewed to obtain their perspective on the adjustment and counselling experience of students. Most problems for students occurred within the first 12 months of commencing studies and for many tended to reduce in incidence thereafter, but for some students the issues and problems remained ongoing. While the findings are limited to international students at only two Australian campuses, and furthermore the sample sizes are not large, the results suggest that these students often face extreme adjustment difficulties. Moreover, it is suggested that such students tended to only access counselling services when near the point of collapse, or following academic referral. The importance of pre-departure orientation packages for prospective students, while still in their home country, might reduce the incidence of such adjustment issues.     

Psychologists' beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse: the influence of sexual abuse history, gender, and theoretical orientation.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the influence of sexual abuse history, gender, theoretical orientation, and age on beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among clinical and counseling psychologists. METHOD: A mail survey design was used in this study. Participants were randomly selected from the American Psychological Association membership database. There were 615 psychologists who completed self-report measures on beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, clinicians' scores on the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse were moderate. There were significant gender differences on beliefs, suggesting that women were more likely believe that childhood sexual abuse is a common occurrence compared to men. Multiple regression analysis indicated that clinician characteristics (history of sexual abuse, gender, and theoretical orientation) were significantly related to beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse. However, these characteristics only accounted for a small amount of the overall variance predicting beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that clinicians do not hold extreme beliefs regarding the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse. Moreover, certain clinician characteristics are associated with their beliefs, which in turn, may impact their clinical judgment and treatment decisions. Furthermore, much of the variance was unaccounted for in the model indicating that psychologists' beliefs are complex and are not unduly influenced by their personal characteristics. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.     

THE USE OF EVIDENCED‐BASED PRACTICES IN THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AMONG SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

This study aimed to explore school psychologists’ use of evidence‐based practices (EBP), specifically in the area of social skills training, for students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 220 school psychologists practicing in public school settings who provided social skills training to students with ASD. Participants were recruited through e‐mail solicitations and completed surveys administered on‐line. Results indicated that 47% of the participants reported that their graduate program did not provide courses including content addressing social skills training for students with ASD, and 58% did not receive training on the topic during their internship. The most and least frequently endorsed EBP reported were the provision of clear and measurable treatment objectives and regular communication with parents, respectively. Greater use of EBP was reported when school districts perceived implementing EBP as important. Implications of findings for training programs of school psychologists, school districts, and individual school psychologists are discussed, as well as implications for future research.     

Trends and practices in functional behavior assessments completed by school psychologists

Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) utilize direct and indirect methods to collect data on student behavior to generate a functional hypothesis and drive intervention development. School psychologists are trained to conduct FBAs and use them regularly in schools. However, no evidence exists describing the specific practices used by school psychologists when they conduct FBAs. In this study, 199 respondents completed a web‐based survey developed using expert review and cognitive pretesting. Most respondents reported their gender as female (87%), were between 30 and 39 years old (50%), and practiced at the Specialist level (57%). Respondents reported receiving training in FBA across multiple sources and utilizing multi‐method data collection methods when conducting FBAs. A large amount of variability was observed in the specific instruments used by school psychologists, with a substantial proportion using forms that were not standardized or pre‐constructed. Implications for current practitioners, trainers, and researchers are described.     

An examination of ethnic incongruence in school‐based psychological services and diversity‐training experiences among school psychologists

The current study examined the prevalence of ethnic incongruence in three school psychological services: assessment, consultation, and counseling; the prevalence of diversity training among school psychologists; and practitioners' attitudes about their training experiences. A mail survey was sent to a random sample of 500 school psychologists drawn from the 1999 membership roster of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Ethnic incongruence, defined as ethnic differences between a professional and a client, was commonly reported for assessment, consultation, and counseling cases. Diversity training was reported by 90.7% of participating school psychologists in the form of graduate coursework, internship experiences, or continuing education. Though most respondents rated their training experiences positively, improvements were suggested. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 419–432, 2005.     

Comparison of Client and Counsellor Satisfaction with Treatment Duration

Abstract

After termination of personal counselling at a large urban Canadian university, 72 subjects and their counsellors were asked to rate their satisfaction. The subjects were asked to rate to what extent the counselling had helped with the presenting problem, and with other secondary problems, and to rate their degree of overall satisfaction. Statistical analyses conducted to investigate the relationship among number of sessions attended and client and counsellor satisfaction, led to these results: clients who attended a brief number of sessions (1-3) reported no significant difference in satisfaction with the counselling compared to those who attended more sessions; and the majority of clients who had only one session were satisfied with their counselling; counsellors, however, were less satisfied overall with the briefer counselling process, and the author suggests that they were biased against it. The author recommends more research on this critical topic of counsellor expectations toward briefer treatment.     

Does Sex Education Help Everyone?: Sex Education Exposure and Timing as Predictors of Sexual Health Among Lesbian,Bisexual, and Heterosexual Young Women

ABSTRACT

Using data from 2002 to 2013 collections of the National Survey of Family Growth, we explored how exposure and timing of sex education were associated with sexual health outcomes of 5,141 women between the ages of 15 and 20 years. Consistent with previous literature, sexual minority (e.g., lesbian and bisexual) women reported engaging in sexual intercourse with a male partner earlier than their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority women were also more likely to receive sex education after already engaging in sexual intercourse. Exposure to sex education was associated with poorer outcomes—such as an increased number of male sexual partners and higher reports of pregnancy—for sexual minority women but not for their heterosexual peers. Receiving sex education before engaging in intercourse was associated with an increase in birth control use among bisexual participants. Therefore, school psychologists and counselors should promote inclusive sex education programs that fully address the needs of sexual minority youth.     

Social interaction interventions in an inclusive era: Attitudes of teachers in early childhood self‐contained and inclusive settings

This study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of teachers in early childhood settings toward social interaction interventions appropriate for young children with disabilities. Participants were 137 teachers working in either self‐contained classroom settings (SC) or inclusive classroom settings (INC). Variables that might interfere with perceived acceptability, feasibility, and current use of interventions were explored. These included theoretical orientation, attitude toward inclusion, experience working with children with disabilities, and teacher efficacy. Results indicated that SC and INC teachers are strikingly similar in their perceptions of interventions despite literature‐based indications that philosophical and theoretical differences between the two groups might influence attitudes. Implications for consultation practices by school psychologists and related professionals are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 53–63, 2005.     

High School Students' Goal Orientations and Their Relationship to Perceived Parenting Styles

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among Baumrind's three parenting styles, parent involvement (both parenting variables as perceived by student), and mastery and performance goal orientations of high school students. The sample consisted of 196 students enrolled in two Florida high schools. Many expected relationships appeared in line with the parenting and goal theory literature. Maternal authoritativeness was related to a mastery orientation. Maternal authoritarianism and permissiveness were related to a performance orientation. Differential findings were evident with regard to student ethnicity. Appearance of stronger relationships among maternal parenting styles and student goal orientation may be due to the nontraditional living arrangements reported; a number of students reported not living with their fathers. Parent involvement was positively related to a mastery orientation for all students. Student gender and parental education were not significant factors in this study. Conclusions are tempered by limitations of a relatively small sample.     

COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES: A SURVEY OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

The present article describes an exploratory study regarding the preferred cognitive assessment practices of current school psychologists. Three hundred and twenty‐three school psychologists participated in the survey. The results suggest that the majority of school psychologists endorsed that they base their assessment practices on an underlying theoretical framework, specifically Cattell‐Horn‐Carroll (CHC) theory. Despite this finding, the majority of those sampled continue to engage in traditional assessment practices that are not consistent with CHC theory. Furthermore, the majority of those sampled reported that they assess culturally and linguistically diverse students and modify their practices when doing so. Unfortunately, the modifications endorsed by those surveyed might be discriminatory. The implications of these findings are discussed herein.     

CONVERGENCE OF TWO INDEPENDENT ROADS LEADS TO COLLABORATION BETWEEN EDUCATION AND NEUROSCIENCE

Collaboration is the foundation for innovative discoveries, as individuals with different backgrounds come together and combine their unique expertise. In the current article, an educational researcher and two neuroscientists relate their experiences in establishing a successful collaborative effort. The marriage of neuroscientific findings with educational research has begun to further advance educational approaches. Initial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings indicate that direct interplay between educational interventions and brain‐based measures of sensory, motor, and cognitive processes provides an important link among cognitive processing and psychometric measures. If neuroimaging results support existing theoretical constructs of brain organization, then testable hypotheses may be designed to determine which educational interventions will be effective. The neuropsychological approach may provide school psychologists and teachers with an extensive array of fMRI‐based, developmentally appropriate instructional strategies for enhancing the functional organization of the developing brain of children. Promising suggestions and strategies for educational researchers, school psychologists, and neuroscientists are included.     

Psychologists’ dilemmas in career counselling practice

In this study, we explored main dilemmas psychologists face in career counselling in two main professional settings: employment and education. Participants included 24 experienced Portuguese psychologists, working in employment (n?=?14) and educational (n?=?10) settings. We used consensual qualitative research to conduct and analyse semi-structured interviews. Results revealed dilemmas?? in five domains: neutrality, assessment, dual loyalty, role boundaries, and confidentiality, with the typical dilemma in the domain of neutrality. Differences between groups were found in the domains of dual loyalty and role boundaries.     

Beyond the Nuclear Family: Children’s Social Networks and Depressive Symptomology

This study identified social network profiles among children, determined whether profiles vary across sociodemographic characteristics, and investigated links between childhood profiles and depressive symptomology using three waves of data spanning 23 years (Wave 1, 1992 Metro-Detroit representative sample: n = 193, ages 8–12). Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: Close Family (22%), Varied Family (57%), Friend and Family (21%). White children were more likely than Black children to be in the Friend and Family profile. Children in the Close Family profile reported the lowest levels of depressive symptomology in childhood, but exhibited the steepest increase over time. Findings suggest that close, family centric networks are protective in childhood, but less so as children develop into adulthood, highlighting the importance of considering developmental perspectives.     

Academic goals,goal process cognition,and exam performance among college students

We investigated the nature of and linkages between student-generated academic goals, individual differences in self-regulatory thinking (goal process cognition), and exam performance among college students. In Study 1 (N = 365) and in Study 2 (N = 325), we elicited students' self-ascribed most important academic goals for introductory psychology and their goal process cognition toward their most important goal. In addition, in Study 2, we collected data on students' exam scores in introductory psychology and their most important academic goal and goal process cognition for another course. Three types of academic goals were identified: performance (39–55%), mastery (22–39%), and study strategies (20–23%). Students with mastery academic goals had the highest positive arousal whereas students with performance academic goals had the highest negative arousal. Compared to students with performance academic goals, students with mastery academic goals had lower exam scores in introductory psychology and this difference was mediated, in part, by goal process cognition.