The Use of a Standardized Simulation and Process Tracing for Studying Clinical Problem-Solving Competence

Greater understanding of the clinical judgment and problem-solving processes used by counselors and psychologists could add significantly to a working knowledge of how competent practitioners function. This investigation used a standardized treatment planning simulation and a process tracing strategy to qualitatively examine how 15 mental health clinicians solved a typical client management problem. Purposes of the study included (a) demonstration of an empirical methodology for conducting research into clinical problem solving; (b) preliminary observation about the relationship between cognitive processes of inquiry and subsequent treatment planning; and (c) identification of hypotheses about critical factors involved in mental health problem solving that warrant further research. This report describes how those objectives were met and reviews their implications for training and assessment of mental health professionals.     

The Art of Writing in the Republic of Philosophy

The philosopher Richard Rorty once remarked that the genre of philosophy writing is an extended conversation that can be traced to the dialogues of Plato. All the foundational questions of philosophy can be found in ancient philosophy texts. The subsequent history of philosophy is a dialectic progression on these questions. I argue that reading the great works of philosophy and engaging in this conversation has something to teach us about autonomy, leadership and citizenship. Reading these works, and also great works of creative literature, nurtures the imagination and interiority, and cultivates perspective on world history, politics and culture. I first elaborate the genre and styles of philosophy writing and then argue for its relevance to a civic model of education.     

Effectiveness of the Coping Power Program in middle‐school children with disruptive behaviours and hyperactivity difficulties

The purpose of this article is to discuss the effectiveness of the Coping Power Program (CPP); an evidence‐based treatment delivered in a group format to at‐risk middle‐school children. Initially, two groups were randomised and formed: an intervention group of 24 CPP sessions and a control group. All students were enrolled in public schools from two rural counties in the United States. Out of the 119 total participants 63 (37 male) were in the intervention and 56 (35 male) were in the control group. From the larger intervention group, a subset of students was identified as ‘significantly improved’. Using the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children‐2 (BASC‐2), a pre‐ and post‐intervention measure showed that students with clinically significant hyperactivity and behavioural difficulties scores were the most sensitive to the group intervention.