A cost/benefit analysis of the interpersonal process recall technique.

Examined interpersonal process recall (IPR), a supervisory technique, by a cost-benefit analysis. Cost was defined as the possible inhibitory effects on client self-exploration of the use of IPR; benefit was defined as client satisfaction, increased supervisor ratings, and increased counselor empathy levels. Counselors were 36 master's level trainees, clients were 36 undergraduate psychology students, and supervisors were 6 doctoral students in counseling. The IPR treatment consisted of 3 videotaped interviews followed by client, counselor, or mutual recall. The comparison treatment consisted of 3 audiotaped interviews followed by traditional supervision. Results indicate that IPR, when compared to traditional supervision, did not produce differential effects on counselors' empathy level, client satisfaction, supervisor ratings, or clients' self-reported inhibition. Method of supervision, however, did effect significant change in clients' level of self-exploration over time. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using client feedback in psychotherapy training: An analysis of its influence on supervision and counselor self-efficacy.

Tracking client outcome and the therapeutic relationship across treatment (i.e., client feedback) has become a recommended practice for clinicians. This study investigated whether the utility of this practice would extend to trainees if the data gained from clients was provided to their supervisor for use within supervision. Trainees (N = 28) were assigned to a continuous feedback condition or no-feedback condition for 1 academic year. Results indicated that trainees in both conditions demonstrated better client outcomes at the end of their practicum training than at the beginning, but those in the feedback condition improved more. However, those in the feedback condition did not rate the supervisory alliance or satisfaction with the supervision process differently. The relationship between counselor self-efficacy and outcome was stronger for trainees in the feedback condition than for those in the no-feedback condition, perhaps indicating that feedback may facilitate a more accurate assessment of one’s skills. Implications of how counseling self-efficacy, the supervisory alliance, and satisfaction with supervision are related to effective supervision are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preferences for three theoretically derived counseling approaches.

Examined differences in potential-client preference and believed effectiveness for counseling approaches based on behavioral, client-centered, and psychoanalytic theory using 57 college students. Analyses of S responses to randomly ordered same-client, same-problem demonstration tapes of each approach indicated that the behavioral approach was significantly more highly preferred and believed more effective than either the client-centered or psychoanalytic approach. No significant differences were found between ratings of client-centered and psychoanalytic approaches. While the preference for behavioral counseling merits further theoretical and empirical investigation, more importantly, preference and believed-effectiveness differences suggest that counseling outcomes should be investigated as a function of the acceptability to the client of actual counseling behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of actual and preferred Classroom Environment Scales in person–environment fit research.

Used the Classroom Environment Scale (CES) to aid in investigating the person–environment fit hypotheses of whether the relationship between achievement and actual classroom environment varies with the environment preferences of the class. Students in 116 8th and 9th grade science classes were the Ss. Achievement on several cognitive and affective outcome measures was related to interactions between the actual classroom environment and that preferred by the class. Regression surface analyses revealed numerous cases in which the actual–preferred interaction on a CES scale accounted for a significant amount of criterion variance beyond that attributable to corresponding pretest, general ability, and actual environment. In each case, the person–environment interaction was supported in that the relationship between achievement and an actual environment dimension was more positive for classes whose students had a higher preference for that dimension than in classes whose students had a lower preference. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Black students' counselor preference and attitudes toward counseling center use.

Surveyed 42 female and 33 male Black college students to determine factors related to Black student use of the university counseling center. Counselor preference, sex of client, sex of counselor, race of counselor, and type of problem were analyzed as to their effects on counseling center use. Results indicate that Black clients preferred Black counselors and that the likelihood of taking a problem to the counseling center increased as counselor preference increased. Also, the likelihood of taking a problem to the center was significantly greater if the counselor to be seen was Black rather than White. Client and counselor sex, and type of problem (personal or educational-vocational) had no effect on potential counseling center usage. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role diffusion in the supervisory relationship.

Discusses problems stemming from the supervisor's role and the power structure of the trainee–supervisor relationship when the trainees are clinical psychology graduate students. The tenets of systems theory, which present supervision as a dynamic process involving the triad of supervisor, therapist, and client, are reviewed. Ways in which supervisors are in dominant or deferent positions to their students are reviewed, parallels between the supervisory process and relationships between diagnosticians and patients, and therapists and clients, are explored. Mutuality in a mature supervisory relationship is also discussed. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characteristics and perceptions of beginning doctoral students in school psychology.

A national sample of 251 1st- and 2nd-yr doctoral students in school psychology responded to a questionnaire measuring demographic characteristics, preferences among applied specialties in professional psychology, graduate program applications, anticipated internship setting, preferred client population, personal interests, professional goals, and satisfaction with current training. Survey responses showed a clear preference for working directly with children and adolescents following graduation, a high degree of correspondence between training program emphases and student interests and goals, and a moderate degree of student satisfaction with training experiences. Results are interpreted with respect to training trends and standards in school psychology, the relationship between school and clinical psychology, satisfaction of students in clinical and counseling psychology programs, and methodology limitations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preferences for counselor gender: Students' sex role, other characteristics, and type of problem.

102 female and 67 male students (aged 17–74 yrs) from a large urban university rated their preferences for counselor gender for 9 client concerns and completed the Bem Sex-Role Inventory and a demographic questionnaire. Most Ss who expressed a preference for counselor gender preferred male counselors over female ones for all concerns other than problems with sexual issues. Preferences for male counselors were expressed more often, however, for vocational/academic and social/interpersonal concerns than for personal/intimate problems. Discriminant analyses revealed profiles of Ss who preferred male counselors or had no preference. Variables such as S sex-role, age, and race were found to be particularly useful in predicting gender preferences. Results are interpreted in terms of S. L. Bem's (see record 1981-25685-001) gender-schema theory. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Antecedents and outcomes of abusive supervision: Test of a trickle-down model.

The authors examined antecedents of abusive supervision and the relative importance of interactional and procedural justice as mediators of the relationship between abusive supervision and the work outcomes of affective organizational commitment and individual- and organization-directed citizenship behaviors. Data were obtained from subordinate-supervisor dyads from a telecommunication company located in southeastern China. Results of moderated regression analysis revealed that authoritarian leadership style moderated the relationship between supervisors' perceptions of interactional justice and abusive supervision such that the relationship was stronger for supervisors high rather than low in authoritarian leadership style. In addition, results of structural equation modeling analysis revealed that subordinates' perceptions of interactional but not procedural justice fully mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and the work outcomes. Implications for future investigations of abusive supervision are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Moderating effects of client attachment on the counselor experience–working alliance relationship.

The authors predicted that client attachment status would moderate the relationship between counselor experience and client-perceived working alliance. Forty clients from 2 university counseling centers completed measures of attachment and the working alliance. Their counselors were classified according to experience level. Client comfort with intimacy was related to a stronger alliance with the counselors. However, counselor experience was unrelated to client-rated working alliance. Client attachment, specifically comfort with intimacy, moderated the relationship between counselor experience and working alliance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Disguise and the structured self-report assessment of psychopathology: I. An analogue investigation.

Explored the utility of disguise in structured self-report assessments of psychopathology in 3 experiments with 370 university students. Exp I used items from the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI); Exp II used the BPI, the Desirability scale of the Personality Research Form—Form E, and 4 criterion measures; and Exp III used 2 of the criterion measures and the BPI. Data indicate that under normal test-taking circumstances, the use of disguised test items was not advantageous. This relationship, however, was moderated by a number of dimensional parameters. When faking response sets in terms of desirability was induced, the use of disguised test item content was not useful. Data are interpreted in terms of the various strategies of test construction underlying the assessment of psychopathology. Results support a rational strategy of test construction emphasizing the use of relevant test item content. It is concluded that, in structured self-report assessments, the most valid results may be obtained through the use of direct questions with cooperative test respondents. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual supervisees' experiences of LGB-affirmative and nonaffirmative supervision.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) supervisees were interviewed regarding their experiences of LGB-affirmative and nonaffirmative supervision. Supervisees were asked to describe one of each type of event (i.e., affirmative, nonaffirmative) from their past supervision. In LGB-affirmative supervision, all supervisees felt supported in their LGB-affirmative work with clients. Supervisees perceived that the affirming events also positively affected the supervision relationship, client outcomes, and themselves as supervisees. In LGB nonaffirming supervision, supervisees perceived supervisors to be biased or oppressive toward supervisees' clients or themselves on the basis of LGB concerns or identity. From supervisees' perspectives, the nonaffirming events negatively affected the supervision relationship, client outcomes, and supervisees. Implications for research and supervision are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervising international students: Relationship between acculturation, supervisor multicultural competence, cultural discussions, and supervision satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to explore the relationship between international trainees' acculturation level and cultural discussion on supervision satisfaction and (b) to examine the mediating effect of cultural discussions on the relationship between perceived supervisor multicultural competence and trainee satisfaction with supervision. One hundred and four international students from several clinical programs who have received clinical supervision participated in the study. Results revealed that students who had lower acculturation levels but greater cultural discussion showed more satisfaction with supervision. Furthermore, cultural discussion partially mediated the relationship between the perceived supervisor cultural competence and satisfaction with supervision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teacher–child interactions and children’s achievement trajectories across kindergarten and first grade.

This study examined the extent to which the quality of teacher–child interactions and children’s achievement levels at kindergarten entry were associated with children’s achievement trajectories. Rural students (n = 147) were enrolled in a longitudinal study from kindergarten through first grade. Growth trajectories (initial level and slope) were modeled with hierarchical linear modeling for 3 areas of achievement: word reading, phonological awareness, and mathematics. Cross-classified analyses examined the extent to which quality of teacher–child interactions and children’s starting level predicted achievement growth rates over 2 years, and they also accounted for the changing nesting structure of the data. Results indicated that achievement at kindergarten entry predicted children’s growth for all 3 outcomes. Further, first-grade teachers’ strong emotional support related to greater growth in students’ phonological awareness. Emotional and instructional support in first grade moderated the relationship between initial achievement and growth in word reading. Kindergarten classroom organization moderated the relationship between initial achievement and growth in mathematics. The implications of schooling for early growth trajectories are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervisor cultural responsiveness and unresponsiveness in cross-cultural supervision.

Thirteen supervisees' of color and 13 European American supervisees' experiences of culturally responsive and unresponsive cross-cultural supervision were studied using consensual qualitative research. In culturally responsive supervision, all supervisees felt supported for exploring cultural issues, which positively affected the supervisee, the supervision relationship, and client outcomes. In culturally unresponsive supervision, cultural issues were ignored, actively discounted, or dismissed by supervisors, which negatively affected the supervisee, the relationship, and/or client outcomes. European American supervisees' and supervisees' of color experiences diverged significantly, with supervisees of color experiencing unresponsiveness more frequently and with more negative effects than European American supervisees. Implications for research and supervision practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of need and ability to achieve cognitive structuring on cognitive structuring.

The authors explored the hypothesis that the relationship between need for structure and cognitive structuring behavior is moderated by the ability to achieve cognitive structure (AACS). Need for structure is defined as the preference to use cognitive structuring as a means to achieve certainty. AACS refers to the extent to which individuals are able to use information-processing processes (cognitive structuring or piecemeal) consistent with the level of their need for structure. The authors suggested that only under high AACS would there be a positive correlation between need for structure and cognitive structuring behavior. In contrast, under low AACS the correlation would be negative. To examine this hypothesis, the authors used different operationalizations of the need for structure, AACS, and cognitive structuring behavior. The results of the 5 studies in which this was done confirmed the hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in counselor response as a function of experience.

The responses of 67 counselors to 21 widely varying client statements were rated on eight dimensions (dominance, approach–avoidance, focus on affect, immediacy, breadth vs. specificity, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation). The counselors were divided into three experience levels (beginning students [n?=?24], advanced students [n?=?23], and doctoral level professionals [n?=?20]), and their responses were compared. We hypothesized that student counselors would evidence different amounts of these variables than would the doctoral counselors. This hypothesis was supported on the dimensions of dominance, immediacy, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation. It was also hypothesized that response flexibility would differ across the experience levels. On the dimensions of dominance, meeting client demands, and confrontation, doctoral counselors were more flexible than were advanced student counselors. The results indicate that students focus on learning and honing the use of certain counseling skills. In the process of doing this, they tend to apply them in a rigid manner. Doctoral counselors appear more able to apply their skills flexibly depending on the situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived counselor characteristics, client expectations, and client satisfaction with counseling.

Examined (a) the relationship between perceived counselor expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness and client satisfaction; (b) the relationships between specific client expectations on perceived counselor characteristics and client satisfaction; and (c) the effects of actual counselor experience level on perceived counselor characteristics and client satisfaction. The 55 counselors who participated in the study were either beginning or advancing practicum students, doctoral-level interns, or PhD counselors; clients were 72 students who sought help at a university counseling center. Clients completed an Expectations About Counseling (EAC) questionnaire before entering counseling, as well as the Counseling Evaluation Inventory (CEI) and Counselor Rating Form (CRF) after several weeks of counseling. CRF and CEI were correlated, but EAC scores were not strongly related to the CEI or CRF scores. Actual counselor experience level did not differentially affect CEI or CRF scores. Findings are discussed in terms of several variables (e.g., legitimate power, source variables, and client satisfaction) that may differentially affect the influence process over time. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotherapy outcome in a university-based psychology training clinic.

Evaluated the effectiveness of psychotherapy conducted by clinical psychology students in a university-based psychological training clinic. Factors contributing to positive outcomes were also explored. Based on both therapist (n?=?53) and client (n?=?59) perceptions of the overall helpfulness of therapy and on their ratings of perceived change in the specific problems treated, it is concluded that the student-conducted therapy was successful and provided a genuine service to the community. Therapies that terminated by mutual consent (vs termination by therapist or client alone) and those that were longer were more successful. The positive results are attributed to the careful supervision of each case, the enthusiasm of novice therapists, and the nature of the client sample. Implications for training and clinic policy are discussed. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)