Variables related to premature terminations in a university counseling service.

Investigated the influence of sex and experience level of intaker and assigned counselor, sex of client, and administrative variables (length of initial interview, days from intake to assignment, and days from intake to 1st session) on premature terminations of counseling. Ss were 359 students receiving individual therapy at a university counseling center. Administrative variables were the major factors related to premature terminations. Neither client's nor counselor's sex had any effect on terminations, but lower levels of counselor experience were associated with higher numbers of nonreturning clients. The smaller percentage of clients who terminated prematurely in this study compared to previous studies (e.g., D. Epperson, 1981) may have resulted from the different definition of premature terminations used. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variables related to premature terminations in a university counseling service: A comment on Rodolfa, Rapaport, and Lee.

Comments on the study of E. R. Rodolfa et al (see record 1983-11046-001) on the influence of the variables of sex and experience level of intaker and assigned counselor, sex of client, and administrative variables in premature termination in counseling. Their findings revealed that administrative variables were the major factors related to premature termination. The present author contends that despite the adherence to several well-accepted canons of scientific research reporting, the implementation of these principles was faulty because the authors were not familiar with relevant research. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counselor gender and early premature terminations from counseling: A replication and extension.

Attempted to replicate and extend an earlier study in which N. E. Betz and S. L. Shullman (see record 1980-05878-001) found that clients (CL) of both genders were less likely to return for scheduled 2nd counseling sessions following an initial intake session when the intake counselor (CO) was male rather than female, and that this pattern was even more pronounced when the CL was referred to a male CO for continued counseling. The present study examined the relationship of CO gender, client gender, and CO experience to return rates of CL, with the nature of CL concerns and their severity included as independent variables. Return rates to scheduled 3rd counseling sessions were also examined. Ss were 309 1st-time CLs at a large university counseling center who were seen individually by 1 of 30 COs. Results indicate that male COs had higher return rates than female COs regardless of their level of experience, the session examined, the gender of CL, the concerns of CL, or the severity of those concerns. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learning theory and schizophrenia: A reply to a comment.

In reply to de Mille's (see 34: 4667) criticisms, studies are discussed which support the author's theoretical position. Concession is made that some confusion is possible in the use of "generalization." A clarification is offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A group counseling emphasis at a university counseling center.

Describes a service delivery system with a group personal counseling emphasis, based on the authors' 2 yrs of experience at a university counseling center. The local background and rationale for this system are discussed, and the practical logistics, the operational policies, and the group ground rules are presented. Utilization data are summarized: 36% of all clients and 88% of clients with 8 or more sessions were group members; groups typically grew to 9 clients and had 60% attendance. Results for a self-report outcome survey of 128 students are exemplified by the 95.1% who reported some level of improvement and the 92.2% who rated their psychologist "very" to "exceptionally effective." (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal evaluation of service demand at a university peer counseling center.

Examined changes in user service demand at a college-based peer counseling center. Data from 8,469 contacts that occurred over a 7-yr (1970–1977) period revealed that following an initial 2-yr period of dramatic growth, service demand peaked in 1972–1973 and declined by nearly 25% in each of the following 4 yrs. More detailed analyses describe changes in both absolute and relative frequency of demand for services, mode of access to services, and types of problems presented by males and females. The question of whether this type of service continues to best meet existing needs of the target population is raised. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectations and preferences of clients for a university student counseling service.

Investigated the relation between preferences and expectations about counselors in a university student counseling service in a population of 100 student clients before their initial intake session. Compared with results from an earlier study on nonclients, preferences and expectations were more congruent in clients. Both clients and nonclients, however, preferred a more active counselor who promotes cognitive and behavioral change and expels symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapeutic effects of providing MMPI-2 test feedback to clients at a university counseling service: A collaborative approach.

This study examined the therapeutic effects of sharing Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 (MMPI-2) assessment results with clients. It is based on an earlier study by S. E. Finn and M. E. Tonsager (1992). Participants were 60 university students seeking psychological services from a university counseling service. All participants completed the MMPI-2 and several outcome measures. Within 2 weeks of completing the assessment, clients in the experimental group received test feedback, using a collaborative model developed by S. E. Finn (1996). Clients in the control group received test feedback only after having completed the final outcome measures and following a delay of 1 week. Compared with the control group, those who received test feedback within the time frame of the experimental conditions reported a significant increase in self-esteem immediately following the feedback session and a significant decrease in symptomatic distress at a 2-week follow-up. Overall, the findings provide further evidence for the efficacy of psychological assessment as an effective therapeutic intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectations and preferences of nonclients for a university student counseling service.

Investigated the relationship between preferences and expectations about a university student counseling sevice in a population of 100 student nonclients. In addition, differences between nonclients' self-perceptions and their perceptions of counseling-service clients were investigated. Nonclients were administered a 157-item questionnaire on an individual basis to investigate these variables. It was hypothesized that discrepancies between preferences and expectations, as well as between perceptions of self and of clients, might be indicative of nonclients' willingness to become future clients of the counseling service. Results indicate that nonclients wanted the counselor to be significantly more active than they expected him to be. In addition, they perceived clients of the service as suffering significantly more from psychological and interpersonal problems than they themselves were. In light of the findings, it is suggested that there is a need for dissemination of information with regard to the process and modes of treatment offered by the counseling service. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Vocational-educational counseling practices: A survey of university counseling centers.

Assessed vocational-educational counseling at 52 university counseling centers. Surveyed were staff resources (level of staff) directed to vocational counseling, the use of innovative procedures in vocational counseling, and the degree to which career counseling services were evaluated. Results show that master's level staff and practicum students did most of the vocational counseling, innovative practices were few, and research and evaluation were limited. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectancies for counseling in relation to premature termination.

Expectations about counseling may be one process variable which influences early premature termination. Expectations About Counseling questionnaire (EAC) scores of clients who continued in counseling to a mutually agreed-upon termination point were compared with those of clients who terminated therapy after one session without counselor agreement. Groups were equivalent in sex ratios and matched for problem type. There were no differences in precounseling expectations for premature versus appropriate terminations regardless of problem type. Results are discussed in terms of suggestions for further research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The promise and peril of attributional counseling: A reply.

Explores 3 questions raised by D. A. Priddy and G. L. Stone (see record 1983-30976-001) in their alternative interpretation of the present authors' (see record 1982-21878-001) attributional research: (a) When should attributional interpretations be used? (b) How much change did these interpretations produce in research participants? (c) Does the failure to include a control condition in the design severely limit the interpretability of the findings? The application of the studies of attributional interpretations to ongoing counseling settings is also discussed. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An individualized, problem-oriented, self-report of change as a follow-up of a university counseling service.

Using a target-complaint approach, an instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of a counseling service was constructed on which clients stated in their own words, and then rated, the severity of their presenting problem at the initial interview. A follow-up questionnaire allowed a self-report measure of change (as compared to satisfaction) to be constructed which was then used to assess the effectiveness of the counseling service. In general, this procedure was successful and allowed flexibility in data analysis, making it adaptable to different counseling situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Waiting list dropouts in a university counseling center.

Surveyed 59 clients at a university counseling center who had been placed on a waiting list and subsequently decided not to renew their request for counseling. Ss were asked why they did not renew their request and whether they were still interested in counseling. Responses were analyzed in terms of type of problem, time on the waiting list, and degree of urgency. Most Ss did not report negative reactions or effects from their placement on the waiting list, although Ss in the highest urgency category tended to report that the wait was too long. 30 Ss stated that the intake interview was enough or that the problem had been resolved, while 23 were still interested in counseling. It is suggested that (1) high-urgency clients should be given priority at university counseling centers, (2) directive crisis-intervention approaches can be used to resolve issues at intake sessions, (3) assessment should identify clients whose motivation for counseling is related to developmental issues that need to be dealt with immediately, and (4) alternative treatments such as groups or workshops should be made available to waiting-list clients. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A response to a comment.

Argues that R. Rianoshek's (see record 1981-05481-001) commentary fails to address itself to the basic thesis in the author's (see record 1979-28675-001) article on "Psychology and the American Ideal." This thesis is briefly reexamined. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A controlled study of variables related to counseling center use.

Investigated the utility of several variables in discriminating between students who sought help at a university counseling center (seekers) and those who did not (nonseekers), when level of personal adjustment was controlled. Interactions between Ss' level of personal adjustment and help-seeking status were also examined. 40 female undergraduates who reported no previous history of formal counseling or psychotherapy were administered several tests including the College Maladjustment Scale. Three variables—alternate sources of help, counseling usefulness, and perceived severity of help-seeker pathology—significantly discriminated seeker from nonseeker Ss. It is suggested that level of Ss' adjustment is an important variable to control in research on the decision to seek help. Attitudinal variables were not powerful predictors of help-seeking behavior. Implications for the delivery of mental health services on the university campus are discussed. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generation(s) of phonological codes in reading: A reply to Guttentag.

Addresses R. E. Guttentag's (see record 1982-11297-001) 2 questions about the review by L. X. McCusker et al (see record 1981-11846-001) of the phonological recoding literature. Following Guttentag's suggestion, the possibility of phonological mediation without the use of grapheme–phoneme correspondence rules is considered. It is recognized as a logically possible supplement to phonological recoding, but no empirical support was found. Guttentag's discussion of how dependence on phonological recoding might change with increased age and reading skill is also addressed. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On (very) stubborn refusals to return to introspection: A reply to Rachlin.

Responds to H. A. Rachlin's (1980) comment on an earlier paper by the present author (see record 1979-25036-001) that suggested that knowledge of a person's intentions often considerably enhances one's ability to predict his/her future behavior; this argument was used as a basis for urging psychologists to take introspective reports more seriously. The present author concedes that perhaps Rachlin was right about verbal reports not being the only basis for such predictions and that his difficulty in understanding Rachlin's position might stem from too great a tendency to attribute behavior to cognitive processes. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A survey of students' attitudes toward counseling at a predominantly Black university.

A questionnaire survey of 377 students' attitudes toward counseling at a predominantly Black university produced results similar to those reported for predominantly White campuses. The predisposition to seek out counseling services depended on the type of problem. Most Ss were willing to discuss with the counselor matters related to vocational and educational concerns; however, for personal adjustment problems there was significant decline in the frequency with which the counselor's help was sought. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)