Training of "third world" students to function as counselors.

Provided more responsive counseling services to ethnic minority students by selecting 20 minority undergraduates (Chicanos, Asian-Americans, blacks, and American Indians) to function as counselors for other minority individuals. Ss were chosen from among 70 who successfully completed a pilot minority-counseling project course at the University of California, Los Angeles. Despite initial difficulties in developing trust and in defining the goals of the program, it is concluded that the training and use of minority-group paraprofessionals are feasible alternatives to current mental health services on campuses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in preferences for male and female counselors

Past studies have indicated a preference for male therapists among both client and nonclient samples. To test for possible changes in preferences since the time of these studies, 53 male and 76 female applicants for counseling and 140 male and 150 female nonclient undergraduates completed a university counseling service application form that included a question regarding preference for sex of therapist. Although more clients than nonclients expressed preferences, results from both groups indicate a decrease in male counselor preferences. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Students' sex preferences and sex role expectancies for counselors.

Examined sex role expectancies for counselors as a function of sex of student, preference for counselor's sex, and sex of counselor being rated. 128 male and 249 female college students were asked what sex of counselor they would prefer if they were seeking help with personal or social concerns, and then they were randomly assigned to rate their sex role expectancies for either a male or a female counselor, using the Bem Sex Role Inventory with modified instructions. Results indicate that male students expected counselors to be less masculine than did female students, that male counselors were expected to be masculine while female counselors were expected to be psychologically androgynous, and that students with sex preferences for counselors had more stereotyped expectancies for counselor characteristics than did students with no preference. Implications of these findings for the counseling setting are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training of probation counselors for anger problems.

A cognitive-behavioral intervention for anger/aggression problems was extended in a training project for juvenile probation counselors. Five trained counselors were evaluated in comparison with 4 matched controls on self-report and behavioral measures both 2 wks and 2 mo after training. Trained counselors performed with consistently greater proficiency than did controls on measures of problem assessment and intervention. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of sexual orientation similarity and counselor experience level on gay men's and lesbians' perceptions of counselors.

Investigated the effects of sexual orientation similarity of counselor and client as well as counselor experience level on perceptions of counselors by gay men and lesbians. After receiving pre-session information in which the variables of counselor sexual orientation (gay male/lesbian or heterosexual) and experience level (experienced vs inexperienced) were manipulated, 40 gay male and 40 lesbian Ss in parallel experiments viewed different 15-min videotapes of same-sex counselor–client pairs and then completed the Counselor Rating Form (A. Barak and M. B. LaCrosse, 1975). Results indicated that the lesbian Ss rated the experienced therapists, both lesbian and heterosexual, as more expert; there were no other significant main or interaction effects. The results suggest that sexual orientation of the counselor may be a less salient concern of gay men and lesbians when the therapeutic issue is not sexual in nature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in supervision as counselors and supervisors gain experience: A review.

Reviews research bearing on whether and how counselors and supervisors receive or give different types of supervision of psychotherapy as they each gain experience. Most theories describing changes in supervision of counselors as they gain experience are similar. They posit changes in the supervisee, with supervision environments being matched to the changing needs of the supervisee. There are 3 theories concerning how the supervisor changes as he/she gains experience. Empirical findings are consistent with theories of counselor development but only weakly supportive of the theory that actual supervision environments are matched to supervisee needs. Empirical findings on changes in supervisors as they gain experience reveal few differences in supervisors at any level beyond the master's degree. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in supervision as counselors and therapists gain experience: A review.

Considerable research relevant to counselor and therapist development has been done since E. L. Worthington's (see record 1988-21517-001) review. Additional support has surfaced for Worthington's conclusions: There is support for general developmental models, perceptions of supervisors and supervisees are consistent with developmental theories, the behaviors of supervisors change as counselors gain experience, and the supervision relationship changes as counselors gain experience. Although the types of research used and the sophistication of data analysis have improved somewhat, too few studies directly address changes over time for trainees in supervision. Suggestions are given for future research in supervision to reflect the level of specificity necessary to investigate developmental models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generalization of children's preferences as a function of reinforcement and task similarity.

"An experiment was designed to study children's preferences for a series of problem-solving tasks as a function of the particular reinforcement condition associated with a training task, and the degree of similarity of each task to the training task… negative reinforcement produced in some S's approach gradients and in others avoidance gradients. The meaning of the results was discussed and related to motivation theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The counselor role as seen by ex-addict counselors, nonaddict counselors, and significant others.

Gave a questionnaire to 28 ex-addict and 20 nonaddict counselors, and to 24 administrators and 30 clients, to determine the degree of responsibility each of the 1st 2 groups felt for performing 42 tasks related to counseling addicts, and, for all, to determine the ideal degree of counselor responsibility. Results show that both groups of counselors had common views and sought to have their roles expanded to include work in the community; administrators differed from all groups in viewing counseling as having significantly less importance in the community. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Models of individual trajectories in computer-assisted instruction for deaf students.

Describes a quantitative theory of student trajectories in a computer-assisted instruction course. The theory rests upon qualitative assumptions about information processing, from which a stochastic differential equation can be derived. The differential equation is characteristic of the course, but the constants of integration are estimated separately for each student. The fit of data from 297 deaf 1st-7th graders to theory is reported in terms of the standard scale of grade placement. The mean of the mean standard errors averaged across Ss was .046, which represents a relatively close fit of data to theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

American Indian and Caucasian students' preferences for counselors: Effects of counselor dress and sex.

Examined the effects of 2 nonverbal cues, the counselor's dress and sex, on students' preferences for counselors. 140 Native Americans from a reservation high school and 226 students from a primarily Caucasian, urban high school rated their preferences for discussing personal, academic, and vocational concerns with a counselor. The independent variables were race and sex of student, and form of dress and sex of counselor. The results of the 2?×?2?×?6?×?2 MANOVA showed that the Ss' preferences for counselors varied with the counselors' sex and dress, the type of concern, and the race of the S. Same-sex preferences for counselors were not influenced by counselor dress. Preference for a counselor of the same sex was strongest for female Native Americans. Cultural and methodological aspects of these results are discussed. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive processing by prelingual deaf students as a function of language context.

Investigated the influence of language mode (print or sign) and syntax (English or American Sign Language [ASL]) on recall, preference, and comprehension. In Exp I, the effects of reading meaningful print passages in ASL or English were tested for 12 16–29 yr old deaf and 12 16–28 yr old hearing Ss. An effort toward comprehension interpretation was supported for the hearing Ss only. Deaf Ss not trained in ASL exhibited a familiarity with ASL syntax not exhibited by the hearing Ss. In Exp II, meaningful passages were presented to 30 15–19 yr old prelingual deaf Ss in 4 language contexts (signed English, signed ASL, print English, and print ASL) in a free recall task. Results show greater recall from ASL than from English contexts. Findings indicate that the visual orientation of prelingual deaf individuals, regardless of training in ASL, leads to the development of a sign-based encoding system that responds to ASL as a familiar language. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training undergraduate students as community behavior modification consultants.

Outlines a training program in behavior modification consultation. 20 undergraduates with little or no background in psychology were trained in behavioral interviewing and operant behavior modification program design. Discussion includes the issues of screening, training procedures, and the effects achieved in actual consultation by the trainees. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of type of problem and expectations of counselor knowledge and understanding to students' gender preferences for counselors.

131 female and 57 male undergraduates rated, for each of 11 vocational and 22 personal problems, whether they expected a male or female counseling psychologist to be more understanding and more knowledgeable in dealing with a problem. Most Ss expressed no preference for psychologist gender for dealing with vocational problems, although males with a preference preferred a male psychologist to a slight degree. For personal-social problems, females expressing a preference showed a consistent pattern of preference for a female psychologist. However, the number of women expressing some degree of preference and the strength of preference varied across problems. Males expressed generally weaker but more varied preferences than females did. The expectancy for psychologist's understanding generally was a stronger and more consistent correlate of preferences than expectations of knowledgeability. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived similarity and the projection of similarity: The influence of valence.

Some of the implications of Heider's concept of balance were investigated using 104 students as Ss. Based upon their responses to the Revised Allport-Vernon Scale of Values, partially completed test booklets were prepared incorporating different degrees of similarity to each Ss' original answers. The Ss were required to complete them in the way the hypothetical person had. The results confirmed the hypotheses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sibling relationship, family, and genetic factors in sibling similarity in sexual risk.

Siblings’ risky attitudes toward sex and pregnancy and risky sexual behavior were studied in 1583 dyads from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. We tested moderators of the links between 2 siblings’ reports of sexual risk as well as mediators of the links between siblings’ genetic similarity and similarity in their sexual risk. Siblings’ sexual risk reports were correlated, and consistent with social learning predictions, associations were stronger between siblings with close relationships and in same-gender dyads and, to a lesser extent, between more genetically similar siblings and those closer in age. Consistent with behavior genetics’ hypotheses about gene–environment correlations, similarity in family warmth and sibling relationship closeness mediated associations between siblings’ genetic similarity and similarity in their sexual risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acculturation, enculturation, psychological distress and help-seeking preferences among Asian American college students.

We examined the relationship between Asian American college students' levels of acculturation, enculturation, and psychological distress. We also explored the methods Asian American college students prefer when seeking help for psychological concerns. The sample included 601 Asian American students from a large public university in Southern California. Respondents completed an online questionnaire, which included instruments assessing acculturation and enculturation levels as well as psychological distress and help-seeking preferences. Regression analyses indicated that when Asian American students hold a greater degree of European values they are less likely to experience psychological distress. A repeated-measures ANOVA found that Asian American students prefer more covert approaches to mental health treatment. These findings both compliment and contradict previous studies of acculturation, enculturation, psychological distress and help-seeking among the Asian American college student population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Career preferences of medical students: influence of a new four-week attachment in general practice

BACKGROUND: It is not clear why medical students choose one specialty over another. Experiences at medical school are extremely strong determinants of attitudes to the medical specialties, and attitude is the most important factor in determining choice. AIM: This study sought to describe the factors influencing career choices of final year medical students, the effect of a new four-week attachment in general practice on career choices, and changes in career choices towards or away from general practice between the final year and the end of the preregistration house officer year. METHOD: Career preferences, and influences on them, were assessed by questionnaires administered to 206 medical students undergoing their final clinical attachment at the University of Glasgow immediately before and immediately after a four-week attachment in general practice. These were followed up by a postal questionnaire at the end of the preregistration house officer year. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-one students returned all three questionnaires. Before the attachment, students born outside the UK, and those who had a previous or intercalated degree were significantly less likely to put general practice as a career preference; female students were more likely to put it as their first career choice. After the attachment, the number stating that it was 'likely' or 'very likely' that they would choose general practice as a career increased from 60 to 72--mainly through male students changing their preference--but after the preregistration house officer year it had fallen back to 56. Seventeen of the preregistration house officers were planning to complete posts which would qualify for GP training. Reasons for changing preference towards general practice were mainly to do with a dislike of and disillusionment with hospital medicine and with the perceived lifestyle advantages of general practice. Reasons for changing preference away from general practice were mainly to do with positive feelings about hospital medicine and a dislike of the management aspects of general practice. CONCLUSION: The general practice attachment influenced students, especially males, towards a career in general practice, but this effect was transient. This cohort of doctors should be followed up in order to discover their ultimate career choices.