1,720,976 research outputs found
Examining the use of an identity focused group intervention in facilitating identity change in a problematic substance use sample
No full textHolding onto an identity as an alcoholic upon stability of recovery may be harmful because this often creates major conflict with other adaptive identities (Gibson et al., 2004). Notably, engaging in identity change in recovery away from solely seeing oneself as an alcoholic has been associated with many positive life outcomes (Best et al., 2010; Dingle et al., 2015; Litt et al., 2015). This study assessed the effectiveness of a newly developed group counselling approach called “Identity Transition Matters” (ITM) against an active control condition, a group counselling approach called “Planning AHEAD Career Transitions” (PCT), to determine if the ITM intervention could better promote identity development through reducing identification with an alcoholic identity and increasing an individual’s number of possible selves. Individuals with a history of alcohol addiction were recruited through addiction-related organizations and social media platforms and randomized to attend either the ITM group intervention or the active control PCT intervention condition. All participants (N = 125) completed the Possible Selves Questionnaire (Oyserman, 2004) and Alcohol Self-Concept Scale (Lindgren et al., 2013b) to assess identity-related constructs prior to (N = 125) and after participation in either intervention (N = 78), and at three-month follow-up (N = 71). Multilevel model analyses were used to determine (a) the effects of the interventions on promoting identity development (i.e., increasing number of possible selves), (b) the effects of the interventions on reducing identification with an alcoholic identity, and (c) whether identifying with an alcoholic identity moderated the relationship between participating in the ITM intervention and number of possible selves endorsed. There was a significant effect of intervention in predicting change in the number of expected possible selves from pre-intervention to three-month follow-up (β= 1.62, p < .05) with participants in the ITM intervention having greater positive residual change (i.e., more expected possible selves) and the PCT intervention group having negative residual change (i.e., fewer possible selves) on average. There were no other significant differences between the interventions. These findings suggest the need to better understand what interventions support identity change and when identity shifts occur in substance use recovery.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat
Restricted entry : do Punjabi Sikhs have equal immediate access to counselling and psychotherapy services?
No full textResearch has shown that despite mental health practitioners’ intentions to provide unbiased service access to clients regardless of their race, gender, or culture (Truong et al., 2014), disparities persist in access across client sociocultural variables (Kugelmass, 2016; Kugelmass, 2019; Outadi, 2020; Moscovitz et al., 2023; Shin et al., 2016; Shin et al., 2020). One variable that has rarely been the subject of investigation in context of psychological treatment access disparities is religion. Since the Air India 182 and September 11th terrorist attacks, in Canada and the U.S. respectively, the Punjabi Sikh community in Canada has been subject to high rates of discrimination and hate crimes (Ahluwalia & Alimchandani, 2013; Mann, 2017). The current prevalence of general community prejudice against Sikhs could extend to the attitudes of counsellors and psychologists, constraining entry to the latter’s services. The objective of the current study was to examine if prospective Punjabi Sikh clients’ (men’s and women’s, specifically) access to counselling and psychotherapy services is impeded compared with non-Sikh clients, who represent the majority racial-religious group in Canada (i.e., White Christians). The study utilized an experimental design approach called a correspondence audit study as this method is commonly employed to assess for discriminatory behaviour and overcome social desirability bias. The independent variables under study were religion and ethnicity (Sikh or non-Sikh) and gender (man or woman). The main dependent variable was mental health practitioner receptiveness, which was determined by the type of response received by the prospective client requesting an appointment from the mental health practitioner. The secondary dependent variable was mental health practitioner responsiveness which was determined by whether the prospective client received a response back or not. The sample consisted of 853 licensed counsellors and psychologists in private practices located in Metro Vancouver, BC. It was found that being a
woman meant a significantly higher probability of getting a practitioner response back to a request for services and being a non-Sikh man client meant a much lower probability of securing an appointment. The results suggest that mental health practitioners do vary in how responsive or receptive they are to a client based on the client’s gender and religious identity, which is consistent with practitioners potentially possessing gender-based or religion-based implicit biases, which impacts how accessible mental health services are to clients requesting appointments.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat
Examining the relationships between causal beliefs, colonial mentality, treatment credibility, and help-seeking intentions among Filipinos
No full textOne challenge of prescribing mental health counselling as a global remedy lies in its roots: counselling was developed and shaped primarily by Western culture and is based upon certain underlying culturally-influenced beliefs about the causes of psychological distress and how to treat it. It is reasonable to wonder then about its appropriateness in non-Western contexts and with non-Western individuals. Filipinos, for one, experience relatively high rates of mental health issues and yet are less likely to utilize Western-developed professional mental health services such as counselling. Currently, there is still limited empirical research conducted on how Filipino people’s cultural beliefs about mental distress and their endorsement of colonial mentality (CM), a form of internalized oppression that entails devaluing one’s own culture in favour of that which is Euro American or Western, might influence their perceptions of counselling as a credible healing practice and ultimately, their intentions towards seeking counselling. This study is premised upon Frank and Frank’s (1993) theory about the mechanisms of change in healing practices around the world and asserts that all healing practices share common features that lend to their efficacy. One such feature is a rationale that explains an individual’s presenting issues and informs what rituals or procedures are needed to relieve their symptoms. Accordingly, if the rationale aligns well with one’s cultural beliefs, an individual may be more likely to view that practice as credible and are more likely to seek out said treatment. A final sample of 342 Filipino adults who currently reside in the Philippines were included in this study. Multiple regression analyses were conducted with CM and three causal belief categories (stress, supernatural, non-Western physiology) as the primary predictors, respectively, treatment credibility (TC) as a mediator and predictor, and help-seeking intentions as the outcome variable. The results indicate that the three types of causal beliefs and CM were not statistically significant direct predictors of intent. In contrast, TC was found to not only be a significant predictor of help-seeking intentions but also significantly mediated the relationship between stress causal beliefs and supernatural causal beliefs with help-seeking intentions, respectively.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat
Counsellor contributions to the therapeutic alliance: From the client's perspective
Get PDFA concept known as the therapeutic alliance has been shown to be a robust predictor of counselling outcome. However, the specific counsellor behaviours that relate to the alliance have not been clearly identified, and few prior attempts to identify these variables have been based on client-derived conceptualizations of the alliance. 51 adult clients participated in a cross-sectional study of the relationship between 15 client-identified counsellor behaviours and the strength of the therapeutic alliance. Results indicated that 11 of the 15 behaviours were moderately to strongly correlated with the strength of the alliance, and that two behaviours (i.e., making positive comments about the client and greeting the client with a smile) significantly predicted the strength of the alliance. The findings support the hypothesis that client-identified behaviours are related to and predict alliance; however, some discrepancy remains between the present results and prior research. Implications are discussed and future research is suggested
The Therapeutic Alliance: How Clients Categorize Client-Identified Helpful Factors
Get PDFThis study examined the client's perspective of the therapeutic alliance using written
statements collected from clients in a previous study (Bedi & Duff, 2008). The 125
statements describe factors clients believe to be fundamental in the development of a
strong alliance with their counsellor. Fifty participants sorted the statements into
thematically similar piles and then gave each pile of statements a title. Multivariate
concept mapping statistical methods (The Concept Systems, 2008, Version 4) were used
to obtain the most representative sort across participants. The resulting 14 categories and
associated ratings for helpfulness (on the scale of 1-5) are represented on scaled Concept
Maps. Category titles selected arc: Emotional Support, Ability to Relate, Sharing the
Counsellor's Personal Experience, Good Boundaries, Interpersonal Demeanour, Body
Language, Provided Resources and Homework, Availability, Planning and Approach,
Directed Process Appropriately, Attentiveness, Approachable, Non-Judgemental, and
Effective Listening. Female and male helpfulness evaluations were not statistically
significantly different.Graduate062
Integrating Traditional Religio-Cultural healing into Counselling and Psychotherapy with Punjabi Sikh Clients in North America
No full textBecause available counselling and psychotherapy services in India and abroad are predominantly based on Western approaches with little to no incorporation of Eastern philosophies, Indian cultural customs, and religious traditions, counselling and psychotherapy are not usually seen as a culturally consistent option for many Punjabi Sikhs, especially those born in India. What is most needed to increase fit and effectiveness is cultural and religious adaptation - a more flexible approach that allows for the integration of Sikh and Punjabi healing understandings and resources into counselling and psychotherapy. Without critical appreciation of religio-cultural influences, mental health professionals risk imposing cultural influences, mental health professionals risk imposing Eurocentric principles to circumstances in which they are not appropriate, which can result in making culturally disrespectful demands and countering traditional systems for healing. In addition, to neglect these indigenous assets that emerge out of Punjabi and Sikh thought is to overlook important and time-tested healing resources. This article seeks to provide mental health professionals with a collection of theoretical models and tangible strategies and interventions proposed to be more congruent to the traditional Punjabi Sikh worldview. It will be useful for mental health professional with limited experience with Punjabi Sikhs, clinical supervisors, overseeing traineers providing mental health services to Punjabi Sikhs, instructors teaching cross/multi-cultural counselling/psychotherapy classes, and those wishing to develop theories or models for providing counselling and psychotherapy services to this population
Can a Course on Sexuality Counseling Increase Empathy when Working with Sex- and Gender-Minoritized Individuals?
Get PDFThis study examined whether a sexuality counseling course could increase self-perceived empathy for working with Sex and Gender minoritized (SGM)individuals. Forty-two students enrolled in a sexuality counseling course completed empathy assessments prior to starting the course and after completing it. Statistically significant increases in empathy towards gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals were found (moderate to a large effect sizes). Results indicate that, at least under some circumstances, empathy levels for SGM individuals in counselors-in-training (CITs) could be increased through coursework. Increases in practitioner empathy for SGM individuals can translate into lower uniliteral termination rates and better counseling and psychotherapy outcomes
What do Canadian Counselling Psychologists Who are Not Affiliated with the Canadian Psychological Association Think? Results from a National Survey of the Profession?
No full textThe only previous nation-wide survey of Canadian counselling psychologists (Bedi et al., 2016) was conducted with those affiliated with the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and its Section for Counselling Psychology (SCP). As most Canadian counselling psychologists do not belong to the CPA and SCP, the previous survey is limited in its generalizability. This paper reports the results of four open-ended questions administered to Canadian counselling psychologists not affiliated with the CPA and its SCP. One hundred and seven participants responded to questions pertaining to training, pressing professional issues, next steps for the field, and recommended focus areas for a future Canadian Counselling Psychology Conference. With respect to training, participants reported that there should be increased training in testing/assessment, increased training in the business side of psychology for private practitioners, and more supervised practice. The most pressing professional issues experienced by the participants were clients’ limited access to services and the need to promote the counselling psychology profession. Participants reported the most important next steps for the field to be increased coverage of services and increased status of counselling psychology. Respondents hoped the next Canadian Counselling Psychology Conference to focus on skill-building, the professional identity of the field, and networking. A comparison with answers provided by CPA SCP affiliated counselling psychologists is provided. The results of this study provide a broader understanding of the views of Canadian counselling psychologists and have implications for the future practice and training of Canadian counselling psychologists
Evaluating the Confronting Hegemonic Ideas Speaker Series: Implications for the Education of Counsellors and Psychologists in Training
No full textThe Confronting Hegemonic Ideas Speaker Series was proposed to increase academic and professional engagement with ideological diversity for counsellors and psychologists in training. A survey was sent to all 329 attendees of the seven talks in the Speaker Series, and feedback/evaluation surveys were received from over 30% of attendees. Evaluation ratings were extremely positive, and narrative feedback was also generally favourable. Based on the number of individuals in attendance and their variability across current vocation, gender, nationality, race, and ethnicity, it appears that the Speaker Series was successful in widely increasing awareness of heterodox viewpoints and research typically ignored or ostracized in counsellor and psychologist training programs. With this promising evaluation data, it is recommended that other training programs implement similar speaker series for the education and training of counsellors and psychologists.
Keywords: speaker series, confronting hegemonic ideas, counsellor education, psychologist education, counsellors-in-training, psychologists-in-trainin
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