Psychology

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Education, Guidance and Counseling

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Connecting the forgotten half: The school-to-work transition of non-college bound youth
    (2009) Ling, Thomson Joseph; O'Brien, Karen; Kivlighan, Dennis; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    When we think of high school students making the transition to adulthood, most of us picture students pursuing a college or university education. However, for many individuals, this image is not the case. For some youth, the transition to adulthood is marked by entrance into the workforce. While previous research has examined the school-to-work transition of non-college-bound youth, most only have considered a limited set of variables and only examined job attainment. By considering job quality and employment stability in addition to job attainment, the present study examined the school-to-work transition of non-college bound youth using a nationally representative sample of youth followed longitudinally. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 Cohort, we examined a comprehensive set of predictors within an ecological framework. This study sought to determine: "What were the predictors of job attainment, stability of employment, and job quality for youth who are making the school-to-work transition?" Logistic regression and structural equation modeling were used to examine the hypotheses. With regard to job attainment, depression, substance use, adolescent educational attainment, and employment in adolescence were associated with obtaining employment. With regard to job quality and stability of employment, depression, substance use, adolescent educational attainment, employment in adolescence, parental educational attainment, and income were associated with these job characteristics. Parent-adolescent relationship and physical risk were not associated with job characteristics.
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    Supervisee Perceptions of Supervisory Focus On Strengths and Constructive Focus on Deficits: Development and Validation of a Measure
    (2007-07-10) Roffman, Melissa Stephanie; Hill, Clara E; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a measure of the constructs of focus on supervisee strengths and constructive focus on deficits from the supervisee perspective, the Supervisory Focus on Strengths and Deficits Inventory-Supervisee Form (SUPSAD-S). Participants (N = 204 for exploratory factor analysis, N = 201 for all other analyses) were a national sample of masters' and doctoral level graduate students in various mental health professions (e.g., counseling psychology; clinical psychology, social work). Data was collected through the use of an internet survey containing the SUPSAD-S as well as measures used to assess its convergent and discriminant validity. The overall return rate ranged from 44-46%. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity and explore the underlying factor structure of the SUPSAD-S. The final two factor solution retaining 24 items accounted for 63% percent of the variance. The first subscale, Focus on Strengths, consisted of 12 items (45.41% of variance) reflecting interventions used by supervisors to identify and enhance supervisees' strengths. The second subscale, Constructive Focus on Deficits, consisted of 12 items (accounting for 17.68% of the variance) reflecting interventions used by supervisors to address supervisees' deficits in a non-critical or non-punitive manner intended to help supervisees grow and improve. Higher subscale scores indicate greater supervisory focus on strengths and constructive focus on deficits, respectively, from the perspective of supervisees rating their supervisors. Evidence of good reliability (i.e., high internal consistency and two week test-retest reliability estimates) for each of the subscales was found. In addition, initial support was found for the convergent and discriminant validity of both subscales. Specifically, the convergent validity of the focus on strengths subscale was supported by its correlations with satisfaction with supervision (r = .71), the supervisory working alliance (r = .69), and counseling self-efficacy (r = .27) as expected. The convergent validity of the constructive focus on strengths subscale was supported by its correlations with satisfaction with supervision (r = .57) and the supervisory working alliance (r = .50) as expected. Discriminant validity of both subscales was supported by their lack of correlation with public self-consciousness. Focus on strengths was also found to be a stronger predictor of positive supervision outcomes than constructive focus on deficits. Implications for supervision practice and future research are discussed.
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    When The Shoe Is On The Other Foot: A Qualitative Study of Intern-Level Trainees' Perceived Learning From Clients
    (2007-07-10) Stahl, Jessica Vogel; Hill, Clara E.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Although research on therapist development indicates that therapists attribute the majority of their learning about therapy to their clients (e.g., Orlinsky, Botermans & Ronnestad, 2001), learning from clients has only been explicitly addressed in anecdotal accounts (Bugental, 1991; Crawford, 1987; Freeman & Hayes, 2002; Kahn & Fromm, 2002). The closest researchers have come to empirically investigating learning from clients is by studying the impact of clients on their therapists (e.g., Farber, 1985; Myers 2002). However, this literature is still in its infancy and warrants further exploration. The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on therapist development and the impact of clients on their therapists to the study of learning from clients. To this end, 12 trainees (5 male; 7 female) who had recently completed pre-doctoral internships at university counseling centers were interviewed about what they learn from clients. In addition, participants were asked how they realized what they learned from clients, what they do with what they learn from clients and what variables contribute to how much they learn from clients. The data were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research (Hill, Knox, Thompson, Williams, Hess, & Ladany, 2005; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Participants reported learning things about doing therapy, themselves, client dynamics, human nature, the therapy relationship, and the usefulness of supervision; these lessons were reflective or participants' level of development as they primarily reported learning higher-order skills (e.g., Cummings, Slemon & Hallberg, 1993; Sakai & Naasserbakht, 1997). In addition, participants highlighted the importance of consultation and self-reflection in order to recognize learning; this is consistent with literature on experiential learning (Abbey, Hunt & Weiser, 1985). In discussing what they do with what they learn from clients, participants indicated they have or will apply what was learned to future clinical work; in addition they indicated that their lessons from clients fostered some kind of personal growth. Finally, participants indicated that a number of variables influenced the amount they learned from their clients: therapist, client, and therapy relationship characteristics, time, a new or remarkable therapy process, and new supervisors or settings. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
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    East Asians' or East Asian Americans' Preferences for Different Types of Psychotherapy
    (2006-05-12) Sim, Wonjin; Hill, Clara E.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    East Asians' or East Asian Americans' preferences for types of therapies were investigated. Fifty East Asian or East Asian Americans in Mid-Atlantic University completed a series of measures related to Asian values, preferences, and psychological/interpersonal characteristics. They then watched the four videotapes of Dr. Raskin (Client-Centered Therapy), Dr. Comas-Diaz (Ethnocentral Psychotherapy), Dr. Lazarus (cognitive behavioral segment in Multimodal Therapy), and Dr. Persons' (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) sessions, evaluated the session quality and the counselor credibility. They ranked the sessions in order of their preferences and were asked the reasons of their preference. The results indicated that Dr. Lazarus' session was most preferred, and Dr. Persons' session was least preferred by the participants. Participants' ratings of counselor credibility of Dr. Lazarus were significantly associated with participants' Interpersonal Dependency, and Preferences for Insight or Action-Oriented Therapy. The reasons of their preference are discussed.
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    The Relation of Self Variables to Transfer Student Success as measured by Academic, Psychological, and Career Functioning
    (2006-04-17) Ling, Thomson Joseph; O'Brien, Karen M; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    Research has suggested that transfer students experience difficulty in many domains however limited research has examined the variables associated with transfer student success. The present study examined transfer student success using a sample of first-year transfer students at a large mid-Atlantic university. Independent variables examined were academic self-efficacy, career self-efficacy, and sense of belonging/social integration. Transfer student success was assessed through academic performance, psychological functioning, and career functioning. Using canonical correlation, two patterns of associations were found to explain transfer student functioning in a new institution. Implications of these two patterns of associations are discussed.
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    A Qualitative Study of Changes in Career Orientation: Exploring the Contributions of Life Meaning and Role Modeling/Mentoring to Women's Life/Career Paths
    (2004-11-30) Hensler-McGinnis, Nancy Felicity; O'Brien, Karen M.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    The third phase of a longitudinal study, this qualitative project investigated changes in career orientation in a sample of 12 women in the decade following their high school graduation. A modification of grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) was used to explore the contributions of life meaning and role modeling/mentoring to women's life/career paths. Major sources of meaning included family, career, education/intellectual growth, autonomy, and friendships. Family was prioritized, however, participants chose both family and career to the extent permitted by flexible work structures and childcare options. Significant individuals, including role models and mentors, influenced women's educational and career choices and achievement as well as values and decisions regarding parenting and the career-family interface. Role models and mentors were parents, siblings, extended family members, educators, and work colleagues.
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    The Contributions of Participant Asian Values Adherence, Counselor Acknowledgement and Processing of Racial Differences, and Counselor Cultural Values Expression, to the Prediction of Perceptions of Counselor Effectiveness
    (2004-05-24) Li, Lisa Carolyn; O'Brien, Karen M.; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    This study investigated the relationship among participant Asian cultural values adherence,counselor expression of cultural values, and counselor acknowledgement and processing of racial differences and participant perceptions of counselor effectiveness. One-hundred and sixteen Asian American college student participants viewed a videotape in which an European American female counselor expressed either Asian or U.S. cultural values and either acknowledged and processed racial differences or did not acknowledge racial differences with an Asian American female client. After viewing the videotape,participants completed measures of counselor credibility, counselor cross-cultural counseling competence, attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help,willingness to see a counselor, and general and specific adherence to Asian cultural values. Overall, participants who were exposed to the counselor that acknowledged and processed racial differences rated the counselor as being higher in cross-cultural competence than those exposed to the counselor that did not acknowledge racial differences. This effect remained significant even when the counselor expressed U.S. cultural values. Significant effects were also found for adherence to several specific Asian cultural values. Those participants with higher adherence to Conformity to Norms rated the counselors as being higher in cross cultural competence. Those participants with higher adherence to Emotional Self-Control expressed less positive attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help. Higher adherence to the Asian cultural values of Humility and Family Recognition Through Achievement was related to less willingness to see a counselor for health problems.