Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mental health counseling'

As video games have become increasing popular, it becomes increasingly important for psychology researchers and practitioners to understand the impact that video game play has on the individuals who engage in it. Several reasons for play are identified, with the social aspects of play being the most common. The difficulties of developing a common definition for problematic play, as well as attempts to quantify those behaviors with assessments are reviewed, with the conclusion that no existing assessment accurately identifies problematic play without overestimation. The unsettled implications of problematic play, including the recent Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association Supreme Court case are explored. Finally, treatment methods for problematic play and implications for future research are discussed.

The current study expands on Charlton and Danforth’s (2007) study establishing “addiction” and “engagement” as distinct constructs. 2,092 participants were sorted into four different categories (low-engagement/low-problematic, low-engagement/high-problematic, high-engagement/low-problematic, and high-engagement/high-problematic), and their responses to the Mental Health Inventory (Veit & Ware, 1983) were compared. Participants in the high-problematic groups were found to have more negative mental health scores than participants in the low-problematic groups; specifically, their responses demonstrated lower scores on the Positive Affect and Life Satisfaction factors, while also showing higher scores on the Anxiety and Depression factors. Participants in the high-engagement groups demonstrated higher scores on the Loss of Control and Emotional Ties factors, even in the high-engagement/high-addiction group. Similarly, individuals in the low-engagement/low-problematic group demonstrated the lowest scores on the Loss of Control factor. The study continues with several implications for future research, practice, and advocacy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of group supervision on counseling self-efficacy of master's-level counseling internship students. Larson's (1998a) Social Cognitive Model of Counselor Training (SCMCT) was used as the theoretical framework for the study. SCMCT addresses how counseling knowledge is transitioned to counseling action. The study was a quantitative, causal-comparative research design. The participants were 135 master's-level counseling internship students from a CACREP-accredited, private college in the southeast United States. Data was collected through the administration of online surveys: Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE; Larson et al., 1992), Group Supervision Impact Scale (GSIS; Getzelman, 2003), Supervisory Styles Inventory (SSI; Friedlander & Ward, 1984), and a demographics survey. Group supervisor impact (r = .227, p = .008), peer supervisee impact (r = .240, p = .004), and group supervision environment impact (r = .358, p < .001) were significantly correlated with counseling efficacy. Group supervision environment impact was the best predictor variable of counseling self-efficacy, b = .773, t(127) = 3.210, p = .002. There was no significant difference in counseling self-efficacy between participants with master's-level group supervisors and participants with doctorate-level group supervisors, t(133) = .586, p = .559. There was no significant difference in counseling self-efficacy between participants who had a group supervisor licensed in professional counseling and participants who had a group supervisor licensed in a different field, t(133) = .125, p = .901.

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine licensed mental health professionals' attitudes towards rape survivors. Research indicates that the attitudes of police officers, mental health professionals, and the general public may influence the psychological adjustment of rape survivors and, consequently, whether or not that person seeks mental health treatment after the assault (Vincent, 2009). The negative impacts of rape on a person may not be specific only to the act of violence, but may also include secondary victimization from the survivors' negative experiences with authorities such as legal and mental health professionals (Campbell & Raja, 1999) who may hold negative beliefs about sexual assault and rape survivors (Nagel, Matsuo, McIntyre, & Morrison, 2005). Exposure to these negative beliefs held by others may be associated with negative secondary emotions in the survivor, such as guilt; guilt associated with actions taken or not taken in the context of rape has been observed to be positively correlated with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, low self-esteem, social anxiety, and suicidal ideation (Kubany, Abueg, Owens, Brennan, Kaplan, & Watson, 1995). It is therefore important to examine the attitudes licensed mental health workers hold towards rape survivors, as these rape survivors may seek services from mental health professionals, and the clinicians' attitudes towards these clients' experiences may significantly impact survivors' recovery from a sexual assault. In addition to measuring the acceptance of rape myths in licensed mental health providers, this study aims to explore how demographic variables in mental health professionals, such as gender, type of graduate degree, or participant rape survivor status, are related to the attitudes participants report about sexual assault. It was hypothesized that male study participants would attribute greater responsibility to survivors than female study participants would, based on the results of the updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, and congruent with published research highlighting this gender difference (Grubb & Harrower, 2009). It was hypothesized that mental health providers who have had more years of training in their graduate degree program would report lower levels of rape myth acceptance compared with those who had a shorter degree program. It was also hypothesized that participants who themselves identified as a rape survivor or who had a close friend or family member who is a survivor would attribute less responsibility to rape survivors, as research supports the observation that those who identify as survivors or friends of survivors may reject negative biases towards sexual assault survivors.

After completing both independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U statistical analyses, gender identity was the only demographic for which statistically significant mean differences were seen in total rape myth acceptance scores (p = .012). This finding is not surprising, as much of the current literature supports that men, in general, attribute more blame to rape survivors than women. Prior to the current study there was no published research using licensed mental health providers as participants in a study using the updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. Data gathered from the current study will therefore offer a valuable contribution to the literature on this topic. Further, it is hoped that this data can be used in the development of graduate programs, continuing education courses, and didactic seminars that debunk rape myths and promote competency around rape survivor issues.

This is a study concerning the perception of consultation among school counselors, teachers, and mental health professional counselors (MHPCs) working collaboratively in the public school setting for the benefit of the academic and behavioral success of students. Although there are many consultation models and theoretical views (Brigman, Mullis, Webb, & White, 2005; Caplan, Caplan, & Erchul, 1995; Erchul & Conoley, 1991; Erford, 2011; Kampwirth, 2006), this study utilized the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) framework for consultation in schools.

Although MHPCs are not considered school counselors by definition, and they are not compensated by school districts, they still serve as consultants with school counselors and teachers for the purpose of student success. This study explored the perception held by school counselors, teachers, and MHPCs regarding consultation conducted in the public schools. It also examined the perception of how the consultation process between these three professional groups affects students’ behavioral and academic success. This study utilized a qualitative design which used grounded theory methods of data analysis, collecting and analyzing data from interviews of school counselors, teachers, and MHPCs as they collaborate in the public schools. The participants included the MHPCs from one Midwestern agency and school counselors and teachers with whom the selected MHPCs had opportunity to interact in consultation in elementary and secondary schools.

Standards for integration of spirituality and religion within mental health training continue to be ambiguous. Although increased attention has incorporated such diversity into multiculturalism, proficiency remains inadequate among non-religiously affiliated individuals and institutions. This study examined competence levels utilizing the Revised Spiritual Competence Scale II (SCS-R-II) and the Spiritual and Religious Competency Assessment (SARCA). Participants were 125 students attending accredited counseling, psychology, and social work schools in the United States. Counselor trainees scored highest on both measures as did students with very strong personal religious affiliation and attendees of Christian affiliated schools. Implications and future recommendations are discussed.

The present study examined the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress and resiliency among university students in Germany. Further, the study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate a hypothesized model of protective factors and their interdependence on the mental health of German university students. The sample consisted of 787 students sampled from two public universities in Germany. Results found the sample to have normal to mild levels of depression (M = 4.40), normal to mild levels of anxiety (M = 3.81), and normal levels of stress ( M = 6.36). The prevalence rates of moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress were 22.8%, 30.9%, and 24.1%, respectively. SEM revealed that suppression, reappraisal, and resilience mediated the effect of self-esteem and mindfulness on depression. Furthermore, reappraisal, self-esteem, and stress mediated the effect of mindfulness and social support on depression. Furthermore, reappraisal, and resilience mediated the effect of mindfulness, social support, and exercise on stress. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Meditation is increasingly integrated into therapeutic interventions. Metta (loving-kindness) meditation, which cultivates compassion, is relatively unstudied. Metta’s emphasis on compassion has spurred speculation that metta meditation may benefit mental health professionals at risk for compassion fatigue, a condition characterized by depression-like symptoms that results from paying witness to others’ trauma. The current study employed psychological phenomenology—a qualitative research methodology which uncovers the essential meaning of an experience—to explore mental health professionals’ lived experiences of metta meditation. Moustakas’s recommendations for phenomenology guided data collection and analysis. Semi-structured interviews with 17 mental health professionals, clinicians and clinical supervisors, yielded 58 invariant components clustered into eight themes regarding metta meditation experience. These themes were used to write textural descriptions for each participant, from which a textural composite was created. Structural mechanisms interwoven into the composite created the essential description of participants’ lived experience of metta meditation. Implications are discussed.

The purpose of this project was to write a grant proposal to develop a mental health program for foreign born Latinos with depression. The goal of this project is to provide mental health services consisting of individual and group therapy to this at risk group in Service Provider Area 6 (SPA 6).

Research shows that SPA 6 in Los Angeles County is an area lacking adequate mental health services for foreign born Latinos. SHIELDS for Families, Inc. is the target agency chosen to provide services with staff co-located at St. Francis Medical Center in the city of Lynwood. The California Wellness Foundation was chosen as the funding source.

If funded, the project would provide culturally modified treatment in depression at no cost to adult Latino immigrants, a high risk group, in SPA 6. Actual submission of this grant was not a requirement for this project.

Research over many decades has considered how physical activity affects mental health and how physical activity is perceived and utilized by mental health professionals in the treatment of clients. Findings suggest that physical activity is useful for decreasing symptoms of some disorders, improving mood, and improving cognitive functioning. Further, mental health professionals generally endorse the topic of physical activity as relevant and useful in the mental health context. However, mental health professionals do not generally address client physical activity. Among other concerns, mental health professionals believe that addressing physical activity with clients could have a negative impact on the client?s perception of the counseling process. This study investigated whether addressing client physical activity with college students participating in an intake counseling session influenced client ratings of the session or client ratings of the counseling relationship. There were no significant differences found in client ratings of the counseling session or counseling relationship when physical activity was addressed. The results of this study can be used in making decisions about addressing the topic of physical activity in the mental health context.

The present study investigated the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress and resiliency among college students in Cambodia. The study further identified the impact of socio-demographic factors including gender, place of upbringing, religious affiliation, and perceived financial status on the mental health and resilience of Cambodian college students. Significant predictors influencing depression, anxiety, and stress were identified. The present study was conducted among 529 Khmer students sampled from public and private institutions in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Results found the sample to have mild to moderate levels of depression (M=6.85), moderate anxiety (M=6.61), and mild levels of stress (M=8.90). However, analysis of the severity of distribution explained that 44.6%, 54.2%, and 37.5% of students experienced symptoms above the moderate levels for depression, anxiety, and stress respectively. Results showed 89.8 % of students reported high levels of resiliency. Significant differences in level of depression, anxiety, and resilience were found based on students’ perceived financial status. Additionally, differences in resiliency were observed based on gender. While no socio-demographic or protective factors were predictive of stress, perceived financial status and resilience were found to be significant predictors of depression and anxiety among college students in Cambodia. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.