The Counseling Psychologist, Volume 51, Issue 7, Page 905-905, October 2023.
Category Archives: The Counseling Psychologist
Cultural Humility, Cultural Comfort, and Supervision Processes and Outcomes for BIPOC Supervisees
The Counseling Psychologist, Volume 51, Issue 7, Page 1037-1058, October 2023.
Clinical supervision is a cornerstone of clinical training, and supervision experiences are associated with important outcomes (e.g., stronger working alliances and more trainee disclosures in supervision). Psychology has made strides in understanding how cultural processes unfold in supervision, with the multicultural orientation (MCO) model garnering increasing empirical support, but less is known about the dynamics that occur based on racial differences between supervisees and supervisors. Therefore, within cross-racial supervisory relationships, we examined the associations between cultural humility, cultural comfort, and supervisees’ satisfaction with supervision, disclosure in supervision, and the supervisory working alliance. Survey results from Black, Indigenous, and people of Color (BIPOC) trainees (N = 116) receiving supervision from White supervisors indicated that supervisees who rated their supervisors high in cultural humility and cultural comfort also reported higher supervision satisfaction and a stronger supervisory working alliance. Perceptions of supervisors’ cultural humility, but not cultural comfort, were related to a higher willingness to disclose in supervision.
Clinical supervision is a cornerstone of clinical training, and supervision experiences are associated with important outcomes (e.g., stronger working alliances and more trainee disclosures in supervision). Psychology has made strides in understanding how cultural processes unfold in supervision, with the multicultural orientation (MCO) model garnering increasing empirical support, but less is known about the dynamics that occur based on racial differences between supervisees and supervisors. Therefore, within cross-racial supervisory relationships, we examined the associations between cultural humility, cultural comfort, and supervisees’ satisfaction with supervision, disclosure in supervision, and the supervisory working alliance. Survey results from Black, Indigenous, and people of Color (BIPOC) trainees (N = 116) receiving supervision from White supervisors indicated that supervisees who rated their supervisors high in cultural humility and cultural comfort also reported higher supervision satisfaction and a stronger supervisory working alliance. Perceptions of supervisors’ cultural humility, but not cultural comfort, were related to a higher willingness to disclose in supervision.
Psychotherapy Experiences of U.S. Adults With Physical Disabilities: Recommendations for Affirmative Practice
The Counseling Psychologist, Volume 51, Issue 7, Page 970-1004, October 2023.
Mental health providers often have little to no training on working with disabled people, and may hold negative biases toward disability (American Psychological Association [APA], 2022). Given these conditions, this study fills a gap in knowledge about the experiences of people with physical disabilities in psychotherapy, and data-driven disability-affirmative approaches. Purposive sampling was used to recruit people with physical disabilities (N = 24) through social media, who participated in semi-structured individual interviews about their psychotherapy experiences. Consensual qualitative research methods revealed four overarching domains with multiple underlying themes. The four domains were: (a) positive therapeutic interventions and interactions, (b) negative therapeutic interventions and interactions, (c) in/accessibility of services, and (d) suggestions for improving mental health services. The results inform affirmative practices for psychotherapy with a stigmatized population. Implications for culturally-responsive clinical practice and training are discussed, as well as study limitations and directions for future research.
Mental health providers often have little to no training on working with disabled people, and may hold negative biases toward disability (American Psychological Association [APA], 2022). Given these conditions, this study fills a gap in knowledge about the experiences of people with physical disabilities in psychotherapy, and data-driven disability-affirmative approaches. Purposive sampling was used to recruit people with physical disabilities (N = 24) through social media, who participated in semi-structured individual interviews about their psychotherapy experiences. Consensual qualitative research methods revealed four overarching domains with multiple underlying themes. The four domains were: (a) positive therapeutic interventions and interactions, (b) negative therapeutic interventions and interactions, (c) in/accessibility of services, and (d) suggestions for improving mental health services. The results inform affirmative practices for psychotherapy with a stigmatized population. Implications for culturally-responsive clinical practice and training are discussed, as well as study limitations and directions for future research.
Post-Traumatic Growth and Resilience of LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers in the United States
The Counseling Psychologist, Volume 51, Issue 7, Page 1005-1036, October 2023.
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers face persecution and discrimination leading to escape from their home countries to places where LGBTQ+ identity and HIV status are grounds for asylum. Although researchers have documented this population’s experiences of pre-, during, and postmigration trauma, there remains a gap in exploring factors that contribute to posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resilience. Researchers in this study used a phenomenological approach to examine the experiences of PTG and resilience of participants living in the United States, but originally from seven different countries. Four main themes were identified: survival mechanisms of pre-migration trauma, external resources and supports, PTG skills, and complex characteristics of resilience. Implications for counseling research and clinical practice are discussed.
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers face persecution and discrimination leading to escape from their home countries to places where LGBTQ+ identity and HIV status are grounds for asylum. Although researchers have documented this population’s experiences of pre-, during, and postmigration trauma, there remains a gap in exploring factors that contribute to posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resilience. Researchers in this study used a phenomenological approach to examine the experiences of PTG and resilience of participants living in the United States, but originally from seven different countries. Four main themes were identified: survival mechanisms of pre-migration trauma, external resources and supports, PTG skills, and complex characteristics of resilience. Implications for counseling research and clinical practice are discussed.
Translation and Validation of the German Personal Growth Initiative Scale – II
The Counseling Psychologist, Volume 51, Issue 7, Page 906-932, October 2023.
Personal growth initiative (PGI) is an important predictor of well-being. In the current study, we translated the Personal Growth Initiative Scale–II (PGIS-II) into German and investigated its psychometric properties. Our sample consisted of 210 adults gathered from Germany’s Mechanical Turk. The German PGIS-II showed evidence of a bifactor structure, with the total score providing the best representation. Results also indicated measurement invariance through the partial scalar level with the English PGIS-II given to a sample of 854 college students in the United States. The PGIS-II’s scores were positively related to general self-efficacy, internal locus of control, and positive affect, as well as evidenced small relations with external locus of control, negative affect, stress, and social desirability. Together, the results showed evidence for the psychometric properties of the German PGIS-II and the potential importance of PGI in German samples.
Personal growth initiative (PGI) is an important predictor of well-being. In the current study, we translated the Personal Growth Initiative Scale–II (PGIS-II) into German and investigated its psychometric properties. Our sample consisted of 210 adults gathered from Germany’s Mechanical Turk. The German PGIS-II showed evidence of a bifactor structure, with the total score providing the best representation. Results also indicated measurement invariance through the partial scalar level with the English PGIS-II given to a sample of 854 college students in the United States. The PGIS-II’s scores were positively related to general self-efficacy, internal locus of control, and positive affect, as well as evidenced small relations with external locus of control, negative affect, stress, and social desirability. Together, the results showed evidence for the psychometric properties of the German PGIS-II and the potential importance of PGI in German samples.
A-Methodological Saturation: A Grounded Theory Analysis
The Counseling Psychologist, Volume 51, Issue 7, Page 933-969, October 2023.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop an abstracted theoretical model concerning how counseling and counselor education researchers utilize saturation in their qualitative research. Given the importance of rigor and trustworthiness in qualitative research, this study addresses saturation, a method for ensuring methodological rigor and trustworthiness. The qualitative study included 23 participants from a range of social locations, methodological expertise, and research agendas. The findings from this qualitative study were analyzed and presented using Straussian grounded theory and resulted in the development of an abstracted theoretical model, which included the following: causal conditions, contextual factors, intervening conditions, actions, consequences, and a core category. The abstracted theoretical model can aid researchers in the process and practice of saturation. Advances in saturation can support the development of rigorous qualitative research design and methodological integrity. Discussion and implications are discussed across the areas of practice, education, advocacy, and research.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop an abstracted theoretical model concerning how counseling and counselor education researchers utilize saturation in their qualitative research. Given the importance of rigor and trustworthiness in qualitative research, this study addresses saturation, a method for ensuring methodological rigor and trustworthiness. The qualitative study included 23 participants from a range of social locations, methodological expertise, and research agendas. The findings from this qualitative study were analyzed and presented using Straussian grounded theory and resulted in the development of an abstracted theoretical model, which included the following: causal conditions, contextual factors, intervening conditions, actions, consequences, and a core category. The abstracted theoretical model can aid researchers in the process and practice of saturation. Advances in saturation can support the development of rigorous qualitative research design and methodological integrity. Discussion and implications are discussed across the areas of practice, education, advocacy, and research.