Assessment is a core component of the counseling identity. While previous literature has explored child clinicians' attitudes and use of standardized assessment instruments, less is known about the assessment practices of counselors providing play therapy to young children. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the subjective experiences of counselors who regularly use standardized social, emotional, and behavioral tests in their play therapy practice. Eleven professional counselors in the United States who regularly used standardized tests in play therapy participated in this study. The primary researcher utilized a transcendental phenomenological approach within a social, constructivist paradigm, along with an adapted phenomenological data analysis method. Six major themes were identified: professional development journey, use of standardized tests to enhance play therapy process, considerations for implementation in play therapy, counselor theoretical orientation and standardized tests, challenges in using standardized tests in play therapy, and advocacy and social justice issues. Implications for counselor education, clinical practice, and social justice advocacy are provided, along with recommendations for future research.

This study replicated components from Babcock et al. (2013) by examining an Imago-based Safe Conversations (SC) workshop using Gottman's psychometrically established instruments for couple functioning. Participants were 28 married heterosexual couples (N = 56) with a mean age of 27.30 years (SD = 10.16), 89.3% non-Hispanic, 78.6% Black or African-American, 85.7% first time married, 75% with at least a bachelor's degree, and a median household income in the $100,000-150,000 range. Couples independently completed the online SC workshop, The Toolbox for Couples, within a 2-week timespan. For each of three variables regarding marital quality assessed at pre- and post-workshop—(a) marital friendship, (b) conflict management, and (c) marital adjustment—multilevel dyadic analysis was conducted for four outcomes: (a) overall Time*Gender interaction effect, (b) effect for women, (c) effect for men, and (d) interclass correlation between men and women. From pre- to post-test, participants improved on all three variables: Out of the 12 analyses, 11 yielded statistically significant improvement with one very large, six large, and five medium effects. Results suggested that women may benefit more or be more sensitive to the effect of marital friendship, conflict management may be more important to men, and whereas both distressed and non-distressed couples can benefit regarding …

Academic capital is composed of social processes that result in family knowledge of educational expectations, and strategies that result in a successful college experience. Often underrepresented and first-generation students lack a wealth of academic capital. This lack of knowledge may affect their college success. I used the Academic Capital Scale to research differences in academic capital in students attending a 2-year and a 4-year institution. To address differences in these two groups, I performed an independent samples t-test. The analysis was done with and without transformations (transformations were unsuccessful.) and both procedures yielded no statistical significance in mean academic capital scores. In addition, a Mann-Whitney U test was completed which also resulted in no statistically significant difference in mean rank of scores. I performed a logistic regression to determine whether academic capital could predict students' enrollment status (full time vs. part time). The model accounted for 2% of the variance in the enrollment status and the academic capital scores did not contribute significantly to the model, meaning they did not predict enrollment status. Finally, I ran a multiple regression to investigate if low socioeconomic status, gender identity, first-generation status, enrollment status, or race/ethnicity could predict students' academic capital score. The …

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological inquiry was to explore college-aged women's experiences of body positivity and self-acceptance. I applied a conceptual framework that blended feminist identity development model (FIDM) and relational cultural theory (RCT) to answer the following questions: (a) what are the lived experiences of college-aged women who identify as having a positive and accepting body image? and (b) how do college-aged women's intersecting identities contribute to the development of positive and accepting body image? Ten college-age women participated in the current study. The participants provided detailed accounts of their experiences of body image throughout their life. Five overarching themes were identified through data analysis of the interview transcripts: (a) advocating for self and others, (b) beauty expectations and societal definitions, (c) intersecting identities, (d) journey of acceptance, and (e) relationships and community. Participants offered insight into the development of their current position of body positivity and self-acceptance that serve as implications for other relevant contexts. Implications and recommendations drawn from the participants' experiences can inform preventative and treatment care in educational settings, family environments, clinical practice, and integrated care.

The purpose of this research was to determine what preferences exist for full- and part-time community college faculty for institutional communication and if institutional communication predicts faculty perception of an academic integrity culture. The sample is nationally representative, consisting of institutional representation from five of the six accreditation regions nationally, a relativity equal distribution of three Carnegie Classifications (higher career & technical, high transfer, and mixed transfer/career & technical) and three Census Bureau defined population areas (urbanized area, urban cluster, and rural area). The survey, completed by 328 faculty from eight community colleges, was a modified version of three widely used instruments: the International Center for Academic Integrity Academic Integrity Faculty Survey, the International Communication Association Audit, and the Organizational Communication Development Audit Questionnaire. Chi-square, independent samples t-test, and hierarchical regression analysis were each used to explore the relationship between the perception of communication, channels of communication, and perceived culture of academic integrity. The results suggest that face-to-face and electronic communication channels are both preferred channels of communication among full- and part-time faculty and that the communication through these two channels is predictive and interactional. In collaboration with a positive perception of communication, both worked to predict a perceived culture …

Children experience a multitude of benefits in response to interactions with nature. Despite documented effects, children have increasingly spent less time outdoors over the last century and experienced higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. Although child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a culturally and developmentally responsive mental health treatment for children, researchers have limited study of environmental structure and materials employed in the therapeutic process of CCPT. In this study, I sought to further research on the integration of nature with CCPT by providing CCPT in an outdoor, contained playroom equipped with traditional CCPT toys and additional nature materials. Participants were 13 children in the southwestern U.S. with parent-reported attentional or self-regulation concerns (9 males, 6 females; ages 5-10, mean age M = 8.0). Parents reported participants' racial identities were 13% Black (n = 2), 13% Latinx (n = 2), 7% Turkish (n = 1), and 67% White (n = 10). Participants received 8 weeks of twice-weekly CCPT in an outdoor playroom. Results of two repeated measures ANOVAs revealed statistically significant improvement in attention on the Brown EF/A Scales and statistically significant improvement in social-emotional competencies on the SEARS-P. Results of this study illustrate the possible benefits of theoretically integrating …

Depression in childhood is a significant mental health concern, impacting cognitive, affective, social, behavioral, and physical domains. Children who experience depressive symptoms are at an increased risk for physical and mental health, social, and behavioral problems throughout adulthood. Children who are marginalized due to their socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic identities are at an increased risk to experience depression and limited access to mental health care. Further, previous research has demonstrated limited efficacy of depression treatments for young children. In this study, I examined the efficacy of child-centered play therapy [CCPT], a culturally and developmentally responsive treatment, on depression among young children. Participants were 71 children from five Title 1 elementary schools in the southwestern U.S. referred by school personnel for depressive symptoms (49 males, 22 females; ages 5-9, mean age M = 6.21). The sample consisted of 14 (19.7%) African American, 3 (4.2%) Asian American, 15 (21.1%) biracial, 19 (26.8%) Caucasian, and 20 (28.2%) Latino children. Participants were randomly assigned to eight weeks of twice-weekly CCPT treatment group (n = 34) or a waitlist control group (n = 37). Results of doubly multivariate repeated-measures MANOVA revealed statistically significant improvement in depressive symptoms for children who participated in CCPT on …

Virginia Axline developed a new field of child psychotherapy by applying a nondirective approach to the burgeoning experimentation of utilizing play in therapeutic work with children. While much biographical information is available regarding other leaders in the fields of counseling and psychology, historical research into Axline and her development of child-centered play therapy represent a gap in the literature. The purpose of the current study was to: 1) examine the professional contributions of Virginia Axline; 2) gather personal information regarding Axline that contributes to deeper understanding of her theory; and 3) identify life circumstances or events that influenced Axline's professional contributions. Historical methodology was utilized to locate and examine artifacts and materials necessary to create an interpretive biography of Axline's life and work, with a focus on her professional influences, experiences, and contributions. Historical methods utilized include historiography, oral history, and interpretive biography, with an emphasis on established and accepted source criticism and data synthesis processes. The research yielded a number of historically significant and previously unknown documents valuable to the field of CCPT including personal correspondence, academic writings, and interviews, as well as academic and government records. The research also established new information about and understandings of several of …

Childhood poverty is a prevalent concern in the United States and is associated with poor psychological and academic outcomes. Psychosocial stressors associated with life in poverty may interrupt the development of a positive self-concept, ultimately hampering the academic achievement of children in poverty. As the therapeutic objectives of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) support the development of an increasingly positive self-concept, I explored the impact of CCPT on the academic achievement of children in poverty. Participants were composed of 55 students between the ages of 4-7 years old from seven Title 1 elementary schools in the southern United States. Of the 55 study participants, 12 (22%) were female and 43 (78%) were male. Regarding participant ethnicity, 7 (13%) were African American, 1 (2%) was Asian American, 5 (9%) were multi-racial, 35 (64%) were Latino, 6 (11%) were Caucasian, and 1 (2%) did not report ethnicity. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 16 session CCPT treatment group (n = 25) or a waitlist control group (n = 30). A mixed between-within ANOVA was conducted to evaluate improvement in academic achievement scores between treatment and control groups across time. Results indicated a statistically significant interaction effect on the Early Achievement Composite Score …

In this study, I examined the impact of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) on the social and emotional functioning and mindful expressions of preschoolers in Head Start preschool programs. Participants were 23 children from two Head Start preschool programs in the southwestern U.S. who qualified for free or reduced lunch and were referred by school personnel for behavioral or academic concerns (18 males, 5 females; ages 3-5, mean age = 3.74). The sample consisted of 1 (4.3%) African American, 5 (21.7%) Caucasian, 14 (60.9%) Latino, and 3 (13%) multiracial children. Participants were randomly assigned to eight weeks of twice-weekly CCPT experimental groups (n = 11) or a waitlist control group (n = 12). Results of the independent samples t-tests revealed statistically significant improvement in preschool children's empathy and responsibility for children who participated in CCPT on the Social Emotional Assets and Resiliency Scale for Preschool. Practically significant findings revealed that CCPT may influence specific mindful expressions including curiosity and openness as well as overall social-emotional competence, emotional knowledge and expression, and empathy and responsibility in Head Start preschool children. Results of this study support the effectiveness of CCPT with disadvantaged preschool children.

This study aimed at filling in the gap in the literature by examining the organizational identity (OI) of a group of private not-for-profit liberal arts colleges (LACs) and their change and/or stability over time. The OIs were investigated by employing a qualitative content analysis for the strategic plans of eleven LACs over time. The selected colleges represented the distinctive characteristics of a LAC though they have made a critical organizational change by adding vocational programs to their curriculum. Findings indicated that the colleges have developed more complex dynamic OIs over time where both change and stability were interacting. Internal and external pressures shaped the organizational identities of the colleges. The colleges could remain some of their distinctive features while other markers of distinctiveness were less pronounced. OI, as a means to combine insights from the classic and new versions of institutional theory, could offer a fruitful link between the normative and the intraorganizational elements of this theory.

This study aimed to explore the ability to capture the theoretical constructs of Adlerian crucial Cs (capable, connect, count, and courage) through creation of a self-report instrument for children. After following a four-phase process to develop the Crucial Cs Self Report (CCSR), including use of an expert panel, field reviews, preliminary testing, and final administration, the researcher utilized a series of exploratory factor analyses to explore the internal factor structure and relationships between items and resulting factors. The final EFA sample consisted of 112 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years recruited from various settings including three elementary schools, two mental health counseling clinics, and one private practice mental health agency. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure with 14 items. Refined model identified three factors later named count/significance, connect/belonging, and capable/striving. This initial exploration into the constructs of the Crucial Cs provides increased understanding of the widely used concepts. Further exploration and validation of the CCSR can help support parents and teachers in their efforts to foster healthy development of children as well as allow professionals and researchers to conceptualize progress and measure effectiveness of counseling intervention more accurately.

Undocumented students in the United States continue to face unique barriers to postsecondary success. One way that community colleges and 4-year institutions are providing support for undocumented students is establishing undocumented student resource centers (USRCs). These emerging identity-based centers are dedicated spaces of support and provide customized, comprehensive resources for undocumented college students. A multipronged theoretical framework that included undocu-competence, the institutionalization process, and critical theory, was used as a lens to examine how USRC professionals and affiliates understand the development, role, and function of a USRC on a California community college campus. Qualitative single case study methods, including in-depth semistructured interviews, observations, and document analysis, were utilized to meet the purpose of the study. The findings revealed three primary themes. First, the institutionalization process of the USRC at the center of this study was complex, imperfect, and ongoing. Second, there are strengths and limitations respective to the USRC's capacity to operationalize support and safety. Finally, the compounded impact of the current socio-political moment cannot be evaded with respect to the USRC's function. Subsequently, three primary points of discussion are explored, including critiquing the process of USRC institutionalization, complicating the notion of safe spaces on campuses, and calling for inside-outside …

Academic dishonesty is prevalent in institutions of higher education. Faculty are at the forefront of this issue as they are in the classroom with the students. However, faculty may be hesitant to address academic dishonesty for a myriad of reasons. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore how faculty members viewed their roles in addressing academic dishonesty. Study participants were 11 full-time faculty from a Southern University who had taught for at least two years and had experienced academic dishonesty in the classroom. Artifacts were also gathered from three documentary sources. Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) faculty investment in academic integrity, (b) faculty-student relationship impact on interaction, (c) personal values guiding faculty response, and (d) deterrents preventing faculty action. Several implications included the need for: (i) ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty, (ii) the creation of shared ownership and governance of academic integrity between faculty and university leadership; (iii) consistent prevention and enforcement of academic dishonesty according to university guidelines, and (iv) the creation of a partnership between the conduct office and the various faculty departments.

Assessment is a foundational part of counseling practice, which includes the process of providing assessment feedback to those tested. Millions of children are assessed across the United States through the public-school system, hospital, agency, and private practice settings. Though millions of children are assessed yearly, there has been little research surrounding providing assessment feedback with children. In this study, the author qualitatively explored children's experiences with a developmentally appropriate feedback model, the young children's assessment feedback (YCAF). Participants included ten 6 to 10-year old children, who had not previously gone through psychoeducational testing within the last year. Participants completed a battery of psychoeducational assessments and the YCAF feedback process. Data sources included session transcriptions, session observation notes, child interviews, parent interviews, and expressive arts observation notes. In order to explore the perceptions regarding the YCAF, the author utilized interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand the children's feedback experiences. Findings included the following themes: freedom for self-direction, self-concept, therapeutic relationship, affective responses of child, systemic shifts, and developmental considerations. The themes show that the children in this study saw a variety of benefits and experiences surrounding receiving their own personalized, developmentally appropriate assessment feedback.

The purpose of the present study was to explore a theoretically based social-cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by investigating attachment-related and social-cognitive predictors of PTSD in a sample of 125 post-9/11 U.S. combat veterans. Subjects completed an online survey assessing PTSD symptomology, attachment-related internal working models, perceived social support, and mentalizing capacity. Path analysis provided empirical support for a respecified version of the model. More negative internal working model of self and poorer mentalizing capacity predicted higher PTSD symptom levels. Contrary to previous findings, greater perceived social support predicted higher, not lower, PTSD symptom levels. Mentalizing capacity mediated the relationship between internal working model of self and PTSD symptoms in a complementary manner, whereas perceived social support as a mediator was dampening. The relationship between internal working model of others and PTSD symptom levels was fully mediated by perceived social support, which buffered the effect of negative working model of others on PTSD symptom levels. These findings underscore the importance of social-cognitive processing, rooted in early attachment experiences, in the development and symptomology of PTSD in trauma-exposed veterans. In preparing clients for trauma work, clinicians may consider employing modalities that promote earned secure attachment and highlight mentalization in …

Foster care alumni are a unique subset of college students who enter post-secondary education having faced significant socio-economic challenges and emotional trauma. These students often understand how attending post-secondary education can help create a more stable life. However, the graduation of this population is extremely low. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand formerly fostered youths' perspectives of the needs and stressors students face while attending post-secondary education. Specifically, the researcher wanted to understand what characteristics influence former foster care youth to enroll in college and what characteristics help former foster care youth persist in higher education until graduation. The study utilized both student departure theory and resilience theory to frame each research question conceptually. The results illuminated the resilience of former fostered youth attending post-secondary education and their characteristics for continued enrollment.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 (CAA) was an omnibus spending bill that changed Pell grant funding in response to a budgetary shortfall after a four-year investment in student financial aid. The CAA occurred at a time of state disinvestment coupled with increasing tuition and fees. Through the lens of resource dependence and academic capitalism as a conceptual framework, I used panel data in an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to explore the impact of the CAA on Pell grant revenues. I included an interaction term to specifically address the impact of the CAA on public regional universities (PRUs) versus other institutions. Results indicated that the interaction effect between CAA and PRU was jointly significant. The average Pell award per student at PRUs was $13 less than other institutions before the implementation of the CAA. The average Pell award per student at PRUs increased after the implementation of the CAA; however, the average Pell award per student at PRUs was still $20 less than other institutions. Results indicated that the percentage of students receiving Pell awards was a significant and positive predictor of an average Pell award. Interestingly, institutions designated as minority-serving institutions (MSIs) were also significant and positive predictors …

This study aimed to explore supervisee and supervisor experiences of relational depth (RD) within the supervisory relationship and its association with supervisee level of counselor self-efficacy (CSE). Participants in the study were master's level counseling students and their doctoral supervisors in a practicum course. A total of 52 supervisees (aged 22-57; 19.2% male, 80.8% female) and 18 supervisors (aged 25-46; 16.7% male, 83.3% female) participated in the study. Results demonstrated that supervisee perception of the relationship explained approximately 15% of the variance in supervisee CSE. Specifically, supervisee perception of supervisory working alliance (SWA; β = .406, rs2=.997, p = .025) was found to be a significant predictor of CSE while supervisee RD was not a significant unique predictor (β = -.033, rs2=.370, p = .850), with most of the variance explained by RD being shared with SWA. Results also demonstrated that the supervisor perception of the relationship did not significantly explain variance in supervisee CSE. From these results, one may tentatively conclude that the supervisory relationship contributes to CSE, and that RD, as it is currently being measured, may not able to account for variance above or beyond that of the SWA. Extended results are described and summarized using text, …

In this phenomenological investigation, a qualitative approach to research methodology is utilized to explore the resiliency experiences of Black, Indigenous, people of color counselors in training (N = 12) at historically or predominantly White institutions. The participants represent multiple regions of the United States, spanning from the northeastern United States to the Pacific Northwest. Five themes were uncovered as a result of the interviews: (1) strategies for resiliency; (2) experiences with discrimination and oppression; (3) experiences of allyship and affirmation; (4) awareness of intersections and identity; and (5) call to action. I offer suggestions for ways to increase BIPOC student resiliency as well as increase student retention within counselor education programs and recommendations for creating nurturing and equitable classrooms to provide safety for marginalized students within counselor education programs.

This study aimed to gain insight into the clinical practices and attitudes of currently practicing play therapists working with children with a parent with a substance use disorder. Participants in the study were play therapists credentialed by the Association for Play Therapy, either as a Registered Play Therapist™ or Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. A total of 198 play therapists participated in the study. Results demonstrated that variables including prior education, caseload of children affected by parental substance use, and the number of years since obtaining a mental health licensure explained 16% of the variance in participant attitude scores on the Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire (DDPPQ). Specifically, education (β = -.335, rs2 = .884, p < .001) was found to be a significant predictor of play therapist attitudes towards substance users as it explained 88% of the variance accounted for in the effect. Additionally, although not found to be significant, caseload (β = -.134, rs2 = .325, p = .058) was found to explain 33% of the variance accounted for in the effect. This initial exploration of play therapists' attitudes towards substance users provides strong evidence towards the importance of education and training in substance use disorders. Further exploration of …

This study examined professional identity of biology faculty at four-year colleges and universities and the relationship between their perceived identity, as a scientist or a teacher, and their participation in activities related to evidence-based teaching practices. This study drew upon online survey results of 328 college and university biology faculty from across the country. Results from ordinary least squares regression indicated faculty who work at very high, high, and Master's institutions had higher perceptions of science identity. Nontenure track faculty showed higher perceptions of teaching identity. Additionally, the results of this study indicated a strong teaching identity and favorable views on evidence-based teaching related to greater participation in evidence-based teaching practices. Science identity, though positively relate to the outcome, was not a statistically significant predictor of participation in activities related to evidence-based teaching practices. An implication for practice is to recognize biology faculty members' use of newer teaching methods, such as demonstrations of student-centered teaching in lectures in promotion and tenure review. An important implication for future research would be to explore if recognition for outstanding teaching through promotion and tenure cause an increase in the number of faculty who gravitate toward more education-based scholarly activities and, in turn, develop …

Graduating competent healthcare providers to meet increasing demands of the United States leads to interest in graduate health science student success. In this study, I explored the relationship between self-regulated learning strategies and licensing exam readiness among Doctor of Chiropractic students. Two research questions asked (1) how self-regulated learning strategies vary by gender and year of study, and (2) how self-regulated learning strategies relate to licensing exam readiness. One hundred thirty-three students from five chiropractic institutions were surveyed with questions from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and exam readiness items. A series of t-tests, one-way analyses of variance, Kruskal-Wallis H tests, and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression addressed the research questions. Results indicated (1) self-regulated learning strategies do vary by gender and year of study, and (2) self-regulation is related to licensing exam readiness, particularly in Parts I and II of the exam. Chiropractic institutions and policymakers should focus efforts on introducing and reinforcing self-regulated learning strategies throughout the curriculum and explore licensing exam implications. Future research should continue expanding the literature on chiropractic education by considering actual licensing exam performance and determining appropriateness of the MSLQ for chiropractic students.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of adult first-generation students through their college journey. With a conceptual framework based on student involvement and social and cultural capital theories that contribute to student persistence, retention, and graduation, this study was guided by three research questions: (1) What were the expectations and motivations of adult first-generation students when pursuing postsecondary studies after the age of 25? (2) What were the main challenges experienced by this population during their journey through college? and (3) What strategies did these students use to cope with those challenges? Five first-generation participants who started or resumed their college careers when they were 27, 34, 47, and 50 years old were interviewed in-depth. Results indicated that all participants had to search for their inner strength to pursue higher education studies and required the support of their family and social network to succeed. As a result of their rich lived experiences, these adult first-generation students showed how their strong social and cultural capital enabled them to juggle family and work responsibilities and overcome the challenges of their college experiences.