Play therapy and animal-assisted therapy are two specialized modalities within the field of counseling. Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a specific theoretical approach to play therapy that regards the therapeutic relationship as the primary healing factor. With much empirical support, CCPT is considered an effective mental health treatment option for working with children. Animal-assisted therapy in counseling (AAT-C) is acknowledged in the literature as a supplemental treatment modality to an existing counseling practice. Although past researchers have shown support for AAT-C as well as CCPT, there is a current dearth of literature examining the integration of these approaches. The present study sought to understand the approach of incorporating a therapy dog into child-centered play therapy while maintaining theoretical consistency. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, I facilitated child-centered canine-assisted play therapy (C3APT) services for four children and reviewed the sessions with expert supervisors in AAT-C and CCPT. Three major themes emerged from the data: (a) principles of C3APT, (b) procedures of C3APT, and (c) relational dynamics. Implications for clinical practice and training of both therapy dogs and C3APT practitioners are also discussed.

Federal law requires institutions to designate campus-based administrators to oversee Title IX processes and investigations, but little is known about how these have been professionally prepared for their roles. The purpose of this study was to understand the professional preparation, educational experiences, and professional training of Title IX administrators and to understand their independence in decision-making in those roles. This study utilized qualitative content analysis and a social constructionist approach to analyze data generated from interviews and document analysis. Sixteen current and former Title IX administrators (investigators, deputy coordinators, coordinators) provided their perspectives on their professional training and development. Using frameworks of work/professional socialization and professions theory, findings illustrated complex systems for knowledge acquisition, professional preparation, and professional socialization based on factors including resources, institutional context, and role prioritization. Participants' formal education, formative experiences, position-specific training, and professional organizations training all served as preparation for their roles. Discussion focused on implications for graduate programs, training and trainers, institutions and supervisors, the field of higher education, and current Title IX practitioners regarding professional preparation for these roles.

This study aimed to take asset-based approach and identify Latino male students who were persisting in college, and to identify what strategies made them successful. This qualitative study consulted Tinto's revised student departure model, Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital, as well as Yosso's theory of community cultural wealth. A phenomenological design was utilized to identify the shared experience of first-generation Latino male college students who had persisted in college and maintained a 3.0 grade point average. Findings revealed that Latino students entered college with goals to provide better opportunities for the next generation. They encountered unfamiliarity, culture shock, and marginalization, all obstacles centered not on academic preparedness, but on unfamiliarity with the environment. They used their linguistic, navigational, and aspirational capital to navigate their two worlds. Their cultural upbringing stressed a strong commitment to family and community, i.e. familismo. They found community among in-group peers and college staff. This support network provided what Laura Rendon refers to as validating experiences. Once familismo was obtained they gained a sense of belonging and grew their cultural capital to become familiar with the college going culture. The learned the rules of the game which enabled students to focus on their goal of earning …

Early career attrition in student affairs is a topic of interest for hiring and supervising managers, graduate preparation programs, as well as new professionals. Contributions to the growing body of research on the topic potentially informs bets practices in curriculum development, hiring, onboarding, and professional development for new student affairs employees. This study involved 352 new student affairs professionals in the field's largest professional association. With Rhodes and Doering's integrated model of career change as a framework, the research study was designed to identify individual and environmental factors influencing new student affairs professionals' person-environment fit and, subsequently, career commitment. The result was an eight-factor structural equation model that included graduate curriculum, pay satisfaction, mentoring, student interaction, connection to institutional mission/vision, collegiality, and person-environment fit as independent variables, and career commitment as the dependent variable. The study suggests that these eight variables, to varying degrees, indirectly and directly influence career commitment in new student affairs professionals.

Business and higher education are two different worlds with different missions, values and priorities. Privatized student housing partnerships have brought these two worlds together with little information on how they work and the challenges they face. Research indicated that through collaboration, skilled leadership and an understanding of students, healthy relationships could exist. The purpose of this study was to provide awareness of these existing partnerships and the current perceptions from leaders from both higher education and business working within present collaborations. It sought to uncover and bring awareness to the challenges experienced in order to create a dialogue around them. Feedback obtained from 30 professionals working within public-private partnerships from both the business and higher education worlds provided insight into existing perceptions and challenges. Semi-structured interviews where utilized and customized using eight open-ended questions that were different for each group. A purposeful sampling approach was used to select the participants based on their existing partnership with a privatized student housing company. Out of the thirty participants, twenty were chief officers within higher education and ten business officers. Analysis of the thirty interviews depicted three major themes: the two worlds: business and higher education, the bridge: leader of the village and …

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a certain set of abuse household dysfunction experiences that many children in the United States experience. Children who experience multiple ACEs are more likely to have negative mental and physical health issues as they grow older. These outcomes include ADHD, depression, cancer, heart disease, and early death. In this study, I examined the effectiveness of child centered play therapy (CCPT), a developmentally appropriate treatment modality, with children who have experienced two or more ACEs and who are also demonstrating inattention and impulsivity symptoms. Participants were 34 students from five Title 1 elementary schools in the southwest United States (28 males and 6 females; age range 5-8 years old with a mean age of 6.12). In the sample, participants were comprised of 29.4% African American (n = 10), 38.2% Caucasian (n = 13), 17.6% Hispanic/Latino (n = 6), and 14.7% identified as biracial (n = 5). Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group that received 16 CCPT 30-minute sessions twice a week (n = 17) or a waitlist control group (n = 17) that received treatment at the conclusion of the study. Using a factorial ANOVA, results indicated statistically significant improvement of CCPT treatment group …

This non-experimental field study examined the relationship between participant reported experiences of relational depth (RD) with their individual counselors in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and participant reported motivation to change substance use. Participants in the study were clients enrolled in inpatient and outpatient levels of substance use disorder treatment. A total of 78 clients (aged 18-77, with mean age 35.97, 80.1% Caucasian, 11.5% African-American, 3.8% Hispanic, 1.3% Asian, 1.3% multiracial, 1.3% other) with SUDs participated in the study. Results demonstrated that treatment process variables explained approximately 42% of the variance in participant recognition scores. Specifically, substance abuse community support involvement (β = .598, rs2 = .908, p < .001) and relational depth (β = .184, rs2 = .178, p = .045) were found to be significant predictors of participant recognition of a substance use problem. From these results, one may tentatively conclude that community support and the development of relational depth in SUD treatment are valuable additions to standard SUD treatment. Extended results are described and summarized using text, tables, and figures. The study has practical and clinical implications for counselors working with clients in substance use disorder treatment particularly concerning the length of individual counseling.

This study sought to observe the trends in physical therapy faculty members over time and to understand how those trends correlated with changes in program outcomes. Accreditation data from 231 programs between 2008 and 2017 was used in a panel analysis using fixed effects and random effects models to estimate the effects that faculty characteristics, program characteristics, and program budgets have on graduation rates, first-time licensure examination pass rates, and the percentage of graduates of color that a program produced. Results show that for a 1% increase in faculty time devoted to scholarship, a program could expect graduation rates to rise by 0.17%. For a one percentage point increase in grant-funded faculty, a program could expect a 1.7% increase in graduation rates. Results also indicated a negative linear relationship between the number of publications and graduation rates. First-time licensure exam pass rates had an association with different variables. For a 1% increase in part-time faculty, a program could expect a 6.4% decline in first-time licensure examination pass rates. Similarly, a 1% increase in tenured faculty was associated with a 1.2% decline in first-time licensure examination pass rates. A 1% increase in faculty of color was associated with an increase in …

In this qualitative study, I explored the lived experiences of eight early childhood educators implementing a play-based teacher professional development intervention, child teacher relationship training (CTRT), in an affluent Christian based preschool. Through the building of relationships, CTRT provided the teachers a person-centered approach to develop skills to establish relationships and to attend to the intentional emotional and relational development of young children. The research questions addressed the impact on teachers with children exhibiting challenging behaviors utilizing CTRT experienced before, during, and after the implementation of the play-based consultation intervention. Thematic analysis of the pre-intervention interviews, observation journals, reflexive journal, and post-intervention interviews revealed two clusters and seven distinct themes. The first cluster described the learning experiences of teachers while implementing CTRT with four identified themes: (a) changes in their views about children; (b) changes in their views about their personal abilities and performance; (c) a deeper understanding of theory (Reggio Emilia and CTRT); and (d) teacher skill development. The second cluster concerned the impact of CTRT before, during, and after the implementation of CTRT with three identified themes: (a) relationships; (b) support systems; and (c) the transfer of CTRT skills outside the classroom. The emerging themes indicated that the …

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore Black transgender men's experiences navigating systems of racism and transphobia. To this end, I utilized a critical race theory and intersectionality theory framework to answer the following question: What are Black transgender men's experiences with power, privilege, and oppression? The ten Black transgender men and transmasculine people who participated in this study provided detailed and moving accounts of their experiences with systems of oppression. Six major themes were prominent throughout participant narratives: (1) developing an empowered view of self, (2) navigating double consciousness, (3) having a target on your back, (4) strategies of resilience, (5) culture of silence, and (6) finding quality care. Overall, participants offered insight and keen awareness of their intersecting racial and gender identities, as well as speaking intimately about how the shift from societal perceptions and identification as a Black woman to a Black man impacted their sense of self and views of the world. Additionally, implications and conclusions drawn from the stories of participants offer recommendations for counselors, mental health professionals, practitioners, and programs to consider implementing to provide culturally responsive and competent care to Black transgender men.

The purpose of this quantitative secondary data analysis was to examine the effect of family, school, and community context on high schools whose students participate in financial aid preparation services. Data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 were analyzed to answer the two research questions using Perna's conceptual model of college enrollment behaviors that explores how students gain and utilize information about financial aid and college prices. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the extent of high school participation in financial aid services. The results indicated a varying degree of these interventions being offered at high schools ranging from 22% to 52%. Schools sending students reminders of FAFSA deadlines (52%) and disseminating flyers/pamphlets on financial aid (50%) were the only two interventions that had a slight majority of schools participating. Multiple regression was used to determine if a relationship existed between the outcome variable (participation in financial aid preparation services) and several family context and school context predictor variables for eight financial aid interventions. Results revealed school context variables as the best predictors of the outcome variable. Counselor caseload and school control were the most effective in predicting high school participation in the eight financial aid preparation services, …

The growing commercialism within Division I big-time athletics has raised the financial stakes for universities, as successful athletic programs benefit from increased opportunities for financial gain. This has contributed to a pervasive "win culture" that drives institutions to seek competitive advantages, and as a side effect, NCAA rule violations have become incentivized. Programs whose infractions go unnoticed may benefit from the competitive advantage gained, but for programs investigated by the NCAA, the financial penalties incurred may far outweigh the potential revenues from undetected violations. The purpose of this study was to address institutional self-sanctions as an organizational behavior in response to NCAA major infractions and the impact of self-sanctioning on alumni charitable giving. Through the use of neo-institutional and resource dependence theories, this study aimed to further examine the role of institutional self-sanctions as a crisis management strategy in containing financial fallout of athletic scandal. While researchers have addressed scandal and alumni charitable giving in relation to athletics and institutional self-sanctions, respectively, no research exists linking the two bodies of literature. This study employed a two-way fixed effects analysis of 10 years of panel data to address the effect of key variables on alumni charitable giving. Analysis results indicated no …

The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, the study explored how self-identified Afrocentrist professors in higher education utilized Afrocentric pedagogy and andragogy to address the learning needs of students, specifically Black women students. Second, the study explored the ways in which Black women students experienced that learning in the higher education classroom. The purpose was advanced through an in-depth analysis of Afrocentric teaching and learning in the higher education. A sample of five self-identified Afrocentric faculty members - three females and two males - and five Black women students who studied with those professors was identified. Participants were interviewed individually in-person and by telephone. Data analysis resulted in the themes of the importance of living an Afrocentric life in which the African body is centered and elevated, rejection of European dominance and universalism, re-routing history, and introducing Afrocentricity as a methodology from which to analyze human life. These themes presented core values, approaches, practices and characteristics utilized in Afrocentric teaching. Findings also showed that the Black women student participants received multiple benefits from receiving an Afrocentric education that assisted them in their journeys through higher education. Study findings provided a foundation for the guidebook "Teach Me, Toward Me Kuongoza, …

This study explores where African American college students find mental health support and why those supports are chosen. Greater knowledge of the sources of mental health support sought by African American college students can assist higher education institutions in adapting current services to meet the needs of this specific student population. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized, and the study's sample included twelve participants, 6 female and 6 male, from a large public four-year university in Texas. These participants, undergraduate students with ages ranging from 18 to 24, were given a survey and completed two semi-structured interviews throughout one semester. Results indicated that study participants were more likely to utilize informal than formal support for their mental health and many had no source of support. Family stigma, peer attitudes, as well as internal and external pressures all influenced participant's choices to seek support. Based on findings from the study, recommendations for two distinct groups, counseling center directors and higher education administrators, are also discussed.

Although trans* students often face greater levels of discrimination, harassment, and hostility on college campuses than their cisgender peers, research indicated that they can succeed by developing and honing survival strategies, such as resilience and being part of a trans* kinship network that resists trans* oppression. Having the support of family, and by taking the risk to cultivate relationships while in college also improves the likelihood of persistence through college. The term trans* is used in this study as an inclusionary term for transgender persons and other gender nonbinary identities. The purpose of this research study was to explore the experiences that trans* students have while being in college. Utilizing a phenomenological approach and the theoretical lens of feminist and queer theories, semi-structured interviews were conducted to better understand the lived experiences of trans* college students. Four Caucasian trans* undergraduate students, ranging in age from 19 to 25 were each interviewed five times. Twenty total interviews over a period of three months provided in-depth data. Five primary themes emerged that were common among the participants: exploration, experimentation, and self-discovery; living as a trans* person in college: developing survival strategies; cultivating relationships and seeking acceptance; race and gender privilege/power; and generational …

This phenomenological study examined the experiences and perceptions of child-centered play therapists who deliver shortened sessions in the clinic setting. Using the phenomenological analysis procedures based on Moustakas' modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method, a coding team of three doctoral students found 10 themes related to child-centered play therapists' (N = 5) experiences delivering shortened session lengths. Each theme is defined and further described using verbatim transcript examples. This study has practical and clinical implications for child-centered play therapist development and training. The results of this study point to the need for further research in child-centered play therapists' experiences delivering play therapy-as-usual. Finally, future research regarding the change process in child-centered play therapy theory is also implicated.

Employability skill development is being increasingly investigated among higher education scholars, corporate hiring managers, and governments around the world. Understanding employability skill development is important because it has implications on educational policy, teaching techniques, curriculum designs, and recruitment practices. This study was conducted at a public research university in a southwestern state of the United States. It was designed to understand the difference in employability skill development among students who participated in a leadership development program compared to those who did not. Additionally, the study investigated what skills were seeing the most change among student participated in the leadership development program, and if a student's major of study played any role in their overall employability development over the course of a year. Eight employability skills were tested in a pre- and post-test model. Results indicated that students in leadership development programs are more likely to see an increase in employability skill development. From the skills tested among participates, those in the leadership program found the most change over time in the area of problem solving skills. Finally, the results also indicate that a student's major does have an impact on their overall employability skill development. Students who major in business …

The purpose of this study was to explore the role and impact of adventure therapy (AT) on student development and to identify the greatest challenges to the implementation of AT in schools. The Delphi method was used to generate consensus of opinion within a group of experts in the field of adventure therapy and school counseling. Purposive sampling was used to identify the members of the expert panel and the definition of consensus was set at 80% for each item. Content and descriptive analysis were used to develop representative statements from participant responses between rounds. Ten Caucasian respondents, 6 men and 4 women, having met at least one of the expert criteria for the study, completed three rounds of participation which resulted in the attainment of consensus on 36 items addressing the role of adventure therapy in school counseling and the impact of AT in the areas of academic/career and social/emotional development. Twelve challenges to the implementation of AT in schools were identified and put in rank order. According to the results, experts believe adventure therapy has the greatest impact on social connectedness, problem solving, and student engagement in schools. Access to appropriate training in AT, administrative support, and funding …

Trends in tuition and financial aid policy have increased the number of students who borrow for higher education and the aggregate debt students acquire. Most research on student borrowing over the years has analyzed the effects of borrowing and the prospects of indebtedness on individual students' choices and persistence. However, dynamics at the institutional level such as the need to ensure a stable flow of resources may accelerate or slow down student borrowing. Drawing on resource dependence theory, this study examined changes in student borrowing at private not for profit four year institutions in the US to identify trends and implications. A fixed effects regression analysis was applied to panel data from the Delta Cost project and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. Analytical focus was on the financial and enrollment characteristics of private not for profit four-year institutions, the relationship between these characteristics and student borrowing, and whether these relationships are stable or change over time. Findings revealed that the financial and enrollment characteristics of private not for profit institutions during the study period were characterized by gradual variation. The results also revealed that most of the financial characteristics were predictive of student borrowing and that …

Although the recent annual growth rate in the US paramedic field has been 4%, Latino and African American men have been significantly underrepresented in the field compared to their proportion in the US population at large. This problem threatens both the quality and quantity of available emergency health care. The purpose of this study was to describe how men of color (MOC) in community college paramedical programs experienced their awareness, interest, and proactive choice of paramedicine as a course of study. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach and social cognitive career theory as a theoretical framework, I interviewed 23 MOC enrolled during one semester across three community college paramedical programs in the southwestern US: 9 Latino and 14 African American, aged 18-29 with mean age 22 years. The focus of the interviews was the participants' lived experiences at various career points, as well as the enablers and disablers they had encountered. I identified three primary themes for possible use in enhancing recruitment of MOC to the paramedic field: strategic use of new digital media, promotion of the vocation's quasi-familial characteristics, and augmentation of neighborhood-based outreach. Identified areas for further research included recruitment dynamics of female paramedics, MOC persistence issues, and MOC …

The shortage of bilingual counselors is one barrier to young Latina/o children receiving mental health services. Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a developmentally responsive intervention based on the premise that play is children's natural means of communication across cultures. This randomized controlled study examined the effects of CCPT with young Spanish-speaking Latina/o children exhibiting clinical levels of school behavior problems. Participants were 57 pre-K to kindergarten Latina/o children (72% male; mean age = 4.0) randomly assigned to three treatment groups: CCPT with Spanish-speaking, bilingual counselors; CCPT with English-speaking, monolingual counselors; or active control (bilingual mentoring). Monolingual counselors participated in cultural competency training and supervision with bilingual counselors and supervisors. According to independent observers and teachers blinded to children's group assignment, both the bilingual CCPT group and the monolingual CCPT group demonstrated moderate treatment effects over bilingual mentoring, yet between-group differences were not statistically significant. Analysis of within-group change over time indicated that children in both CCPT interventions demonstrated statistically significant improvement, while the mentoring group did not. The percentage of children in each treatment group who improved from clinical to normal behavioral functioning suggests the clinical significance of the findings: 80% bilingual CCPT, 70% monolingual CCPT, 15% bilingual mentoring. Overall, …

Child centered play therapy (CCPT) is a therapeutic intervention that provides the environment for children to work through and heal from difficult experiences through expression of play and therapeutic relationship. It has been demonstrated effective with multiple types of disruptive behaviors. I conducted single-case research to explore CCPT's influence on children who had four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and provided analysis of data collected from one assessment administered weekly and one assessment at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Young Children. The two participants (one 8-year-old White American male and one 9-year-old White American female) demonstrated significant improvement in total difficulties and prosocial behaviors. The study revealed potential therapeutic benefits for utilizing CCPT with children who had four or more ACEs. Encompassed in discussion of study results are implications for practice, suggestions for future research, and limitations.

This study explored participants' experiences of being interviewed with the Adult Attachment Interview as a means of supporting counselor self-awareness and fostering effective counselor-client working alliances. A sample of first-year counselor education doctoral students (n = 7) completed an AAI interview and feedback session. Participants completed five reflective journals over three weeks and explored their experiences in individual, semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis protocol. Four superordinate themes emerged from the analysis: (a) reactions to the AAI interview process, (b) process with AAI feedback, (c) AAI and intrapersonal process, and (d) AAI and interpersonal process. Additionally, there were eight subordinate themes: (a) surprised by AAI interview process, (b) interview process sparked reflection, (c) initial reaction to AAI feedback, (d) evolving process of integrating AAI feedback, (e) AAI process increased awareness, (f) increased self-awareness increased self-efficacy, (g) awareness from AAI process prompted relational shifts, (h) impact of AAI on clinical work, (i) importance of relationships, (j) importance of self-awareness, and (k) mutual influence of personal and professional. Findings in this study suggest that the AAI is an effective tool in supporting counselor self-awareness regarding attachment strategies. Additionally, findings suggest multiple personal and professional benefits, such as increased …

Older adopted children and their families often express high need for support for attachment and trauma related concerns. Post-adoption mental health intervention focused on enhancing the parent-child relationship among adoptive parents and adoptees is essential for fostering placement permanency among these families. This single group pilot study explored the effect of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) for adoptive parents of preadolescents who reported attachment related concerns, stress in the parent-child relationship, and child behavior problems. Participants were 11 adoptive parents ages 25 to 64 (55% male; 91% couples; 100% married; 56% European American, 27% Asian, 9% Hispanic, and 9% Black American) with adoptees between the ages of 8 to 14 (56% male; 56% Hispanic, 33% European American, and 11% Black American). All child participants were adopted out of foster care. Data was collected at baseline, pretest, midtest, and posttest. Results from non-parametric Friedman test of differences across 4 points of measure indicated that CPRT demonstrated statistically significant improvement for the 3 outcome variables: parental empathy, child behavior, and parent child relationship stress. Specifically, results indicated that prior to receiving CPRT (baseline to pretest), parents demonstrated no change or worsening in functioning across all variables, whereas during the intervention phase findings showed …