{"title":"Black Men's Continuation in Counseling: A Critical Constructivist Grounded Theory","authors":"Jordan Shannon, Lauren White","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study was designed to understand help-seeking behavior based on Black men's experiences in mental health counseling. Using a critical constructivist grounded theory approach, the participant pool consisted of 11 Black men, who completed semistructured interviews on their counseling experiences. Data from these 11 interviews revealed a core category that Black men continue counseling to pursue healing, challenge stigma, and break stereotypes around masculinity, race, and authentic engagement in mental health. This theory consisted of four clusters (I Can and Will Do This Here, Personal Decisions, Witnessing Change, and Recommendations for Mental Health Services). Relevant implications for clinical practice, education, and research are discussed. Primary focus is on how Black men as clients discussed their own journeys of help-seeking and believed counseling to support the emotional and psychological concerns presented by trauma and racism.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"529-544"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kelly A. Owen, Jolie Ziomek-Daigle, C. Missy Moore, Brandee Appling
{"title":"The Impact of School-Based Group Adlerian Play Therapy on Internalizing Behaviors","authors":"Kelly A. Owen, Jolie Ziomek-Daigle, C. Missy Moore, Brandee Appling","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70056","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study examined the impact of group Adlerian play therapy (GAdPT) compared to a waitlist control group (WG) with 94 fourth- and fifth-grade students reporting clinical levels of internalizing behaviors. Forty-eight students were assigned to GAdPT and 46 were assigned to the WG. Students in the treatment group received two 30-min play therapy sessions weekly for 6 weeks, whereas students in the WG received no intervention. Following post administration of instruments, students in the WG received GAdPT. Results from two-by-two split-plot ANOVAs indicated the GAdPT treatment group demonstrated statistically significant improvements on internalizing behaviors at home and in the classroom, reported by parents and teachers, compared to the WG. GAdPT demonstrated a large effect size for teacher/parent-reported outcomes over time, indicating the clinical significance of the intervention. Additionally, 73% of parents and 91% of teachers reported improvements in internalizing behaviors, also revealing clinical significance. Implications for counseling practice are included.</p>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"621-632"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jcad.70056","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John J. S. Harrichand, Priscilla Rose Prasath, Claudia Interiano-Shiverdecker, Devon E. Romero, Kendra Moreno
{"title":"Social Determinants of Health With Sex Trafficking Survivors in the United States: A Grounded Theory","authors":"John J. S. Harrichand, Priscilla Rose Prasath, Claudia Interiano-Shiverdecker, Devon E. Romero, Kendra Moreno","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sex trafficking survivors experience complex trauma compounded by structural inequities that shape their access to safety, health, and recovery. This grounded theory study explored how social determinants of health (SDOH) influence the lived experiences of sex trafficking survivors in the United States and the perspectives of counselors working with this population. Using a constructivist grounded theory design, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 participants (10 survivors, 10 counselors). Findings revealed six interconnected domains (i.e., financial disempowerment and recovery, education, trauma-informed health care, environmental vulnerability, spiritual harm and healing, and relational trauma and reconnection) that extend traditional SDOH frameworks by integrating trauma histories, systemic oppression, and relational context. Survivors emphasized the need for holistic, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive systems of care that promote safety, agency, and stable community support. The resulting theory centers survivor voice and offers counseling-specific implications for practice, training, advocacy, and policy.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"590-607"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Testing and Extending the Minority Stress Model Among Jewish College Students: A Mixed Methods Study","authors":"Jacob Schachter, Alex A. Ajayi","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70050","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Antisemitic incidents have increased on US college campuses, yet psychological frameworks for understanding Jewish experiences are limited. In this study, we used mixed methods to apply the minority stress model (MSM) to Jewish students at a large Midwestern university. Thirty-nine participants completed self-report surveys, and 10 of these participants also completed semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative analyses revealed medium and large correlations among antisemitism, vigilance, and Jewish identity, and among collective self-esteem, self-hatred, and mental health outcomes. Qualitative results highlighted the stressful impact of vicarious antisemitism and microaggressions on expectations of rejection, concealment, and identity conflict. Participants also emphasized the protective roles of self-acceptance, community connectedness, and identity pride. Integration supported the applicability of the MSM for understanding Jewish students’ experiences and suggested extensions to capture context-specific processes. Future studies with larger and more diverse samples are needed to further test and refine this framework.</p>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"545-561"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jcad.70050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing Counselor Education With Artificial Intelligence Chatbots: Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence and Counseling Skill Self-Efficacy","authors":"Eunae Han, Pei-Ling Hsu, Jihoon Shin","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70058","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This concurrent embedded mixed-method study explored how an AI chatbot (ChatGPT) supports self-efficacy in counseling skills among counseling students. Pre-/post-surveys examined changes in attitude toward AI and counseling self-efficacy using a two-way mixed-design analysis of variance among 50 students, with time (pre vs. post) as a within-subjects factor and group (e.g., intervention vs. comparison) as a between-subjects factor. Results demonstrated a significant interaction effect, with a large effect size (e.g., partial η<sup>2</sup> = 0.185) on perceived efficacy in working with challenging clients, particularly in relationship-building. A thematic analysis of students’ reflections identified five positive experiences and six key challenges in using ChatGPT-4o for counseling skill practice. Limitations and implications of the study are discussed.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"646-662"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring Korean Counselors’ Meaning of Counseling Expertise: Focusing on Differences Between Intermediate and Advanced Counselors","authors":"GeonWoo Cho, GoEun Na, Nanseol Heo","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70057","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study examined how Korean counselors conceptualize counseling expertise across developmental stages. Using text mining of 70 counselors’ written responses, analyses included word frequency, semantic network, and CONCOR clustering. Both groups shared a lexical foundation, with performance competence, continuous learning, and diverse experience emerging as core components. However, intermediate counselors used outcomes-related terms more frequently, reflecting a task-oriented framework tied to early-career performance anxiety, whereas advanced practitioners exhibited a sophisticated structure characterized by a profound shift toward continuous self-reflection and the critical evaluation of contextual factors. Furthermore, the study identified additional semantic structures of expertise that manifested within the legislative void of Korea, reflecting efforts to navigate professional differentiation amid systemic confusion. In conclusion, the results underscore the necessity of a legal licensing system and program accreditation system alongside contextually responsive counselor education and supervision.</p>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"633-645"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jcad.70057","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Counselors’ Meaning of Work and Living Calling: Job Satisfaction, Workaholism, and Psychological Burnout Moderated by Job Insecurity and Mindfulness","authors":"Li Yiran, Jeehyon Ahn, Young Seok Seo","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Calling can be both a generative resource and a risk factor for counselor well-being, yet work as a calling theory (WCT) has been tested mostly outside counseling. Drawing on WCT and informed by psychology of working theory and career construction theory, this study examined whether living calling mediates associations between meaning of work and counselors’ job satisfaction, psychological burnout, and workaholism, and whether job insecurity and mindfulness moderate these indirect paths. Survey data from 419 South Korean counselors were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling with 5000 bootstrap resamples. Living calling carried positive indirect effects on job satisfaction (<i>β</i> = 0.547, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and workaholism (<i>β</i> = 0.145, <i>p</i> < 0.05), and a negative indirect effect on burnout (<i>β</i> = −0.360, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Neither moderator was significant. Results affirm calling as generative while complicating its protective assumption; implications for supervision, training, and agency policy are advanced.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"562-577"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elizabeth L. Sweeting, Bradley T. Erford, Martin F. Sherman, Imani Bryant, Heather L. Smith, Julie Sriken
{"title":"Psychometric Analysis of Scores on the GAD-7 With University Students","authors":"Elizabeth L. Sweeting, Bradley T. Erford, Martin F. Sherman, Imani Bryant, Heather L. Smith, Julie Sriken","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study explored the psychometric characteristics of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder seven-item screener (GAD-7) scores. The 568 US university student participant responses yielded a unidimensional factor structure with mostly excellent fit statistics. Strong measurement invariance was evident across male and female groups and between White participants and students of color within the student sample. GAD-7 total scale alphas were >0.85. The GAD-7 scores had very good psychometric characteristics, and the GAD-7 yields a free, quick, and easy-to-administer instrument for use by counselors to screen for generalized anxiety.</p>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"517-528"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jcad.70053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Latent Classes of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Psychosocial Functioning With Emerging Adults","authors":"Matthew L. Nice, Alexander M. Fields","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70059","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with long-term mental, physical, and psychosocial difficulties, yet little research has examined how patterns of ACE exposure relate to developmental experiences during emerging adulthood. The present study used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify classes of ACEs among emerging adults (<i>N</i> = 420) to examine differences across the features of emerging adulthood, psychological functioning, quality-of-life indicators, and demographic characteristics. Three distinct ACE classes were identified: low ACE exposure, emotional adversity ACE, and high ACE exposure. Significant differences were found across classes for quality-of-life domains, life satisfaction, ego-resiliency, and meaning in life. Individuals with high ACE exposure reported the poorest outcomes. In contrast, no significant differences were observed across ACEs classes for the features of emerging adulthood. Findings suggest that ACE exposures were not related to whether emerging adults' developmental experiences occurred but were related to the quality with which they were experienced.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"663-682"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Todd W. Leibert, Rebecca J. Vannest, Stephanie A. Crockett, Richard N. Powell, Emrys Fonseca
{"title":"Client Perceptions of the OQ-45 Outcome Assessment With Practicum Counselors-in-Training: A Mixed-Methods Analysis","authors":"Todd W. Leibert, Rebecca J. Vannest, Stephanie A. Crockett, Richard N. Powell, Emrys Fonseca","doi":"10.1002/jcad.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Clinicians tend to overestimate their clients’ progress in treatment. A potential solution of adding formalized assessments into treatment has led to concerns about client paperwork burden. In this mixed-method study, we explored adult clients’ reactions to one formal assessment, the Outcome Questionnaire-45 (OQ-45). We used purposeful sampling to select 17 clients at a university counseling training center who had either improved, showed little change, or who deteriorated according to OQ-45. Using semi-structured interviews and grounded theory, we identified two higher order categories, clinical benefits and threats to accuracy, and two axial categories, OQ-45 likability and perceived accuracy. A crossover mixed analysis showed strong correlations between OQ-45 outcomes, clinical benefits, and OQ-45 likability. We proposed a conceptual model showing how client attitudes toward the OQ-45 depended on how compatible outcomes were to clients’ perceived benefits received in counseling. Counseling implications and future research directions are discussed.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48104,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Counseling and Development","volume":"104 4","pages":"608-620"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148878452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}