Teaching Online Group Counseling Skills in an On-Campus Group Counseling Course

Counselors are increasingly incorporating digital modalities into their practices. As such, counseling students must be trained to provide such types of counseling within their degree programs. This article outlines an example curriculum for an on-campus group counseling class wherein students receive training and participate in an online, videoconferencing process group

Facebook usage predicted by sense of community and \u27loneliness\u27

Facebook Usage Predicted by Sense of Community and \u27loneliness\u27 Face book is one of a growing number of social networking sites (SNSs) that are currently being used by young adults to compliment face-to-face interactions. The use of these sites raises questions in relation to how their function may be compared to measurements of more traditional communication. This research measured Sense of Community (SoC) and \u27loneliness\u27 in young adults in order to predict usage of Facebook. Participants were 154 Facebook users (82% female, mean age 23.66) who completed an online survey with four components (demographics, Facebook usage, SoC Index, and the DeJong Gierveld Loneliness Scale). An analysis ofthe results showed that there was no significant correlation between \u27loneliness\u27 and SoC on Facebook. Binary logistic regression found significant negative results for SoC on Facebook from sending \u27friend requests\u27 to people seen often and people known through other people, and a significant result using \u27loneliness\u27 and the interaction for receiving \u27friend requests\u27 known only from the internet. SoC on Facebook also produced a significant negative association for the chi-squared analysis investigating positive and negative value when categorising on-line and off-line relationships. There were some limitations to this research in terms of the questions asked and the sample group. The investigation into \u27loneliness\u27 and SoC on Facebook to predict users\u27 interactions on-line and their valuing of on-line and off-line friendships produced mixed results but has provided an opportunity to extend previous research by adding additional information regarding this new social networking medium

Best Practices for the Occupation of Education for College Students with Mental Health Issues

Objective: To examine the available evidence for interventions provided on college campuses that address mental illness in college-aged students. Method: The scoping review process laid out in Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was utilized to help guide the process. Four databases were used to search for articles. Specific search terms for each database were developed with the aid of a librarian. A total of 82 articles were included in the final scoping review. Results: Interventions were categorized based on the Public Health Model and intervention type. 30 articles fell within the tier 1, universal category, 52 articles fell within the tier 2, targeted category, and 32 articles fell within the tier 3, intensive category. Regarding intervention types, 33 articles were classified as specialized counseling, therapy, or peer support; 30 articles were classified as stigma reduction; 21 articles were classified as prevention/health promotion; 18 articles were classified as mental health literacy; 14 articles were classified as help-seeking/disclosure; and 5 articles were classified as supported education. The findings have limited generalizability due to less rigorous research designs and small sample sizes. Conclusion: More rigorous research needs to be completed regarding what is being done to address mental health in college and university students. There is also a need for more research on appropriate accommodations as there is currently little research on this topic. Finally, there needs to be more research on occupational therapy’s role in this area of practic

Outcome of an Online Mutual Support Group for College Students with Psychological Problems

This study set up and evaluated an online mutual support group for college students with psychological problems. In a 2 x 2 pre-post design, participants (N = 238) were randomly assigned to either the Information Only condition, giving access to a Web site containing information about student problems, or to the Support Group condition, giving access to an identical Web site with the addition of an online mutual support group. Participants in both conditions improved on two of the three outcome measures, the CORE-OM and the Satisfaction with Life Scale, but there was no evidence of differential outcome between the two conditions

HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG NURSING HOME RESIDENTS IN WESTERN CANADA

Background: The percentage of young adults (age 18-64) residing in nursing homes (NHs) has been increasing over the past decade. Yet, little is known about who they are, why they reside in NHs, and how their quality of life/ health-related quality of life are affected. Methods: This is a three-paper dissertation. The first study is a scoping review seeking to understand younger NH residents’ lived experiences, needs, and quality of life. The second paper is a secondary analysis using the Canada Minimum Data Set to describe and compare the individual characteristics between younger and older NH residents. The third study is another secondary data analysis using the Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC) dataset. The ANCOVA analysis and case-control propensity score matching were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study comparing the Health-Related Quality of Life between younger and older NH residents. Covariates were also examined.Results: The study’s key review findings cover five themes: (1) Confinement, (2) Lack of socialization, (3) Lack of privacy, (4) Lack of appropriate settings, and (5) Loss of identity as well as results of quality of life. In the secondary analyses, individual characteristics, facility characteristics and the mean score of HRQoL were examined for differences with age. Younger NH residents had a higher chance of being male, single, more obese, more depressed, had a higher prevalence of depression, cerebral vascular accidents, hemi- or quadriplegia, required more assistance in ADLs, and had better HRQoL than older residents. Moreover, younger NH residents were reported to reside mainly in the large (> 120 beds) and voluntary sectors of Alberta and had higher mean HRQoL score than older NH residents. Conclusions: This study contributed to a better comprehension of younger NH residents’ lived experiences, needs, and quality of life, as well as how their individual characteristics differed from older residents. These findings can offer useful information to policymakers, providers, and researchers to guide them in developing tailored policies, programs, and interventions. Finally, the findings provided a baseline estimate as researchers continue to track the growth of and changes in populations served in NHs.Doctor of Philosoph

A Pilot Study Exploring the Educational and Social/Emotional Benefits of Web-Based Groups for Parents of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research has indicated that parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) experience more feelings of isolation, depression and stress than those of children with other disorders including ADHD and Down Syndrome. While these feelings are especially elevated in parents living in rural communities who may have limited access to services, they are also present in those living in urban areas but are restricted due to challenges with childcare, transportation, finances and time. Furthermore, research posits that services for parents of the newly diagnosed or of younger children are abundant while services and education for parents of adolescents are hard to access regardless of location. This study explored the use of technology as a viable option for providing education and emotional support to parents of adolescents with ASDs and may assist in guiding future studies of this nature. Group sessions were facilitated remotely using video-conference technology and covered the topics of stress reduction, IEP\u27s, puberty, and the transition to adulthood. This study employed a mixed methods design that utilized a concurrent triangulation approach. Within this approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently and then compared to determine if there was convergence, differences, or some combination. The quantitative tools included, first, the Stress Index for Parents of Adolescents (SIPA) which was used to measure any change in stress levels that occurred throughout the treatment. Pretest/posttest measures were then used to measure knowledge acquisition. The data gathered from these tools were then analyzed using a t test for paired samples. The qualitative phase employed a questionnaire that obtained anecdotal information regarding participants\u27 experiences with and preferences towards parent groups; their feelings of depression, isolation, stress related to parenting a child with ASD; their confidence regarding the topics of stress reduction, IEP\u27s, puberty, and the transition to adulthood; and their experiences within the web-based group setting. This qualitative information was used to look for themes to begin to understand how parents of adolescents with ASD may benefit from groups provided using Internet technology

Online Support Groups for Depression and Anxiety: Outcome and Process

The studies described in this thesis aimed to investigate the potential benefits of an online support group (OSG) for participants experiencing depression and anxiety. After a review of the literature (Chapter 1), the first experiment (Chapter 2) analyses the validity of a commonly used text analysis software called Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), which is used later in the RCT to examine the correlates of the outcome measures. In order to prepare for the RCT, two pilot studies were carried out (Chapter 3), one to test the OSG arm and another to test the placebo control condition, an expressive writing task. The main RCT (Chapter 4) adopted a six-month randomised control trial design, with participants randomised to either (1) an OSG or (2) an expressive writing placebo control condition. The hypothesis was that participants randomised to the OSG would show greater improvement on the main outcome measures (reduced depression and anxiety, increased satisfaction with life and social support) than those in the expressive writing comparison group. The results for all four primary outcomes--depression, anxiety, satisfaction with life and social support --showed an improvement with time over the six months of the study. But participants responded similarly to the expressive writing and the OSG, so no evidence was found for the experimental hypothesis. However, the OSG had much higher drop-out rates than the expressive writing condition, suggesting that acceptability was lower. Finally, participants' feedback on the OSG and expressive writing was investigated qualitatively (Chapter 5). The main problems participants perceived with the OSG were a lack of comfort and connection with others, negative social comparisons and the potential for receiving bad advice. In comparison, participants were broadly positive about the expressive writing task. The conclusion is that little positive evidence was found for the benefits of using an OSG for depression and anxiety. Recommendations for clinicians and policy-makers are discussed (Chapter 6)