A Practical Guide to Instrument Development and Score Validation in the Social Sciences: The MEASURE Approach

The research and practice of social scientists who work in a myriad of different specialty areas involve developing and validating scores on instruments as well as evaluating the psychometric properties of existing instrumentation for use with research participants. In this article, the author introduces The MEASURE Approach to instrument development, an acronym of seven empirically supported steps for instrument development, and initial score validation that he developed based on the recommendations of leading psychometric researchers and based on his own extensive background in instrument development. Implications for how The MEASURE Approach has utility for enhancing the assessment literacy of social scientists who work in a variety of different specialty areas are discussed

Identifying Barriers to Attendance in Counseling Among Adults in the United States: Confirming the Factor Structure of the Revised Fit, Stigma, & Value Scale

The primary aim of this study was to cross-validate the Revised Fit, Stigma, & Value (FSV) Scale, a questionnaire for measuring barriers to counseling, using a stratified random sample of adults in the United States. Researchers also investigated the percentage of adults living in the United States that had previously attended counseling and examined demographic differences in participants’ sensitivity to barriers to counseling. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the three-dimensional FSV model. Results also revealed that close to one-third of adults in the United States have attended counseling, with women attending counseling at higher rates (35%) than men (28%). Implications for practice, including how professional counselors, counseling agencies, and counseling professional organizations can use the FSV Scale to appraise and reduce barriers to counseling among prospective clients are discussed

Development and Validation of the College Mental Health Perceived Competency Scale

College counselors provide training to their campus constituents on various mental health issues, including the identification of warning signs and the referral of students to appropriate resources. Though extensive information on these topics is available in the counseling literature, college counselors lack a psychometrically sound screening instrument to support some of these educational efforts. To meet this need, the present researchers developed and validated the College Mental Health Perceived Competency Scale (CMHPCS). Based largely on self-determination theory, the measure appraises college student and faculty members’ perceived competence for supporting student mental health. Reliability and construct validity of the CMHPCS are demonstrated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Hierarchical logistic regression procedures yielded sufficient evidence of the CMHPCS’s predictive validity. Specific applications to assist college counselors with outreach and consultation are discussed

Matching Variables with the Appropriate Statistical Tests in Counseling Research

Quantitative research literacy, including matching variables with the appropriate statistical tests, is a key element in counselor education and preparation. Counselor educators are tasked with teaching quantitative research and statistics, which counselors-in-training tend to find anxiety-producing. Authors aimed to provide a succinct overview of matching variables with appropriate statistical tests and provide strategies counselor educators can use to enhance their pedagogy

Applying John Dewey\u27s Theory of Education to Infuse Experiential Learning in an Introduction to Human Services Course

Teaching an introductory human services course is challenging, as educators must provide an overview of effective practice in a highly diverse field. Researchers conducted a review of all of the prior editions of the Journal of Human Services (JHS) to identify previous research on experiential learning strategies in human services education. This brief note examines the pedagogical practice of experiential learning and the application of John Dewey\u27s theory for successfully training students in an Introduction to Human Services course

Human Service Students\u27 and Professionals\u27 Knowledge and Experiences of Interprofessionalism: Implications for Education

Interprofessionalism is an approach to delivering optimal client care in which providers from multiple professions work collaboratively on care teams. Human Service Professionals (HSPs) are generalists who frequently work together with professionals in related fields. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which HSPs and helping professionals in related fields have engaged in interprofessional experiences. Researchers also investigated the impact that having previous interprofessional experiences had on participants\u27 perceptions of interprofessionalism. Results revealed that professionals and students who had previous interprofessional experiences were significantly more likely to have positive perceptions about interprofessional cooperation. However, results also indicated that only a small proportion of HSPs and mental health professionals in related fields reported engaging in interprofessional experiences. Suggestions for how educators can infuse interprofessionalism into the curriculum for human services and related programs are provided

Barriers to Counseling Among Human Service Professionals: The Development and Validation of the Fit, Stigma, & Value Scale

This study sought to confirm rates of attendance in counseling of human service professionals and validate a 32-item questionnaire designed to identify barriers to counseling seeking behavior among this population. Results indicated that a large percentage of human service professionals attend counseling, with males and females attending at similar rates and non-Caucasians attending at lower rates. A multivariate analysis of variance and descriptive statistics identified the most common barriers to attendance in counseling and examined demographic differences in participants’ sensitivity towards barriers to attendance in counseling. A Principal Factor Analysis (PFA) revealed three subscales (fit, value, and stigma), which we called the Fit, Stigma, & Value (FSV) Scale. How the instrument can be used with students in human service programs, and with human service professionals, to reduce barriers to attendance in counseling and ultimately ameliorate personal problems, reduce vicarious traumatization, and limit countertransference are discussed

Residential Community College Student Awareness of Mental Health Problems and Resources

An exploratory survey study assessed community college student awareness of signs, risk factors, and resources for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The majority of the participants reported adequate awareness of mental disorders. Females were more likely than males and sophomores were more likely than freshmen to recognize signs and risk factors of mental illness. Half of the participants were unaware of campus mental health resources. Strategies for increasing student awareness of mental health problems, counseling, and other campus resources for mental illness are presented

Promoting the Wellness of Physician-Residents: Counselor-Delivered Coaching

Current studies on coaching have largely been process- and outcomes-oriented while lacking a firm theoretical foundation on which to base skills and techniques. Coaching has been utilized in many settings in order to address employee work attitude and well-being. This article explores the effects of counselor-delivered coaching on the wellness of physician-residents. Counselors are trained in many of the skills that organically apply to coaching, and medical education programs can benefit from counselor-facilitated coaching as part of their graduate medical education program. Counselor-delivered coaching also can help residents reduce common stresses, mitigate negative patient outcomes, and avoid burnout. This increase in physician wellness is likely to result in decreased medical errors. For these reasons, the authors explore the use of basic counseling techniques in the context of coaching sessions involving medical school educators and residents, thereby bridging the gap between coaching and counseling. Counselor-delivered coaching may be a valuable resource for reducing physician burnout. Therefore, medical schools and medical practices should consider developing and including counselor-delivered coaching to improve physicians’ quality of life and thus, in turn, patient results. Findings from this study support future data-driven studies of counselor-delivered coaching, training opportunities for counselor education programs, and an evolution of coaching techniques

Community College Student Awareness of Mental Health Problems and Resources

An exploratory survey study assessed community college student awareness of signs, risk factors, and resources for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. The majority of the participants reported adequate awareness of mental disorders. Females were more likely than males and sophomores were more likely than freshmen to recognize signs and risk factors of mental illness. Half of the participants were unaware of campus mental health resources. Strategies for increasing student awareness of mental health problems, counseling, and other campus resources for mental illness are presented