The Impact of Lectures by Diverse Professionals on Diversity Awareness: Pre-Post Changes

Despite the increasing diversity in the United States, minorities in the field of higher education continue to be disproportionately low. Worldviews on Education Lecture Series (WELS) was created to provide opportunities for students to have interactive dialogues with diverse professionals from around the world and nation. Theeffects of these lectures on diversity awareness were examined. Participants completed 12 items from the Miami University Diversity Awareness Scale (MUDAS) before and after the lecture. A series of paired samples t-tests were conducted to determine if the scores on the post-test were significantly higher than the scores on the pre-test. Compared to the pre-test, participants reported greater diversity awareness on the post-test. The writers conclude that given an opportunity to learn from a diverse professional, students can increase their knowledge and change their perceptions in relation to diversity. Implications for higher education and future research efforts are discussed

Integrating Mindfulness into the Training of Helping Professionals

Mindfulness refers to the purposeful and nonjudgmental focus on internal and external experiences in the present moment. Extensive research in the fields of psychology, medicine, and counseling has explored the use and benefits of mindfulness-based practice in general. Such research has determined that mindfulness enhances skill development and counselor preparation within the human service professions. Therapeutic and educational settings have thus increasingly embraced mindfulness practices. This exploratory paper posits that the study and practice of mindfulness can be beneficial for both faculty and graduate students in the fields of Mental Health, School Counseling, and School Psychology. The aims of this paper are three-fold: 1. Review the literature on mindfulness-based practices across these disciplines; 2. Assess the benefits of mindfulness and how it aligns with the professional missions; and 3. Outline the contours of a curriculum designed and implemented by the co-authors to educate and train future counselors and school psychologists in mindfulness practices

Predictors of Suicide Attempt Status: Acquired Capability, Ideation, and Reasons

The present study compared Non-Attempters, Recent Attempters, and Distant Attempters on the following three constructs: Acquired capability for suicide, reasons for attempting suicide (internal perturbation based reasons vs. extrapunitive/manipulative reasons), and suicidal ideation. Participants were 40 Non-Attempters, 28 Recent Attempters, and 32 Distant Attempters at three state psychiatric hospitals. The sample consisted of 63 males and 37 females ranging in age from 18 to 63 years (M = 35.84, SD = 11.44). All patients completed the self-report measures. There were significant differences between the groups on suicidal ideation and acquired capability for suicide. The results of the present study indicate that acquired capability and reasons for attempting suicide have considerable importance for understanding suicide risk. Integration of acquired capability for suicide and reasons for attempting suicide into assessment and treatment is warranted

Coping competence and hopelessness moderate the influence of perceived burdensomeness on suicidal ideation in undergraduate college students

According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, the perception of imposing a burden on loved ones increases the risk for suicidal ideation. Little research, however, has examined the interaction of burdensomeness with cognitive variables in predicting suicidal ideation in college students even though the relationship between burdensomeness and ideation may be contingent on levels of cognitive risk factors. The present study thus examined the relationships between burdensomeness, hopelessness, coping competence, and suicidal ideation. Questionnaires were administered to 279 undergraduate students from a university in the Midwest United States. After controlling for depression, hopelessness, and coping competence, burdensomeness significantly predicted ideation and accounted for variance above and beyond the control variables. Moreover, the relationship between burdensomeness and suicidal ideation was significantly moderated by coping competence and hopelessness. The findings suggest that perceived burdensomeness plays a critical role in the risk for suicide in college students. More specifically, the findings suggest that coping competence and hopelessness can be ideal targets for interventions as changes in these variables may attenuate the association between perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation