Study Guide - ANSWER Stepping beyond the boundaries of clinical and
private practice settings, professional counsellors providing services within
school systems can face widely ranging challenges and diversity in their roles.
School counselling roles can be defined and determined not only by the student
populations served, but by the expectations and needs of parents and
educational personnel, as well as the prevailing school district or
college/university policies and procedures. Given this diversity, school
counsellors must be knowledgeable about the availability of school transition
and transfer programs, as well as community resources and services.
DSM Section for children - ANSWER DSM has a section of "Disorders
Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence"
Counsellor role and impact - ANSWER -Important to be aware of what normal
development looks like, and know what interventions can work for maladaptive
behaviour.
-In starting school: some ready and eager, others disadvantaged from different
factors. Some have trauma.
-Lots of issues that can impact children and their families such as substance
abuse, changing family patterns, low self-esteem, hopelessness, AIDS, racial
and ethnic tensions, crime and violence, teenage pregnancy, sexism. Can have
negative impact. Counselling can make a different in school or out of school.
-In school setting 'counseling interventions have a substantial impact on
students' educational and personal development'. Counselling interventions
generally have a moderate but clear effect on altering problematic child and
adolescent behaviour.
Childhood issues frequency - ANSWER Around 20% of youth experience
some form of emotional, behavioural or developmental problem. For 10% it
substantially impacts their functioning. Some issues (delinquency and substance
abuse) on the rise.
-Increased demand for school counselling, but often the target of cutbacks.
,Regulation of counsellors - ANSWER No national Canadian standard for
school counsellors so many just have a BEd in their chosen field of study.
Considerations for counselling youth - ANSWER -In counselling youth,
important to remember they are not little adults. Need to consider: a)
developmental stage, b) environment, c) their reasons for beginning counselling,
d) other relevant considerations that will likely necessitate a different and
perhaps creative approach to working with them successfully.
-Most youth do not initiate a request for counselling, usually caregiver or
parent. Because of this, youth may have a) little interest in pursuing counselling,
b) an uncooperative spirit, c) little insight into their problem, d) no idea what
counselling is or how it is supposed to be helpful (Prout, 2007).
-Personality of youth still forming, less entrenched defense mechanisms.
Potential for being helpful in changing personality and response to stress.
-Youth more likely to be impatient, intolerant and noncommunicative in
counselling. More time needs to be spent building a working alliance. Helpful to
relate to youth in developmentally appropriate ways.
-Better to focus on here and now.
-Counsellor should have good knowledge of stage theories of Freud, Piaget,
Kohlberg, Erikson.
Freud - ANSWER stages of sexual interest. Unusual for 10 year old girl to be
sexually interested, maybe was sexualized.
Piaget - ANSWER Stages of cognitive ability and limitations, need to tailor
interventions. Preoperational, operational, formal operational, etc.
Kohlberg - ANSWER Moral development. Lower = delinquency. Need to
foster.
Erikson - ANSWER different task stages of overcoming _ vs _
Adolescent development - ANSWER Normal adolescent development is
characterized by a period of storm and stress, meaning that teens often
experience distressing and unpredictable thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Be
careful not to over pathologize odd behaviours in teens, but need to recognize
what is abnormal.
, Sexual activity and youth - ANSWER Sexual activity rates in youth are down.
Higher sexual health than previous generations. More frequent condom use
although STIs still an issue, especially in impoverished, rural and indigenous
youth.
Copeland (1974) characteristics of adolescent thought and behaviour that are
common and therefore not usually indicative of pathology. - ANSWER 1 Self-
preoccupation. The adolescent may appear quite narcissistic as they learn to
focus on themselves
2 Fantasy preoccupation. Fantasy is often used as a means of controlling the
strong drives and feelings that teens experience.
3 Self-expression preoccupation. This often reflects the adolescent's quest to
develop a unique sense of identity.
4 Theories, ideas, and philosophical preoccupation. Along with formal
operational thoughts comes a desire to understand the world with greater
complexity than in the past. The search, however, is still often for "absolute
truths" and "ultimate reality".
5 Sexuality preoccupation. Most teens are very interested in sexuality, not
surprising given the surge in sex hormones released following puberty. They
may also become preoccupied with their dress and their appearance.
6 Asceticism and/or hedonism preoccupation. The intensity of an adolescent's
drive requires a response, and the choice is often whether to deny gratification
out of guilt or pursue it wholeheartedly.
7 Conformity. Most adolescents (at least those from an individualistic culture)
shift their focus from their parents to their peers, and their need to conform also
shifts to their peer group. Consequently, their dress and other interests may be
in sharp contrast to that of their parents.
Brief History of Youth Counselling - ANSWER -Sigmund Freud's
conceptualization and treatment of "Little Hans" and his phobia seen as the first
attempt to treat and conceptualize a childhood disorder.
-First movement in youth treatment from psychoanalytic approach, furthered by
Anna Freud and Melanie Klein. Popular through 40s-50s
-1947 Virginia Axle published book on nondirective play therapy. Basically kid
version of Roger's person-centred.
-Behavioural movement in youth treatment in 60s.
private practice settings, professional counsellors providing services within
school systems can face widely ranging challenges and diversity in their roles.
School counselling roles can be defined and determined not only by the student
populations served, but by the expectations and needs of parents and
educational personnel, as well as the prevailing school district or
college/university policies and procedures. Given this diversity, school
counsellors must be knowledgeable about the availability of school transition
and transfer programs, as well as community resources and services.
DSM Section for children - ANSWER DSM has a section of "Disorders
Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence"
Counsellor role and impact - ANSWER -Important to be aware of what normal
development looks like, and know what interventions can work for maladaptive
behaviour.
-In starting school: some ready and eager, others disadvantaged from different
factors. Some have trauma.
-Lots of issues that can impact children and their families such as substance
abuse, changing family patterns, low self-esteem, hopelessness, AIDS, racial
and ethnic tensions, crime and violence, teenage pregnancy, sexism. Can have
negative impact. Counselling can make a different in school or out of school.
-In school setting 'counseling interventions have a substantial impact on
students' educational and personal development'. Counselling interventions
generally have a moderate but clear effect on altering problematic child and
adolescent behaviour.
Childhood issues frequency - ANSWER Around 20% of youth experience
some form of emotional, behavioural or developmental problem. For 10% it
substantially impacts their functioning. Some issues (delinquency and substance
abuse) on the rise.
-Increased demand for school counselling, but often the target of cutbacks.
,Regulation of counsellors - ANSWER No national Canadian standard for
school counsellors so many just have a BEd in their chosen field of study.
Considerations for counselling youth - ANSWER -In counselling youth,
important to remember they are not little adults. Need to consider: a)
developmental stage, b) environment, c) their reasons for beginning counselling,
d) other relevant considerations that will likely necessitate a different and
perhaps creative approach to working with them successfully.
-Most youth do not initiate a request for counselling, usually caregiver or
parent. Because of this, youth may have a) little interest in pursuing counselling,
b) an uncooperative spirit, c) little insight into their problem, d) no idea what
counselling is or how it is supposed to be helpful (Prout, 2007).
-Personality of youth still forming, less entrenched defense mechanisms.
Potential for being helpful in changing personality and response to stress.
-Youth more likely to be impatient, intolerant and noncommunicative in
counselling. More time needs to be spent building a working alliance. Helpful to
relate to youth in developmentally appropriate ways.
-Better to focus on here and now.
-Counsellor should have good knowledge of stage theories of Freud, Piaget,
Kohlberg, Erikson.
Freud - ANSWER stages of sexual interest. Unusual for 10 year old girl to be
sexually interested, maybe was sexualized.
Piaget - ANSWER Stages of cognitive ability and limitations, need to tailor
interventions. Preoperational, operational, formal operational, etc.
Kohlberg - ANSWER Moral development. Lower = delinquency. Need to
foster.
Erikson - ANSWER different task stages of overcoming _ vs _
Adolescent development - ANSWER Normal adolescent development is
characterized by a period of storm and stress, meaning that teens often
experience distressing and unpredictable thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Be
careful not to over pathologize odd behaviours in teens, but need to recognize
what is abnormal.
, Sexual activity and youth - ANSWER Sexual activity rates in youth are down.
Higher sexual health than previous generations. More frequent condom use
although STIs still an issue, especially in impoverished, rural and indigenous
youth.
Copeland (1974) characteristics of adolescent thought and behaviour that are
common and therefore not usually indicative of pathology. - ANSWER 1 Self-
preoccupation. The adolescent may appear quite narcissistic as they learn to
focus on themselves
2 Fantasy preoccupation. Fantasy is often used as a means of controlling the
strong drives and feelings that teens experience.
3 Self-expression preoccupation. This often reflects the adolescent's quest to
develop a unique sense of identity.
4 Theories, ideas, and philosophical preoccupation. Along with formal
operational thoughts comes a desire to understand the world with greater
complexity than in the past. The search, however, is still often for "absolute
truths" and "ultimate reality".
5 Sexuality preoccupation. Most teens are very interested in sexuality, not
surprising given the surge in sex hormones released following puberty. They
may also become preoccupied with their dress and their appearance.
6 Asceticism and/or hedonism preoccupation. The intensity of an adolescent's
drive requires a response, and the choice is often whether to deny gratification
out of guilt or pursue it wholeheartedly.
7 Conformity. Most adolescents (at least those from an individualistic culture)
shift their focus from their parents to their peers, and their need to conform also
shifts to their peer group. Consequently, their dress and other interests may be
in sharp contrast to that of their parents.
Brief History of Youth Counselling - ANSWER -Sigmund Freud's
conceptualization and treatment of "Little Hans" and his phobia seen as the first
attempt to treat and conceptualize a childhood disorder.
-First movement in youth treatment from psychoanalytic approach, furthered by
Anna Freud and Melanie Klein. Popular through 40s-50s
-1947 Virginia Axle published book on nondirective play therapy. Basically kid
version of Roger's person-centred.
-Behavioural movement in youth treatment in 60s.
