The Effectiveness of Emotion- Focused Couple Therapy on Mental Well-being and Performance of Couples Referring to Counseling Centers

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotion focused couple therapy on mental well-being and performance of maladapted couple referred to counselling centers. Methods: the present study had a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest, and a control group. The statistical population of the study consisted of all incompatible couples (n=30 couples) who had referred to counseling centers in shiraz in 1397, which were selected through available sampling method. Out of these 30 couples, 15 couples were randomly substituted as experimental group and 15 couples as control groups; and individuals in both groups were evaluated using questionnaires before performing the intervention in the experimental group. Data collection tools included the Great Oral and Magyar-Moe Welfare Family Performance Scale, the experimental group received ten 90-minute sessions of emotional treatment, while the control group did not receive any treatments. Data were analyzed by one–way analysis of covariance. Findings: The results of one-way analysis of covariance on the mean scores of post-test of mental well-being and family dysfunction of experimental and control groups with pre- test control, respectively (p<0.0001, F=40.77) and (p<0.0001, F=172.59), which indicates the significance of the effect of emotion-focused couple therapy. Conclusion: The analysis showed the effectiveness of emotion-focused couple therapy in increasing mental well-being and performance of conflicted couples.

Effects of Schema Therapy for Children and Adolescents on the Externalizing Behaviors of the Adolescents Referred to the Counseling Centers in Ahvaz, Iran

Background: Internalizing and externalizing behaviors often emerge during adolescence. Early interventions could prevent severe or chronic mental health issues such as depression, suicidal tendencies, crime, and social harm, thereby potentially mitigating their adverse consequences. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of schema therapy for children and adolescents (ST-CA) on the externalizing behaviors of the adolescents referred to the counseling centers in Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The sample population included adolescents aged 12 - 14 years with behavioral, educational, and mood problems who were referred to the counseling centers in Ahvaz, Iran in 2020. In total, 30 adolescents were selected via convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control (15 per each). The experimental group received 14 sessions of ST-CA (120-minute weekly sessions). Data were collected using the child behavior checklist. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 26.0. Results: In the experimental group, the mean scores of externalizing behaviors at the pretest and posttest were 70.52 ± 6.11 and 58.27 ± 4.80, respectively. The mean score of aggression in the experimental and control groups at the posttest was 57.60 ± 3.83 and 64.20 ± 7.41, respectively. The mean score of rule-breaking in the experimental and control groups at the posttest was 55.53 ± 6.10 and 61.07 ± 7.63, respectively. ST-CA could significantly alleviate the externalizing behaviors of the subjects, such as aggression and rule-breaking (P < 0.001). Conclusions: According to the results, ST-CA could effectively decrease externalizing behaviors. Therefore, this approach should be incorporated into the interventions designed for these cases. Our findings could lay the groundwork for further investigation in this regard.

Center Effects: Counseling Center Variables as Predictors of Psychotherapy Outcomes

Treatment context may have a unique impact on psychotherapy outcomes, above and beyond client, therapist, and therapy process variables. University counseling centers represent one such treatment context facing increasing treatment demands. This study examined the role of counseling centers and center variables in explaining differences in psychotherapy outcomes. The Center for Collegiate Mental Health, a large practice–research network, contained data from 116 counseling centers, 2,362 therapists, and 58,423 clients. Multilevel modeling tested if some counseling centers systematically achieved better outcomes than others (a “center effect”). Outcome was operationalized as clients’ magnitude and rate of change in distress across treatment. Results showed a relatively small “center effect” for both outcomes. Analyses sought to explain that center effect through administrative policies and characteristics. As a group, these variables partially explained the center effect. None explained a large portion of total outcome variance. Potential future implications for policy and advocacy efforts are discussed.

Measurement invariance and psychometric properties of the CCAPS for international student clients

Objectives: International students attending universities in the United States may encounter psychological distress related to their adjustment and experiences studying in a new context and seek services from university counseling centers. Many centers use the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) to measure psychological distress in college counseling centers. However, this scale has not been tested for measurement invariance with international students. Our purpose was to explore the measurement invariance of the CCAPS-62 and -34 for international students. Methods: We tested measurement invariance for both versions of the scale using data from over 107,000 university students in psychotherapy at university counseling centers. We also examined construct validity and internal consistency. Results: Invariance testing indicated the measurement models of the CCAPS-62 and -34 are equivalent between both groups. Conclusion: These findings are discussed in light of utilizing this widely-used scale in United States university/college counseling centers with international student clients.