Brian N. Phillips

Prediction of Membership in Rehabilitation Counseling Professional Associations

Declining membership is a concerning yet poorly understood issue affecting professional associations across disciplines (Bauman, 2008). Rehabilitation counseling association membership is in decline even while number of certified rehabilitation counselors continues to increase (Leahy, 2009). Factors influencing rehabilitation counseling professional association membership were explored and motives for membership examined using tenets of social exchange and social identity theories. A sample of 1,257 professionals was obtained from the databases of Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, National Rehabilitation Counseling Association, and Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association. Results support tenets of exchange and identity theories for membership motives, with perceived value of membership and professional identity salience predicting current membership. Graduate programs and the workplace were also shown to play an important role in predicting membership status. Results provide multiple individual and organizational means for addressing professional association membership decline.

Introduction to Positive Psychology in Rehabilitation.

Positive psychology has received increasing attention in rehabilitation counseling research and practice. The rehabilitation counseling philosophy shares a similar emphasis of personal assets and strengths, which provides a solid foundation for the integration of positive psychology into the professional practice of rehabilitation counseling. In this article, the guest editors present their rationale for developing this special issue on positive psychology and rehabilitation research. They highlight some of the exciting findings reported in the articles included in this special issue on positive psychology and rehabilitation research. The goal of this special issue is to stimulate thinking and discussion about applying positive psychology theory, research, assessment, and interventions in rehabilitation counseling for promoting overall well-being, quality of life, and happiness for people with chronic illness and disabilities.

Evaluating Snyder's Hope Theory as a Motivational Model of Participation and Life Satisfaction for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury: A Path Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate Snyder’s (2002) hope theory as a motivational model of community participation and life satisfaction. Design: Quantitative descriptive design using path analysis. Setting: Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Paraplegic Association. Participants: One-hundred and sixteen participants with spinal cord injuries who were members of the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Paraplegic Association. Results: The respecified path-analytic hope model of participation and life satisfaction fits the data reasonably well, with χ2/df = 2.58; GFI = .95; and CFI = .95. Participation—with indirect effects of causality, perceived control, resilience, agency thinking, and pathways thinking—explained 32% of the variance in life satisfaction. Causality and agency thinking—with indirect effects of perceived control, resilience, and pathways thinking—explained 40% of the variance in participation. Conclusion: Synder’s hope theory as a motivational model of participation and life satisfaction was validated with minor modifications to the model. The respecified model indicated that causality had a direct effect on participation; pathways thinking had a direct link to agency thinking; and pathways thinking only had an indirect effect on participation through agency thinking.

Work-related social skills: Definitions and interventions in public vocational rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE Social skills play an important role in employment. This study provides a qualitative analysis of salient work related social skills and interventions for addressing social skills in public vocational rehabilitation (VR). RESEARCH DESIGN A modified consensual qualitative research (CQR) approach was taken to understand the elements and influence of work related social skills in public VR. Thirty-five counselors, supervisors, and administrators participated in semistructured interviews to provide their perspectives of work related social skills and the interventions they use for addressing these skills. RESULTS Multiple aspects of work-related social skills were described as being important for VR consumer success. The most common work related social skills across all participants were nonverbal communication and the ability to connect with others. Primary social interventions included informal social skills training (SST), systems collaboration, and creating an appropriate job match. CONCLUSIONS Public rehabilitation agency staff, constantly faced with addressing work related social skills, possess many insights about salient skills and interventions that can benefit future research and practice. Agencies currently address social skills deficits by providing interventions to both person and environment. The research provides directions for future research related to identification of social skills and interventions to address related deficits.

A Qualitative Study of Job Placement Provider Decisions in Vocational Rehabilitation

A modified consensual qualitative research approach was taken to determine factors that influence job placement services in selected state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. Thirty-five counselors, supervisors, and administrators participated in semistructured interviews on job placement and how they determine whether the counselor or another professional (e.g., in-house placement specialist, community rehabilitation provider) provides the direct service. Results indicated that several factors were noted by at least half of the participants, including anticipated intensity of services needed by the client, counselor caseload size/available time, existing employer relationships, availability of a placement service provider, and placement skills. Results highlight the impact of consistently high client volume on placement services, particularly for individuals with the most significant disabilities. Implications related to the current state of policy and practice for placement services, as well as potential future directions, are discussed.

Positive Psychology Theory, Research, and Practice: A Primer for Rehabilitation Counseling Professionals.

Positive psychology is a scientific study that explores what makes life most worth living and applies psychological theory to understand the human strengths that are important for enhancing overall well-being and happiness. The rehabilitation counseling philosophy shares a similar emphasis on personal strengths and the importance of enhancing what is good rather than merely addressing the negative aspects of adversity. The field of rehabilitation counseling provides a solid foundation for the practice of positive psychology and there is great potential for improving services and outcomes for people with disabilities by applying positive psychology approaches in rehabilitation practice and research. The objective of this article is to provide rehabilitation professionals an overview of positive psychology and its application to rehabilitation counseling. Specifically, a brief history of the positive psychology movement, major constructs and research findings, measurement considerations, and empirically supported intervention frameworks will be reviewed.

Attachment Style, Social Support, and Coping as Psychosocial Correlates of Happiness in Persons With Spinal Cord Injuries

Objective: To examine the roles of attachment, social support, and coping as psychosocial correlates in predicting happiness in people with spinal cord injuries. Design: Quantitative descriptive research design using multiple regression and correlation techniques. Participants: 274 individuals with spinal cord injuries. Outcome Measures: Happiness as measured by the Subjective Happiness Scale. Results: Functional disability and psychosocial correlates including coping, attachment styles, and social support were found to be associated with happiness scores. Functional disability was found to have a large negative effect on happiness and the effect was significantly reduced after taking into consideration the effect of positive psychology factors. Conclusion: Positive psychology variables are important for happiness and subjective well-being, and happiness in turn is related to better quality of life. The negative relationship between functional disability and happiness can be mediated by attachment, social support, and coping. Rehabilitation professionals should deemphasize negative characteristics related to poor psychological adjustment and focus on positive human traits and positive psychology interventions for people with disabilities.

Doctoral Dissertation Research in Rehabilitation Counseling: 2008-2010.

This article begins a series of planned annual reviews of rehabilitation doctoral dissertation research. Twenty doctoral dissertations completed in 2011 from recognized doctoral programs in rehabilitation were identified and analyzed. Dissertations were indexed according to their research topic, methodology employed, model, and statistical analysis, and an annotated bibliography was developed. Institutional productivity and employment trends of doctoral graduates were added as baseline data points for future analysis. Results of the current analysis reflect that a majority of the studies consisted of quantitative descriptive research designs. Unlike prior analyses, advanced and basic statistics were utilized equitably. Dissertations focusing on attitudes toward persons with a disability were higher than any of the prior reporting periods. Predictive outcome studies and clinical population research also remain prevalent. Implications for the practice of rehabilitation counseling, education, and future research are discussed.

The Influence of Social Capital on Starting Wage for People With and Without Disabilities

Disability is associated with low employment rates and earnings. The gap in earnings between people with and without disabilities continues among those who exit vocational rehabilitation (VR) services with an employment outcome. Hypothetical hiring scenarios were presented to undergraduate business students, and the potential influence of social capital on starting wage was examined for both persons with and without disabilities. Results suggest that both direct and indirect social capital have a positive influence on starting wage. Scenarios depicting high levels of social capital resulted in an increase in hourly wage of over US

Disability Diversity Training in the Workplace: Systematic Review and Future Directions.

1,500.00 more per year for a direct relationship and over US