James Archer

College and University Counseling Centers in the 1990s Challenges and Limits

Counseling centers, along with the American system of higher education, face serious challenges in the coming decade. This article explores the challenges facing counseling centers, particularly as centers encounter a changing and unstable social and financial environment and consider undertaking a greater or lesser degree and variety of tasks. A strategic agenda is suggested for consideration in the 1990s.

Self-Regulation and Inhibition in Comorbid ADHD Children: An Evaluation of Executive Functions

The relationship between executive function and comorbid diagnoses in ADHD children is examined. One hundred six children between 7 and 15 years of age are assessed using the Tower of London (TOL), a test of executive function, and the Kiddie Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Present and Lifetime Version, a diagnostic interview. All children met the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. A majority of the children had comorbid anxiety disorders, mood disorders, or oppositional defiant disorder. Measures on the TOL are total move score, total initiation time, and total rule violations. Age is predictive in all three measures of executive function as assessed by the TOL. Gender is predictive of total initiation time and total rule violations. Comorbid disorders are found to not have significance on executive function as measured by the TOL. This study concludes that comorbid disorders may not affect executive function

Brief Therapy in College Counseling and Mental Health

Several factors have converged to make brief counseling and therapy the preferred mode of individual service delivery for college counseling and mental health services. The authors introduce the topic of brief therapy, offer a rationale for its use in college contexts, and discuss significant issues, research findings, and therapist attitudes in support of successful use of these approaches. This is followed by a description of issues of implementation, including assessment processes, interventions (short-term intermittent approaches, very brief therapy, single-session counseling, crisis intervention within brief therapy, connections with multiculturally oriented psychology, and brief group therapy), and referral issues. General conclusions about brief therapy in college settings and recommendations for research on furthering use of these approaches are offered.

Stress Management: Evaluating a Preventive Approach for College Students.

Abstract This study discusses a multidimensional stress management model for use as a preventive program for college students. The author describes a general model of stress management with three major parts (physical, cognitive, and lifestyle), and he reports on an evaluation of this model as presented in a course format. This evaluation included the use of a similar class as a control group with an ANOVA comparison of gain scores on nine different stress management behaviors. This paper also includes a general description of the treatment including the course curriculum and teaching methods. Significant differences were found in four of the nine areas: regular relaxation, situational relaxation, aerobic exercise, and positive self-statements. The author explains and analyzes these results and discusses short versus long term gains and anecdotal information from student evaluations. The paper presents suggestions for further research.

A Group Approach to Stress and Anxiety Management.

Abstract This article describes an anxiety management class with a focus on the training model and its use in a small group setting.

Chapter 18: Synthesis and Summary

The sixteen cases just presented offer a fascinating view of the kind of brief therapy work that is being done with young adults. We were gratified to find therapists who could present such an exciting and interesting variety of case situations. We see in these cases theoretical orientations ranging from time-limited psychoanalytic therapy to a one session (narrative) approach. Additionally, the four hallmark characteristics of brief therapy seem to be present in all of the cases. These include: a rapid and effective therapeutic alliance; a specific focus typically with a structured approach by the therapist; an assumption that the clients are resilient and can move rapidly; and encouragement to have the client do considerable work outside of the counseling office. Further, in examining the cases it seems clear that developmental issues were important, often at the heart of the therapy. Many of these cases also highlight the importance of cultural issues and reflect an understanding by the therapist of how cultural dynamics affected the interaction and the case conceptualization. Our purpose in this chapter is to summarize how and why each case worked in a brief therapy context as well as how developmental and cultural issues played out in the therapy. The cases all had some of these elements in common, yet each also reflected the uniqueness of the client and the therapist.