Kevin A. Tate

Underrepresented First-Generation, Low-Income College Students’ Pursuit of a Graduate Education: Investigating the Influence of Self-Efficacy, Coping Efficacy, and Family Influence

Access to and success in higher education significantly impact occupational stability and mental wellness in the United States, with higher levels of education contributing to increased employability and wellness. Underrepresented first-generation, low-income (UFGLI) college students face particular challenges in attaining higher levels of education, which poses a problem of inequality in their pursuit of educational and career goals. This study investigated the influence of graduate school self-efficacy, self-efficacy for coping with barriers, and family influence on UFGLI students’ pursuit of graduate school. Only one subconstruct of graduate school self-efficacy (research self-efficacy) and family influences (family values) was found to be predictive of students’ pursuit of graduate school. We discuss these findings and provide recommendations for research and practice.

An Exploration of First-Generation College Students’ Career Development Beliefs and Experiences

First-generation college students (FGCS) represent a large proportion of individuals seeking higher education in the United States; yet this population does not perform as well academically as, and persist to graduation at lower rates than, their peers who have more familial context for the college-going experience. Completing a college degree is clearly tied to employability and mental wellness, which makes FGCS’s plight an important issue. Although there is a significant body of research about FGCS’s academic performance and experiences, there is little research about this population’s beliefs and experiences along their career path. Using an exploratory qualitative approach (Consensual Qualitative Research) and a well-researched model of career development (Social Cognitive Career Theory), we asked 15 FGCS about external influences on, and internal beliefs about, their career development process. Three major domains emerged from the data—external influences on the career development process, understanding of the career development process, and self-concept. These results provide a foundation for future research, as well as implications for practice with this population.

In-Home Counseling for Young Children Living in Poverty: An Exploration of Counseling Competencies

Home-based counseling is increasingly an alternative mode of providing counseling services for children and families, reduces barriers to accessing traditional counseling services, and has also been shown to be effective. As such, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the competencies needed to provide such counseling services. This study yielded five categories of competencies—necessary knowledge sets, case conceptualization, counseling behaviors, flexibility in session, and professional dispositions and behaviors. We also outline implications for counseling practice, counselor education, and public policy.

Counselor Competence, Performance Assessment, and Program Evaluation Using Psychometric Instruments

Psychometric instruments have been underutilized by counselor educators in performance assessment and program evaluation efforts. As such, we conducted a review of the literature that revealed 41 instruments fit for such efforts. We described and critiqued these instruments along four dimensions—Target Domain, Format, Psychometrics, and Frequency of Use.

Colonialism and Multicultural Counseling Competence Research: A Liberatory Analysis

The effort to advance the multicultural counseling movement has been hard-fought over the past few decades. In recent years, important work has been done to further advance the multicultural counseling movement through the paradigm of social justice. The social justice paradigm calls into question the colonial structure in which notions of counseling competence in general, and multicultural counseling competence in particular, have been defined and investigated. In this chapter, we attempt to shine a critical light on these colonial foundations as they pertain to researching the multicultural counseling competencies.

Crying in psychotherapy: The perspective of therapists and clients.

Eighteen U.S.-based doctoral students in counseling or clinical psychology were interviewed by phone regarding experiences of crying in therapy. Specifically, they described crying as therapists with their clients, as clients with their therapists, and experiences when their therapists cried in the participants’ therapy. Data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research. When crying with their clients, therapists expressed concern about the appropriateness/impact of crying, cried only briefly and because they felt an empathic connection with their clients, thought that the crying strengthened the relationship, discussed the event with their supervisor, and wished they had discussed the event more fully with clients. Crying as clients was triggered by discussing distressing personal events, was accompanied by a mixture of emotions regarding the tears, consisted of substantial crying to express pain or sadness, and led to multiple benefits (enhanced therapy relationship, deeper therapy, and insight). When their therapists cried, the crying was brief, was triggered by discussions of termination, arose from therapists’ empathic connection with participants, and strengthened the therapy relationship. Implications for research, training, and practice are presented.

Person-centered educational practices in an urban alternative high school: the Black male perspective

ABSTRACT This study used phenomenology/consensual qualitative research to investigate the experiences of six Black male students in an urban alternative high school that focused on person-centered and culturally relevant educational practices. Findings reveal the importance of student and staff relationships, the development of student self-awareness, and culturally sensitive pedagogy. Results add to the support of person-centered educational practices paired with culturally relevant curriculum in the education of impoverished Black male youth. Implications for counselors are discussed.