Luke M. Tse

Perceptions of Effectiveness Among College Students: Toward Marriage and Family Counseling and Therapy:

Unlike perceptions toward professional counseling, public opinions do not typically associate marriage and family counseling or therapy with treatments of mental disorders. The current survey of college students in this sample confirmed that most would not recommend, specifically, marriage and family therapists (MFTs) for mental health evaluations, psychiatric symptoms, intelligence and personality assessments, drug abuses, among others. The only situation for which students would most recommend an MFT is issues pertaining to marriage and the family. Implications for professional promotion and credentialing include enhancing the visibility, availability, and qualifications of marriage and family counselors (MFCs) or therapists especially through educational venues such as schools as well as media outlets.

Behavioral Shifts in Students' Awareness and Reactions to the Homeless

Abstract In attempts to foster empathy and altruistic responses among higher-education students towards, for example, the homeless and impoverished, a number of universities have been experimenting with alternative teaching methods than simple didactic instruction. In this study, we explored the reactions among 23 undergraduate students at a university in the Midwest that employed a required “poverty immersion” weekend as part of course pedagogy to instill personal connections and responses to the indigent. Through semi-structured interviews, we queried the subsequent behavioral responses of the students one month post-immersion. Specifically, some students reported involvement with urban services beyond the requirements of their course: a novel experience for some and a rekindled dedication for others. In addition, some students showed modifications in their spending habits, increases in charitable giving and decreases in frivolous expenditures.

Religious Impact of a Poverty Immersion Experience on College Students

An increasing number of universities have initiated activities and assignments to foster empathic and altruistic behavior in students. This study is a report of an outcomes assessment of a poverty immersion experience in a Christian urban ministries course. Following Firmins (2006) protocol, we used a qualitative methodology that included three waves of interviews with 23 undergraduate students. Analyses of the data suggested that students underwent both affective and behavioral changes as a result of their experience. Affectively, students reported deepening their appreciation for the grace of God in their lives and changed perceptions of homeless people as children of God deserving of dignity and for whom they should care and provide assistance. Behaviorally, students reported the intent to teach other Christians about the spiritual lessons learned, to make urban ministries a long-term part of their individual ministries to others, and to make a tangible difference in the lives of people less fortunate than themselves. The poverty immersion experience utilized by this particular professor seems to have helped students have a deeper experience than they would have had with a more traditional service-learning model.