Wayne Rowe

White Racial Identity Models A Critique and Alternative Proposal

Existing models of White racial identity development (WRID) are challenged as being deficient in terms of: (a) being based on the oppression-adaptive models of minority identity development, (b) focusing primarily on attitudes toward racial/ethnic out-groups, not on White identity attitudes; and (c) depicting the process as developmental in nature. An alternative conceptualization, based on the construct of White racial consciousness, is presented as a more parsimonious explanation for the role of racially oriented attitudes. Three types of unachieved White racial consciousness (avoidant, dependent, and dissonant) are proposed along with four types of achieved White racial consciousness (dominative, conflictive, reactive, and integrative). Changes in attitudes characteristic of one type to those more representative of another are explained in terms of dissonance reduction. Information is provided regarding the availability of an assessment device designed to identify the types of White racial consciousness.

The Relationship of Counselor Characteristics and Counseling Effectiveness

Studies of counselor characteristics have occupied the attention of counselor educators since the field came of age in the 1950s. The assumption that has worked to maintain this interest over the years is that certain personality variables are associated with, or are the cause of, the different degrees of counselor competence that seem to exist. In addition, many persons engaged in the training of counselors have found that some students appear to adapt readily to the counseling role, whereas others seem to be confused, in conflict, and generally illsuited to the educators expectations. Therefore, a commonly held assumption and personal observation, which seem to support that assumption, have both contributed to sustaining a point of view that reasonably ought to be verified, altered, or abandoned on the merits of the research evidence.

Help-Seeking Behavior of Native American Indian High School Students

A sample of 139 Zuni adolescents were surveyed to explore the relationships among their helpseeking behavior, psychological problems, and personal characteristics. No significant differences were found between the help-seeking behaviors of girls and boys. Students were most likely to seek help from a friend, parent, or relative for personal problems and to use professional help sources primarily for academic and career problems. Correlational analysis indicated that adolescents who experienced thoughts of suicide and global distress were more likely to seek help from a greater number of resources for their most serious problems. The implications of these findings for work with Native American Indian adolescents are discussed. Most young people, at some time during adolescence, experience problems that seem beyond their capacity to solve alone (Rickwood & Braithwaite, 1994; Simmons & Blyth, 1987). For many, seeking help is one means for beginning to cope with and resolve these problems. Evidence suggests that teens who have numerous psychological problems and life stresses are more likely than their peers to seek help (Barker & Adelman, 1994; Cheatham, Shelton, & Ray, 1987; Greenley & Mechanic, 1976). Little research on help seeking has focused on Native American Indian adolescents, however. Native American Indian youth are likely to experience a larger number of complex problems, such as drug and alcohol abuse (Beauvais, 1992), suicide (Howard-Pitney, LaFromboise, Basil, September, & Johnson, 1992; LaFromboise & Howard-Pitney, 1994; May, 1987), vio

Self-Actualization and Counselor Interpersonal Functioning: a Replication

Foulds reported earlier in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology a study investigating the relationship between counselor level of self-actualization and level of interpersonal functioning with clients. A significant positive relationship was found, particular personality characteristics involved were identified, and the implications were discussed. The contradictory results obtained in replication are reported in this study, and comment is made upon the suggestions originally advanced.

Taped vs. "live" desensitization and level of autonomic arousal.

Investigated whether variations in method of presentation of anxiety items (Es voice, Es taped voice, Ss taped voice) will result in differences in autonomic arousal (as measured by self-report, galvanic skin responses, cardiac rate, blood pressure). Ss were 24 Naval Academy midshipmen. The procedure involved (1) training in deep muscle relaxation; and (2) measuring arousal after the presentation of anxiety-eliciting stimuli. Statistical analysis indicated that the influence of method of presentation was significant for galvanic skin response and self-reported anxiety. Comparison of cell means showed that verbal presentations were more effective in eliciting autonomic arousal than taped presentations. The results of this study provide partial evidence to support the conventional form of systematic desensitization as more effective than the newer automated or taped versions.