Reflections on Reflections

The Major Contribution in the September issue of The Counseling Psychologist provides several points to consider as the field defines the profession and training models for the 21st century. Calls for returning, in part, to our roots in career and vocational issues as well as our presence in the schools and recommendations for increased focus on children and adolescents should enable the retention of, and perhaps the increase in, our relevance in colleges of education. This reaction adds to this list a continued focus on personal adjustment and crucial attention to marriage and family issues, areas that can augment our institutional fit. Interpretations of survey data on outcomes of training models and racial-ethnic representation in our programs are offered. Little evidence exists to indicate advantages in moving counseling psychology away from its exclusive adherence to a scientist-professional training model. Our contributions to broad educational goals can positively impact our movement toward diverse and representative program faculty.

A Broad View of Education and Training

This reaction responds to the three core articles in the Major Contribution in the September 2005issue of The Counseling Psychologist regarding (a) how counseling psychology programs fit within academic structures, (b) how our training models relate to student and faculty outcomes, and (c) how much progress has been made toward increasing the diversity of our faculty. The authors (a director/internship director in a university counseling center and a training director of a counseling psychology program) share a belief in the continued need for teachers and trainers in counseling psychology to work together, not only within departments and colleges but across campuses and throughout the field. The importance of collaboration between graduate programs and college counseling centers is highlighted, and support for a closer fit with colleges of education is stressed, along with a commitment to children and adolescents. This Major Contribution will hopefully reinvigorate other cooperative efforts.

Setting the Counseling Psychology Agenda

This reaction to the Major Contribution in the September 2005 issue of The Counseling Psychologist highlights the implied threats to the survival of academic training programs in counseling psychology. Counseling psychologists are urged to analyze the historical roots of the profession and current market realities and to make principled commitments to determine where, when, and how training programs will fit into the culture of any given college or department.

Empirical Reflections on Academic Training Programs in Counseling Psychology

The three main articles in the Major Contribution of the September issue of The Counseling Psychologist address academic training programs in counseling psychology, focusing on their institutional contexts and commitments. Each article examines one key issue, provides empirical data concerning this issue, and traces the practical implications of these data for future research, training, or policymaking in the field of counseling psychology.

The Model Does Matter II: Admissions and Training in APA–Accredited Counseling Psychology Programs

This study collected information on the acceptance rates, admission standards, financial assistance, student characteristics, theoretical orientations, and select outcomes of American Psychological Association—accredited counseling psychology programs (99% response rate). Results are presented collectively for all 66 counseling programs as well as separately for practice-oriented PhD, equal-emphasis PhD, and research-oriented PhD programs. Practice-oriented programs accepted more applicants (29%) than equal-emphasis or research-oriented programs (19% and 17%); however, they offered less full funding (30%) than equal-emphasis (72%) or research-oriented programs (83%). Average Graduate Record Examination scores (594 quantitative, 552 verbal) and average grade point averages (3.57) were strong and similar across programs. Approximately 70% of incoming students were women, 29% ethnic and racial minorities, and 8% international students. On average, 89% of students secured an accredited internship as part of their 5.5-year-long program. The research-driven portrait of doctoral training in counseling psychology is of highly competitive, multiculturally diverse, and theoretically pluralistic programs in which the training model does matter in several respects.

Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity

This article provides a brief overview of this Major Contribution. In addition to previewing the articles contained in this Major Contribution, two principles guiding the use of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth referred to as the “Values Statement”) are discussed. In addition, the authors present a concise summary of the development of the Values Statement, including a description of how feedback received influenced the final product. The authors conclude by articulating their hope that this Major Contribution will move the field forward in terms of more directly discussing, and perhaps even resolving, the long-standing dilemma of resolving value clashes.

Implementing the Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity in University Counseling Center Internships

This article examines the potential contribution of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity (henceforth the “Values Statement”) to predoctoral internship training programs housed in university counseling centers. The purpose of this article is to present recommendations for how to best implement the Values Statement in counseling center internship training programs. The authors begin by summarizing the commitment to diversity-related training and values espoused by the major training organizations relevant to internship training. They then describe issues internship training directors must consider when implementing the Values Statement into their training sites and provide recommendations for how to most effectively implement the Values Statement.

Demographic, Educational, Employment, and Professional Characteristics of Counseling Psychologists

Counseling psychologist members of Division 17 (n = 1,792) were compared with counseling psychologist nonmembers of Division 17 within the American Psychological Association (APA; n = 6,917) with respect to demographic, educational, and professional characteristics reported in the 2003 APA Directory Survey. Employment setting and work activities of both groups were also studied based on employment data from the 2000 APA Directory Survey (n = 3,908). Findings indicated a relatively lower percentage of newer counseling psychologists maintaining membership in Division 17 and reflected differences in the employment settings and professional activities of each group. With respect to APA division membership, a majority of counseling psychologists who did not belong to Division 17 also did not belong to any divisions within APA (67.8%). APA divisions most frequently joined by counseling psychologist nonmembers of Division 17 included Divisions 42, 29, 35, 43, and 40.