Like the Canadian landscape and culture, the status of professional regulation for counselling and psychotherapy is a mosaic reflecting the unique cultural, linguistic and contextual realities of Canada. Statutory regulation in Canada is constitutionally a provincial/territorial matter. In the past five years, a major movement towards professional…

Investigated session evaluation and type of participant-recalled important event in 25 novice counselor dyads and 9 experienced counselor dyads during 9 sessions of short-term counseling. Found significant interaction effect between counselor experience and role of participant (client or counselor) for session depth. Clients reported increase in…

Examined the use of humor in counseling. Students (N=93) viewed a simulated counseling session containing facilitative counselor humor, nonfacilitative humor, or no humor. Results indicated that nonfacilitative humor is less desirable than facilitative humor or no humor in terms of counselor evaluation, but not in terms of client understanding.…

Elements of professionalization--systematic body of theory, social recognition, monopoly, and degree of organization--are presented and applied to the development of professional psychology in Quebec. The concept of deprofessionalization is introduced as an alternative basis for evaluating competence in professional psychology. (Author)

Student perceptions of the quality of student services differ significantly from the perceptions of personnel providing services. This article reports findings of a study designed to identify where differences of perception exist. Generally, student perceptions correspond more closely to those of instructors than to those of student services…

This paper describes the development and use of a guidance counselor evaluation form created by guidance counselors working in French language secondary schools in Ottawa, Canada. The need for such a form, which requires joint evaluation by the counselor and his department head or principal, is examined, and the historical background leading to…

Reviews several scales used to evaluate competency of psychotherapists. Discusses concerns about interrater reliability and predictive validity of scales. Considers competency a state-like variable, with therapists demonstrating higher competence when they skillfully treat patients across range of difficulty levels. Contends that development of…

Examined the effects of counselor race on perceived counseling effectiveness. Canadian high school students (N=195) viewed videotaped interviews by Caucasian, Chinese-Canadian, and East-Indian Canadian counselors. Results showed Caucasian counselors were rated more favorably; however, perceived effectiveness of minority counselors did not…

Examined adolescent perceptions of the counselor effectiveness of peer helpers by studying perceptions of videotaped simulated interviews. The subjects were 143 grade eleven students. The effects of training and role label were tested. Data indicated that adolescents perceive trained peer helpers as more facilitative than untrained helpers. (JAC)

Judges rated beginning and advanced counseling students' communication abilities based on a therapeutic triad encompassing empathic understanding, respect and facilitative genuineness. Ratings were compared to the same students' scores on a scale measuring self-actualization. Results show no relationship between self-actualization and effective…

A major survey of career and employment counseling in Canada was completed in 1993, with over 1600 counselors, department heads and managers of counseling centers, and regional directors working in career and employment counseling centers being polled. Survey results indicated: (1) there is a strong need for evaluation in all aspects of career…

Examined client and counselor reliance on verbal and nonverbal cues in judging the others' personal attributes. Immediately following an interview, counselor and client judged each other's competence, trustworthiness, and attractiveness, indicating their reliance on verbal and nonverbal cues. Found both relied more on verbal cues in judging…

This revised and updated book offers topics and issues relevant to the history, current status, and future of the profession of school psychology. Chapter 1 is organized around 14 basic questions often asked by beginning and prospective school psychologists. The intent is to provide critical information immediately that will be more fully treated…

Career counselors continually evaluate their work. Unfortunately, the evidence used to gauge success often is usually not considered valuative, is not documented, and cannot be used to back up claims of successful counseling. This digest outlines a new approach to evaluation. Since client-need determines counseling intervention, evaluation models…

Accountability in career counseling is receiving increased attention. However, few organizations have specific guidelines for the delivery of career counseling. This digest describes a workbook, developed in Canada, which furnishes a practical, valuative approach for support organizations that provide career counseling services. The procedures in…