UTSA Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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This collection contains electronic UTSA theses and dissertations (ETDs), primarily from 2005 to present. The collection is not comprehensive; search the UTSA Library Catalog for a complete list of UTSA theses and dissertations.
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Browsing UTSA Electronic Theses and Dissertations by Department "Counseling"
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Item A grounded theory of the course -choosing experiences of African American high school students and their families related to advanced-level courses(2009) Jones, Brenda LaverneResearch findings indicate that students' course selections impact the racial and ethnic achievement gap. Exposure to advanced-level courses has been found to lessen this gap and enhances success after high school. Despite this, African American students tend to evidence lower participation in these courses than do other racial and ethnic student groups. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand and discover factors that influence the course-choosing behaviors of students with a goal of assisting them through academic guidance and career planning. The findings indicated that student participants' thoughts and feelings derived from their experiences, which affected their confidence, motivation, and self efficacy levels. Experiences perceived by participants as negative bred apprehension that adversely impacted beliefs in personal competencies, and non-participation in the courses. Positively perceived experiences bred success and contributed to increased confidence, strong beliefs in personal competencies, and enrollment in the courses. The theory that evolved from this analysis is that students' thoughts and feelings about their personal competencies greatly impacted their course-choosing decisions and served as determinants for enrollment (or not) in advanced-level courses. Implications for students and their families, counselors, and the broader academic community are discussed.Item A Grounded Theory Study of the Re-Entry Process of Teen Parents' Return to School After Dropping Out(2013) Melton, Brenda LeeWithout the rich stories of the experiences of teen parents who drop out of school and then re-enter, we do not have a total picture of the dropout phenomenon and how best to address the issues for this marginalized group. Using the research strategies of Charmaz' social constructivist grounded theory, Melton has gathered detailed stories about overcoming obstacles, connecting with others, and finding resources to complete their high school education. The pivotal role of school counselors as advocates becomes even more imperative to support teen parents in completing their education. Hopefully, this research has added depth to the understanding of what works, what is needed, and what interventions are most effective with teen parents. By using the Relational-Cultural Theoretical lens, Melton has developed the Model of Relational Resilience and Marginalization of Teen Parents who Re-enter High School after Dropping Out to better understand of the experiences of teen parents by defining their needs, exploring their resiliency, and highlighting the importance of protective factors and relationships in returning students to school.Item A Phenomenological Study Exploring Parenting Practice Experiences of Adults With United States Veteran Fathers Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Related to Post-9/11 Military Trauma(2023) Caylor, MarilynAccording to Wenger et al. (2018), over 5.4 million deployments occurred during this period, averaging nearly two deployments served per deployed service member. Nearly 13% of Veterans meet the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis (Xue et al., 2015). Research in the field primarily focused on Veterans' trauma experiences and responses; however, trauma studies neglect to explore military families' dynamics from the perspective of adult parents with U.S. Veteran fathers diagnosed with PTSD (P-PTSD) since September 11, 2001. Thus, there is a need to understand how adult parents with P-PTSDs assume parenthood in families impacted by PTSD. The purpose of this study was to capture thoughts on parenting practices held by adult parents with at least one P-PTSD who served after September 11, 2001. This phenomenological study explored eight participants' experiences with P-PTSD's intergenerational trauma transmission influence on second-generation parenting practices. The intent was to understand how adult parents with P-PTSD view the parenting they received during their childhood and how it impacted parenting practices implemented with their children. I identified the following themes and their invariant constituents as pertinent to all participant experiences: P-PTSD Relationship Attributes (participant and P-PTSD Relationship qualities), Participants' Parenting Practices (do's and don'ts participants deemed successful parenting), P-PTSD's Parenting Influence (how participants were influenced by their P-PTSD), Other Caregiver Influence (significant caregiving received from others; e.g., other parents, family, or friends), and Connections to Attachment Theory (participant statements reflecting attachment styles).Item A Phenomenological Study Investigating the Experiences of Refugee Adolescents' Transition into the Culture of the United States of America(2018) Sampson, Seth A.Refugee adolescents have experiences that affect their social identities and shape their abilities to successfully acculturate into a new society (Sirin, Ryce, Gupta, & Rogers-Sirin, 2013). The dual pressures of acculturation and serving as a link between their family and their new country magnify these adolescent refugees' difficulties in adjusting to school and work (Porte & Torney-Puerta, 1987; Sack, Angell, Kinzie, & Rath, 1986, as cited in Lese & Robbins, 1994). This study, which highlights how the transition may affect adolescent refugees' abilities to form sustainable and meaningful relationships, is intended to be a stepping stone upon which counselors and researchers in both the education and clinical fields can build. Social identity theory, social constructivist theory, and cultural identity theory will serve as a framework for inquiry.Item A Phenomenological Study of Supervisors of Color and Their Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions in Supervision(2017) Knight, Danielle N.There is an increasing number of racially and ethnically diverse individuals entering into counselor education programs, meaning there will be more interactions between racially and ethnically diverse individuals. Even with this increase in diverse individuals, few studies examine the perspectives and experiences of supervisors of color. This study explored supervisors of color and their experiences of racial and ethnic microaggressions in cross- and mono-racial/ethnic supervision. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate supervisors of color's experiences of racial and ethnic microaggressions in supervision with racially and ethnically different supervisees (i.e., cross-racial/ethnic supervision) and racially and ethnically similar supervisees (i.e., mono-racial/ethnic supervision). Eight supervisors of color participated in this study. Transcendental phenomenological data analysis methods generated four themes and five subthemes to describe participants' experiences: assumptions, negative reactions, relationships (race, institutional/organizational culture), and coping (self-reflection, consultation and therapy, and other coping strategies). Implications for supervisors and counselor educators are addressed and recommendations for future studies are provided.Item A phenomenological study of the lived experience of deaf adults participating in Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States(2015) Armstrong, Noreal F.Deaf people encounter obstacles when attempting to access services for substance abuse. There is a paucity of research and published articles on deaf people suffering with substance abuse disorders. Alcoholics Anonymous is an evidence-based, 12-step program with researched success for maintained sobriety. There has never been a qualitative transcendental phenomenological study reflecting the lived experience of deaf persons who abuse substances participating in Alcoholics Anonymous. Themes related to deaf adults participating in A.A. were discovered using the transcendental phenomenological method of Clark Moustakas. After the interviews were conducted, three themes developed from the data analysis and the essence of this phenomenon emerged using the commonalities among participants. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed.Item A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Wellness Experiences of Student Counselors in Practicum and Internship Who Are Concurrently Employed as Human Health Service Workers(2019) Dixon, Hannah CorneliusBurnout is prevalent among the helping professions. Professional counseling ethics direct counselors to practice and maintain wellness and self-care in an effort to avoid burnout and impairment. In addition, student counselors who maintain employment are at a higher risk of burnout. The current study explored the lived wellness experiences of student counselors in practicum or internship whom are concurrently employed as human health service workers. Eleven participants submitted demographic data and completed a semi-structured interview. I qualitatively analyzed the data using the transcendental phenomenological approach (Moustakas, 1994). The analysis derived eight themes and six subthemes. Primary thematic findings include burnout/role strain, compromise, the self-care hypocrisy, active self-care, mentorship, and mutual benefit of dual roles. Implications for student counselors and counselor preparation are provided. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are suggested.Item A Relative Efficacy Study of Advanced Training Effects on School-Based Youth Mentors' Attitudes and Experience in the Program(2013) Garrett, Sharon ElizabethThere are currently numerous mentoring programs being implemented across the country. However, research pertaining to the mentors in the mentoring equation is limited. Furthermore, research involving the effects of mentor training is also scarce. This study tested the impact of providing eight hours of theory-based advanced mentor training to school-based mentors. All mentors (n = 149) received basic training from the local community agency that placed the university undergraduate teacher-in-training mentors with youth in schools. In addition, four advanced, one-hour PowerPoint trainings from the Cross-age Mentoring Program Training Guide (Karcher, 2012) and four follow-up reflection trainings were provided to the mentors. Six classes of university students participated, and the students in all classes were required to mentor in the schools as part of the class. The advanced training was provided to two classes (intervention group) of university students as the supplement to the basic training. In four other classes (comparison group), a cultural awareness activity was required as the supplement to the basic training. This relative efficacy quasi-experimental study tested the effects of participating in advanced mentor training by comparing the comparison and intervention group on mentors' perceptions of program quality, as well as on their self-reported mentor self-efficacy, attitudes toward youth, growth mindset, and mentoring relationship quality after one academic semester. These effects were measured using variables collected through surveys completed at the start and the conclusion of the semester. Results suggest that, compared to those in the cultural enrichment condition, students in the advanced training reported higher mentor self-efficacy at the end of the semester. There were no differences between the experimental conditions on perceptions of program quality. Furthermore, training effects on mentoring relationship quality, growth mindset, and attitudes towards youth could not be tested because necessary assumptions for the statistical tests were not met. The findings from this study suggest that additional or ongoing training, beyond traditional orientation and basic training, may help improve mentors' beliefs about their potential success as mentors.Item A Road Without a Map: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Intentional Childlessness in Indian American Women(2023) Patel, Dhruvi N.Despite recent restrictions on reproductive choice in the United States, American women are increasingly delaying childbearing, others deliberately forgoing motherhood altogether. This subset of childfree women includes women of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, yet extant literature predominantly probes the experiences of White women. Employing the methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and framed by a critical existential-feminist conceptualization, this dissertation study centered on intentionally childless Indian American women and how they experience and understand the decision in relation to their identities and relationships. Recruited via varied methods, 10 childfree Indian American women, 28 to 43 years old and based in the U.S., participated in two-hourlong semi-structured interviews conducted online. Their narratives were transcribed, close-examined, and analyzed to unearth themes both idiosyncratic and resonant across the sample. Three superordinate themes and eight subthemes revealed A Mutiny Born of Scrutiny, "An Active Push Against Expectation," and "Community by Necessity." The women arrived at a "mutiny" of motherhood through a sustained scrutiny of prescribed life scripts, their inner desires, needs, and circumstances, demands of mothering work, and sociocultural contexts, including structural gender inequalities. Most women were versed in invalidation and dismissal of their decision; several braced and prepared themselves for future challenges. Childfree Indian American women redefined and revamped notions of family and legacy, finding strength, support, and empowerment in families and communities of their own creation, as well as in inspiring and nurturing others. The researcher imparts implications and recommendations for counselors, counselor educators, and researchers committed to reproductive justice.Item A theoretical model of family dysfunction with coping and codependency(2009) Horner, MandieCurrent research suggests that dysfunctional family systems have a direct impact on the formation of a coping style. Research also proposes that within a dysfunctional family system there are different strategies of coping that will exist. Although there is a limited amount of research that has been established, it is important to make the connection between dysfunctional families, the coping that occurs, within the context of a dysfunctional family system and whether a codependent is established within the family structure. Data were collected from college students to evaluate a theoretical model that connects dysfunctional family variables, codependency variables, and whether these relationships are mediated by coping. The model results revealed that coping did not mediate the relationship between the family functioning variables and the codependency variables. Instead, results suggested that family worries may be the best predictor of one's need to control, which eventually predicted codependency.Item Adjustment to spousal deportation: Exploring the experiences of Mexican immigrant women(2012) Lopez, Anna LauraAlthough previous research has explored the effects of deportation on the mental health of children, little work has explored the experiences of Mexican immigrant women whose spouses were deported. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, mental health needs, and adjustment processes of immigrant female Mexican spouses of Mexican deportees. As a result, the Mexican Immigrant Women Spousal Deportation Adjustment Theory was generated from the participant's stories. This theory describes two adjustment processes, one that occurs immediately after the detention and deportation of the spouse, and a secondary process that outlines the long-term consequences of spousal deportation. Results from this study also revealed that immigrant female partners of Mexican deportees utilized various coping strategies in response to spousal deportation. These coping strategies included social support, familial strength, problem solving, and spirituality.Item Adult female survivors of child sexual abuse navigating parenthood: a narrative study(2016) Haiyasoso, Maria D.Sexual abuse in childhood often pervasively impacts survivors in adulthood. Research supporting the need to address the implications of sexual abuse for survivors is plentiful. Previous findings suggest that CSA can lead to consequences that intensify stressors involved in parenting and to being triggered or withdrawing from their children. However, there is limited literature providing survivors' perspectives in their own words and perspectives about their parenting practices over their children's lifespan. The purpose of the current study was to explore the process in which adult female survivors of CSA navigate parenting and to understand this process over their children's lifespan. Nine adult female survivors were interviewed for this research. Individual narratives were analyzed utilizing key concepts of relational-cultural theory. Then, a thematic group analysis was conducted. Themes from the group synthesis included: Negotiating a Balance of Protecting and Letting Go, Using Relational Images as Guideposts for Decisions in Parenting, and Exploring Relational Contexts. Within the final theme, there were three subthemes: Accessing Support and Connection, Awareness of Self in Disconnection, and Acknowledging Vulnerability and Strength. In addition, five participants shared artifacts to help elucidate their experiences and an overview of the artifacts is presented. Suggestions for future research and implications for counselors, supervisors, and counselor educators are provided.Item An Exploration of the Experiences of College Counselors Using Relational Competencies with Suicidal Students(2020) McNiel, Meredith S.College student suicide is a rampant and complex phenomenon that has a multitude of relational features involved. College counselors are the front line staff that assist students who have serious mental health conditions and suicidal ideation. There is a copious amount of research supporting the claims that a lack of social relationships and feelings of isolation greatly contribute to college student suicidal ideation. Suicide can be perceived as a relational phenomenon and appears paradoxical (Jobes, 2012). In opposition of traditional interventions to suicide counseling, Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) tends to the many needs of suicidal students who may desire connection in authentic relationships. The purpose of the current phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of college counselors working in a university setting and how they use relational competencies with students at risk for suicide. Ten college counselors participated in the study through one-on-one interviews. Individual syntheses were developed for each participant using Constructivist Theory and Relational Cultural Theory as guiding theoretical frameworks. Following the individual syntheses, the group experience was analyzed to find the essence of the phenomenon. The following five overarching themes emerged from the data analysis phase: 1) the characteristics of working as a college counselor with suicidal students, 2) use of relational competencies, 3) college student suicide treatment, 4) impact of education and training on suicide treatment preparedness, and 5) implications for future college counselors, educators, and institutions. Additionally, there were seventeen subthemes that emerged: university environment, observations of college student experiences, challenges that college counselors encounter, needs of college counselors, meaning, connection and disconnection, authenticity and honesty, the counseling relationship, needs of suicidal students, promoting growth in students, assessment methods, assessment factors, interventions, protocols and resources, personal approach, master's program experience, and specialized suicide trainings. Implications for the profession, limitations to the study, and suggestions for future research are provided in the concluding chapter.Item An exploratory study of the Enneagram typology in couple counseling: A qualitative analysis(2012) Choucroun, Pierre M.This study investigated couple counselors' use of the Enneagram Personality Typology. Couple counselors play a much-needed role in their clients' lives. Couple counseling is considered to be a difficult area of practice, however there is a paucity of research on the ways that couple counselors mitigate common difficulties. The small amount of extant research on common difficulties in couples counseling evaluates tools used by counselors. One tool that couple counselors use is the Enneagram Personality Typology, but use of this tool had not yet been studied. This study utilized qualitative research methods to investigate the experiences of ten licensed clinicians who regularly used the Enneagram with couples. An in-depth, phenomenological analysis of interviews provided a rich understanding of clinicians' experiences using the Enneagram in couple counseling, particularly with couples struggling with the therapeutic process. Findings indicated that clinicians dovetailed the Enneagram with their own epistemologies to internally guide them through difficult elements of the couple-counseling process, normalize their couples' behavior, and facilitate their pursuit of clinical milestones in their work.Item Assessing Counselor Educator Perceived Preparedness in Identifying, Treating, & Teaching Dissociative Disorders(2023) York, Kristin N.So long as power differentials persist, oppression remains a relevant talking point, especially as it pertains to disproportionately affected groups. Human-perpetrated trauma survivors are one such group. It is critical to exercise diligence in prioritizing trauma-informed diagnostics, treatment, and education to minimize chance of additional perpetration. This mixed methods study considers several dynamics of counselor educator perceived preparedness to identify, treat, and teach Dissociative Disorders in trauma-related courses of Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) programs. A Feminist Critical Pedagogical framework guides this study, underscoring the role of power in educational, clinical, and social systems. Study results indicate inclusion of a trauma-specific course in 80% (n = 133) of respondents' universities. Participants report less preparedness to teach symptom identification and treatment in more severe Dissociative Disorders on the trauma spectrum. There is a bimodal distribution of reported preparedness when rating disorders centered on the spectrum like Dissociative Amnesia or Depersonalization/Derealization Disorders. Educators outline Dissociative competency integration (how and how much time) in a variety of forward-thinking trauma-related competencies through a variety of teaching modalities. Consultation with peers and supervisors is the most common source of Dissociative Disorder education for educators in this study. Recommendations following this study include a need to bolster the self-efficacy of counselor educators who bear tremendous power and responsibility. When equipped with the resources, tangible or intangible, to execute their duty, counselor educators wield extraordinary opportunity to affect clinical outcomes for survivors of complex trauma.Item Beating the Odds: A Narrative Study of Males Convicted of a Violent Offense Who Did Not Recidivate at Least Three-years-postrelease from a Correctional Facility(2018) Allen, SummerRecidivism rates in the United States continue to grow at alarming rates. Over half of all males convicted of a violent offense recidivate within three years of the initial offense. The majority of research on males who recidivate is focused on predictors of returning to criminal behavior. Further, counseling specific research and literature on this topic is especially limited. Therefore, there is a need to explore this topic from a different perspective. An emphasis on the successes of males who did not recidivate after a violent offense conviction may yield forward movement with respect to successful re-entry of formerly incarcerated individuals. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of males who did not recidivate after a violent offense conviction from a strengths-based perspective. Narrative inquiry was used to understand and analyze the experiences of six males who committed a violent offense and did not recidivate at least three years from their last release from a correctional facility. Social constructivism informed data analysis and results were compared to the existing body of literature. Implications and directions for future related research will also be presented.Item Bilingual Counselors-in-Training's Self-Efficacy with Counseling in Spanish: A Narrative Study(2018) Martinez-Smith, CristinaHaving a low self-efficacy during professional training often negatively impacts bilingual counselors-in-training. Indeed, there is ample research supporting the need to address the implications of self-efficacy for beginner counselors. Previous findings suggest that low self-efficacy alters a person's perception intensifying their struggles, such as, being unable to or withdrawing from providing counseling services in Spanish. However, literature written by and for bilingual counselors-in-training about their own experiences and in their own words is limited. Furthermore, information about their clinical practices, abilities, and professional training is not often provided in traditional Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) programs. The purpose of this study was to explore the process in which bilingual counselors-in-training navigate their education, as well as understand their self-perceived ability to implement learned skills in order to counsel Spanish-speaking clients. I interviewed eight bilingual counselors-in-training for this research study. Individual narratives were analyzed using concepts of social cognitive theory. Afterward, I conducted a group analysis and synthesis. Themes for the group analysis included: (a) Overcoming Challenges; (b) Learned Skills; (c) Decision-Making Process to Implement Skills; and (d) Self-Perceived Confidence. It is worth noting that six participants preferred to share their experiences in English while the other two shared in Spanish. Finally, I provided suggestions for future research, implications for counselors, counselor educators, and supervisors.Item Bridging the Gap: Understanding the Experiences of LPC Associates(2023) Blessing, NoelCounselor education standards dictate it is the responsibility of counselor education programs to orient counselors in training to career opportunities, roles, and duties they can expect to engage in after graduation. However, studies have found that novice counselors’ expectations for their career do not match the realities they face upon entry into the profession This discrepancy can result in feelings of disillusionment, burnout, and ultimately may lead to novice counselors exiting the profession. This study explored the experiences of pre-licensed counselors’ transition from graduate training to work in the field and sought participants’ perceptions of their graduate training. The researcher interviewed sixteen Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LPC Associate) from the state of Texas. Using transcendental phenomenological analysis, the researcher identified seven themes: emotional experiences, stressors, historical complications, variation in attitudes, gap in preparation, recommendations, and mediators of experiences. Findings are discussed in relation to the lifetime developmental model of counselor development (LDM; Skovholt & Rønnestad,1992), reality shock, and related literature. Implications for counselors in training, educators, supervisors, and the field are addressed. Recommendations for future research studies are also provided.Item Children as caregivers: Counselors-in-training awareness and comfort related to children's caregiving(2012) Marbach, Christina R.The purpose of this research study was to explore counselor-in-training's awareness of, and self-reported comfort inquiring about, children's caregiving activities. The sample for this study was recruited from students enrolled in a Master's level counselor education program. There were 110 students who participated in this study. Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted on caregiving activities and counselor self-reported comfort level to determine best model fit. Factor Analysis supported a 3-Factor model of caregiving activities (Practical, Personal, and Emotional Responsibility). Regression Analysis indicated a positive relationship between the predictor variables of age and personal history of previously residing as a child with a care recipient in predicting counselor self-reported comfort level with inquiring about caregiving activities. Overall, this study found students' knowledge about young caregivers to be lacking. The participants in this study identified training needs to include general educational training on identifying young caregivers, emotional needs/concerns related to young caregiving, and disease specific education and community resources.Item Chingonas y Chingones: Testimonios of Latinx First Generation College Students(2022) Contreras, JacquelineFew studies investigate Latinx first-generation college student (FGCS) success. The bulk of existing literature focuses on obstacles this population encounters. It is vital to produce studies that focus on both challenges and strengths in order to support this population's success. College counselors may help students navigate obstacles and increase graduation rates by addressing Latinx FGCS' mental health concerns. The purpose of the current study was to understand the testimonios of Latinx FGCS relative to academic success. This study utilized a narrative approach to explore seven Latinx FGCS resiliency attributes and understand their stories as they relate to academic resilience. Furthermore, the study explored factors contributing to Latinx FGCS' decisions related to college counseling in an effort to shed light on potential avenues for increasing utilization rates. The findings provided the following themes: (a) lack of utilizing college counseling, (b) distinction between academic advising and college counseling, and (c) perseverance. A sub theme related to utilizing college counseling, one counseling session, also emerged. Implications for college counselors working with Latinx FGCS are provided.