Journal of Counseling & Development

Whisenhunt, Julia L.; Franke, Madeline; Bond‐Richardson, Aaliyah; Shannonhouse, Laura; Fullen, Matthew C.; LeBlanc, Erika

doi: 10.1002/jcad.70048pmid: N/A

The researchers analyzed data collected from a standardized phone‐based treatment program conducted in the Southeastern United States. Participants included older adults receiving home and community‐based services, who were determined to be at an elevated risk of depression, loneliness, and thwarted belongingness. Treatment providers were trained in one of two conditions: (a) facilitative listening to foster belongingness, empathy, and narrative reminiscence; or (b) facilitative listening plus evidence‐based suicide intervention. Transcription of 67 phone calls was analyzed using qualitative content analysis, which yielded five thematic categories (i.e., biographical context, interpersonal factors, intrapersonal factors, phase of life, and physiological and safety needs) with 21 total subcategories. Findings include both older adult components (i.e., the role of impaired physical mobility, chronic medical illness or pain, and increased dependence on others) as key stressors among the older adult sample, and internal and external protective mechanisms (i.e., social support, religious/spiritual coping, gratitude, resilience, and hope).

Liu, Yangyang; Um, Byeolbee

doi: 10.1002/jcad.70046pmid: N/A

Using a cross‐sectional design, the authors examined the relationship between first‐generation college students’ (FGCSs) perceived social support and psychological well‐being, considering the mediating role of their meaning in life. Participants (N = 356) were recruited from a randomly selected sample of FGCSs at a 4‐year public university in the western United States and completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling with bias‐corrected bootstrapping was conducted to test the hypothesized model. Meaning in life partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well‐being (indirect effect β = 0.28, 95% CI [0.22, 0.37]). Implications for college counselors and counseling researchers to enhance FGCSs’ psychological well‐being are provided.

Stephen Lenz, A.; Holm, Jessica; Gonzales‐Wong, Christine D.

doi: 10.1002/jcad.70047pmid: N/A

The symptoms of anxiety and depression are commonly reported within military‐ and non‐military‐affiliated populations, with considerable evidence available to counselors regarding which relational characteristics function as protective factors among these populations. Less is known about the statistical associations among these variables for those reporting moral injury. We sampled military‐affiliated (n = 171) and non‐military‐affiliated (n = 145) participants who reported experiences of moral injury. Participants provided self‐reported responses to the Patient Health Questionnaire‐4 (PHQ) and Relational Health Indices (RHI). Predictive modeling revealed a greater proportion of variance in PHQ scores explained by the RHI subscales (Authenticity, Engagement, and Empowerment) among military‐affiliated participants (R2 = 0.28) than among non‐military‐affiliated participants (R2 = 0.18). Inspection of individual predictors identified differing influences of model predictors between samples. Implications for the use of relational–cultural therapy and related counseling practices and research are discussed.