Counseling Research
DQ 1 (275 words) 1 reference
What does it mean to be a scientist-practitioner in the field of counseling? Describe the key knowledge, skills, and abilities of an effective scientist-practitioner.
DQ 2 (275 words) 2 references
Identify and define two different types of research reports. Discuss some of the common challenges that can be found in research reports as applied to counseling research? Provide at least two scholarly references you used to justify your responses
Counseling Research
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DQ 1
What does it mean to be a scientist-practitioner in the field of counseling? Describe the key knowledge, skills, and abilities of an effective scientist-practitioner.
The scientist-practitioner focuses on integrating both science and practice when providing counseling services. The integration process entails using evidence-based practice through the application of scientific processes, findings, and principles in professional practice. The concept of the scientist-practitioner has been a significant defining characteristic of the professional psychology and counseling practice. Traditional counseling practice is slowly being replaced by other comprehensive activities such as program development, training, and supervision of other counselors, assessing the effectiveness of mental health services, and finding ways of influencing public policy (Overholser, 2009).
Scientist-practitioners also take the necessary steps needed to minimize avoidable and foreseeable harm when working with clients or when working as counseling supervisors and researchers. The scientist-practitioner model also emphasizes the need to work with important issues, measure important outcomes, and engage in knowledge-sharing by publishing scholarly articles that benefit others at national and international levels. Scientist-practitioners must also strive to remain active in clinical practice by providing regular services and adhering to clinical standards of practice (Overholser, 2009).
The main skills, knowledge, and abilities that should be possessed by scientist-practitioners include scientific research and therapy. Scientific research skills entail the ability to select research methods, design research, and engage in systematic data collection. Scientist-practitioners should also be able to engage in a science-based practice which is critical in successful counseling. Other abilities include accessing scientific findings and applying them to practice, providing effective counseling interventions, and building and maintaining effective relationships with clients. Important skills include analytical, problem-solving, communication and listening skills, self-awareness, non-verbal communication, empathy, confidentiality, and emotional compartmentalization. Technological skills are also necessary to effectively engage in research and when accessing existing research (Lowman, 2012).
References
Lowman, R. (2012). The scientist-practitioner consulting psychologist. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 64(3), 151-156. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030365
Overholser, J. (2009). Ten Criteria to Qualify As a Scientist-Practitioner in Clinical Psychology: An Immodest Proposal for Objective Standards. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 40(1), 51-59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-009-9127-3
DQ 2
Identify and define two different types of research reports. Discuss some of the common challenges that can be found in research reports as applied to counseling research? Provide at least two scholarly references you used to justify your responses.
The main types of research reports include technical and popular reports. Technical reports are complete reports of the research process and findings that are required for record-keeping or public dissemination. The data presented mainly includes background to the study, methodology used, a description of the data collected, data analysis, discussion, conclusion, bibliography, and appendices sections. Popular reports are more simple and used in situations where research findings have policy implications. Unlike technical reports which focus on the technical aspects of the research process, popular reports liberally use diagrams and charts to present data. The components of a popular report include research findings and their implications, recommendations, study objectives, research techniques used, and results. Technical appendices may be included to provide more information on the research methodology and findings (Rosati, 2008).
One of the major challenges that can be found in research reports is plagiarism and redundant publication. Plagiarism refers to using other authors’ unpublished or published ideas without referencing them. Redundant publication occurs in situations where two or more research reports are similar in that they share hypotheses, discussion points, data, and conclusions. Other challenges include using the wrong research design which makes it difficult to effectively examine the research question and inappropriate data analysis procedures that lead to misinterpretation of data and misleading conclusions. In some cases, researchers may falsify or fabricate data and include it as part of the report. In such cases, people who read the report may be misled. Fabricating data is unethical and may have serious implications for the counseling profession. Authorship challenges may occur in the research process in cases where people make substantial contributions to the research process and are not acknowledged in the report (West & Byrne, 2009).
References
Rosati, R. (2008). Writing for Publication—Research Manuscripts. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 30(4), 2. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1945-1474.2008.tb01145.x
West, W., & Byrne, J. (2009). Some ethical concerns about counselling research. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 22(3), 309-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070903285668