Child and Adolescent Counseling

Child and Adolescent Counseling

Discovering the private world of children and adolescents; grounded in developmental theory; building trust; recognizing need for coping skills; transcending barriers.

Historical Perspective: Children were once thought of as miniature adults with no special privileges. Abnormal children were treated poorly, and mortality rates were high.

Classical Theories: Freud, Adler, Jung.

Four Distinct Stages:

  1. Sensorimotor (birth - 2yrs): Cognitive & Moral development
  2. Preoperational (2 - 6yrs): Symbolic meaning and egocentrism
  3. Formal operational (12-adulthood): Moral Development

Moral development is hierarchical (Kohlberg).

Lv 1: Egocentric morals (fear of punishment).

Lv 2: Contribute to the good of society (age 11 or 12).

Psychosocial Theory (Erikson): A task must be accomplished each stage.

Seven Psychological Stages:

  1. Trust VS Mistrust
  2. Autonomy vs Shame doubt
  3. Intuitive vs Guilt
  4. Industry vs Inferiority
  5. Identity vs Role confusion
  6. Intimacy vs Isolation
  7. Generativity vs stagnation
  8. Integrity vs Despair

Emerging Developmental Trends: Optimal Development focuses on positive healthy development; resiliency provides a buffer to harmful stress; attachment theory focuses on parent-child emotional bond; emotional intelligence plays a role in psychological function; adolescence is a separate developmental stage.

How Counseling Strategies Can Help: Foster resiliency; promote positive relationships; cultivate intelligence; develop other qualities to promote optimal development.

Treatment Issues: Assessment Procedures include drawings and clinical interviews.

Types Of Drawings: Self Portraits, Family Drawings, Free Drawings.

Factors to Evaluate in Children's Drawings: Proportion/form, detail, movement/action, gender identity, theme.

Psychological Factors To Interpret From Children's Drawing: Omissions (no hands, feet, mouth), Exaggerations.

Child Adolescent Counseling Goals: Address mental issues (attachment, self-control, self-efficacy) & specific problems (procrastination).

Approaches: Play Therapy, Conflict Resolution.

Guidelines: Include parenting concepts.

Play Therapy: Natural form of communication, enhances development, encourages acting out thoughts and expressing feelings.

Group Counseling: Counselor must emphasize group structure, focus, screening, establishing guidelines, encouraging goals, and be sensitive to diversity.

BRIEF HISTORY:

1928: Group structure created
1947: National Training Group dynamics Laboratory
1960-80s: Increased activity, but criticized
1990s: Returned to respectability, addressing diversity.

GROUP DISTINCTIONS:

Group therapy: longer term, remedial.
Group counseling: conscious problems, 8-10 participants.
Group Guidance: 20-40 participants, K-12.

TYPES OF GROUPS:

Task Work: committees, study groups.
Guidance: psychosocial, parenting classes.
Counseling: interpersonal, divorce, trauma.
Psychotherapy: personality reconstruction, anxiety, depression.

GROUP vs FAMILY COUNSELING: Inclusion is gained, not based on biology.

THE GROUP COUNSELING PROCESS:

Advantages: Vicarious learning, economical, role flexibility, universality, altruism, motivation.

ORGANIZING GROUPS: Size depends on type, composition.

Duration: Open/closed, session length, number of sessions.

FACILITATING THE GROUP PROCESS: Pre-group screening, orientation.

Four stages:

  1. Initial stage
  2. Transition stage
  3. Working stage
  4. Final stage

RESPONSE TO DISRUPTIVE CLIENTS: Address aggressors, obstructors, negative storytellers.

GROUP LEADERS: Co-leaders (advantages/disadvantages).

DIVERSITY ISSUES: Includes gender, culture, age, disabilities, developmental levels.

CAREER COUNSELING
Work has changed; numerous options motivate career choice. Help people with career planning, decision making, self-understanding, work-life balance.

PROFESSIONAL: National Career Development Association (1952). Certification requires graduate degree, experience, passing exam.

DEFINITIONS: Work ensures survival; career involves pay, relationships, advancement; career development facilitates career choices.

CAREER COUNSELING THEORIES: Sandra Roe, social learning theory, Parsons Theory (3-stage model).

3 stage model:

  1. Understand aptitudes, interests, limitations.
  2. Knowledge of job requirements, conditions, prospects.
  3. Reasoning in relating the two.

Super's Theory: 5 stages of career Development

Holland Theory: Career choice fits person and environment. Job satisfaction results from congruence. Vocational Preference inventory.

HOLLAND'S THEORY: R I A S E C (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional).

Sandra Roe's Theory: Childhood influences career choices based on Maslow's hierarchy. Parent-child relationships foster need satisfaction.

Social Learning Theory: Learning experiences, genetic endowment, environmental factors affect career choice.

Assment Instruments: Aptitude, Achievement, Interest Inventories, Personality, Values Inventories.

Diversity Issues: Awareness of cultural values, stereotypes. Theories may have less utility for those in poverty or school dropouts.

Personal vs Career Counseling: Greater interest in personal counseling.

Art & Science Dimensions of Mental Health Counseling: Developing innovative methods, balancing service delivery with managed care demands.

Science: Using assessment instruments, procedures, research.

Definition of Mental Disorder: A dysfunctional behavioral or psychological pattern associated with distress or disability.

Research Findings: Women suffer phobias/depression; men have alcohol/drug problems. Rates higher under