Understand the Work of the Counselor GABRELLE MARIE D. OGAYON Psychological Testing and Its Ethical Considerations Psychological testing, also called psychometrics, the systematic use of tests to quantify psychophysical behavior, abilities, and problems and to make predictions about psychological performance. Test misuse Test misuse can occur at every step of the testing process, starting with the inappropriate selection of instruments • for the purposes to which they are applied • for the individuals to whom they are administered. Errors in administration Errors in scoring Errors in the interpretation or reporting Rights of Test-Takers (APA) • Be treated with courtesy, respect, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. Be tested with measures that meet professional standards and that are appropriate. • Receive a brief explanation prior to testing about the purpose(s) for testing, the kind(s) of tests to be used. • Individual’s freedom to decline, and freedom to withdraw, is respected. • Have test administered and your test results interpreted by trained individuals who follow professional codes of ethics. Ethical Issues in Psychological Testing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Competence of psychologist Informed Consent The right to Results Confidentiality Test security Divided Loyalties Invasion of privacy Labeling Dehumanization 1. Competence • Test givers should: – select test after review of tests available – have knowledge of test materials & manual – recognize boundaries of competence – not using test for purposes not recommended by developers • knowledge of ethical codes, e.g.: – provide test-takers, or their parents, with information a bout their rights – explain results in language test-taker can understand Theoretical Issues • Is your test reliable? Reliability – upper limit on validity. • Is your test valid for particular purpose? • Are you measuring a stable characteristic of the person being tested? Will it still be true next year? • If the test result says that person does not have the characteri stic you’re looking for, does that mean they could never acqu ire that characteristic? 2. Informed Consent Consent requires “affirmative permission be fore actions can be taken”. Informed Consent Elements of Informed Consent Agreements –Must be presented in a clear and understandable manner –Reason for the test administration. –Tests and evaluations procedures to be used. –How assessment scores will be used. –Who will have access to the results. –Present rights of test taker e.g. to refuse. Informed Consent If underage is tested written informed consent must be obtained from the parents , guardian. Informed consent - exceptions • When it is acceptable to test without getting consent? • When it is necessary to test without getting consent? Informed consent - exceptions • Acceptable, e.g., psychology students during a course. • Necessary e.g., when mandated by law. Research: debriefing • Restate purpose of the research. • Explain how the results will be used (usually emphasize that the interest is in the group findings). • Reiterate that findings will be treated confidentially. • Answer all of the respondents questions fully. 3. Knowledge of Results • Must fully disclose test results in understandable language • Avoid using theoretical constructs e.g. crystallized intelligence, ego strenght etc • Do not use technical terms, e.g. your neuroticism is 6 sten. 4. Confidentiality • Test results are confidential information • Release of results should only be made to another qualified professional after client’s consent 5. Test Security • Test materials must be kept secure • Test items are not revealed except in training programs and when mandated by law, to protect test integrity • Test items are private property 6. Divided loyalties • Who is the client? • The person being tested, or the institution you work for? • What if these parties have conflicting inte rests? Examples? • How do you maintain test security but als o explain an adverse decision? 7. Invasion of Privacy • When tested people may feel their privacy is invaded. • The clinician is always ultimately responsible; this includes scoring and interpretation done by a computer • Informed consent – informing the client about both the nature of the information being collected and the purposes for the which results will be used • Relevance – is the information gathered through assessment relevant to the counseling? Counselor should be able to clearly state purpose and benefits of appraisal process 8. Labeling • Once diagnosed, the desease can be labeled. E.g. psychiatric labels can be damaging. • Public has little understanding of e.g. schizophrenia. • When diagnosing, use least stigmatizing label consistent with accurate representation – It does not mean that counselors should always use less or nonstigmatizing diagnostic codes; a less stigmatizing code that is inaccurate could prevent the client from receiving appropriate treatment. 8. Labeling Problem: a psychological condition is perceived as medical. Ergo: ill person cannot do anything about it. It is not true for psychological disorders. A person can take responsibility to get better. 9. Dehumanization • Some forms of testing remove any human element from decision-making process • Seen as becoming more prevalent with the increase in computer-testing THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR Qualification of Professional Counselor Republic Act No. 9258 March 2, 2004 a) Be a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines ; b) Be a resident of the country for at least five(5) years immediately prior to his/her appointment ; c) Be of good moral character and must not have been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude; d) Be a qualified guidance counselor holding a valid Certificate of Registration; Provided, That in the case of the first members of the Board of Guidance and Counseling, they shall be issued Certificates of Registration as guidance counselors without prior examination; Qualification of Professional Counselor Republic Act No. 9258 March 2, 2004 e) Be a holder of a doctoral degree in Guidance and Counseling from a reputable college or university duly recognized by the CHED and/or by a duly accredited college or university abroad; f) Have at least ten (10) years of continuous professional practice as guidance counselor or counselor educator under this Act. g) Not be a member of the faculty of any school, college, or university where regular and/or review courses in guidance and counseling education is taught nor have any pecuniary interest in such institution; and h) Not be an official of the integrated and accredited national professional organization. THE ROLE AND PREPARATION OF A PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR COUNSELLOR counselor is a person who is involved in counseling. It refers to a person who is concerned with the profession of giving advice on various things such as academic matters, vocational issues and personal relationships. ROLE OF A COUNSELLOR: Personal/Social Counsellor assist students in learning to cope with the social, emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship issues, homesickness and substance abuse. assist in personal and physical development help in utilization of leisure time Educational Counsellor support in academic success and solve Issues that may be barriers to success guide in understanding policy and adjust with curriculum Assist in the choice of subject, courses and studies, college help students to improve their study habits Help in future job and education Aware about various opportunities regarding education Help to change in his illogical thinking and unhappiness Vocational Counsellor Helping students become aware of the many occupations to consider Interpreting an occupational interest inventory to a student Assist individual to choose occupation according their intrest,ability Role-playing a job interview in preparation for the real thing Help to person to adopt a vocation Help to achieve goal of vocation AVOCATIONAL COUNSELLOR : Provide opportunities for participation in extracurricular activities. Assist students in developing hobbies and interests. Provide awareness for recreation. Improve interest in games and other forms of recreation. Assist in using leisure time profitably. Family and Marriage Counsellor Assess family situation conduct therapy program to develop effective and satisfactory relationships; sometimes referral to other programs to treat individual problem of one member that results in family conflict (e.g. addictions, anger) Addictions Counsellor Identify addictions; support and encourage recovery; develop treatment plans and prepare written reports on progress; educate community about prevention programs Genetic Counsellor Analyze clues from family history of sickness; perform genetic testing; provide medical information about genetic disorders; identify risks and show options to solve problems Rehabilitation Counsellor Assess physical, emotional, mental obstacles the client faces, work with other therapists to design rehabilitation programs to overcome these, monitor and keep record of progress Bereavement Counsellors: develop plan to cope and grieve in a healthy way; they work in hospices, group homes, health care/rehabilitation facilities, hospitals,funeral homes, or private practice Eg. Death of spouse Crisis Counsellors: Help people in sudden crisis, distress, with suicidal intentions, victims of crime, tragedy Assess the client’s situation and provide emotional and mental health support help the client to understand that their situation is common, and they will return to their normal functionality. The counselor should stabilize the mental health of the patient through emotional support and the offering of resources. developing skills to deal with coping Such skills may include exploring and listing different solutions to problems, stress lowering techniques, and techniques for positive thinking. Pastoral or religious and spiritual Counsellors: Provide personal counselling within a religious and spiritual dimension provides patients and families spiritual and emotional support and guidance. He is responsible for the coordination and provision of spiritual care as indicated in each patient's Plan of Care EDUCATION: Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in teaching and education. They should have basic in principles and practice of the Guidance programme and additional area of training either in behavior science or community health. EXPERIENCE: 2 years in teaching or counselling experience. 1 year of work experience in the field of school programme. 3-6 months counseling experience, significant experience in social activities. PERSONAL FITNESS: - Have good Aptitude – interest – Activities – personality He should show positive interest and ability to work with people. COUNSELING AS A DISCIPLINE COUNSELING It is the process of guiding a person during a stage of life when reassessments or decisions have to be made about himself or herself and his/her course. -The Collins Dictionary of Sociology COUNSELING • As a discipline it is allied to psychology and deals with normal responses to normal life events, which may sometimes create stress for some people who, in turn, choose to ask for help and support. • Counselling is generally a non-clinical intervention. Traditionally in many societies, counselling is provided by family, friends and wise elderly. Counseling is widely considered the heart of the guidance services in schools. In the school context, counseling is usually done as an individual or group intervention designed to facilitate positive change in stud ent behaviour, feelings, and attitude. Psychometrics - is a branch of psychology that deals with the design, administration, and interpretation of quantitative tests for measurement of psychological variables such as intelligence, aptitude, interests, and personality traits. Context and the Basic Concepts of Counselling Context- includes the peer, culture, neighborhoods, counselling client, counselor, and the contextual and the process factor. 1.) peer as a context -friends attitudes, norms, and behaviors have a strong influence on adolescents. 2.) Neighborhood as Context -the interactions between the family and its neighborhood as immediate context are also important to consider. Context and the Basic Concepts of Counselling 3) Culture as Context - the National Institute of Health recog nizes counselling itself as a context. Re gardless a therapeutic approach in use, the counselling situation itself is. conte xt. From the Counselling context, there are successes factors such as: 1. Client factors 2. counselor Factors 3.contextual factors 4.Process Factors - developing trust - exploring problems areas - helping to set goals - empowering into actions - helping to maintain change - Agreeing when to end the helping relationship Goals of Counselling The primary goal of counselling is to help people utilized their prevailing social skills and problemsolving skills more functionally or to cultivate new surviving and coping skills Goals of Counselling • Development Goals • Preventive Goals • Enhancement Goals • Remedial Goals • Exploratory Goals • Reinforcement Goals • Cognitive Goals • Physiological Goals • Psychological Goals Goals of Counselling McLeod (2003) presented a list of counselling goals. • • • • • • • • • Insight Relating with others Self-awareness Self-acceptance Self-actualization Enlightenment Problem solving Psychological education Acquisition of social skills • • • • • • Cognitive change Behavior change Systemic change Empowerment Restitution Generativty Scope of Counselling It involves application of some psychological theories. And recognized communication skills. It is a professional relationship that requires an eventual closure and termination of the counseleecounselor relationship Core Values of Counseling Certain values are considered core to counseling and are reflected that expressed in the practice of counseling. Counselors are expected to embrace these and similar set of core values as essential and integral to their work. These values are: •Respect for Human dignity •Partnership •Autonomy •Personal integrity •Social Justice •Responsible caring Principles of Counseling According to Velleman (2001) the principles of counseling can be found in the basic process of counseling. It govern every step: developing trust, exploring problem areas, helping to set goals, empowering into action, helping to maintain change and agreeing when to end Counselors must try to keep this principle in mind at all times in order to be effective: •Advice •Reassurance •Release of emotional tension •Clarified thinking •Reorientation •Listening skills •Respect
