The main purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of empathy in the relationship between psychological flexibility and cultural humility among counsellor candidates. In addition, the study investigated whether counsellor candidates' levels of cultural humility differed according to their year of study. The sample consisted of 338 undergraduate students enrolled in guidance and psychological counselling programmes at various universities. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Psychological Flexibility Scale, the Basic Empathy Scale, and the Cultural Humility Scale. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 27 and Mplus 8.8 software. Findings revealed that empathy had a mediating role in the relationship between counsellor candidates' psychological flexibility and their cultural humility. Moreover, no significant differences were found in cultural humility scores across grade levels. The results are discussed within the framework of relevant literature, and implications for researchers and practitioners are provided.
This research aims to shed light on the psychological and socioeconomic dimensions of the working environment in Turkey. Structural equation modelling was used in this study, which examined the mediating role of psychological flexibility in the effect of subjective underemployment levels of adult individuals working in Turkey on decent work levels. The data of the study consists of 334 people who are actively working in one of the central provinces of Turkey. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that psychological flexibility partially mediates the relationship between subjective underemployment and decent work. These findings were discussed in the light of other studies in the literature and suggestions were made.
Posttraumatic growth is a phenomenon that refers to positive changes in coping with challenging life events. However, there is no short-form version of the scale measuring post-traumatic growth that has undergone a structured validity assessment in Turkish adolescents. Therefore, we aimed to adapt the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF) to Turkish adolescents. Participants were adolescents aged 14-18 years with traumatic experiences (Mage = 15.57, SD = 1.17). This study found that the PTGI-SF construct was valid and demonstrated good model fit in Turkish adolescents. The internal consistency of the scale was calculated to be high. As measurement invariance was verified, it was found that the scale represented the same psychological structure in terms of gender. The PTGI-SF exceeded the threshold and showed sufficient convergent validity. Furthermore, item response theory revealed that the items were highly discriminant from each other. Additionally, network analysis showed that the items were strongly related to each other. In conclusion, this study has realised a unique adaptation with adequate validity and reliability to measure posttraumatic growth in Turkish adolescents.
This study investigates the career guidance and counselling (CGC) experiences of newly arrived students (NAS) in Sweden as they transition from compulsory to upper secondary education. Based on interviews with 22 year nine NAS in the Stockholm region, it examines how policy ideals of equity and informed choice are enacted in practice. Although CGC has traditionally carried a compensatory role in mitigating structural inequalities, the findings reveal fragmented guidance shaped by linguistic barriers and unclear role expectations. Teachers, study tutors, and mother tongue instructors often stepped in to provide support, but their involvement sometimes produced inconsistent or conflicting advice. Three recurring challenges emerge: addressing language barriers, balancing student autonomy with directive support, and coordinating guidance across staff. These findings show that the compensatory role of CGC is unevenly realised and contingent on broader school practices, which can simultaneously facilitate and complicate equitable and meaningful guidance for NAS.
Volunteer mental health workers (VMHWs) provide essential support to individuals experiencing a crisis or mental-unwellness in the UK, a demographic often overlooked in contemporary research. The study explored factors influencing compassionate expression among third-sector VMHWs, identifying opportunities to enhance resilience and mitigate poor mental well-being. Twelve VMHWs completed a semi-structured interview, exploring factors that inhibited and cultivated compassion. The data was then subjected to thematic analysis. The first theme, compassion towards self and others, explored how learnt compassion and social expectations combine within the therapeutic setting. In the second theme, the cultivation of self-compassion, highlighted opportunities to support compassionate expression through personal boundaries and self-awareness. Crucially, volunteers advocated for interventions that extend traditional support systems, emphasising the need for training and supervision that actively promote and normalise self-compassion. Findings call for further research and policy development within third-sector organisations, with targeted interventions fostering a more sustainable and compassionate environment for VMHWs.
The school-to-work transition is a critical step in sustainable career development. Additionally, research on narrative identity highlights the importance of the desired future in shaping individuals' present motivations, behaviours, and personal change. A qualitative study was designed to explore narratives of desired future and their relationship with individuals' past experiences during the school-to-work transition. The study analyzed narrative data from 65 postgraduate students in a master's degree programme in human resource management at a university in the Netherlands, all preparing to enter the job market. The study identified goal (agency versus communion) and orientation (past versus present) as key elements of desired future narratives. Hardship and relational richness in the reconstructed past emerged as significant elements shaping both goal and orientation. Material and tensional hardships appeared to orient the desired future toward agency, while relational hardship tended to relate to a focus on communion.
During the pandemic, the mental health industry saw a surge in cases. Due to the movement restrictions, these demands had to be fulfilled by online counsellors. Hence, online mental health organisations saw a massive surge in queries and concerns. Current research inadequately addresses the personal and professional challenges faced by online counsellors in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study bridges the gap by interviewing 25 Indian online counsellors working in mental health organisations. The results suggested that online counsellors demonstrate altruistic behaviour. They felt a sense of purpose to help others even while going through their own traumatic events. These counsellors revealed their efforts towards dynamic capacity building, and shared their sense of a re-emergence of the mental health industry.
Existing research findings suggest that female college students face more mental health difficulties than their male peers. In order to better address their unique needs and improve accessibility to support services, it is essential to investigate the specific mechanisms through which their attitudes towards seeking counselling develop. This study explored female college students' counselling-seeking behaviour, considering the influences of self-concealment, family support, depression, and self-stigma towards counselling. The participants included 272 female undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university in the United States. As a result of path analysis, findings indicated that self-concealment was associated with family support, depression, and self-stigma towards counselling, while depression positively influenced counselling-seeking behaviour, and self-stigma towards counselling negatively influenced counselling-seeking behaviour. These findings added empirical evidence of Cramer's (1999) help-seeking model by expanding the scope of the investigation. Implications for promoting female college students' mental health and improving access to counseling services are provided.
The present study sought to ascertain the mediating role of psychological symptoms in the association between life satisfaction and happiness among Turkish individuals residing in Turkey and Australia. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, with a sample of 400 participants aged 18-65. The data were collected via an online survey using the Oxford Happiness Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the SCL-90-R. Statistical analyses, incorporating independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlations and mediation analyses, were conducted utilising SPSS. The findings indicated that participants living in Australia reported significantly higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction, whereas those residing in Turkey exhibited higher levels of psychological symptoms. The implementation of correlation analyses indicated a positive association between life satisfaction and happiness, while psychological symptoms exhibited a negative correlation with both constructs. Mediation analysis demonstrated that psychological symptoms partially mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and happiness, accounting for 11.7% of the total effect. These results emphasise the pivotal role of psychological well-being in elucidating the association between life satisfaction and happiness within a cross-cultural context..
This study explores the role of art therapy in enhancing self-awareness and emotional regulation among adolescents, focusing on a single case study of Devi, an adolescent client in a residential treatment setting. Over six weeks, Devi engaged in structured art therapy sessions designed to facilitate emotional expression, self-reflection, and personal growth. Using content analysis of session transcripts, therapist observations, and Devi's artwork, the study identified key themes reflecting her progression. Through symbolic and metaphorical art forms, she externalised and processed complex emotions, creating a safe space for exploring her inner world. This process highlighted the unique potential of art as a bridge between verbal and non-verbal communication, allowing her to gain insights into her emotional triggers and fostering a deeper understanding of her needs, boundaries, strengths, and weaknesses. As Devi translated her experiences into visual art, she not only developed more effective strategies for emotional regulation but also cultivated a more cohesive sense of self. This case illustrates how art therapy can support adolescents in residential care in developing emotional regulation, self-awareness, and a coherent sense of identity through symbolic and expressive art-making.
This study explores therapists' personal outcomes of the Portland Model (PM) approach to online peer group supervision. This approach is rooted in acceptance and commitment therapy, whose main features are being self-conducted and using experiential techniques. The study compared clinicians attending six PM sessions (N = 14) with a control group (N = 14) in terms of inclusion, self-compassion, burnout, well-being and mindful awareness. Furthermore, we used sociograms to explore the relationship network formed within the group. Results show that PM group supervision improves the sense of inclusion and mitigates some aspects of burnout. However, the approach didn't foster strong in-group relations.
Childhood trauma is a risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet the psychological mechanisms underlying this link in young adult populations remain underexplored. This study examined the mediating role of self-compassion (SC) in the link between childhood trauma (CT) and PTSD among Turkish university students. A total of 592 students aged 18-30 participated. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro (Model 4) in SPSS. The findings showed that higher levels of CT were associated with lower SC and greater PTSD symptoms. SC partially mediated this link, with the indirect effect accounting for 19.07% of the variance in PTSD. In conclusion, SC may serve as a key protective factor in the link between CT and PTSD. Additionally, SC-based interventions have the potential to enhance student well-being and resilience in university counselling settings.
Objective: The therapeutic contract covers agreements, expectations, and norms, usually established orally. This study examined professionals' attitudes toward moving to a written therapeutic contract. Method: Fifteen active psychologists and four other professionals participated in structured qualitative interviews. Results: Four central themes emerged. Most therapists resisted written contracts, fearing they would harm the therapeutic relationship, while some believed they could foster collaboration and autonomy. All emphasised clarity about the legal consequences of written contracts in potential lawsuits. Conclusions: This research underscores the need to examine written therapeutic contracts and the tension between procedural clarity and their impact on the therapeutic alliance.
