Public rehabilitation agency staff, constantly faced with addressing work related social skills, possess many insights about salient skills and interventions that can benefit future research and practice. Agencies currently address social skills deficits by providing interventions to both person and environment. The research provides directions for future research related to identification of social skills and interventions to address related deficits.
Positive psychology is a scientific study that explores what makes life most worth living and applies psychological theory to understand the human strengths that are important for enhancing overall well-being and happiness. The rehabilitation counseling philosophy shares a similar emphasis on personal strengths and the importance of enhancing what is good rather than merely addressing the negative aspects of adversity. The field of rehabilitation counseling provides a solid foundation for the practice of positive psychology and there is great potential for improving services and outcomes for people with disabilities by applying positive psychology approaches in rehabilitation practice and research. The objective of this article is to provide rehabilitation professionals an overview of positive psychology and its application to rehabilitation counseling. Specifically, a brief history of the positive psychology movement, major constructs and research findings, measurement considerations, and empirically supported intervention frameworks will be reviewed.
The ability to effectively manage social interactions is key to achieving many life goals. A substantial amount of research has been conducted in rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation psychology that includes a consideration of some aspect of social effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to collect and synthesize the past 30 years of rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation psychology research addressing aspects of social effectiveness. A total of 13 terms (e.g., interpersonal skills, social competence, social functioning, and soft skills) were used to search six of the most prominent rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation psychology journals from the period January 1982 to May 2013. A total of 608 articles were identified as including at least one of the search terms, with 175 using a search term prominently and the other 433 only passively. Social skills, social functioning, and social competence were among the most frequently used search terms, accounting for almost 90% of all used terms. It was found that social effectiveness constructs were rarely defined and often used interchangeably. Twenty-nine interventions studies had been published in the 30-year period. Results reflect a substantial and useful body of literature in this area of research while also conveying an opportunity for the development of a more systematic, unified, and theory-driven approach to understanding and addressing aspects of social effectiveness.
Objective While at increased risk for developing dementia compared to whites, older African Americans are diagnosed later in the course of dementia. Using Common Sense Model (CSM) of Illness Perception, we sought to clarify processes promoting timely diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) for African Americans. Design, Setting, Participants In-person, cross-sectional, survey data were obtained from 187 African Americans, mean age 60.44 years. Data were collected at social and health-focused community events in three southern Wisconsin cities. Measurements The survey represented a compilation of published surveys querying CSM constructs focused on early detection of memory disorders, and willingness to discuss concerns about memory loss with healthcare providers. Derived CSM variables measuring perceived causes, consequences and controllability of MCI were included in a structural equation model (SEM) predicting the primary outcome: Willingness to discuss symptoms of MCI with a provider. Results Two CSM factors influenced willingness to discuss symptoms of MCI with providers. Anticipation of beneficial consequences and perception of low harm associated with an MCI diagnosis predicted a person’s willingness to discuss concerns about cognitive changes. No association was found between perceived controllability and causes of MCI, and willingness to discuss symptoms with a provider. Conclusions These data suggest that allaying concerns about the deleterious effects of a diagnosis, and raising awareness of potential benefits could influence an African American’s willingness to discuss symptoms of MCI with a provider. The findings offer guidance to design culturally congruent MCI education materials, and to healthcare providers caring for older African Americans.
A modified consensual qualitative research approach was taken to determine factors that influence job placement services in selected state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. Thirty-five counselors, supervisors, and administrators participated in semistructured interviews on job placement and how they determine whether the counselor or another professional (e.g., in-house placement specialist, community rehabilitation provider) provides the direct service. Results indicated that several factors were noted by at least half of the participants, including anticipated intensity of services needed by the client, counselor caseload size/available time, existing employer relationships, availability of a placement service provider, and placement skills. Results highlight the impact of consistently high client volume on placement services, particularly for individuals with the most significant disabilities. Implications related to the current state of policy and practice for placement services, as well as potential future directions, are discussed.
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