A national study of associate degree mental health and human services workers

Young, Carl E.; True, John E.; Packard, Mary E.

doi:10.1002/1520-6629(197601)4:1<89::aid-jcop2290040107>3.0.co;2-8

Cited by 10 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(2 reference statements)

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“…The intent of many undergraduate degree programs is to produce mental health generalists, that is, workers with a variety of basic helping skills who can eventually carry out many of the functions traditionally performed by professionals. Currently, over 4,000 graduates are being produced annually by approximately 170 paraprofessional college-level training programs (Young, True, & Packard, 1976). Present comparative evidence, however, does not support the ability of paraprofessionals to function effectively in full-time service positions.…”

Section: Paraprofessional Mental Health Manpowermentioning

confidence: 88%

Comparative effectiveness of paraprofessional and professional helpers.

Durlak¹

1979

Psychological Bulletin

351

184

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Forty-two studies comparing the effectiveness of professional and paraprofessional helpers are reviewed with respect to outcome and adequacy of design. Although studies have been limited to examining helpers functioning in narrowly denned clinical roles with specific client populations, findings have been consistent and provocative. Paraprofessionals achieve clinical outcomes equal to or significantly better than those obtained by professionals. In terms of measurable outcome, professionals may not possess demonstrably superior clinical skills when compared with paraprofessionals. Moreover, professional mental health education, training, and experience do not appear to be necessary prerequisites for an effective helping person. The strongest support for paraprofessionals has come from programs directed at the modification of college students' and adults' specific target problems and, to a lesser extent, from group and individual therapy programs for non-middle-class adults. Unfortunately, there is little information on the factors that account for paraprofessionals' effectiveness. Future studies need to define, isolate, and evaluate the primary treatment ingredients of paraprofessional helping programs in an attempt to determine the nature of the paraprofessional's therapeutic influence.Evaluations of research involving paraprofessional therapists have been highly positive. Reviewers concentrating on the use of college students (Gruver, 1971), community volunteers (Siegel, 1973, and parents (Berkowitz & Graziano, 1972;Johnson & Katz, 1973;O'Dell, 1974) or discussing paraprofessional therapy outcome research in general (Karlsruher, 1974) have agreed that relatively untrained workers can make a significant service contribution within the mental health field. Conspicuously ignored, however, has been the research comparing the relative effectiveness of paraprofessionals and professionals. This article attempts to review and evaluate this comparative research with respect to outcome and adequacy of design.A broad range of helping roles is considered. Studies selected for review include individualThe author wishes to thank Daryl "Kim" Hamblin for his help in the rating task described in this report.

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Section: Paraprofessional Mental Health Manpowermentioning

confidence: 88%

Comparative effectiveness of paraprofessional and professional helpers.

Durlak¹

1979

Psychological Bulletin

351

184

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…After reviewing 27 studies, Karlsruher (1974) concluded that 'neither didactic training nor supervision is necessary to enable the nonprofessional to produce significant behavioural changes' (p. 70) in adult patients. Young et al (1976) their supervisors gave them 'excellent to good' ratings on a range of therapeutic tasks. Burgeoning work in the area grew from an optimism about the utilization of paraprofessionals, 'not simply because professional manpower is unavailable, but rather to provide new services in innovative ways' (Sobey, 1970, p.6).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Another dodo bird verdict? revisiting the comparative effectiveness of professional and paraprofessional therapists

Faust

Zlotnick

1995

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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We examine major criticisms of studies comparing paraprofessionals' and professionals' therapeutic effectiveness. Such analysis does not support the contention that methodological weaknesses of the studies produced systematic biases against professional therapists. Thus, despite common beliefs to the contrary, the finding that formal training does not predict successful therapy appears sound. We discuss the implications of this finding for research, training, and clinical practice.

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The paraprofessional movement as a paradigm community psychology endeavor

Kalafat

Boroto

1977

J. Community Psychol.

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Community psychology can be seen as a vigorous, action-oriented movement. It is, however, still in the developmental stage characterized by the continued attempts to specify the goals and parameters of the field. The growing paraprofessional movement, shares similar origins to community psychology and appears to provide answers to some of the questions raised about the accomplishments of the practitioners of community psychology. Some of the stated goals of communit.y psychology are briefly reviewed and the paraprofessional movement is described in greater detail in an attempt to demonstrate the relationship between the accomplishments and trends of the paraprofemional movement and the goals espoused by community psychologists.The community psychology movement has, from its inception, been a pragmatic, action-oriented movement. It arose in response to serious concerns about the scope and quality of mental health services and delivery systems in this country. Because of this action-oriented, or "proactive" (Iscoe, 1974) orientation and because of the feeling that community psychologists possess a strong mandate, those involved in the community psychology movement have been very selfconscious of its direction and accomplishments. Ten years after the Boston Conference (1965) , community psychologists are still faced with such questions from their colleagues as Bla.u's :

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A national study of associate degree mental health and human services workers

Cited by 10 publications

References 5 publications

Comparative effectiveness of paraprofessional and professional helpers.

Comparative effectiveness of paraprofessional and professional helpers.

Another dodo bird verdict? revisiting the comparative effectiveness of professional and paraprofessional therapists

The paraprofessional movement as a paradigm community psychology endeavor

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