Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation

Predictive modeling was used to identify the degree that hypothesized moderators of dialectical behavioral therapy for adolescents (DBT-A) treatment outcomes predicted anxiety and depression symptoms over time. Participants were 66 adolescents (41 girls; 25 boys) with a mean age of 15.38 years (SD = 1.51) who completed a 7-week DBT-A intervention. Analyses revealed convergent models, wherein emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness were substantial predictors of change in the symptoms of anxiety, F(4, 65) = 23.21, p < .01, R² = .60, and depression, F(4, 65) = 29.76, p < .01, R² = .66.

We implemented a small series (N = 3) single-case research design to assess the effectiveness of a nine-session creative journal arts therapy treatment program for female survivors of intimate partner violence. Analysis of participants’ scores on Hope and Self-Esteem Scales using the percentage of nonoverlapping data points procedure yielded treatment effects indicating that a creative journal arts therapy treatment program may be effective for improving self-esteem and hope for female survivors of intimate partner violence. Implications for counselors and researchers are provided.

Adults with mild autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges in romantic relationships. Healthy romantic relationships yield physical and mental health benefits important to improved quality of life, yet many adults with ASD do not experience successful romantic relationships precluding them from possible benefits. This is the first study that explores the effects of group counseling, using the protocol Relationship Enhancement^®, for 38 adult ASD participants in treatment as usual and a modified condition. Social skills, empathy, and social support were measured pre- and posttreatment. Results indicate improvements in social skills and empathy in both treatment conditions.

The reporting effect sizes (ESs) and confidence intervals (CIs) of ESs has become recommended practice in the social sciences; however, these values are frequently omitted by authors in manuscripts submitted for publication. Consequently, the meaningfulness and clinical relevance of their findings go unaddressed. As a result, a growing number of scholarly journals now require researchers to incorporate findings of clinical significance in their reporting of results. In this article, we review the most common conventions used for estimating and reporting ESs and CIs of ESs and illustrate how researchers can compute and interpret these measures of practical significance.