The Counseling Psychologist

Although originating from the study of infant development, attachment theory has recently been extended into domains of adult adjustment, and this emergent literature underscores the theory's promise as an integrative framework for inquiry and practice in counseling psychology. This article briefly reviews the theory's conceptual foundations and key empirical findings and traces important conceptual and methodological advances. Results of contemporary theory-guided studies of adult affect regulation, social competence, and intergenerational continuity are selectively reviewed Finally, implications of these findings for advancing an integrative understanding of healthy adult coping are considered.

This article reviews the growing literature on attachment theory and career development. The empirical and theoretical literature that has examined the contribution of attachment theory to ego identity formation, preimplementation career behavior, and postimplementation career adjustment is reviewed. Drawing from this literature, four propositions are advanced to guide subsequent empirical and theoretical efforts in this area. Implications for counseling practice that are derived from this review are also presented.

The attachment model holds considerable promise for understanding the challenges and adjustment vicissitudes of late adolescent college students. The model is potentially valuable for counseling psychologists, further more, in linking knowledge of developmental theory with counseling intervention and prevention. Existing research supports an association between secure parental attachment and adjustment for first-year college students. A variety of methodological challenges, however, need to be addressed in order to fully assess the validity of attachment-based developmental and intervention models, especially for women and culturally and racially diverse college students.

This article is designed to stimulate interest in the clinical utility of attachment theory and examine how its constructs are relevant to counseling and counseling supervision. The initial section illustrates attachment constructs in action and demonstrates how the theory and its related research can be used to conceptualize clients' experience in their emotionally important relationships. The authors then discuss counseling process focusing on the ways attachment theory can contribute to understanding the client-counselor relationship and change strategies. The implications of the central constructs are also explored in relation to counseling supervision. In concluding, the authors discuss research and clinical extensions of attachment theory, alluding briefly to areas that are also extensions of traditional counseling psychology. Throughout, the article's intent is to help the reader appreciate the complexity of attachment theory as well as its science-practice links and its potential contribution to clinical research and service delivery.

The contributors to this special issue not only have taken on the immense task of reviewing and integrating the burgeoning research literature on attachment, but have also challenged readers to consider the relevance of this literature for the domain of counseling psychology. More specifically, Lopez suggests that attachment theory may be a potential "metaperspective capable of integrating important personality and developmental constructs in ways that both inform and stimulate our research and practice". With this consideration in mind, my comments will focus on the viability of attachment theory as an overarching framework for counseling psychology with particular emphasis on the integrative potential and heuristic value of the theory.

We propose a prototype for a scientist-practitioner model of psychological assessment that is a reformulation of the Pepinskys's model of the counselor-as-scientist. We integrate with the Pepinskys's model theory and research on human inference, judgment, and decision making, research on threats to accurate clinical prediction (e.g., confirmatory hypothesis testing), and findings about counselor characteristics associated with effective judgment processes (e.g., cognitive complexity). Issues related to counseling psychologists' application of research findings and use of scientific reasoning in counseling practice are explored, including implications for training, research, and practice.

Sport psychology has been identified as an emerging domain of interest in counseling psychology; however, little is known about professional counseling psychologists' involvement in this area Therefore, a national survey ofSO50male and 500female Division 17 members was conducted. Based on 585 usable questionnaires, results indicated that counseling psychologists (a) were minimally involved in sport psychology research and teaching activities (e.g., having published articles or taught courses), and (b) had received virtually no formal training (e.g., coursework) or supervision in the field Many, however, had worked professionally with athletes in either individual (69%) or group (25%) therapy, or had consulted with an athlete or sport team (37%). Implications of the findings for counseling psychology training and practice are discussed.

Members of Division 17's Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee surveyed ethnic and racial minority psychologists in the Division of Counseling Psychology to solicit their perceptions about their professional needs and experiences. Survey results revealed three important professional needs related to multicultural issues: increased sensitivity to multicultural concerns by colleagues and training programs, inclusion of a greater number of ethnic and racial minority psychologists in leadership positions, and more visibility of ethnic and racial minority psychologists in the profession. Some respondents reported that although their involvement in multicultural issues was personally and professionally rewarding, they had some concerns about their colleagues' tendency to see their work in this area as less valuable. Lastly, many respondents expressed their desire for Division 17 to increase the representation of ethnic and racial minorities in its general membership and in its leadership positions and to provide more opportunities for networking.