Ongoing Research Projects
The Counseling Psychology Program has a strong research orientation. Graduate students in counseling psychology benefit from a variety of faculty research programs as well as the Center for Interest Measurement Research (CIMR) and the Vocational Assessment Clinic (VAC).
Research of Professor Jo-Ida Hansen
Center for Interest Measurement Research – The Center for Interest Measurement Research (CIMR), directed by Dr. Hansen, functions as a research office dedicated to the accumulation of new knowledge in the field of vocational interest measurement, to the development of materials that make practical use of this knowledge, and to the provision of graduate student and professional education. CIMR is regarded as a major center for vocational interest research and serves as a point of focus and as a clearinghouse for other researchers in the field both nationally and internationally. The Center also houses archival data on the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) that date back over a period of 75-80 years. Currently, the archives consist of interest data on hundreds of thousands of people who have taken the Strong Interest Inventory (SII), making this the most massive developmental data bank on the SII available in the world.
Current CIMR projects include examinations of (a) the relationship of leisure interests to other psychological constructs (e.g., values, personality, self-assessed disabilities), (b) the relationship of leisure interests to the psychological well-being of retirees, (c) the role that moderators may play in estimation of the relationship between interests and work satisfaction and job performance, (d) the role of work commitment at mid-career, (e) the relationship between career interests, personality and temperament, (f) the relationship between volunteerism and interests, values and personality, and (g) the structure of leisure interests for college students, people at middle age, and older adults.
The E.K. Strong, Jr. Memorial Fellowship, a competitive award intended to support graduate student projects in the field of interest measurement, is administered through the Center. In addition, two Fellowships (Jo-Ida C. Hansen Dissertation Research Fellowship Fund, Charlotte and Gordon Hansen Assistantship/Fellowship Fund) have been established to support graduate student research in the area of vocational and leisure interest measurement, career development, and occupational health psychology. The Renè Dawis/Lloyd Lofquist Fellowship Fund, established by Dr. David Weiss, is another source of funding for graduate students working in the area of vocational psychology.
Vocational Assessment Clinic (VAC) – VAC is a career counseling clinic staffed by graduate students in counseling psychology that provides comprehensive assessment, test interpretation, and planning services for individuals who want to learn more about their vocational potential. The assessment includes the measurement of important aspects of an individual's work personality, work related abilities and needs, and vocational interests as well as biographical and work history information. Counseling Psychology Ph.D. students often complete advanced practicum with VAC in their third or fourth year of graduate school. The client data, along with longitudinal follow-up data for each person who visits the clinic, are available to graduate students for research projects related to work adjustment and career decision-making.
Research of Professor Patricia Frazier
Coping with Stressful Life Events – A major focus of my research is to identify factors associated with adjustment to stressful or traumatic life events. Some of this work has focused on specific events (e.g., sexual assault, bereavement, combat, terrorism, chronic medical conditions, relationship breakups) and some has focused on traumatic events more generally. Recent and ongoing projects examine predictors of the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including pre-trauma characteristics of the individual, characteristics of the event, and posttrauma factors. One of the factors in which I am interested is individuals' perceptions of the amount of control they have over a traumatic event. Over the past few years, my students and I have conducted several studies designed to develop and validate a measure of past, present, and future control over stressful or traumatic life events. I also am particularly interested in the effects of various forms of interpersonal trauma (e.g., divorce, betrayal).
Posttraumatic Growth – To more fully understand the impact of traumatic events, including their potentially positive as well as negative effects, my earlier research examined the prevalence, course, and predictors of posttraumatic growth (i.e., perceptions of positive life changes following traumatic events, such as greater appreciation of life). More recently, my research has examined the validity of self-reports of posttraumatic growth by examining how self-reports of growth correspond to actual change from pre- to posttrauma and how growth may be manifest in actual prosocial behaviors following trauma.
Developing Innovative Interventions for Trauma Survivors – In one project, funded by a 5-year grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, my colleagues and I are testing the effectiveness of two-video based interventions for sexual assault survivors seen in the emergency room at a county hospital in Minneapolis. We are assessing whether these interventions can reduce distress associated with the sexual assault medical exam and facilitate postassault adjustment. In other multi-year study funded by the Department of Defense and the Veteran's Administration, my colleagues and I are testing the effectiveness of an internet-based writing intervention for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. We are assessing whether writing about traumatic events can facilitate readjustment to civilian life. Finally, with grants from the University of Minnesota, my colleagues and I are conducting a qualitative study of Somali refugees in the Twin Cities to identify beliefs about, and barriers to using, Western mental health care. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop culturally-appropriate interventions for this group.
Research of Professor Richard Lee
Measurement and Relevance of Social Connectedness to Mental Health and Well-Being – This research draws upon theories of the self to understand the psychological importance of a sense of connectedness and belonging in life. Past and current studies examine the importance of social connectedness in life transitions, community involvement, coping and well-being, and the counseling process.
Acculturation and Ethnic Identity Development in Asian American Communities – This research investigates the measurement of acculturation and ethnic identity and the relevance of these culture-specific constructs to mental health and well-being. One line of research examines the frequency and impact of parent-child acculturation conflicts among late adolescent and young adult Asian Americans with a specific focus on the coping strategies that help moderate the negative effects of family conflict. Another line of research examines the mediator/moderator role of ethnic identity in the relationship between perceived discrimination and adjustment.
International Adoption – A series of on-going studies examine the cultural socialization experiences and psychological adjustment of internationally adopted children and their families. Particular attention is paid to families with children adopted from South Korea. These studies are conducted in collaboration with the International Adoption Project (directed by Dr. Megan Gunnar in the Institute of Child Development) and the Sibling Interaction and Behavior Study (directed by Dr. Matthew McGue in Psychology).