Student motivations for undertaking a child and adolescent psychotherapeutic counselling course

A Systematic Literature Review of the Career Choice of Helping Professionals Who Have Experienced Cumulative Harm as a Result of Adverse Childhood Experiences

“…Relational trauma associated with disrupted attachment was a dominant theme within the literature concerning career choice in helping motivation (Barnett, 2007; Brems et al, 1995; Black et al, 1993; Doron et al, 2013; Elliott & Guy, 1993; Fussell & Bonney, 1990; Holliday et al, 2018; Nikčević et al, 2007; Olson & Royse, 2006; Phillips, 1997; Rompf & Royse, 1994; Sellers & Hunter, 2005; van Heugten, 2001). Five studies reported that participants from helping professions experienced greater perceived or actual lack of intimacy from a caregiver, parental rejection, loneliness, abandonment, family dysfunction, and caregiver absenteeism compared to nonhelping participants (Barnett, 2007; Brems et al 1995; Elliott & Guy, 1993; Fussell & Bonney, 1990; van Heugten, 2001).…”

“…Although a few studies identified relational problems and problems in the family unit as explicit motivating factors contributing to a decision to pursue a helping profession (Holliday et al, 2018; Rompf & Royse, 1994; van den Bosse & McGinn, 2009), two studies identified experiencing a positive and reparative relationship with a helping professional or other responsible figures as influencing career choice in the helping professions (Holliday et al, 2018; van den Bosse & McGinn, 2009). The review also identified disrupted attachment and relational trauma characterized by physical and sexual abuse (Elliott & Guy, 1993; Nikčević et al, 2007; Pack, 2010; Phillips, 1997), abandonment, neglect, and separation (Holliday et al, 2018; Huynh & Rhodes, 2011; Phillips, 1997; van Heugten, 2001) as an implicit motivation for choosing a helping career.…”

“…The review identified childhood victimization, characterized by physical and sexual abuse, abandonment, and neglect, as an implicit motivation for choosing a helping career (Barnett, 2007; Black et al, 1993; Brems et al, 1995; DiCaccavo, 2002; Doron et al, 2013; Elliott & Guy, 1993; Fussell & Bonney, 1990; Holliday et al, 2018; Nikčević et al, 2007; Olson & Royse, 2006; Phillips, 1997; Rompf & Royse, 1994; Sellers & Hunter, 2005; van Heugten, 2001). Seven studies also reported significant negative home environments, including poverty, neglect, familial conflict, and emotional abuse (Barnett, 2007; Brems et al, 1995; Nikčević et al, 2007); emotional challenges (Holliday et al, 2018; Rompf & Royse, 1994); and sexual and physical abuse (Black et al, 1993; Elliott & Guy, 1993). Substance misuse in the family of origin was identified as a common adversity experienced by helping professionals.…”

“…Yew et al (2017) suggest that parentified children can be broadly categorized into two subtypes, the former caregiving subtype as described above and the other an emotional subtype whereby the child or adolescent assumes the role of counselor and confidant, caring for the parent’s mental and emotional well-being. Motivation to pursue a helping profession was a dominant theme described both implicitly (Barnett, 2007; Brannen et al, 2009; Buchbinder, 2007; DiCaccavo, 2002; Elliott & Guy, 1993; Fussell & Bonney, 1990; Holliday et al, 2018; Huynh & Rhodes, 2011; Nikčević et al, 2007; Pack, 2010; Parker & Merrylees, 2002; van den Bosse & McGinn, 2009; van Heugten, 2001) and explicitly as a natural progression from the role of parentified child to helping professional (Pack, 2010; van den Bosse & McGinn, 2009; van Heugten, 2001).…”

Counselor Education and Supervision: 2018 Annual Review

“…Contributions to the research on master’s‐level students included quantitative studies of work values, occupational engagement, and professional quality of life pre‐ and postcareer course (Blount, Bjornsen, & Moore, 2018); dispositional mindfulness and personal distress as predictors of counseling self‐efficacy (Butts & Gutierrez, 2018); and attributional style as a predictor of burnout (I. Lee et al, 2018). Holliday, Peacock, and Lewoski (2018) explored motivations for child and adolescent specialists’ enrollment in a graduate program. Career role articles also included quantitative attention to counselor educators’ career satisfaction (Moro & Scherer, 2018), Chi Sigma Iota chapter faculty advisors’ experiences of professional identity (McKinney, West, Fye, Bradley, & Storlie, 2018), liaisons’ experiences with initial accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (Lu, Smith, & Davis, 2018), and one faculty member’s experience creating a prepracticum laboratory (Lamprecht & Pitre, 2018).…”