Chapter Two- Stimulus Questions
Jaquasia C. Vandross
CEFS-515: Research and Program Evaluation
Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies, Liberty University
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jaquasia C. Vandross
1. Why do you think some scholars are advocating a need to broaden scientific training
in counseling?
a. Clinicians who are trained in both science and practice will be better prepared for the
multitude of employment demands in the counseling profession.
b. Clinicians who are trained in both science and practice will have a better chance of
eliminating implicit and explicit bias.
c. Clinicians who are trained in both science and practice will be better equipped to
serve the unique needs of the clients, families, and communities that they serve.
2. In what ways do you think scientific thinking might be useful for both practice and
science activities?
a. People often attend to information that confirms their existing beliefs or discount
information that is contrary to their existing beliefs, such bias can cause or lead to
problems for clinicians as they process information about their client(s) and evaluate
the effectiveness of their work (Hepper, 2016). According to Pepinsky and Pepinsky
(1954), incorporating scientific thinking lessens the chance of personal biases or
subjectivity.
b. In essence, scientific thinking serves as an invaluable tool in guiding and facilitating
the therapeutic process. This way of thinking provides clinicians with a
comprehensive framework, enabling them to navigate the unique experiences that
their clients face. Similarly, Hepper (2013) stated that “Scientific thinking can be
instrumental in how counselors process information about a specific client during
counseling as well as evaluate the counseling process” (Hepper, 2016).
3. Identify five activities you can do to incorporate scientific thinking into your
counseling practice.
a. Making observations
b. Forming hypothesis
c. Forming theories
d. Testing theories or predictions
e. Interpreting results
4. If the counseling profession more strongly emphasized the scientist role rather than
the practitioner role, what would be the advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages. The elimination of implicit and explicit bias. These biases permeate the
healthcare system and affect patients via patient-clinician communication, clinical decision-
making, and institutionalized practices (Vela et al., 2022). Disadvantages. The use of
holistic care would not be utilized. Holistic care takes a whole-person approach to providing
health care and wellness. A practitioner who utilizes holistic care will treat the physical,
emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions to cure or treat the illness and provide greater
wellness. The practitioner who utilizes the scientific approach solely focuses on treating the
symptoms and disease.
5. If the counseling profession more strongly emphasized the practitioner role rather
than the scientist role, what would be the advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages. Direct client contact. More time would be spent building rapport focusing on
the individual’s needs and creating a treatment plan catering to those specific needs.
Disadvantages. It is not uncommon for individuals to utilize information that supports their
beliefs and relinquish the information that rejects their existing beliefs. These biases can
lead to problems in the clinician-client relationship (Pepinsky & Pepinsky, 1954)
6. What do you see as the most important advantages of integrating science and
practice in the counseling profession?
Science and practice share a common goal to improve the overall well-being of individuals,
families, and communities. Utilizing both science and practice will make the clinician well-
rounded, being able to effectively diagnose (avoiding the chances of misdiagnosing) and
treat the individual, family, or community they are serving.
7. What do you feel very passionate about in your future as a counselor? Can you see
any way that research could help you enhance the work you will do within the areas
that excite you the most?
One of the most debated topics in America is how to provide affordable, accessible, and
relatable mental health care to people from racial and ethnic minority groups. Mental health
care is essential for mental well-being, but many people from racial and ethnic minority
groups face barriers to receiving it. These barriers may include a lack of or insufficient health
insurance, a lack of racial and ethnic diversity among mental health providers, a lack of
culturally competent providers, financial stress, and stigma (Mongelli et al., 2020).
To promote health equity, each of us must play a part. In ensuring that I do my part, I hope to
begin creating spaces that present trauma-informed care, tools, and resources in a way that
feels accessible, relatable, and inclusive to members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
These individuals deserve to have spaces where they feel seen and heard. They deserve
safe spaces to unwind, unlearn, and disconnect from societal pressures, psychological
traumas, and systematic racism.
8. What concerns, obstacles, and fears do you have about scientific training?
Concern one: My first concern is the amount of time that would be spent researching (training,
data collecting, forming and testing theories, Interpreting data, etc.). This is not to say that I do
not find scientific training beneficial, I just worry that I won't have adequate time for direct client
care and rapport building. Concern two: my second concern is data collecting and interpreting.
9. Examine the reactions you listed in question 8; why do you think you have these
reactions?
My reaction stems from the fact that I’ve never truly been the best with math or science, and
both are needed for scientific training and research. While I do consider myself to be semi-good
at doing basic research for some reason, I can see myself spiraling at the thought of having an
excessive amount of tabs opened in my browser, multiple hours spent highlighting and note-
taking, even more time interpreting the data, and hundreds of books half-read.
References
Hepper, P.P., Wampold, B. E., Owen, J., Thompson, M. N., & Wang, K. T.
(2016). Research design in counseling (4th ed.). Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9781305087316
Mongelli, F., Georgakopoulos, P., & Pato, M. T. (2020). Challenges and opportunities to meet the
mental health needs of underserved and disenfranchised populations in the United
States. FOCUS, 18(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190028
Pepinsky, H. B., & Pepinsky, P. N. (1954). Counseling theory and practice. New York: Ronald
Press.
Vela, M. B., Erondu, A. I., Smith, N. A., Peek, M. E., Woodruff, J. N., & Chin, M. H. (2022).
Eliminating Explicit and Implicit Biases in Health Care: Evidence and Research
Needs. Annual review of public health, 43, 477–501. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-
publhealth-052620-103528
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