Accountability and Outcomes in the Counseling Profession - Assignment Example

Accountability in Counseling In the fields of psychology which are dominated by research practices, it is relatively easy to collect data and analyze the results to see if your experimental design is working properly. In counseling, especially in therapy methods which are largely based on theories, it is hard to see if these methods are effective. Most therapy is also not conducted on a quick basis and often takes multiple sessions over a given length of time in order to address the problem. With healthcare reform and the declining economy, many third parties and governmental agencies question whether the counseling they are funding is effective or not.

The field of program evaluation aims to attempt to provide a systematic approach to evaluating the methods to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of counseling techniques and strategies. Increasing pressure for efficiency has lead many to question the accountability of therapy techniques used on clients. Is there a way in order to gauge the effectiveness of counselors when they conduct therapy on clients? Many people are interested in a way of showing this effectiveness, but therapists often argue that it is impractical to measure one’s improvement in therapy due to success being really immeasurable (Sexton, 1999).

It depends on why the person is coming in for counseling. Some are in so that they can get a quick fix to their problems while others continually come in for support; this poses a problem when looking at counseling effectiveness. When looking at counseling programs, we are focusing on the outcomes which can be divided into process objectives and outcome objectives. Process objectives involve competencies needed for long range goals in therapy. Outcome objectives involve specific outcomes for a specific duration of therapy (Astramovich & Coker, 2007).

A counselor’s effectiveness can be measured by looking at these objectives depending on the situation surrounding the client. Another important factor that comes into the competency of therapists is the role of the stakeholders and third parties involved that are funding these practices. In order for clients and other parties to continue funding practices and therapy, there has to be documented evidence that the treatment is working. This is referred to as the counseling context evaluation and it works in conjunction with the counseling program in a symbiotic continuous relationship of testing and development in the counseling practice.

In today’s healthcare environment, it is important that therapists keep detailed records and analysis of clients in order to receive financial reimbursements from funding parties (Astramovich & Coker, 2007). The root question that program evaluation tries to answer is: does counseling really work? Many students who earn a counseling degree lack the necessary skills in research methods in order to understand and publish studies. In the 1970s, PRNs, practice research networks, began collectively gathering data regarding counseling research and analyzing it.

In particular, The American Counseling Association practice research network was formed and it focuses specifically on researching and promoting counseling techniques that work. This is specifically based on the outcomes of research evidence (Bradley, Sexton, & Smith, 2005). Accountability and efficiency are both important in the work of therapy; however it is often not easy to define this due to the complexity of human nature. Program evaluation may be able to help when looking at whether specific counseling techniques are effective or not.

Additional training for therapists in statistics and research will help them conduct their own research (Sexton, 1999). Together with enhanced training and PRNs to help facilitate broad ranged research, there can be better evaluation for counseling techniques and more funding for research/practice from third parties. References Astramovich, R. L., & Coker, J. K. (2007). Program evaluation: The accountability bridge model for counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 85(2), 162–172. Bradley, L. J., Sexton, T. L., & Smith, H. B. (2005).

The American Counseling Association practice research network (ACA-PRN): A new research tool. Journal of Counseling & Development, 83(4), 488–491. Sexton, T. L. (1999). Evidence-based counseling: Implications for counseling practice, preparation, and professionalism. ERIC Digest, 1–6.