Health Equity Across the Lifespan

Aging, Suicide Risk, & Counselor Training

Strategies for integrating aging and older adulthood into counselor training

Recent changes to Medicare mental health laws will give professional counselors more chances to work with older adults. However, there has been a lack of counselor training focused on this population, highlighting the need for better preparation. By looking at fields like gerontology, social work, and geropsychology, we share training approaches that could benefit counselors in serving older adult clients.

Fullen, M., Westcott, J., Bradley, K., Dockery, N., Lee, J., Mushunje, R., Shaikh, A. N. (in press). Strategies for integrating aging and older adulthood into counselor training. Adultspan Journal.

The effects of age cohort and gender on internalized heterosexism over time among sexual minority adults in the United States

Sexual minority adults face unique mental health challenges, with internalized heterosexism playing a significant role. Using national, longitudinal data collected over two years, we examined differences in IH by age and gender across three age cohorts of sexuality minority adults in the U.S. Our findings suggest that men have greater internalized heterosexism across the lifespan than other gender categories, but that internalized heterosexism decreases over time.

Westcott, J. B., Shaikh, A. N., & Miyazaki, Y. (in press). The Effects of Age Cohort and Gender on Internalized Heterosexism Over Time Among Sexual Minority Adults in the United States. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

Using The Gerontological Imagination to explore suicide among older adults: An interdisciplinary perspective for professional counselors

Gerontology is the study of aging, involving fields like medicine, psychology, and social work. As the number of older adults grows, so do mental health concerns, including suicide risk, with older adults making up a significant portion of suicide cases in the U.S. Professional counselors, now eligible to enroll as Medicare providers, can help improve mental health care access for this population. We share how counselors can play a crucial role in addressing suicide risks among older adults using a framework called The Gerontological Imagination.

Mize, M. C. B. & Shaikh, A. N. (2024). Using The Gerontological Imagination to explore suicide among older adults: An interdisciplinary perspective for professional counselors. Adultspan Journal. doi.org/10.33470/2161-0029.1174

Suicide risk factors among older adults: Implications for counselors as Medicare providers

Older adults who receive home-delivered meals face mental health challenges due to isolation, which was worsened by the pandemic. In this study, we look at how feelings of not belonging and being a burden relate to factors like chronic pain and loneliness among older adults. By understanding these connections, counselors can develop better interventions to help reduce loneliness, improve social support, and identify suicide risks among older adults.

Mize, M., Shannonhouse, L., Barrio Minton, C., Fullen, M., Shaikh, A. N., & Westcott, J. (2024). Suicide risk factors among older adults: Implications for counselors as Medicare providers. Journal of Counseling & Development, 102(3), 292-301. doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12512

Help-Seeking & Crisis Interventions in Young Adulthood

Implications of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline among college students experiencing substance use crises

Substance use is a major concen on college campuses and is linked to poor mental health, but many students are reluctant to seek help. The new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, 24/7 support that could help address this issue. We found that students who use substances more frequently are less likely to seek help for suicidal thoughts and are even less likely to contact the Lifeline for substance-related issues. Counselors can create supportive environments that reduce stigma, implement targeted outreach programs, and develop strategies to engage students who may be hesitant to ask for help, particularly those struggling with substance use.

Shaikh, A. N., Flynn, L., Isaac, A., Prince, A., Burgan, M., & Coleman, J. (2024). Implications of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline among college students experiencing substance use crises. The Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling, 45(1), 55-69. doi.org/10.1002/jaoc.12131

Examining help-seeking intentions among Gen Z college students

Generation Z college students face significant stressors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially leading to higher rates of suicide and reported stress compared to other generations. In this study, we found that students who felt a lack of belonging were less likely to seek help for personal and emotional issues, with no notable differences based on race or gender. Counselors are encouraged to focus on fostering social connections, developing targeted support programs for this generation, and promoting awareness of life-saving resources within their networks.

Shaikh, A. N., Westcott, J., Franck Love, S., Flynn, L., Chang, C., & Mize, M.C.B. (2023). Examining help-seeking intentions among Gen Z college students. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 38(3), 1-19. doi.org/10.1080/87568225.2023.2198155

Anti-Oppressive Practices in Counselor Education & Research

Application of the principles of anti-oppression to address marginalized student and faculty’s experiences in counselor education

Despite ongoing efforts to make counseling more inclusive, students and faculty from marginalized groups still face harmful experiences, highlighting the need for counselor education programs to take urgent action. Recent laws have negatively affected communities such as women, immigrants, and LGBTQIA2S+ adults, revealing deep-rooted issues of power and privilege in academic settings. To tackle these challenges, we discuss using anti-oppression principles to address common negative experiences faced by marginalized students and faculty in counselor education.

Shaikh, A. N., Gummaluri, S., Dhar, J., Carter, H., Kwag, D., Ponce, J. E., Mason, E. C. M., & Peters, H. C. (2024). Application of the principles of anti-oppression to address marginalized student and faculty’s experiences in counselor education. Teaching and Supervision in Counseling, 6(3). doi.org/10.7290/tsc06laio

Application of principles of anti-oppression to the teaching of group counseling

Peters and Luke’s Principles of Anti-Oppression offer a fresh approach for counselors to promote equity, justice, and freedom in society. Group counseling is a fitting area to implement these principles because groups function as small social communities and encourage critical reflection and action among participants. We examine how counselor educators can effectively incorporate these anti-oppression principles into their teaching of group counseling.

Grant, K., Mason, E., Ernst, S., & Shaikh, A. (2023). Application of principles of anti-oppression to the teaching of group counseling. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 48(2), 109-127. doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2023.2197162 

Conducting ethical, anti-racist school-based research

Educational research often takes place within a system that is influenced by oppressive, Eurocentric norms and rooted in racism. To challenge this, we critically assess traditional research methods that have perpetuated these inequalities and offer strategies for conducting ethical, antiracist research. We aimed to highlight inequities in education while promoting practices that benefit all students, particularly those from racially marginalized groups.

Zyromski, B., Shrewsbury-Braxton, S., Johnson, K., Henry, S., Lee, S., Clemons, K., Saunders, R., & Shaikh, A. (2023). Conducting ethical, anti-racist school-based research. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 9(2), 101-121. doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2023.2225781