Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Education, Counseling
Date of Defense
7-17-2024
Graduate Advisor
Emily Oliveira
Committee
So Rin Kim
Mary Edwin
Philip Waalkes
Abstract
Anxiety among counselors has been shown to hinder the supervisory relationship. High rates of counselor anxiety are correlated with decreased supervisory working alliance (SWA) and increased supervisory nondisclosure (SND). Current research on strategies to address counselor anxiety include, but are not limited to, mindfulness and biofeedback; two interventions that support decrease of sympathetic activation through mindful awareness. The results of these studies are mixed, and anxiety continues to be reported at high rates among counselors in training (CIT). Neurofeedback, another technique with the goal of developing mindful awareness to decrease sympathetic activation, has been shown to support to decrease anxiety among healthcare workers. However, there are no known studies assessing the effectiveness of neurofeedback on the development of CITs. This quasi-experimental study addresses this gap in current literature. The participants of this study included 20 CITs; 10 in the intervention group (receiving 8 neurofeedback sessions), and 10 in the control group (no neurofeedback). The findings revealed a decrease in anxiety and SND, as well as an increase in SWA among the intervention group participants. The results of this study identify neurofeedback as a strategy for supervisors and counselor educators to support the development of CITs. Furthermore, this strategy also supports developing CIT familiarity with neuro-counseling practices.
Recommended Citation
Irwin, Elizabeth, "A Quasi-experimental Study on the Effectiveness of Neurofeedback on Anxiety, Supervisory Working Alliance, and Supervisory Nondisclosure of Counselors in Training" (2024). Dissertations. 1455.
https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/1455