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Block 4 Counselling: Future Directions (E-Counselling)

Unit 4 Research Findings

1. What do you understand by systematic case research? What are different types of it?

Systematic case research is a method of inquiry that involves the detailed study of individual cases to develop a knowledge base relevant to practice. It applies a systematic approach to explore complex issues in counselling.

Different types of systematic case research include:

• Qualitative single case study research: This focuses on the experiences of clients using descriptive data such as interviews and diaries.
• Single case experiments: This applies experimental principles to test a hypothesis by using pre and post treatment measures.
• Single case quantitative studies: This uses quantitative data to analyse variables within a case.
• Combined quantitative and qualitative case studies: This combines both quantitative and qualitative methods for a more comprehensive analysis.

2. What is the difference between a qualitative and quantitative case research? How a combined report can be more scientific?

2. Qualitative case research focuses on understanding the lived experience of the client, using descriptive and narrative data. It explores meanings and interpretations.
3. Quantitative case research uses numerical data and statistical analysis to measure and analyse specific variables.
4. A combined report can be more scientific because:
   • It provides a more holistic understanding by integrating different types of data.
   • It can offer both subjective insights (qualitative) and objective measures (quantitative).
   • It can enhance the validity and reliability of findings through the convergence of data.
   • It enables a more detailed and richer analysis of the case.

3. Discuss e-counselling researches in brief?

E-counselling research has shown that:

• It can be effective in treating anxiety and stress, with lasting effects.
• It is on average as effective as face-to-face therapy.
• Synchronous and asynchronous forms of communication may not show significant differences.
• Closed-access websites can be more effective than open sites.
• Online therapy can reduce overall costs and cut waiting time due to the decreased demand on therapist time.

4. Discuss the different types of outcome researches.

Different types of outcome research include:

• Client satisfaction studies: These evaluate benefits by using questionnaires after the conclusion of counselling.
• Quasi-experimental studies: These involve a comparison group that has not received the treatment to evaluate outcomes.
• Naturalistic outcome studies: This type of study collects data on every client seen in a clinic or agency before and after measures of change are taken, and is conducted under real-life conditions.
• Qualitative outcome studies: These use open-ended interviews to gain client perspectives.

5. Give ethical issues related to counselling researches?

Ethical issues in counselling research include:

• Beneficence: Researchers should act to enhance client well-being.
• Non-maleficence: Researchers should avoid doing harm to clients.
• Autonomy: Respecting the right of the person to take responsibility for themselves.
• Fidelity: Treating everyone in a fair and just manner.
• Informed consent: Ensuring participants are fully aware of the research procedures and risks.
• Confidentiality: Protecting client identity and information.
• Avoiding bias and manipulation of results.
• Addressing potential coercion when involving current clients.

Important Points

1. The first case study to be published in the Journal of Counselling Psychology was by Hill, Carter and O’Farrell (1983).

2. Rogerian ‘necessary and sufficient’ conditions of empathy, acceptance and congruence has for the most part been recast as the study of Therapeutic alliance.

3. The detailed analysis of individual cases yields information that is immediately applicable to the counselling relationship is known as Systematic case study.

4. The method known as the ‘n = l’ or ‘single-subject’ study represents an application of the case study approach to evaluating therapeutic change in individual cases, is known as Single case experiment.

5. Evaluation of therapeutic change in individual cases is also known as

   • AB time series case study
   • Single case experiment
   • n = 1 single case study

6. The research which deals with the participants having same problems and getting different treatment strategy, known as Randomised control trial.

7. To rely on the fact that participants have been fully informed about research procedures and the risks entailed, Informed consent is to be taken.

8. Replication emphasises that each case must be seen as equivalent to a separate experiment or survey.

9. Barak et al. (2008) concluded that online therapy was particularly effective for treating anxiety and stress.

10. The International Society of Mental Health Online was established in the late-1990s, to promote the use of online technologies among mental health professionals.