Date of Award

Summer 8-1-2008

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Communication Disorders and Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology

First Advisor

James L. Campbell

Second Advisor

Michele C. Boyer

Third Advisor

Linda Sperry

Abstract

The current research is a qualitative study in which the researcher used semistructured interviews to examine the lived experiences of racial or ethnic minority students in Counseling Psychology doctoral programs with the purpose of determining the barriers and supports that these students encounter during their doctoral training. Participants were 11 women from APA-accredited Counseling Psychology doctoral programs from across the United States. The researcher used a grounded theory-based approach to identify a model of the students' experiences. Overarching themes included personal struggles, struggles in or with the participants' programs, supporters, specific ways that support was provided, and positive experiences in the participants' programs. Implications for program design, counselor training, and administration in Counseling Psychology doctoral programs are discussed within theme contexts.

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