Addressing the Decline in Counseling and Supervision Process and Outcome Research in the Journal of Counseling Psychology

Abstract

Scheel et al. have argued convincingly that there has been a decline in counseling-related research in the Journal of Counseling Psychology ( JCP) and The Counseling Psychologist ( TCP). This response focuses on the relatively steady 35-year decline in this type of research published in JCP. The author conducted a new analysis based on the frequency of PsycINFO thesaurus terms used to index 2,330 articles published in JCP over successive 5-year periods from 1975 to 2009. Results confirmed the basic conclusions of Scheel et al. that studies of the counseling and supervision process and outcome have declined over this period. Results also indicate the other types of research that have grown in frequency. These include studies of attachment behavior, multicultural issues, sexual minorities, coping, well-being, social support, and psychotherapy. The author argues that these new research areas are “counseling related” as well and that they have not crowded out the traditional studies Scheel et al. highlight.