Diversity and inclusion are among the most significant aspects in most public as well as private spaces today (Vera, Elizabeth & Speight, 2003). As communities change over time, the environment in which teens grow drastically changes an element that directly or indirectly affects how their views and undertakings are viewed and accepted in society. The age of the internet has further diversified the environment in which young people grow because these individuals get substantial influence from the internet. Given the above changes in society and having worked in teen counseling about 20 years ago, my interest in teen counseling lies hear. Although I have shifted into business, I still desire to impact lives through counseling profoundly. It is sparked by the need to change lives while at the same time helping teens to transition into adulthood and become productive young adults regardless of the negative influences that they may face in their lives.
The importance of research in teen counseling in ensuring dispersion of information, breaking negative social norms, solving individuals problems that communities face, and ensuring social trends that are witnessed causes a positive impact on societies cannot be underestimated. Norms are common in different spaces that teens are involved in, and hence, they require counseling to navigate aspects of their lives that they might not understand fully. Stereotypes by students regarding psychology as a subject, for example, can exemplify the above (Brinthaupt et al. 2016) assert that there are notable disparities between employees’ expectations of the students’ perceptions of the use of their skills in the job market and the employee’s attitudes. Besides this, there are common notions that are held by students in this field. Examples include the belief that those who major in psychology have a history of mental illness, or this field has little pay. These beliefs are common in different societies. Research in psychology can explain human behavior in this particular field and how such norms can be challenged. Closely related to the above, trends in viewing others subjects such as Engineering and technology as superior, it is possible that psychology will be neglected, and hence, a crisis in solving problems in this field is likely to be witnessed. Research, hence, helps in understanding such trends and how to ensure they do not have a long-lasting negative impact on society. In addition to the above ways in which research in psychology can be used to ensure positive outcomes, empirical research can also be used in ensuring problems in different societal levels are efficiently dealt with and solved. This can be illustrated by an incremental value of knowledge as a result of research undertakings. The knowledge obtained can then be used to solve general problems in society. Examples of such issues include a marital crisis, helping a sick child, and a paranoid young man (Smedslund, Jan & Ross, 2014).
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Credible and valid sources go a long way in not only ensuring information dissipated to the general public or one utilized and applied to a certain situation is not only valid but also credible. The above is crucial in avoiding related research bias. Also, such sources are indispensable sources of information. It eliminates the fear of applying the principles and findings found in a source of real-life situations. It is hence possible that information from credible sources can be used to drive positive social change among communities. In teen counseling, obtaining information on how to go about various problems that are encountered in counseling them from credible sources ensures that I influence them positively and that I avoid any possible personal biases in counseling them.
Ethics is indispensable in ensuring desired counseling outcomes. There are different ethical principles that, when adhered to the outcomes of counseling, are likely to be desirable. Examples of such principles that could be most important to teen counseling include respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, justice, and fidelity. To starts with, although it is important to advise the client in the direct direction, they have a right to make autonomous decisions. With regard to non-maleficence, the counselor should always counsel a client in a way that does not affect them in any way. On beneficence, the counselor is expected to do his or her best to offer advice that helps the client. They are not to harm clients in any way. For justice, the client should act in a fair manner towards the client (Vera, Elizabeth & Speight, 2003). Lastly, for fidelity, there should be trust between both parties.
Completing a degree in psychology helps in improving critical thinking skills as well as decision making in various ways. The lessons learned from psychology help in frontier thinking, influencing social interaction, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. They prompt one to think critically about the impact of the decision they make in any of their undertakings. These are essential skills for a psychologist because of the nature of work they do. In most cases, it entails dealing with people. Excellent critical thinking, as well as decision-making skills, go a long way to ensure clients served by psychologists, are satisfied.
References
Brinthaupt, T. M., Hurst, J. R., & Johnson, Q. R. (2016). Psychology degree beliefs and stereotypes: Differences in the perceptions of majors and non-majors. Psychology Learning & Teaching , 15 (1), 77-93.
Smedslund, J., & Ross, L. (2014). based knowledge in psychology: what, if anything, is its incremental value to the practitioner?. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science , 48 (4), 365-383.
Vera, E. M., & Speight, S. L. (2003). Multicultural competence, social justice, and counseling psychology: Expanding our roles. The Counseling Psychologist , 31 (3), 253-272.
