Counseling Research: A Practitioner-Scholar Approach

This introductory text for counselors-in-training and emerging researchers focuses on research methodology, design, measurement, and evaluation. Richard Balkin and David Kleist explain the primary research methods used in counseling while emphasizing the importance of ethics and multicultural issues, demonstrating a professional counselor identity within the framework of research, and outlining the specific approaches used to inform counseling practice. The book contains four parts: The Essence of Research in the Counseling Profession, Quantitative Research Designs, Qualitative Research Designs, and Practice-Based Research. Key features include case examples that bridge the technicalities of research and the realities of practice; strategies for designing research; guidelines for counselors considering topics for a thesis, a dissertation, or the development of an initial study; examples of current counseling research articles; and suggested activities to enhance understanding of the material in each chapter and facilitate classroom discussion.