Psychological topics, Vol. 24 No. 3, 2015.
Original scientific paper
Efficacy of Psychological Treatments of Students at the University of Rijeka
Ines Jakovčić
; Sveučilišni savjetovališni centar Sveučilišta u Rijeci
Ivanka Živčić-Bećirević
; Odsjek za psihologiju, Filozofski fakultet u Rijeci, Sveučilište u Rijeci
Gorana Birovljević
; Sveučilišni savjetovališni centar Sveučilišta u Rijeci
Abstract
The main goal of the study was to evaluate psychological treatments of students at the University Counseling Center in Rijeka. The second goal was to check the usefulness of CORE-OM questionnaire as a measure for treatment changes. Of all the students at the University of Rijeka who asked for help at the Counseling Center, 438 participated in the study (70.3% were female, age from 17 to 32 years). Among the main reasons for seeking help were learning problems, anxiety, depression and interpersonal difficulties.
Of those students who have asked for help, 60.1% have finished the treatment, 36% have quitted the counseling without explanation and 3.9% were transferred to other services. The treatments lasted 6 sessions on average.
The data of 130 students who have finished the individual treatment and who have filled out the questionnaires (CORE-OM, BDI, and BAI) at the beginning and at the end of treatment were analyzed. On average, the results showed a significant decrease in all measured symptoms after the treatment. RCSC method (reliable and clinically significant change) was used to check if the changes are statistically significant on the individual level of each client. Reliable Change Index showed that 92% of clients in the clinical group (CORE-OM score above 1.37) experienced significant improvement or recovery, while 72% of the clients from nonclinical group (CORE-OM score bellow 1.38) achieved significant improvement.
It is concluded that psychological treatments with students have been very successful. CORE-OM could be recommended for further evaluation of psychological treatments as it is a reliable and valid measure that highly correlates with the measures of depression and anxiety, which were the most common symptoms of psychological problems of students seeking help at the Counseling center.
Keywords
treatment efficacy; psychological counseling; students; CORE-OM
Hrčak ID:
149106
URI
Publication date:
4.12.2015.
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