S T O C K T O N , M . B . , M C C L A N A H A N , B . S . , & C L A R K , S . ( 2 0 1 1 ) . E N H A N C E M E N T O F H E A LT H C O U N S E L I N G S K I L L S T H R O U G H

A P P L I E D E X P E R I E N T I A L L E A R N I N G . 2 1 S T A N N U A L A R T A N D S C I E N C E O F H E A LT H P R O M O T I O N

C O N F E R E N C E . C O L O R A D O S P R I N G S , C O .

Enhancement of Health Counseling Skills through Applied Experiential

Learning

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The project was supported by Award Number R21ES016532 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Corresponding Author: Michelle Stockton, PhD University of Memphis, Department of Health and Sport Sciences

(901) 678-4435 | mstocktn@memphis.edu

Background

Experiential learning is an important training element yet there is limited research on engaged scholarship in health promotion.

Students served as facilitators for a ‘townhall’ meeting of interdisciplinary stakeholders hosted by the Partnership for Active Community Environments (NIH-funded) and the Urban Land Institute. This meeting focused on the identification of supports and barriers to building activity friendly environments.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate engaged scholarship of students

enrolled in a Health Counseling course.

Methods: Students

22 graduate students and 18 undergraduates enrolled in a health counseling course participated in this study.

During classes, students were trained on counseling skills and focus group facilitation.

Three additional subject-specific trainings and practice sessions were conducted prior to the event.

Methods: Townhall Meeting

During the event a moderator introduced questions to the entire group. This was followed by simultaneous table discussions facilitated by students. Co-facilitators recorded all comments which were subsequently submitted to a “theme team.”

Methods: Evaluation

Engaged scholarship was evaluated by two surveys:

1) self-reported student assessment of course

objective achievement, and

2) attendee perception of meeting discussions.

Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and content analyses.

Results

20 simultaneous focus groups were successfully conducted. Meeting attendees reported that participants were engaged in

focused conversations at least 90% of the time. Attendee feedback indicated that 97% of the respondents were

“very pleased” with the overall meeting and 98% were “very pleased” with their table facilitators.

Content analyses revealed that students (100%) felt better prepared to conduct a focus group after participating in this opportunity.

The majority of students (38 of 40) reported that this experience improved their ability to apply basic health counseling skills.

Conclusions

Integrating experiential learning through engaged scholarship in a health counseling curriculum will foster students who are better prepared to work effectively as focus group facilitators.

About PACE

What is PACE?

Funded by a two year grant from The National Institutes of Health, PACE is a participatory based grant focused on the incentives and barriers to building active community environments. PACE has engaged key stakeholders of the built environment (land

developers, builders, realtors, residents, policy makers, designers, and lenders) in discussions to gain understanding of barriers, supports, and recommendations for building activity friendly neighborhoods. It is our hope to work toward enhanced community involvement and shared vision for healthy living in the greater Memphis area and beyond.

PACE Research Team

Barbara McClanahan, Ed.D., Ph.D., leads the PACE initiative and serves as the project's Principal Investigator. She holds terminal degrees in Exercise Science and Leisure Management and in Interdisciplinary Higher Education. She currently serves as Unit Chair for the Health Promotion Program in the department of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Memphis.

Michelle Stockton, Ph.D., is a Co-Investigator on the PACE initiative. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Memphis. Dr. Stockton has a background in clinical psychology, group facilitation, formative research, and qualitative and quantitative research methodology.

Kenneth D. Ward, PhD is Faudree Professor and Director of the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the School of Public Health at The University of Memphis. He also serves as Adjunct Professor of Preventive Medicine at University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and Intervention Director of the Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies. Dr. Ward is a clinical health psychologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior and the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

George Relyea, M.A., M.S., is currently Assistant Research Professor of Applied Mathematics in the Center for Community Health and directs Data Management Services (DMS) and statistical consulting in the Center. He has 28 years experience as a statistician, programmer, data manager, instructor, and research consultant.

PACE Advisory Board

Connie Binkowitz, Staff Coordinator, Obesity & Diabetes, HMCTRusty Bloodworth, Executive Vice President - Boyle Investment Co.,Shunji Brown-Woods Jon McCreery, President - Chamberlain & McCreery Rick McClanahan, Director Engineering and Utilities - City of

BartlettDavid Parsons, President - David Parson's Construction Art Sutherland, III M.D. FACC Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO, Memphis Business Group on Health Mark Wofford, President, Dimension Construction, Inc Ted Simpson, EVP and Chief Lending Officer - MAGNA BANK

Connect with PACE

http://www.memphis.edu/pace/https://www.facebook.com/PACEforHealth@PACEforHealth pace.memphis@gmail.com