Special Types of Information

Counseling home > Special Types of Information

• Disorders
• Self-Help Groups
• Specific Groups/Populations
• Medical/Drug Information
• Assessment and Testing
• Statistics
• Theses and Dissertations

In addition to the background information you find in books and videos, and the research you locate in periodical literature, other excellent sources of counseling and psychology information exist. The following list explains where you can find special types of information that might enhance your research project.

Note: Access to the online subscription databases listed throughout this document is limited to currently registered students, faculty, and staff of Webster and Eden. Complete lists of the databases available through Passports, the library's Web site, are available by following the link to Articles / Databases on the home page.

Note: Call numbers for print materials in the Emerson Library at Webster University are provided in parentheses. Extended campus students may wish to check the catalog of your local library to see if the resource is available and where it is shelved.

Disorders

The primary tool used to define and classify disorders is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. The latest edition is referred to as the DSM-IV-TR and is available at the Emerson Library (RC455.2.C4 D536 2000). Many Internet sites will include information from the DSM-IV in their discussion of various disorders. Good sites for information on disorders include PsychCentral: Dr. John Grohol's Mental Health Page and Internet Mental Health.

Self-Help Groups

Many self-help groups exist and their focus usually involves individuals with particular disorders and their families or caregivers. Many such groups are included in the Mental Health & Psychology Resources Online (part of PsychCentral) site.

Specific Groups/Populations

Counseling approaches may differ depending on the individuals involved. Research studies often focus on a particular age group, ethnic or racial group, or gender. Obviously the major research databases for counseling and psychology will be very helpful in providing literature on these specific groups. Additional websites are linked from our Multicultural Resources and Gender Issues pages. A starting point for information on senior citizens is Geropsychology Central.

Medical/Drug Information

Mental health issues are often intertwined with physical conditions. To learn more about a medical issue or condition, visit the excellent websites linked from our Health Care/Medicine page. Counselors should also be aware of the medications that a client is taking, especially one who is simultaneously under the care of a physician or psychiatrist. Drug information sites are listed on our Health Care/Medicine page. In the Emerson Library, standard sources such as the Physicians' Desk Reference: PDR (REF RS 250 .P5) and the AHFS Drug Information (REF RS 125 .A57) are available.

Assessment and Testing

These resources are used to measure certain characteristics of individuals, for example, academic achievement or psychological attributes like stress or depression. Tests like these are reviewed in books and in periodical literature. There are several standard reference books that give information on tests.

Mental Measurements Yearbook (REF Z 5814 .P8 M4)

This source describes commercially available tests in the English language. Each entry includes a critical review and a bibliography of references for the test based on its construction, validity, or use. Also included is a directory of test publishers, indices by title and subject. An online version of the Mental Measurements Yearbook is also available through Passports. (Webster/Eden only)

Tests in Print (REF Z5814 .P8 T47)

This source gives brief descriptions of tests currently available for purchase. Entries include the test's purpose, population studies, publication date, scoring information, method of administration, pricing, time required to administer, author(s) of the test, publisher, and references to descriptions in other publications (including Mental Measurements Yearbook and earlier volumes of Tests in Print). Notes are also included if the test is available in languages other than English or in other formats.

Some academic libraries maintain small tests collections. In most cases, however, you need to contact the publishers of the tests and purchase a copy. Sometimes portions of tests are made available to students at little or no cost.

Online databases such as PsycInfo also include literature on testing and tests. Search these databases for the titles of tests in the subjects of articles or for general reviews of measurement tools by subject.

Statistics

Researchers in the fields of counseling and psychology generate their own statistics via their studies and also use statistics and data gathered by third parties. We'll briefly discuss each type below.

Statistics Used in Research Studies
Many studies require the researcher to calculate statistics of some sort, depending on the type of study done. These calculations may be very simple, such as determining the mean or "average", or extremely complex, often requiring the aid of a computer. An online textbook that covers topics such as sampling, measurement, design, etc. is Research Methods Knowledge Base by William Trochim. This site is part of the author's Web Center for Social Research Methods collection.

Statistics Collected by Someone Else
Federal, state, and local governments collect all kinds of statistics. Foreign governments may also be rich sources of information about the country. Passport's Government page links to international, US, state, and local government web pages.

A number of federal departments and agencies collect statistics related to demographics, health and human services, mental health, etc. Some especially helpful federal sites for statistics related to counseling and psychology are:

• Census Bureau
• Education Department
• Health & Human Services Dept.
• National Institute of Mental Health

"Lies, damn lies, and statistics"* If you intend to use and/or quote statistics in your research, be very careful--especially if you are using someone else's interpretation of the numbers and their significance. It is often best to find the original source of the statistics to make sure the statistical analysis is logical and is not taken out of context. Statistics can often be interpreted in different ways depending on one's point-of-view. *Quote attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister of England

Theses and Dissertations

Many universities require the preparation of a master's thesis or a doctoral dissertation for completion of an advanced degree. Any theses and dissertations given to the library are cataloged in the library's online catalog. Note that not all programs require a formal thesis or dissertation and not all programs submit these documents to the library. You may need to contact your department to see if copies are available in their office instead. To learn how to search for such items, see our Webster/Eden Theses or Dissertations page.

If you find one in our catalog you'd like to see, St Louis area students may visit the library to look at a copy. Extended campus students may request a copy using the library's Document Delivery Service.

Dissertations & Theses @ Webster University contains Webster doctoral dissertations and masters level theses submitted summer, 2005 to the present. Webster/Eden faculty, staff, and students may view the full text for free (pdf files require the Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Dissertation Abstracts Online (a FirstSearch database) indexes dissertations and theses accepted at accredited U.S institutions since 1861. It selectively covers masters theses, Canadian dissertations, and British and other European dissertations. As the name implies, you can only find an abstract of the document on this database. Abstracts are often sufficient to explore what research is currently being done in your field. Usually only the library affiliated with the institution that granted the degree will hold a copy of the dissertation.

Note: Unless you are working on an extensive research project, it may not be necessary to consult theses or dissertations. It is recommended that you exhaust other options for research first (i.e. library catalogs, databases, research handbooks, etc.).