Immigrant Counselor

Experiences Study

Research Team:
Dr. Amanda DeDiego, University of Wyoming (adediego@uwyo.edu)
Dr. Dareen Basma, Carnegie Mellon University (dbasma@andrew.cmu.edu)
Dr. Isabel Farrell, Wake Forest University (farrelic@wfu.edu)
Dr. Kara Hurt-Avila, Montana State University (kara.hurtavila@montana.edu)

The purpose of this study is to assess factors impacting mental health professionals who are immigrants in the US.

To participate in the study you must be a mental health professional (fully or provisionally licensed for practice) with at least a master's degree who identifies as an immigrant in the US. Examples of mental health professionals includes: Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers, Addictions Specialists, and School Counselors.

We broadly define immigrants to include 1.) individuals who were born in a country besides the United States and immigrated to the United States at any point after birth, 2.) individuals who have begun or completed the naturalization process to become a United States citizen, or 3.) individuals who were born in the United States but lived a significant portion of their lives in another country.

Take the Survey

Take the Webinar

Our Study

Procedures: You are being invited to complete a 20-25 minute electronic survey about factors impacting your work as a counselor.

Privacy: Your name and any other information that could be used to identify you will not be collected as part of the survey. The PIs will analyze all survey data and report on it in aggregate form. The survey answers you provide will not be able to be traced back to you. The University of Wyoming Institutional Review Board may review your information to insure quality assurance and participant rights.

Risks: These surveys are designed to represent minimal risk to you. Should you experience any discomfort answering these questions, you may choose to stop the surveys at any time, for whatever reason at your discretion without penalty.

Benefits: Your participation in this study will provide you an opportunity to reflect on and gain awareness about your own quality of life and your counseling work. However, your input may help improve systemic and community support of immigrants to the US who become professional counselors in the future.

Cost and Incentive: There is no cost to participating in this study. After the completion of the online survey instrument, you will have access to a free recording of a 50 minute ethics webinar and the opportunity to earn a certificate of completion you can use for continuing education at no cost to you.

Should you have any questions about the study, you may contact the research team for this study (see above).

If you have any questions about your rights as a study participant, contact University of Wyoming Institutional Review Board Office at (307) 766-5353 or by email at IRB@uwyo.edu.