The Professional Counselor | Volume 13, Issue 2 106 Regarding relationship considerations, only 15 participants noted relationship concerns related to a toxic relationship, regardless of the perpetrator’s gender. Only six of those who indicated relationship discord reported concerns related to sexual abuse or rape. The staggering implication is that novice clinicians cannot identify unhealthy relationship patterns and violence. Research also indicates that young people often misinterpret or minimize partner violence because of unrealistic or distorted relationship beliefs (Eisner, 2021; Walker et al., 2020), continuing into early adulthood with difficulty conceptualizing violence upon entering college (Emelianchik-Key et al., 2022). When clients and clinicians cannot label and conceptualize relationship violence, it leaves room for error in intervention and prevention measures. This extends to the demonstrated lack of knowledge regarding legal, ethical, and clinical responsibilities for treating TDV, particularly within the scope of mandatory reporting laws for the protection of minors. This issue extended to the appropriate disclosure of TDV to parents and caregivers, mainly because young people are more apt to discuss TDV in confidential settings (CutterWilson & Richmond, 2011). Other practice concerns in the data stemmed from a general inability to conceptualize the presented cases. Although the case vignette highlights academic and interpersonal problems, the client’s presenting problem was TDV. The counseling students neglected to recognize adolescent relationship abuse, leading to the symptomology of academic decline, lowered self-esteem, dysthymia, and isolation (Cutter-Wilson & Richmond, 2011). Recommendations to treat other problems outside of TDV to resolve trauma from abuse can lead to the revictimization of the client by the counselor (Maghsoudi, 2018). Counseling students must be cognizant of their capacity to retraumatize TDV survivors, as victims who perceive any shame or blame during their disclosure may be reluctant to seek help in the future (Maghsoudi, 2018; Walker et al., 2020). Counselor bias is often attributed to poor training at the graduate level (Maghsoudi, 2018). With more informed preparation, counseling students may shift from a pathologized response to a strengths-based approach founded on client self-efficacy and resilience. Consistent with prior research (Karakurt et al., 2013; Machado et al., 2020; Maghsoudi, 2018; Walker et al., 2020), gender bias was prevalent across all categories and ultimately emerged as an independent category upon final analyses. Gender discrepancies were evident in clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, ethical implications, and client descriptors. Although the content presented in each scenario was identical, counseling students diagnosed the male and female survivors differently. For example, the female survivor was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder while the male survivor received depression, anxiety, and ADHD diagnoses. With many criteria for these disorders overlapping, misdiagnosis can occur (Fruzzetti, 2017; Scott, 2017). Yet, gender bias is a common factor in misdiagnosis, especially with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and ADHD (Bruchmüller et al., 2012; Fruzzetti, 2017). Counselors perpetuate stigma regarding female survivors by over-pathologizing, minimizing their complaints, and invalidating their feelings (Maghsoudi, 2018). We contend that the most alarming finding of this study was how the counseling students portrayed several gender disparities when identifying relationship abuse. The divide between gender treatment of TDV was apparent when comparing the counseling students’ view of the female client as a “survivor” and not using strengths-based terminology to identify the male client. Many statements continued to perpetuate societal stigmas about female survivors being passive while male survivors were described as needing to assert “control,” further exacerbating common notions about power and control. A recent qualitative study of male survivors explained that professionals minimized and ridiculed most participants for not being the “stereotypical victim of domestic violence” (Machado et al., 2020, p. 9). Counselors must develop the necessary skills to provide equal support
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDU5MTM1