Volume 7, Issue 1
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Volume
7
Number
1
Issue Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal of Financial Therapy
Journal ISSN
1945-7774
Journal Volume
Journal of Financial Therapy Volume 7
Journal of Financial Therapy (7)
Articles
Editorial, Volume 7, Issue 1
(2016) Archuleta, Kristy L.
The Journal of Financial Therapy would not exist without the time and efforts of our excellent reviewers. You may be asking, “what does a reviewer do?” JFT is a unique scholarly publication because papers require the rigor of academic standards, but also must be translatable to non-researchers. It is not uncommon for researchers and practitioners to fail to communicate effectively with one another because the two groups speak what seems like different languages. Therefore, it is the goal of JFT to publish quality scholarly research and to emphasize the practicality of the research.
Promoting Savings at Tax Time through a Video-Based Solution-Focused Brief Coaching Intervention
(2016) Palmer, Lance; Pichot, Teri; Kunovskaya, Irina
Solution-focused brief coaching, based on solution-focused brief therapy, is a well-established practice model and is used widely to help individuals progress toward desired outcomes in a variety of settings. This papers presents the findings of a pilot study that examined the impact of a video-based solution-focused brief coaching intervention delivered in conjunction with income tax preparation services at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance location (n = 212). Individuals receiving tax preparation assistance were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: 1) control group; 2) video-based solution-focused brief coaching; 3) discount card incentive; 4) both the video-based solution-focused brief coaching and the discount card incentive. Results of the study indicate that the video-based solution-focused brief coaching intervention increased both the frequency and amount of self-reported savings at tax time. Results also indicate that financial therapy based interventions may be scalable through the use of technology.
Ethical Issues and Decision Making in Collaborative Financial Therapy
(2016) Ross, D. Verwimp; Gale, Jerry; Goetz, Joseph
The purpose of this article is to introduce potential ethical challenges that may arise when a financial and mental health professional collaborate to provide financial therapy and recommendations on how to effectively address these concerns. The development of ethical and professional practices requires extensive dialogue from practitioners in the emerging field of financial therapy; however, it is important to first develop an awareness and sensitivity to the ethical and professional issues across disciplines. This article examines the differences and similarities between the codes of ethics of different financial and mental health disciplines, and addresses six core ethical and professional issues: dual relationships, confidentiality, collaborating with other professionals, fee management, use of technology, and attending to federal and state regulatory laws. In working through the complexity of different disciplines’ regulatory environments, a discussion of how to address these ethical questions in order to progress the financial therapy field is presented.
Financial Empowerment and Health Related Quality of Life in Family Scholar House Participants
(2016) Franz, Chelsey
Research demonstrates an association between poverty and health. Populations in poverty suffer from poor mental and physical health, and thus, poor health-related quality of life. Research also indicates people living in the lower socio-economic categories experience higher levels of stress that are associated with these health declines. Family Scholar House, a local community intervention designed to alleviate poverty and improve socio-economic status by providing college education and support to single parents, combats these health outcomes by addressing the five social determinants of health (economic stability, education, social and community context, health care, and neighborhood and built environment). Quantitative analysis indicates an improvement in mental health among Family Scholar House participants: 0-12 month participants reported significantly more mentally unhealthy days than a control group; however, this difference is no longer significant at the end of participant’s time in the program. Qualitative analysis suggests this improvement may be due to stress reduction related to increased economic stability and financial security gained through an intentional implementation of a financial empowerment curriculum within the Family Scholar House program. Implementation of financial empowerment into community programs designed to alleviate poverty may improve mental health and thus health-related quality of life.
Sources of Referral in Student Financial Counseling
(2016) Choi, Shinae; Bartholomae, Suzanne; Gudmunson, Clinton G.; Fox, Jonathan
This study evaluates sources of referral to financial counseling and varied declines in financial stress across the financial counseling process. College students came to counseling most often through self-referral. Younger students and women were more likely to respond to institutional referrals. There were two clearly discernable periods of decline in financial stress, smaller interim declines occurring after requesting appointments and larger declines that occurred in counseling sessions. The interim declines, however, were only operative for those who were self- or institutionally-referred and not for those who entered on a social-referral. A possible explanation is that social-referrals have already had “someone to talk to” whereas other referrals may only begin to feel a psychological burden lifted after making an appointment. Total declines in financial stress were mostly impervious to individual differences and sources of referral lending support to the notion that financial counseling itself contributed to aggregate declines in financial stress.