2027 Poster Presentations

ACCA 2027 Annual Conference

February 18–21, 2027 | Houston, Texas

Holding the Reins: Leading with Strength, Stability, & Support

Poster Presentation Session

Accepted Poster Presentations

Explore the poster presentations below. Select a title to jump to its abstract and learning objectives.

1. CULTIVATING COMPASSION ACROSS DIFFERENCE: RACIALIZED PERCEPTIONS OF SUFFERING AND EMPATHY IN HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXTS
2. BELONGING MATTERS: EXPLORING ITS EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND BURNOUT AMONG COUNSELING STUDENTS
3. CAN YOU SEE ME? UNDERSTANDING THE COUNSELING NEEDS OF DISABLED BLACK COLLEGE WOMEN
4. PREVALENCE OF IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG FIRST GENERATION HISPANIC MALE STUDENTS IN STEM MAJORS
5. GENERATIVE AI USE AND LONELINESS AMONG INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLEGE COUNSELING
6. DIVING INTO DISABILITY: COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH CLIENTS
7. CRAFTING COMMUNITY: OVERCOMING GROUP THERAPY RESISTANCE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITH INNOVATIVE FORMATS
8. BRIDGING THE GAP: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF COUNSELING SERVICES AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES
9. WELLNESS ROUNDS: A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROACTIVELY SUPPORT STUDENT WELLNESS
10. DEVELOPING A FAMILY TREE MODEL TO FOSTER POSITIVE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND HELP TO IMPROVE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING THROUGH CROSS-CAMPUS INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION
11. BEYOND RETENTION: BELONGING, SUPPORT, AND FIRST-YEAR PERSISTENCE AMONG HISPANIC STUDENTS AT A TEXAS–MEXICO BORDER HSI

POSTER PRESENTATION 01

CULTIVATING COMPASSION ACROSS DIFFERENCE: RACIALIZED PERCEPTIONS OF SUFFERING AND EMPATHY IN HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXTS

Abstract

As institutions of higher education serve increasingly diverse student populations, understanding the subtle biases that shape how people perceive and respond to student suffering is essential for equitable, culturally competent support. This study examines infrahumanization--perceptions of outgroup members as lacking uniquely human emotions--and its effects on empathy in the context of racialized media framing of war violence. Using a between-subjects vignette design, student participants (N = 300) will be randomly assigned to read one of two identical narratives describing a man's loss following a wartime rocket strike. The vignettes will either depict a Sudanese victim (Jamal) or a Ukrainian victim (Ivan). It is hypothesized that participants will demonstrate greater infrahumanization and lower empathy toward the BIPOC victim relative to the white victim. Findings will shed light on how racial bias shapes empathic responses to suffering and offer insight directly relevant to counseling centers supporting underrepresented, international, and minoritized students, whose experiences of distress may be perceived and validated unequally. This presentation will discuss implications for training counseling staff to recognize implicit bias in empathic engagement to foster more equitable, identity-conscious care across evolving landscape of student populations.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the concept of infrahumanization and explain how it differs from overt forms of prejudice or discrimination in shaping perceptions of suffering.
• Identify how racialized media framing can influence empathy, willingness to help, and support for retaliation toward victims of trauma and violence.
• Recognize how implicit racial bias may unconsciously shape empathic engagement with students and clients from underrepresented, international, or minoritized backgrounds.
• Apply strategies for fostering cultural humility and more equitable, identity-conscious empathic responses in clinical and campus support settings.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 02

BELONGING MATTERS: EXPLORING ITS EFFECTS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND BURNOUT AMONG COUNSELING STUDENTS

Abstract

Baumeister and Leary (1995) emphasized the need to belong as a fundamental human motivation. Given the continued reports of rising loneliness and mental health challenges among college students, alongside the unique pressures faced by counselors-in-training (CITs), considering how to address these challenges is important. This research study investigated the impact of belonging on mental health and burnout among counseling students, utilizing survey responses from 715 participants enrolled in CACREP-accredited programs across the U.S. Researchers analyzed associations between sense of belonging, flourishing, and indicators of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as burnout, using correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis. The presenters will contextualize the findings regarding implications for counselor training programs, underscoring the importance of cultivating a supportive and inclusive environment. By addressing these critical elements, this presentation aims to enhance the understanding of belonging in graduate education and inform actionable strategies to promote the mental wellness of CITs, ultimately equipping them to navigate the challenges of their profession more effectively.

Learning Objectives

• Learners will be able to identify three key findings regarding the impact of sense of belonging on mental health and burnout among counseling students.
• Learners will be able to describe two strategies for cultivating a supportive and inclusive environment within counselor training programs.
• Learners will be able to critique methodological limitations of the study that impact the results.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 03

CAN YOU SEE ME? UNDERSTANDING THE COUNSELING NEEDS OF DISABLED BLACK COLLEGE WOMEN

Abstract

The positive impact of college counseling services on enrolled students includes higher grade point average, increased retention, and improved persistence to graduation. However, Black college women have reported negative perceptions of college counseling services, particularly at Predominantly White Institutions, citing cultural mistrust and culturally incongruent interventions, leading to avoidance of seeking support for college counseling centers. While research exists regarding Black college women's perceptions of college counseling, results do not include specific considerations for Black college women with disabilities. This study focused on understanding how disabled Black college women perceive quality mental health care at college counseling centers. Using Q methodology to understand the viewpoints of disabled Black college women, the results of this inquiry can begin to inform institutional change regarding the support of disabled Black college women at college counseling centers, including staff training and supervision needs.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to identify ecosystemic factors impacting disabled Black college women's mental health
• Participants will be able to identify key factors disabled Black college women identify for culturally responsive mental health care
• Participants will discuss relevant interventions and supervision strategies to support culturally responsive mental health care at college counseling centers.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 04

PREVALENCE OF IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG FIRST GENERATION HISPANIC MALE STUDENTS IN STEM MAJORS

Abstract

The term "Impostor Phenomenon (IP)," coined by Clance and Imes (1978), refers to the internal experience of feeling like an impostor among high-achieving women who are unable to internalize their successes. Despite their success, these women believe that each success would expose them as frauds. First-generation college students (FGCS), particularly those in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, share characteristics associated with IP (Chakraverty, 2024). The connection between IP and self-efficacy among underrepresented STEM groups has been a subject of much fascination (Morison et al., 2024). Self-efficacy (one's belief in one's capability) (Bandura, 1977) and IP (feeling like a fraud) have a strong negative relationship, where higher impostor feelings are associated with lower self-efficacy. Low self-efficacy with IP can negatively impact academic or professional performance (Pákozdy et al., 2024). Guided by Bandura's self efficacy theory, the present study examined differences in impostor syndrome and self-efficacy as a function of gender among Hispanic FGCS. Utilizing a cross sectional, quantitative design, data were analyzed using a two-way MANOVA. Results indicated no significant differences in self efficacy or impostor syndrome; however, female students reported higher mean IP scores than male students. Findings suggested that IP and self efficacy represent distinct psychological constructs.

Learning Objectives

• The intersection of cultural, educational, and systemic factors that shape the experiences of Hispanic first generation college students (FGCS) in STEM fields.
• Differentiate the roles of self-efficacy and impostor phenomenon in influencing academic persistence among Hispanic FGCS.
• Apply Bandura's self-efficacy theory to interpret how confidence and perceived competence influence engagement in STEM pathways.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 05

GENERATIVE AI USE AND LONELINESS AMONG INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLEGE COUNSELING

Abstract

International college students may experience loneliness related to acculturative stress, language barriers, and disruptions in established social networks. As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into students' academic and personal lives, college counselors need to consider how different forms of AI engagement may relate to students' social well-being. This preliminary cross-sectional study examined academic, emotional, and conversational AI use in relation to loneliness among international students enrolled at U.S. universities (N = 26). Academic AI use was the most frequently reported form of engagement. Conversational AI use was associated with higher loneliness after accounting for age, gender, and psychological distress, while psychological distress was also significantly associated with loneliness. Academic and emotional AI use were not significant predictors. Findings suggest that the purpose of AI use may be more relevant to social well-being than AI use alone. For college counselors, exploring students' use of AI for conversation, emotional support, or companionship may provide additional insight into social connection, adjustment, and coping. Implications for culturally responsive assessment, outreach, and support of international students will be discussed.

Learning Objectives

• Describe differences among academic, emotional, and conversational uses of generative AI among international college students.
• Explain the association between conversational AI use and loneliness among international college students.
• Apply study findings to culturally responsive assessment and support strategies for international students in college counseling settings.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 06

DIVING INTO DISABILITY: COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH CLIENTS

Abstract

College students with disabilities are more visible than ever on college campuses. In 2023 21 percent of undergraduate students reported having a disability (PNPI, 2025). Many students with disabilities, whether psychiatric, sensory, physical, or developmental experience a variety of challenges on campus and research has shown that students with psychiatric concerns in particular are not accessing existing campus resources (Coduti et al., 2016). College counselors can play a key role in supporting and informing students with disabilities of what resources exist on campus and different ways to understand how their experiences of living with a disability may impact them both inside and outside of the classroom. College counselors can play a key role in supporting their clients in their disability identity development process. This session is designed to provide counselors with additional strategies and skills to feel confident broaching topics of disability and helping provide support to their clients with disabilities.

Learning Objectives

• Clinicians will learn about the number of students with disabilities currently enrolled on college campuses.
• Clinicians will learn how to broach the topic of disability with clients and how to support them in accessing resources.
• Clinicians will learn strategies to help clients with the disability identity development process.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 07

CRAFTING COMMUNITY: OVERCOMING GROUP THERAPY RESISTANCE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITH INNOVATIVE FORMATS

Abstract

Community college counseling centers face multidimensional challenges: high student mental health needs, persistent mental health stigma, and low attendance in traditional therapy groups. Austin Community College (ACC) serves 44,000 students across 11 multi-city campuses. Many students are first-generation students, parents, or working employees, facing basic needs insecurities such as campus-to-campus transportation barriers. These daily demands interfere with group therapy attendance despite students reporting a desire for more belonging in institutional surveys. To address these obstacles, ACC counselors developed innovative, activity-based group therapy pilots designed to boost student engagement by shifting the focus from "talk therapy" groups to shared interest-based activities and lower perceived barriers for students hesitant to join traditional groups. This presentation highlights the implementation, student reception, and group outcomes of three distinct experiential groups: Dungeons & Dragons Therapy Group: A tabletop role-playing group utilizing narrative and experiential interventions to foster social connection, emotional regulation, and collaborative problem-solving. Campus Craft Corner: An expressive arts group offering students a low-pressure setting where they can work on a beginner-friendly craft, connect with others, and explore wellness topics in an approachable way. Therapeutic Book Club: A bibliotherapy model using curated literature to normalize shared struggles, promote self-reflection, and build long-term group cohesion.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the unique features of community colleges that impact student engagement in therapy groups.
• List ways innovative shared interest groups decrease stigma, support student engagement, and increase resource seeking.
• Identify ways to evaluate the effectiveness of shared interest student therapy groups and be able to list the positive outcomes of such groups.
• Apply the model of shared interest student therapy groups to community colleges, multi-site colleges, and other higher education institutions.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 08

BRIDGING THE GAP: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF COUNSELING SERVICES AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Community college and four-year university counseling centers share a mission of supporting student mental health, retention, and academic success, yet operate under different institutional conditions. This session compares counseling services across both settings, examining shared practices alongside the cultural and structural differences shaping service delivery. Drawing on national survey data and recent research, the presentation shows how student demographics, funding, and staffing ratios influence counseling models. Community colleges typically serve older, part-time, commuter, and first-generation students facing financial and time barriers, often with fewer than half the clinical staff per student found at four-year institutions. Four-year residential universities benefit from greater staffing capacity and more specialized services, but face different challenges around stigma, peer visibility, and rising demand relative to caseloads. The session reviews documented utilization gaps, including findings that community college students access on-campus mental health care at substantially lower rates than four-year peers despite comparable or greater need. Attendees will examine implications for program design, outreach, referral partnerships, and resource allocation, and leave with practical strategies for strengthening service delivery. The session suits counseling center directors, clinicians, and administrators, as well as professionals transitioning between two-year and four-year settings, seeking evidence-based, feasible improvements suited to their student population.

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least three structural and cultural differences between community college and four-year university counseling services, including staffing ratios, funding models, and student population characteristics.
• Summarize current research findings on mental health service utilization gaps between community college and four-year university students.
• Apply at least two evidence-informed strategies (e.g., flexible scheduling, basic-needs screening, referral partnerships) to strengthen counseling service delivery within their own institutional setting.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 09

WELLNESS ROUNDS: A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROACTIVELY SUPPORT STUDENT WELLNESS

Abstract

Health science students are at increased risk of experiencing significant mental health difficulties that can impede their well-being, sense of self, and ability to successfully complete their programs of study. The nature of these difficulties may be exacerbated for students who are just beginning their programs and must navigate the transition alongside various life stressors. Despite this need, many health science students avoid seeking care from their institutional counseling centers due to barriers such as intensive academic and clinical demands that complicate their schedules, limited knowledge about counseling center services, and a lack of a perceived need for help-seeking until they face major disruptions to their lives. Thus, it is imperative that counseling centers at institutions who serve this population engage in primary and secondary prevention programming focused on promoting wellness, familiarization with student support resources, and student identification of current and future needs. Prior research suggests that brief, individual wellness sessions facilitated by a counseling center staff member early in a student's course of study may be especially impactful for this population. These opt-out sessions are designed to encourage students to consider their primary stressors, current coping strategies, and indications they may need more support. This poster presentation is a descriptive examination of the development and implementation of Wellness Rounds, a targeted intervention to support student wellness. Since its inception in 2024, this program has been offered annually to five different academic disciplines (N = 550 students) and has held 87 sessions.

Learning Objectives

• List the challenges, opportunities, and considerations for providing college counseling center services to health science students
• Describe the development and implementation of a brief wellness session program aimed to encourage early identification of distress
• Identify areas of success, areas of growth, and lessons learned from the implementation of the wellness rounds program

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POSTER PRESENTATION 10

DEVELOPING A FAMILY TREE MODEL TO FOSTER POSITIVE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND HELP TO IMPROVE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING THROUGH CROSS-CAMPUS INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION

Abstract

A Family Tree provides continuous mental health care and support for incoming students until they graduate. The Family Tree will help incoming students quickly adjust to his/her new environment and help them immediately get support from their departments. Incoming freshmen join a Family Tree from their academic departments. The students will belong to a "family" consisting of themselves and a sophomore, junior, and senior. A faculty member will be the "parent." New students will be contacted before classes start. The faculty members who are the "parents" of each family will be trained by the counseling center staff for early signs of depression, suicide and other mental illnesses. Through regular meetings and contacts with the students in the Family Tree, the faculty and students will form a support system to reach out to students in the Family Tree with mental illnesses, or who are at risk of developing a mental illness. The Family Tree can also refer students to the counseling services for treatment in a timely manner. Through the support of the Family Tree the students will help themselves pay more attention to his/her emotional well-being. Using this model will help students detect their mental health issues earlier. The Family Tree model can be utilized by other academic and student services programs as well as specific student populations.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to identify major adjustment and psychological needs commonly experienced by college students.
• Participants will learn an innovative format for counseling services delivery of an outreach family tree model.
• Participants will learn how offering an outreach family tree model may help reduce barriers that often prevent college students from using counseling services counseling and other support services.

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POSTER PRESENTATION 11

BEYOND RETENTION: BELONGING, SUPPORT, AND FIRST-YEAR PERSISTENCE AMONG HISPANIC STUDENTS AT A TEXAS–MEXICO BORDER HSI

Abstract

Hispanic students attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) bring significant cultural, familial, linguistic, and community strengths to their transition into higher education while also navigating academic, financial, social, and personal demands that may influence persistence. These experiences may be particularly distinctive at institutions along the Texas–Mexico border, where students' educational experiences are embedded within binational, bilingual, and family-centered communities. This presentation introduces a proposed study at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), a regional Hispanic-Serving Institution in Laredo, Texas. The study asks: To what extent do academic engagement, sense of belonging, perceived faculty and advisor support, financial stress, family support, and utilization of counseling and other campus support resources predict first-to-second-year persistence among Hispanic students at TAMIU? Particular attention is given to sense of belonging and students' connections with counseling, advising, mentoring, faculty, and institutional support systems as potentially actionable dimensions of the first-year experience. Rather than approaching Hispanic student persistence from a deficit perspective, the proposed study focuses on the individual, familial, cultural, and institutional resources that may contribute to successful first-year experiences. The presentation will examine how college counselors can collaborate with faculty, academic advisors, student affairs professionals, and other campus partners to strengthen belonging, identify barriers, connect students with resources, and support persistence. Although situated at TAMIU and within the Laredo border community, the proposed framework has implications for college counseling professionals at HSIs and other institutions serving Hispanic, first-generation, bilingual, and historically underserved students. The session positions college counseling as an integral component of institutional efforts to promote student well-being, belonging, academic engagement, and persistence.

Learning Objectives

• Identify key academic, psychosocial, familial, financial, and institutional factors—including sense of belonging and utilization of counseling and campus support resources—that may contribute to first-to-second-year persistence among Hispanic students at
• Apply culturally responsive counseling and cross-campus collaboration strategies that strengthen belonging, connect Hispanic and first-generation students with institutional resources, and support successful first-year experiences and persistence.
• Develop collaborative approaches among college counselors, faculty, academic advisors, and student affairs professionals to identify barriers to first-year success and strengthen institutional support systems for Hispanic and first-generation students.

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