Kristie Opiola, assistant professor of counseling studies in the Cato College of Education, received the 2017 Best Practices Award from the American Counseling Association (ACA) for the dissertation “The Efficacy of Child Parent Relationship Therapy for Adoptive Families.”
The ACA Best Practices Award, presented at this year’s ACA conference in San Francisco, recognizes outstanding research projects that further the evidence-base for counseling practice.
Opiola, who joined the UNC Charlotte Counseling Department in August 2016, received the award for her dissertation study in the Counseling and Higher Education Program at University of North Texas, where she specialized in play therapy.
As a replication of Carnes-Holt and Bratton’s research, Opiola investigated the effects of Child Parent Relationship Therapy for adoptive families who reported attachment-related concerns. The study evaluated three specific constructs: child behavior problems, parent-child relationship stress and parent’s empathetic behaviors.
The study was conducted by teaching 50 adoptive parents the skills used in child-centered play therapy to enhance their attachment with their children. The findings provide strong support for CPRT or child-centered play therapy as a responsive intervention for adoptive parents and their children.
Opiola also was recognized in 2015-16 as an Emerging Leader from the Association for Humanistic Counseling and received a number of grants from organizations like Chi Sigma Iota and the Group Foundation for Advancing Mental Health. In the past five years, she has been a co-principal investigator and research team member in eight studies regarding play therapy and counseling.
Opiola’s areas of expertise and teaching interests include child and family counseling, counseling skills, attachment/trauma studies and expressive arts in counseling and supervision.
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is a professional and educational organization dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. With 56 chartered branches in the United States, Europe and Latin America, the ACA serves more than 56,000 members with professional resources and information unique to specialized areas and/or principles of counseling.