College counseling centers, in line with the era, adopted which approach to working with students?

• A. Humanistic and developmental
• B. Psychoanalytic
• C. Behaviorist
• D. Existential

Answer: (A)

Colleges aimed to support students’ growth and successful navigation of a pivotal life stage, so the counseling approach that fits best is one grounded in humanistic principles combined with a developmental framework. The humanistic side treats students as capable of self-directed growth and centers on the counseling relationship—empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard—to help students explore who they are, what they value, and where they’re headed. The developmental component draws on theories about growing up and emerging adulthood, guiding counselors to address tasks like identity formation, autonomy, and planning for education, careers, and adult life. This combination suits the campus context, where the goal is to foster overall development and well-being during a time of transition, rather than focusing primarily on pathology or specific behavior change. Psychoanalytic approaches emphasize unconscious conflicts, behaviorist approaches focus on observable behavior changes, and existential approaches center on meaning in isolation from the broader developmental context—making them less aligned with the era’s college counseling priorities.