A phenomenological investigation of altruism from the perspective of counsellors in Scotland

Abstract

AbstractAim/PurposeThis phenomenological investigation sought to describe how counsellors (n = 9), residing in Scotland, experience altruistic caring in their personal and professional lives. This study is an extension of a research line of qualitative studies focused on a model of altruism development. The purpose is to focus on practising counsellors’ common experiences as they relate to altruistic caring and to describe the phenomenon that occurs within the context of the Altruism Development Model (ADM) (Curry, Smith & Robinson, 2009).MethodologyThis study is a phenomenological research design. The research team obtained permission from the institutional review board (IRB) to conduct in‐depth interviews and record observations. A diverse group of practising counsellors, living in Scotland, were interviewed. Moustaka's (1994) transcendental approach was used to analyse the data, to provide a new perspective from previous studies. More specifically, the research team conducted horizontalisation and developed structural and textural descriptions to describe the phenomenon.FindingsThe findings provide support for the ADM. The textural description of participants’ experiences of altruism is that their experiences are complex, and sometimes conflicting. The structural description of participants’ experiences of altruism is that it is a part of themselves. Counsellors in Scotland experience altruism as part of everyday life and view it as an expectation, and counsellors in Scotland recognise that altruism can include wellness and self‐care and that these are important to be an effective counsellor.Research LimitationsAll the participants were members of a professional organisation and self‐selected to be a part of the study. Additionally, the researchers’ culture may have influenced the way they analysed the findings.ImplicationsAltruism is a socially learned attribute, and it is highly regarded in Scottish culture. Therefore, counsellors may want to explore the influence of culture within a client's life, in relation to altruism. Additionally, exploring the constructs of altruism and self‐care for clients may be an important step in a holistic assessment.