Counselors' Experiences of Workplace Aggression and Organizational Values: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

Limited research exists on workplace aggression within the counseling profession despite its negative ramifications for clinical practice. The authors conducted a descriptive study to explore the prevalence and common forms of workplace aggression experienced by a sample of practicing counselors (N = 117). More than 50% of counselors reported the experience of at least 1 aggressive act, and nearly 25% met the threshold for workplace aggression. The authors discuss the implications of these results and consider workplace aggression's incongruity with professional counseling values.