Examining the Relationships Between Multicultural Counseling Competence, Multicultural Self-Efficacy, and Ethnic Identity Development of Practicing Counselors

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between cultural competence, multicultural self-efficacy, and ethnic identity among professional counselors (n = 172). Researchers found a moderate positive correlation between cultural competence and multicultural ethnic identity, r = .41, p < .01, and between ethnic identity and multicultural self-efficacy, r = .31, p < .01. Additionally, there was a large positive correlation between cultural competency and multicultural self-efficacy, r = .61, p < .01. Finally, results from a hierarchical multiple regression indicated that ethnic identity and multicultural self-efficacy accounted for 42.4% of the variance in multicultural counseling competence after controlling for social desirability, F(3, 159) = 38.99, p < .001. Discussion of the results, implications for the counseling profession, and areas for future research are explored.