Recent Rehabilitation Counselor Role Changes and Role Strain – A Pilot Investigation

Abstract

After a review of VR counselor role and function studies prior to and since 1973, the authors hypothesized that compared to the 1960's rehabilitation counselors are currently devoting: (a) less time to counseling and guidance activities; (b) more time to paperwork, (c) more time to arranging for services; and (d) about the same amount of time to placement activities. It was also hypothesized that VR counselors currently prefer to devote more time to counseling and guidance, and less time to paperwork. Analyses of the data collected from a sample of 31 rehabilitation counselors, 17 administrators and supervisors and 9 rehabilitation educators attending a 1978 NRCA Conference Program, suggested that VR counselors are currently devoting: (a) less time to counseling and guidance activities; (b) more time to paperwork, (c) more time to arranging for services, and (d) about the same amount of time to placement activities. Significant differences between estimated and preferred percentages of time, suggested that VR counselors are experiencing role strain. Discussions relevant to legislative mandates role strain, and future research are also included.