The Predictive Role of Mastery Experience in Chinese Counselors’ Counseling Self-efficacy

Abstract

This naturalistic study explored the predictive role of Chinese counselors’ mastery experience in their client-specific counseling self-efficacy. Counselors’ mastery experience was operationalized as their perceived Goal, Task and Bond of the working alliance and Depth, Smoothness, Positivity, and Arousal of previous counseling sessions. The result of Hierarchical Linear Modeling showed that client-specific self-efficacy was significantly correlated with the level of counselor-client agreement on the Goal and Task, and with perceived Depth and Positivity of previous counseling sessions. These findings appeared to reflect Chinese counselors’ high levels of concern for client needs and their traditional cultural values.