Counselor Competency Scale Research Articles

Homophobia and Clinical Competency: An Exploration of Couple and Family Therapists’ Beliefs

This study measured couple and family therapists’ levels of homophobia and examined whether levels of homophobia would predict their self-reported competency in treating lesbian and gay (LG) clients. The sample consisted of 741 clinical members of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Participants completed the Modern Homophobia Scale and the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale which measured self-reported competency in the areas of knowledge and skills related to treating LG clients. The findings of this study suggest that, on average, these clinical members report low levels of homophobia and participants’ levels of homophobia predict self-reported clinical competency.

Sexual Orientation and Counselor Competency: The Impact of Training on Enhancing Awareness, Knowledge and Skills

ABSTRACT The current study explored the potential impact of a training program on graduate counseling students' competency to serve lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. In this pilot study, the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS; Bidell, 2005) was administered to students enrolled in a counselor education program. Results indicated that the training program had a positive impact upon the competency areas of knowledge and skills as measured by the SOCCS. The benefits of incorporating an LGB counselor competency component in training modules to serve the LGB community are discussed. Ways for counselor educators and supervisors to enhance their own LGB competencies and help their student's ability to meet the needs of LGB clients are also presented.

The Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale: Assessing Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge of Counselors Working With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), an instrument that measures the attitudes, skills, and knowledge of counselors who work with lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Internal consistency of the SOCCS was .90, and 1‐week test‐retest reliability was .84. Criterion, concurrent, and divergent validity tests established the SOCCS as a psychometrically sound instrument.

Development of the Multicultural School Psychology Counseling Competency Scale

The purpose of this study was to begin to delineate competencies needed by school psychologists in the provision of counseling services to culturally diverse clients and to develop an exploratory measure of multicultural counseling competence in school psychology practice. The present article discusses the development and preliminary psychometric characteristics of the Multicultural School Psychology Counseling Competency Scale (MSPCCS). The MSPCCS, which assesses trainers' perceptions of the multicultural school psychology counseling competencies of graduating trainees, was administered to a national sample of directors of school psychology training programs. Preliminary findings, based on a 57% return rate, suggest that the scale has good internal consistency reliability. Results of the factor analysis support a one factor solution for the scale. Specific considerations in the use of the scale are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Development of the Multicultural School Psychology Counseling Competency Scale

Development of the Multicultural School Psychology Counseling Competency Scale