Counselor Education Doctoral Students Research Articles

Doctoral Students Balancing the Roles and Relationships of Counselor Education

Aspiring counselor educators in Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited programs must learn to be counselors, teachers, supervisors, researchers, and leaders. These roles can overlap, creating multiple complex relationships during their programs. To examine these roles, we conducted a constructivist grounded theory investigation of how counselor education doctoral students (n = 9) balanced multiple roles and relationships and boundary crossings. We utilized chain referral sampling and continued until we reached theoretical saturation. We used semi-structured interviews conducted via videoconferencing (Zoom) for data collection and coded the interviews using two main phases: an initial phase and a focused coding phase. We used member checks by sending participants preliminary findings for feedback. The resulting theory describes two distinct stakeholders in the management of the multiple roles and relationships in counselor education: the students and the program. Students were responsible for balancing roles and responsibilities while considering professional growth, ethics, and boundary setting. The program was responsible for providing a growth-fostering environment and mentorship. Ultimately, the process of navigating multiple roles and relationships (MRRs) involves early discussion of MRRs, intentionality of program placement, assistance with boundaries and ethical decisions, and exposure to remediation and gatekeeping.

Counselors Explore Their Attachment Strategies: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ABSTRACT Counselors make important contributions to the counseling relationship, and their attachment organizations can influence the strength, quality, and effectiveness of the working alliance (Bucci et al. 2015). This study explored first year counselor education doctoral students’ (n = 7) experiences of being interviewed with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI; George et al. 1996) as a means of supporting self-awareness and fostering effective counselor-client working alliances. Four superordinate themes emerged: (a) reactions to the AAI interview process, (b) process with AAI feedback, (c) AAI and intrapersonal process, and (d) AAI and interpersonal process. Findings suggest that the AAI is an effective tool in supporting counselor self-awareness regarding attachment strategies and can provide multiple personal and professional benefits, such as increased awareness of conflict and stress management strategies. Implications for clinical practice, counselor education, and future research are discussed.

Experiences of diversity, equity, and inclusion for doctoral students and new faculty in leadership development programs

ABSTRACT Leadership development programs (e.g. Emerging Leaders) are growing in popularity among professional counseling organizations. Using basic interpretive design, the current qualitative study included 24 counselor education doctoral students who had participated in leadership development programs. Findings address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership experiences. Themes derived through multiple rounds of coding describe lack of representation in leadership, imposter phenomenon experienced by students with marginalized identities, and barriers to leadership opportunities.

Infertility Among Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Students: Expectations, Experiences, and Knowledge

Females are disproportionately affected by infertility, and Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral students are predominantly female. Using phenomenological approach female CES doctoral students with infertility diagnoses were interviewed. Six themes emerged from the interviews: younger is better for conception; familial and societal messages; infertility knowledge; triggers; academics and infertility; something wrong with me, regret, and others don’t understand. Clinical implications and future directions are provided to promote social justice by bringing awareness and amplifying the voices of people suffering from a disability and a disease that is rarely recognized as either.

Intersection of professional identity development and experiences of cultural insensitivity among international counselor education doctoral students

AbstractThe authors used a qualitative research method to examine experiences of cultural insensitivity and their influences on professional identity among 13 international counselor education students. Participants described experiencing discrimination and how these experiences pushed them to incorporate advocacy into their professional identities. Participants also described the impact of discrimination on their cultural identities and the lack of global perspectives in mental health professions. Implications for counselor education are discussed.

Infertility Among Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral students: A Review of the Literature

Objective: This literature review focuses on Counselor Education and Supervision of female doctoral students. Issues of access and medical care coverage will be examined to give insight into the form of care that is available. Background: Previous literature has documented that age is the biggest predictor of fertility success. Females are disproportionately affected by infertility, especially women obtaining advanced degrees. Methods: An extensive review of the literature was conducted, and clinical implications were derived. Results: Students’ needs and goals are the links between education and realizing reproductive aims. Counselors are often initial resources for information and referrals and are well-positioned to impact clients. Conclusion: Therefore, it is important for counselors to understand the disparity in access to fertility care to help clients overcome barriers to care and advocate for change.

Developing Career and Counseling Self-Efficacy: Evaluating a Self-Efficacy Enhancement Approach to Counselor Education

PurposeWe applied Barnes’s self-efficacy enhancement approach (e.g., mastery experiences, vicarious learning, verbal persuasion, and perceptions of psychological states) to two separate evaluation studies focused on teaching career counseling to master’s level rehabilitation counselors-in-training and doctoral level counselor educators-in-training.MethodsStudy 1 employed a pre/post, single group design with 24 master’s level rehabilitation counselors-in-training. Study 2 employed a longitudinal, single group design with 13 counselor education doctoral students. Students in each study participated in a 14-week semester-length career counseling course designed using Barnes’s self-efficacy enhancement approach. In both studies, students participated in a mini-practicum, completed several measures of self-efficacy and perceived competence during multiple time points across the semester.ResultsFindings from Study 1 indicated an increase in career counseling self-efficacy and helping skills self-efficacy. Findings from Study 2 indicated an increase in career counseling self-efficacy and perceived counseling skills when working with people with disabilities.ConclusionFindings from Study 1 and Study 2 support Barnes’s self-efficacy enhancement approach when teaching career counseling to rehabilitation counselors-in-training and doctoral students in counselor education.

Emerging leaders: Leadership development experiences of counselor education doctoral students

AbstractCounselor educators often serve in leadership roles in professional organizations. These leadership activities often begin as graduate students through leadership development programs (e.g., Emerging Leaders) within professional counseling organizations. This basic interpretive qualitative study explored leadership development experiences of 24 counselor education doctoral students yielding themes informing leadership development.

Counselor Education Doctoral Students’ Research Self-Efficacy: A Systemic Perspective

Research self-efficacy (RSE) has been mainly considered as an intrapersonal aspect of researcher identity development. Utilizing a systemic lens, we examined factors informing counselor education doctoral students’ RSE in CACREP-accredited doctoral programs. Concept mapping, a mixed-method design, yielded 17 clusters representing six regions describing the factors informing counselor education doctoral students’ RSE. We discussed the results with training and research implications, and limitations. What is the public significance of this article? The present study suggests that there are environmental and relational factors affecting doctoral student’s research self-efficacy (RSE) as well as the previously considered individual factors. Acknowledgement and intentional incorporation of all of these factors may be critical in the counselor education research training process.

Group Differences Between Counselor Education Doctoral Students’ Number of Fieldwork Experiences and Teaching Self-Efficacy

This study examined differences in 149 counselor education doctoral students’ self-efficacy toward teaching related to their number of experiences with fieldwork in teaching (FiT). Results showed counselor education doctoral students began FiT experiences with high levels of self-efficacy, which decreased after one to two FiT experiences, increased slightly after three to four FiT experiences, and increased significantly after five or more FiT experiences. We discuss implications for how counselor education doctoral programs can implement and supervise FiT experiences as part of their teaching preparation practices. Finally, we identify limitations of the study and offer future research suggestions for investigating FiT experiences in counselor education.

Professional Identity Development and Multicultural Identity Among International Counselor Education Doctoral Students

This qualitative study examined the professional and multicultural identities among 13 international counselor education doctoral students. Participants identified cultural identities and difficulties with studying abroad, and their influence on their professional development. Implications and recommendations for counselor education programs are discussed.Este estudio cualitativo examinó las identidades profesionales y multiculturales de 13 estudiantes internacionales en programas de doctorado en educación de consejeros. Los participantes identificaron identidades culturales y dificultades relacionadas con el hecho de estudiar en un país extranjero, así como la influencia de estas en su desarrollo profesional. Se discuten las implicaciones y recomendación para programas de educación de consejeros.

Research Identity Development of Counselor Education Doctoral Students: A Grounded Theory

We present a grounded theory based on interviews with 11 counselor education doctoral students (CEDS) regarding their research identity development. Findings reflect the process-oriented nature of research identity development and the influence of program design, research content knowledge, experiential learning, and self-efficacy on this process. Based on our findings, we emphasize the importance of mentorship and faculty conducting their own research as a way to model the research process. Additionally, our theory points to the need for increased funding for CEDS in order for them to be immersed in the experiential learning process and research courses being tailored to include topics specific to counselor education.

Preparing Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Students Through an HLT Lens: The Importance of Research and Scholarship

We examined the publication trends of faculty in 396 CACREP-accredited counselor education and supervision (CES) programs based on Carnegie classification by exploring 5,250 publications over the last decade in 21 American Counseling Association and American Counseling Association division journals. Using Bayesian statistics, this study expounded upon existing literature and differences that exist between institution classifications and total publications. The results of this study can be used to inform the training and preparation of doctoral students in CES programs through a Happenstance Learning Theory framework, specifically regarding their role as scholars and researchers. We present implications and argue for the importance of programs and faculty providing research experience for doctoral students in order to promote career success and satisfaction.

Experiences of Counselor Education Doctoral Student Mothers With Young Children

We explored the mothering experiences of 11 counselor education doctoral student mothers who have at least one young child under the age of 5. Six themes emerged from the study, including ambivalence, increased use of coping mechanisms, striving for balance, “superwoman syndrome,” indistinguishable roles, and leading by example.

Counselor Education Doctoral Students' Lived Experiences With Supervision of Teaching

In this descriptive phenomenological study, we investigated 10 counselor education doctoral students' experiences with supervision of their teaching. Three supervision of teaching (SupT) structural themes were identified: delivery, dynamics, and distinctions. Implications for implementing SupT on the basis of these structures are discussed, along with the limitations of this study and suggestions for future research. A working definition of SupT is provided.

The Impact of Teaching Preparation Practices on Self‐Efficacy Toward Teaching

Coursework in teaching, fieldwork, and supervised teaching experiences were examined as predictors of counselor education doctoral students’ (N = 149) self‐efficacy toward teaching. Results revealed that all 3 variables related significantly to self‐efficacy toward teaching. Results suggested that students’ satisfaction with supervision of teaching was particularly important in strengthening self‐efficacy.

A Phenomenological Investigation of Doctoral Students’ Gatekeeping Experiences

Counselor education doctoral students serve as gatekeepers simultaneous to their own training and evaluation. We used transcendental phenomenology to examine the gatekeeping experiences of 15 doctoral students at three programmatic levels. Findings and implications related to two primary themes, (a) precarious positions and power and (b) developing a gatekeeper identity, are discussed.

Teaching Competencies in Counselor Education: A Delphi Study

The authors used the Delphi method to identify counselor education teaching competencies. There were 3 phases of data collection, resulting in 152 teaching competencies within 4 domains: knowledge, skills, professional behaviors, and dispositions. Counselor educators and counselor education doctoral students might use these competencies to promote counselor educator training and teaching effectiveness.

An emerging theory of the persistence of social class microaggressions: an interpretative phenomenological study

ABSTRACT Eleven counselor education doctoral students participated in an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis study aimed to understand their social class microaggressions (SCMs) experiences. A tentative theory emerged from the data that SCMs persist to preserve homeostasis. The super-ordinate theme, Unequal, Embedded, Societal Structures is corroborated by the subordinate themes, Social Class Invisibility, Intersecting Identities, Perceptions and Assumptions about Social Class, Privilege and Unawareness about Social Class, and SCM Manifestations. Together, the superordinate theme and subsequent subordinate themes culminate in the preservation of homeostasis. We offer a data driven model to depict the theory, present participant data with extensive quotes, counseling implications, future research, and a call to the profession to resist the pull of homeostasis so SCMs no longer serve a socio-cultural purpose to oppress others.

Pedagogical Perspectives on Counselor Education: An Autoethnographic Experience of Doctoral Student Development

There is minimal literature related to understanding what training factors contribute to the development of qualified counselor educators. Specifically, we wondered if counselor education doctoral students are effectively prepared for their roles as instructors. We chose an autoethnographic phenomenology method as a means for exploring the experiences of doctoral students’ pedagogical development in a doctoral instructional theory course. We sought to understand the essence of our experience through written reflection, photography, and group reflective processes. Analysis revealed the value we all obtained through the instructional theory course, experiential learning, and self-reflection, which contributed to increased self-efficacy as emerging counselor educators. The essence of our experience is described through seven descriptive themes—delineated as methods of coping and reinforcing. The results demonstrate the benefit of including an explicit pedagogical course in counselor education curriculums.