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Int J Adv Counselling (2015) 37:4153
DOI 10.1007/s10447-014-9224-1
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Published online: 19 November 2014# Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract Counseling necessitates clinicians to be culturally competent and self-efficacious in order to ethically and effectively work with diverse client populations. This study investigated the relationship between counselor education students (N=118) levels of self-reported multi-cultural counseling competence (MCC), multicultural counseling self-efficacy (MCSE), and demographic data (gender, ethnicity, level of education). Contrary to prior research, results indicated that student gender and ethnicity did not affect MCSE or self-reported MCC. However, students who had been in graduate education longer had higher self-reported MCC and higher levels of multicultural knowledge. Discussion and implications of findings are provided.
Keywords Multicultural competence . Multicultural self-efficacy. Counselor education
Introduction
Multiculturalism has been the focus of empirical research and scholarly discourse for over three decades (Hill, Vereen, McNeal, and Stotesbury 2013). Counselor preparation programs emphasize diversity training in preparation standards (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs [CACREP] 2009) and cultural competence in ethical standards (American Counseling Association [ACA] 2005). Developing into a multi-culturally competent counselor is a multifaceted process that requires counselor trainees to (a) acquire knowledge related to their clients cultural backgrounds, (b) reflect and increase personal awareness of values and biases, and (c) apply culturally appropriate skills and interventions when working with diverse clients (Coleman 2004; Sue et al. 1992).
In addition to knowledge, awareness and skills, having multicultural counseling competence (MCC) requires counselors to be self-efficacious, or believe in their ability to work with clients from
S. M. Barden (*)
Department of Child, Family, and Community Sciences, University of Central Florida, College of Education and Human Performance, P.O. Box 161250, Orlando, FL 32826, USAe-mail: [email protected]
J. H. Greene
Department of Counseling, Leadership, Adult Education & School Psychology, College of Education, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666-4684, USA
An Investigation of Multicultural Counseling Competence and Multicultural Counseling Self-Efficacy for Counselors-in-Training
Sejal M. Barden & Jennifer H. Greene
42 Int J Adv Counselling (2015) 37:4153
diverse backgrounds. Counselor self-efficacy (CSE), which involves counselors beliefs or judgments about their capability to perform specific counseling related behaviors (Bandura 1999), has been found to have direct associations with effective counseling. People with higher levels of...