Date of Award

1-1-2013

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Mark D Weist

Abstract

Clinician or counseling self-efficacy (CSE), defined as beliefs about one's ability to effectively counsel a client in the near future (Larson & Daniels, 1998), is widely accepted as an important precursor of effective clinical practice (Kozina, Grabovari, De Stefano & Drapeau, 2010). While previous research has explored the association of CSE with variables such as counselor aptitude, achievement, and level of training and experience, little attention has been paid to the self-efficacy of school mental health practitioners. The current study examines the influence of quality training and supervision on the level of counseling self-efficacy amongst school mental health practitioners, as well as the relationship of specific demographic variables and professional experiences to counseling self-efficacy. After controlling for significant correlations between pre-intervention self-efficacy and demographic/experiential variables, results of an analysis of covariance indicate a non-significant difference in change. Subsequent regression analyses indicated that, regardless of condition, post-intervention self-efficacy scores significantly predicted: quality of practice; knowledge of EBP for ADHD, depression, disruptive behavior and anxiety; and usage of EBP for treating depression. Results emphasize the importance of high CSE for quality and effective practice, and the need to make an explicit goal of evaluating effective mechanisms to enhance CSE and the impact that this has on client outcomes and satisfaction.

Rights

© 2013, Bryn Elizabeth Schiele

Included in

Psychology Commons

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