Development of humanistic counseling competencies for social justice, congruence of psychology students as a mediator variable

ABSTRACT

This article remarks on the development of a training program for psychology students based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. Objectives of this study: to investigate outcomes of a training program for psychology students based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice and to investigate an impact of the training program on congruence and humanistic counseling competencies to promote social justice. The training program is developed through assimilative integration in which the Satir model is primarily applied together with empowerment counseling and training skills as the supplement techniques. Results reveal that the training program effectively assists in the promotion of congruence and humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students.

Keywords:

• Humanistic counseling
• competencies
• social justice
• congruence

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

The development of this training program is to fill the knowledge gap through combining Satir model of counseling which is based on humanistic psychology with empowerment counseling involving social justice. Novelty is therefore obtained: the application of a counseling model that benefits psychology students regarding the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies in social justice cultivation. That is to enable them to work in diverse settings ranging from individual, family, to society level. Moreover, the results support Satir model stating that a counselor must have one’s congruence to generate it as part of the counseling process or to encourage clients to overcome their life difficulties. Accordingly, congruence is a key factor influencing the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies in social justice cultivation.

1. Introduction

Humanistic counseling is a contemporary counseling concept. It integrates both psychology and psychotherapy principles which can be applied to treat clients efficiently (Harber, 2002). When considering its basic belief regarding human nature, this principle positively views humans. It considers humans worthy, believes that humans have dignity and potential for self-development. This coincides with the Satir model of counseling which believes that humans have the tendency towards growth. Fundamentally, humans are good and try to make the best decision they can at the moment. Additionally, humans have abilities to adapt and survive negative experiences. They can develop themselves to reach congruence (Limsuwan & Limsuwan, 2013).

Humanistic counseling competencies are the abilities of humanistic counselors: have knowledge on theories, a positive attitude towards counseling, and skills needed for humanistic counseling. Humanistic counseling focuses on encouraging or assisting clients to become aware and accept their strengths and weaknesses. Also, the clients are expected to gain self-understanding and understanding of others, have a sense of responsibility for their actions, and perceive themselves as worthy; which influence inner changes and perform more positive behaviors (Hill et al., 2014; Roth et al., 2009). Accordingly, encouraging counselors to gain knowledge about counseling principles, have a positive attitude towards counseling, and have skills needed for counseling practice are important because these qualities will influence how they can help their clients efficiently and successfully.

Concerning social justice as viewed by counselors, it is the process of cultivating justice at the individual, family, and society levels (Chung & Bemak, 2012; Sakunpong, 2018a). Inequality, discrimination, and oppression induce low self-esteem; resulting in mental health problems, stress, depression, and risk of suicide (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014; Sakunpong et al., 2016). For those whose rights or social opportunities are neglected, they are discriminated against and considered outsiders. These people are taken advantage of, oppressed, and discriminated against. They are called marginal people and can be found more of them in society, specifically in Thai society. For example, this population involves disabled people and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people (LGBT; Sakunpong, 2018b). Counselors who take important roles in helping their clients should have knowledge and understanding about social justice issues to be able to help the clients who are marginal people. These group of clients may have mental health problems caused by being denied social justice. In addition, apart from the provision of mental health care; counselors can encourage their clients to become aware of the impacts of social injustice issues and eventually can firmly claim their rights and well-deserved justice. Also, it is to enable the clients to empower themselves to claim their spaces in society and live with life satisfaction (Sakunpong, 2018a).

Literature review in both domestic and other countries shows that most studies involve humanistic counseling competencies or counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. None of these studies combine humanistic counseling competencies with social justice cultivation. Humanistic counseling competencies involve work conducted at the psychological level; meanwhile, there is a lack of work at the society level. Thus, it is needed to fill in knowledge gap through integrating the concept of social justice: The researcher combines the concepts of humanistic counseling competencies with social justice, which allows humanistic counseling competencies—the third force of counseling considered the traditional concept to operate in more diverse context (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014). It is therefore can help clients at the individual, group, family, or community level to fight against social discrimination and oppression. Moreover, the study of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice is to address the work in multiple aspects at the society level. It is considered the fifth force of counseling psychology emphasizing the cultivation of social justice (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014). Also, it is a response to the United Nations concept regarding post-2015 development agenda aiming for sustainability in the issue of equality such as equality in society and gender equality (Aroonsrimorakot & Vajaradul, 2016).

However, there is a lack of a body of knowledge concerning the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. Thus, the researcher developed a training program based on an integrative counseling model. It is needed to promote humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice among counseling psychologists. Also, these competencies should be fostered during the study period. The training program is an integration of the Satir model of counseling with empowerment counseling. The Satir model rooted in humanistic psychology which is applicable to the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies (Gehart, 2016). Moreover, empowerment is about the realization of oppressed power or self-empowerment that is likely to encourage counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. Accordingly, the researcher combines these two principles (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014; Ratts et al., 2010). Additionally, the researcher finds congruence a key factor for the development of counselors. According to the Satir model of counseling, an individual must receive the training based on Satir model to become aware of one’s balance and eventually obtain congruence (Limsuwan & Limsuwan, 2013). The Satir model believes that a counselor must first have personal congruence to finally generate it as a part of abilities in counseling or therapy. That is to encourage clients to overcome their life challenges. The results of this study will benefit psychology students becoming professional psychologists in the future, they will achieve humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. In addition, the program is designed to produce psychologists who can apply the training guidelines in the development of future psychologists.

According to the literature review as mentioned above, the researcher developed the training program based on an integrative counseling model derived from Messer’s assimilative integration approach (Messer, 2001). The Satir model was primarily applied in this program. Meanwhile, empowerment counseling was augmented to be applied for the issues related to social justice and training technique was also incorporated. The structure of the training program design is in line with Nelson’s notion (Nelson-Jones, 1992), including the preparatory stage; the initial stage; the working stage; and the ending stage. Furthermore, to investigate predicting variables of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice; the researcher specified the model of effects of the training program on humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice mediating by the congruence of psychology students. Path analysis is determined according to the hypothesis stating the predicting variable of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Research model.

In relation to the above explanation, the researcher proposed the following hypotheses.

Hypothesis 1 After participating in the training program based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies for social justice cultivation, students being engaged in the training program will have higher mean scores of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice than those who are not engaged in the training program.

Hypothesis 2 The training program based on an integrative counseling model has an effect on humanistic counseling competencies for social justice cultivation mediating by the congruence of psychology students.

2. Method

2.1. Participants

In this study, the researcher studied with undergraduate students of psychology studying in the third and fourth year at higher education institutions under the Office of the Higher Education Commission. These were comprised of national and public universities in Bangkok and its vicinity. The participated psychology students must have knowledge as well as been trained in counseling skills via enrolling in counseling-related courses. From 450 students who were willing to participate in this study responded to the measurement of humanistic counseling competencies for social justice and had overall mean scores lower than the criterion, 80 students from two institutions—40 students from each were selected through the purposive sampling method. A simple random sampling technique was then conducted to assign the participants from institution 1 into experimental and control groups (n = 20 for each group). The experimental group would be engaged in the training program based on an integrative counseling model. The control group would not be engaged in the training program based on the integrative counseling model, but the researcher would provide them lectures and handouts to study. The same procedure was taken at institution 2.

2.2. Materials

2.2.1 The training program based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students to cultivate social justice primarily applied Satir model supplemented with empowerment counseling and training techniques

The researcher designed a 4-steps training program aligned with Nelson’s notion (Nelson-Jones, 1992), including preparatory; initial; working; and ending stages. Moreover, these steps are also in line with counseling procedures (Chongrak, 2006; Corey, 2004; Nelson-Jones, 2011). For the validation of the training program, scores obtained from three professional experts; the expert of counseling competency, the expert of psychology counseling/therapy and multicultural counseling, and the expert of the Satir Model counseling/therapy were used to analyze Item-Objective congruence and found that the values ranged from 0.67 to 1.00. It was an 8-day training program, two phases with four days each and a 2-week pause between phases. For phase 1 which lasted 4 days, the researcher focused on the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies through primarily applying the Satir model. For phase 2 which lasted 4 days, the researcher focused on the cultivation of social justice through mainly applying empowerment counseling. The training procedures were as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. The two-phase training program based on an integrative counseling model.

The researcher would like to briefly stated detail in each session as follows:

Session 1 Orientation and ice breaking involved getting acquainted and building rapport between the researcher and the participants as well as the relationship among the participants. Objectives, roles, rules, and benefits of the training are also informed.

Session 2 Beliefs about human nature involved providing knowledge on beliefs about human nature based on the Satir model.

Session 3 Internal resources involved providing training on the access of positive internal resources and the appreciation of positive surroundings as they are.

Session 4, 5 Iceberg involved providing training on self-exploration applying the iceberg metaphor of the Satir model.

Session 6 Coping stances involved providing knowledge and training on applying one’s coping styles to determine how to help them.

Session 7 Family map involved providing knowledge and training on family mapping used in the counseling process.

Session 8, 9 Set goals and 10 steps of counseling based on the Satir model involved providing knowledge and training on goal setting and 10-step counseling based on the Satir model.

Session 10 Knowledge about marginal people involved providing knowledge and analyzing issues related to the marginal people concerning their psychological problems resulting from social context.

Session 11 The power to influence involved providing knowledge on power and its impacts.

Session 12, 13 Interviews with marginal people involved interviews with marginal people to gain understanding about their ideas, beliefs, perspectives, and lifestyles.

Session 14–17 Case simulation involved experiential training in exploring internal elements of marginal people via case simulation to gain directions in assisting marginal people in society.

Session 18 Commencement involved making a summary and evaluating outcomes of engaging in the training program to promote humanistic counseling competencies for social justice cultivation.

2.2.2 The humanistic counseling competencies for social justice scale was developed by the researcher to measure counseling competencies in three dimensions: knowledge, attitude, and skills

It contained 36 items with a 5-point rating scale, including definitely true; mostly true; somewhat true; slightly true; and not true at all. For the index of Item-Objective congruence, it was found that the index ranged from 0.67 to 1.00. For the scale’s reliability testing, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was analyzed. It was found that the overall reliability was .90 and the reliability for each dimension (total = 3 dimensions) ranged from .81 to .86.

2.2.3 Life congruence scale was modified into Thai version by Srikosai and Taweewattanaprecha (2012)

It contained 21 items with a 7-point rating scale, including strongly disagree; disagree; slightly disagree; neither agree nor disagree; slightly agree; agree; strongly agree. The scale measured four elements: spiritual dimension, intrapsychic-interpersonal dimension, internal resources dimension, and interpersonal dimension. For content validity testing, it was found that the item content validity index was 1.00 and the content validity for scale was 1.00. The four components of this Life congruence scale were aligned with Satir’s congruence that the researcher used as the primary model in the development of the training program. In addition, the researcher tested the scale’s reliability applying Cronbach’s alpha coefficient analysis and obtained the value of .82.

2.3. Procedure

This study was a quasi-experimental research conducted to investigate the effects of the training program based on the integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies for social justice cultivation. It also investigated the impacts of the training program based on the integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies for social justice cultivation in which students’ congruence was a mediator variable.

The researcher developed the training program based on literature review and studies related to humanistic counseling competencies, social justice, and training. The researcher primarily used the Satir model and incorporated empowerment counseling and training techniques as supplements to it. Thus, that is in line with Messer’s assimilative integration—these models are aligned with the directions and beliefs of humanistic counseling. Content validation of the training program was performed: three experts in counseling psychology evaluated key concepts, objectives, techniques, procedures, and assessment. It was then tried out with pilot psychology students before the experiment.

The training program was designed to be held in eight days. It was separated into two phases, each phase lasted four days, each day started from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., total hours were 48. Also, there was a 2-week pause between phases. The researcher had the students in the experimental group answer the humanistic counseling competencies for social justice scale and Life congruence scale. The students were then assigned to participate in the training program phase 1 focusing on the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies for four days. After phase 1 training, the researcher asked these students to answer Life congruence scale and then paused for two weeks. That was then followed by phase 2 training which focused on social justice cultivation issues for four days. After phase 2 training, the researcher asked the students to re-answer the humanistic counseling competencies for social justice scale as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Experimental procedure.

The reason for a 2-week pause is due to the Structural Equation Model’s characteristic: To identify a causal relationship between variables, an independent variable must precede a dependent one. Therefore, to specify that congruence is the predicting variable of counseling competencies; the independent variable must come first. Accordingly, the researcher measured the independent variable after the experiment in phase 1 and then measured counseling competencies after the experiment in phase 2. That is to test the mediating effect of congruence in the relationship between the training program and counseling competencies.

2.4. Ethical consideration

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Srinakharinwirot University (SWUEC/X-265/2561) on 27 September 2018.

2.5. Data analysis

Statistical analysis: Mean, standard deviation, content validity, reliability, independent-samples t-test, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient, and structural equation modelling (SEM) were performed to test the relationship between pre- and post-experiment scores as well as to validate the model of the training program effects on humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice mediating by psychology students congruence.

3. Results

To validate the effects of the training program based on the integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students for social justice cultivation, the researcher tested the relationship among the study variables by performing Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient analysis. For the measurement model of congruence, the variables consisted of a spiritual dimension, intrapsychic-interpersonal dimension, internal resources dimension, and interpersonal dimension. For the measurement model of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice, the variables consisted of knowledge, attitude, and skills. Results revealed that for all paired relationships, significant relationships were found at the statistical significance level of .01 with the coefficients ranging from .58 to .97.

When comparing between the experimental and control groups regarding differences in post-treatment humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice, both overall and in each dimension: the scores of counseling competencies of experimental and control groups were different at the statistical significance level of .05 in which the score of the experimental group was higher as shown in Table 1. These results support hypothesis 1.

Table 1. Comparison of post-treatment humanistic counseling competencies between experimental and control groups

Components	N	M	SD	t
Knowledge competency
Experimental group	40	4.66	0.19	38.468
Control group	40	2.61	0.28
Attitude competency
Experimental group	40	4.66	0.17	28.383
Control group	40	2.94	0.35
Skill competency
Experimental group	40	4.47	0.20	32.813
Control group	40	2.50	0.32
Total
Experimental group	40	4.60	0.11	51.922
Control group	40	2.68	0.20

Moreover, after the testing of the consistency of the causal relationship of between the training program and humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students to cultivate social justice, the analysis shows that the research hypothesis-based causal relationship model was inconsistent with the empirical data. Therefore, an improvement of the model has taken place by examining the causal relationship after increasing the relationship between measurement errors in observed variables in the model and that revealsed that the causal relationships were consistent with empirical data. The indices meet the statistical criteria as shown in Table 2 (χ² = 13.78, df = 13, p-value = .39, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.95, CFI = 1.00, SRMR = 0.01, RMSEA = 0.02, CN = 354).

Table 2. Results of the testing of the causal relationship

Index	Criterion	Modified rear model	Result
χ^2 (df)	-	13.78 (13)	-
p-value	> .05	.39	pass
χ^2/df	< 3.00	1.06	pass
GFI	> 0.90	0.98	pass
AGFI	> 0.90	0.95	pass
CFI	> 0.90	1.00	pass
SRMR	≤ 0.05	0.01	pass
RMSEA	≤ 0.05	0.02	pass
90% CI for RMSEA	0–0.08	0–0.07	pass
CN	≥ 200	354	pass

The above results revealed that the training program had effects on the promotion of humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students to cultivate social justice.

The verification of direct and indirect effects of the training program based on an integrative counseling model on humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice mediating by psychology students’ congruence revealed that the training program had a high positive direct effect on congruence at the statistical significance level of .01 with standardized coefficient structural equation modelling (γ) of 0.98. The training program (the experimental group) could explain the variance (R²) of congruence by 97% as shown in Table 3.

Table 3. The evaluation of the congruence of the structural equation model

Variable	L	SE	t	λ	R^2
Congruence
Spiritual	1.00	-	-	0.96	.92
Intrapsychic	0.53	0.04	14.13	0.75	.56
Internal	0.94	0.05	20.19	0.89	.80
Interpersonal	0.77	0.06	12.60	0.70	.50
ρc = 0.90, AVE = 0.69
Competency
Knowledge	1.00	-	-	0.98	.96
Attitude	0.84	0.02	39.90	0.97	.94
Skill	0.96	0.03	35.11	0.98	.96
ρc = 0.98, AVE = 0.95
Experimental group	1	-	-	1	1

In addition, it was found that the training program (the experimental group) and congruence had a positive direct effect on counseling competencies at the statistical significance level of .01 with standardized coefficient structural equation modelling (γ, β) of 0.62 and 0.37 respectively. Considering an indirect effect of the training program (the experimental group) on counseling competencies, it was found that the training program had an indirect effect on counseling competencies at the statistical significance level of .01 with the indirect effect of 0.37. Additionally, for this experiment, the training program had the total effect on counseling competencies at the statistical significance level of .01 with the standardized total effect of 0.99. The training program (the experimental group) and congruence could explain the variance (R²) of counseling competencies by 97% as shown in Table 4.

Table 4. The statistics of influential analysis of the variable in the casual model

Independent variable	Dependent variable (Congruence)
	DE	IE	TE
Congruence
Experimental group	1.88		1.88
SE	0.05		0.05
γ	0.98		0.98
Congruence
SE
β
Competency
Experimental group	1.28	0.76	2.04
SE	0.28	0.27	0.04
γ	0.62	0.37	0.99
Congruence	0.40		0.40
SE	0.14		0.14
β	0.37		0.37

χ² = 13.78, df = 13, p-value = .39, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.95 CFI = 1.00

RMSEA = 0.02, 90% CI for RMSEA = (0, 0.07), SRMR = 0.01, CN = 354

Therefore, the training program based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice could effectively foster congruence of psychology students and humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. Also, the training program had direct and indirect effects on humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice mediating by the congruence variable. These results support hypothesis 2.

4. Discussion

Considering effects of the training program based on an integrative counseling model, it was found that to develop the program applying assimilative integration approach (Messer, 2001; Sakunpong, 2014) in which the Satir model rooted in humanistic psychology was primarily used can be applied to promote humanistic counseling competencies (Gehart, 2016). Besides, incorporating empower counseling in the training program assist in the promotion of counseling competencies to cultivate social justice (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014; Ratts et al., 2010). Moreover, the Satir model aims to encourage counselors’ use of self to assist clients (Limsuwan & Limsuwan, 2013; Limsuwan et al., 2007). The counselors must have personal congruence and share direct experience in the therapy with their clients. That is because the counselors who have personal congruence will be able to use it to help their clients to achieve the congruence (Rattanawijit & Jumnian, 2017). Therefore, after psychology students have engaged in the training program based on an integrative counseling model: primarily applied the Satir model, included sessions of competencies development (e.g., knowledge, attitude, and skills) and focused on practices (i.e. taking roles of a counselor, a client, and an observer interchangeably); they obtained direct experience of counseling process which allowed them to understand it from the clients’ viewpoint. Such experience encouraged them to grow and achieve personal congruence. In the practice based on the Satir model, it was mentioned that the use of training procedures assisted in the facilitation of counselors’ congruence (Bitter, 2013). Therefore, it is possible that psychology students taking the roles of counselors have achieved congruence through engaging in the training program based on an integrative counseling model. The program also promotes counseling competencies as can be seen from this result: After engaging in the training program based on an integrative counseling model, psychology students in the experimental group had higher mean scores of humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice than the control group. To participate in the training program for eight days, students in the experimental group can develop counseling competencies. It is consistent with Carandang’s study discovering that participating in an effective counseling training program had an impact on the counseling competencies of counselors (Carandang et al., 2019). Also, it is consistent with Fontaine’s study revealing that nurse students developed knowledge, attitude, and required counseling skills to facilitate changes in health behaviors after having participated in the training program to promote counseling competencies (Fontaine et al., 2019). These support hypothesis 1.

When performing analyses of effects of the training program based on an integrative counseling model on humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice mediating by the congruence of psychology students, the following results revealed: The training program had a positive direct effect on counseling competencies and also had an indirect effect on counseling competencies achieved through mediating the congruence variable. It indicates that receiving training promote increased congruence among psychology students; which increased congruence subsequently promote higher counseling competencies. It can be explained that the training program developed by the researcher through an assimilative integration applies the Satir model as the main theory. This model is rooted in humanistic counseling. Also, according to the literature review the Satir model of counseling involved training as an important process fostering clients’ inner growth (Lum, 2002). The use of self as a tool to help the clients was also emphasized on the condition that counselors must first achieve their congruence before applying it in the counseling process or facilitating the clients to cope with their problems (Lum, 2000). The training program developed by the researcher consists of the sessions involving key concepts, techniques and methods aiming to promote knowledge, and practice based on the Satir model. These components foster congruence among the participants, they become well-adjusted and in harmony with themselves, others, and the environment as well as able to maintain balance while coping with problems (Limsuwan & Limsuwan, 2013). That is because the following qualities emerge: self-awareness, responsibility, caring of self, others, and environment; which allow effective counseling to occur. This congruence is the aim of the Satir model of therapy as well as the important internal factor of counselors. Accordingly, it is confirmed that counselors with congruence induce counseling competencies. Similar to Lum’s study investigating the use of self: It was stated that congruence within counselors is the important helping tool that serve others. Also, a training program arranged for counselors would help promote counseling skills, awareness, congruence, and counseling competencies (Lum, 2002). That is also consistent with Cheung’s study investigating the Satir model: It was stated that counselors specialized in the Satir model should receive practice training to achieve personal congruence to subsequent use of self to facilitate growth in others (Cheung & Chan, 2002). The aforementioned information supports hypothesis 2.

5. Conclusion

This study is the development of a training program based on the integrative counseling model that can be used to promote humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students for social justice cultivation. It is a model of counseling psychology; meanwhile, it can be applied to mobilize changes at the society level which is in line with the fifth force in counseling psychology focusing on the cultivation of social justice (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014). Moreover, this study confirms the theory stating that to train psychology students to be counselors; instructors must pay attention to facilitating their congruence and inner growth. That is consistent with a counseling model and the practice of psychologists across the world suggesting that psychologists must have experienced personal therapies. For those becoming counselors, they must have received therapies or been trained in this matter (Atkinson, 2006; Elton-Wilson, 1994; Lundgren, 2013; McLeod, 2003). That will help them to develop their own body of knowledge, counseling skills, and understanding of their clients. This process results in personal congruence together with self-healing which eventually enables counselors to achieve personal growth. Accordingly, for psychology students who adopt the roles of counselors; congruence is an important factor of counseling competencies promotion. Additionally, those who are involved such as counselors, psychologists, guidance counselors, and people involved with counseling can apply the training program based on an integrative counseling model in the provision of counseling services. The program can also be used as guidelines for developing a program or activities to help others and promote human development.

6. Implications for practice

1. The training program for psychology students based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice was integrative developed on the Assimilative Integration theory (Messer, 2001; Sakunpong, 2014). The program utilizes the humanistic counseling, Satir Model, as the core concept to design the training program which is based on an integrative counseling model. The researcher also employed an Empowerment Counseling technique and a training technique on constructing new counseling knowledge. This new knowledge then is utilized to develop humanistic counseling competencies; Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills to cultivate social justice for psychology students who will be enhanced with the humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice.

2. From the review literature and related research on Satir Model, the researcher found that congruence is the goal of the therapy and it is an important quality the counselors should have. The counselors need to experience congruence first then, they may employ their congruence to be a vital part in developing their therapy abilities or counseling competencies. This quality then will benefit and support the client to gain certain abilities to get through the challenges in their lives. Besides, a counselor who acquires congruence may reflect and realize that they also possess counseling competencies. The findings accordingly confirm, based on Satir Model, that congruence is the main factor in helping to predict counseling competencies in the counselor. Therefore, in developing psychology students to be competent and excellent counselors, besides focusing on promoting their counseling competencies, the students should be supported to gain self-growth which happens within, namely, congruence in themselves.

3. The research findings can be applied to developing humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice for psychology students. They can also apply to developing the curriculum and producing graduates who may gain humanistic counseling competencies to cultivate social justice. Humanistic counseling therapy is considered a mental therapy; however, it is still lacking on working with social scale. Therefore, present learning management or academic curriculum should not only focus on promoting Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills competencies but also promoting social movement which may support the client on diversity context; individual, family, community, and society.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data included in the manuscript can be accessed from the corresponding author Nanchatsan Sakunpong upon request through email ([email protected]).

Additional information

Funding

The researcher was awarded a scholarship from the National Research Council of Thailand supporting research works related to the plan for young researcher capacity development in the directions of research and innovation strategy: graduate school category, PhD level year 2019.

Notes on contributors

Kanyarat Muangkaew

Kanyarat Muangkaew, PhD Candidate, Program in Applied Psychology, Concentration Area in Counseling Psychology, Behavioral Science Research Institute, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand.

Nanchatsan Sakunpong

Nanchatsan Sakunpong, Asst. Prof. Dr., Behavioral Science Research Institute, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand. Which have national and international publications with expertise in counseling and psychotherapy integration and integrative group counseling concentrated on Satir model

Wilailak Langka

Wilailak Langka, Asst. Prof. Dr., Faculty of Education, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand. Which have national and international publications with expertise in research and educational statistics

Appendix A

The training program based on an integrative counseling model to promote humanistic counseling competencies among psychology students to cultivate social justice

Table

Sessions	Topics	Objectives	Activities	Date/Time (Hour)
The preparatory stage	-	To get ready before the training starts	The preparation before the training session involves the determination of topics, training objectives, content, training techniques, number of practices, group size, venues, training equipment and facilities	-
The initial stage				Day 1 (6 Hours)
1	Orientation and ice breaking	To get to know each other, build a relationship, and give details, orientation, about the training	1. Build relationship activities 2. Orientation
The working stage
2	Beliefs about human nature	To gain knowledge regarding beliefs in human nature based on the Satir Model	Lecture on beliefs in human nature based on the Satir Model
3	Internal resources	To be aware of positive internal resources and good things that happened in one’s life	Explore positive internal resources, review successful stories in life, be proud of oneself, and be aware of good things that happened in one’s life
4, 5	Iceberg	To be able to explore oneself by using the Iceberg technique based on the Satir Model	Practice exploring oneself by using the iceberg technique	Day 2 (6 Hours)
6	Coping stances	To gain knowledge and practice to use coping stances to support and find the solution for a person	1. lecture about the pattern of a person’s coping stances 2. Grouping in 3 (Trio) to do the role-play	Day 3 (6 Hours)
7	Family map	To gain knowledge and be able to draw a family map that will be employed in counseling	1. lecture and demonstrate how to draw a family map from the case study 2. practice drawing one’s family map
8, 9	Set goals and 10 steps of counseling based on the Satir model	To gain knowledge and be able to counsel using 10 steps based on the Satir Model	1. lecture on goal setting and demonstrate 10 steps counseling based on the Satir Model 2. Grouping in 3 (Trio) to practice counseling	Day 4 (6 Hours)
2-week pause between phases
10	Knowledge about marginal people	To understand marginal people and be able to analyze their challenges	1. lecture on marginal people 2. Brainstorm to analyze challenges or problems which cause of social context of marginal people	Day 5 (6 Hours)
11	The power to influence	To gain knowledge on power and the effect of misuse the power	1. Describe power and the effect of misuse the power 2. Share experiences from being a person who used power over others and was affected by the power used by others.
12, 13	Interviews with marginal people	1. To know about the concept, beliefs, and lives of marginal people by exchanging ideas and aspects including LGBT and disabled people 2. To find the solution to help marginal people by using counseling	1. interview LGBT and disabled people 2. Discuss the solution to help marginal people on the role of counselor	Day 6 (6 Hours)
14–17	Case simulation	To gain experience in exploring the mental of marginal people by using case stimulation	Grouping in 3 (Trio) to practice on case stimulation	Day 7, 8 (12 Hours)
The ending stage
18	Commencement	To be able to summarize and evaluate outcomes of the training program	Discuss, exchange viewpoints, and benefits which gain from attending the training program
Total				8 Days (48 Hours)