The relationship between personality, self-compassion, and social interest levels of psychological counsellor candidates

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional research design was used to examine the relationship between personality, self-compassion and social interest levels of 351 psychological counsellor candidates. Data were collected with the Personality Test of Adjectives, the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form, and the Social Interest Index. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze data. A moderately negative relationship was found between self-compassion and neuroticism, while a moderately positive relationship was found between extraversion, openness to experience, and conscientiousness, and a low-level positive relationship was found between agreeableness. While a moderate negative relationship was observed between social interest and neuroticism, a moderate positive relationship was found between extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and responsibility. Personality explained 47.6% of the variance regarding self-compassion and 42.2% of the variance regarding social interest.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychological counsellor candidate
• personality
• self-compassion
• social interest
• psychological counsellor

Data availability statement

The data that support thefindings of this study are available from the corresponding authors, upon reasonable reques.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abdullah Sürücü

Abdullah Sürücü completed his undergraduate, graduate and doctorate in guidance and psychological counselling programme. He worked as a school guidance and counsellor. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling at University of Necmettin Erbakan, Faculty of Ahmet Keleşoğlu Education in Konya/Turkey.

Ali Fuat Yalçın

Ali Fuat Yalçın completed his undergraduate, graduate and doctorate degrees in the guidance and psychological counselling programme. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling at University of Necmettin Erbakan, Faculty of Ahmet Keleşoğlu Education in Konya/Turkey.