Evaluating Fieldwork and a Targeted Curriculum on Urban Counselor Trainees’ Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study explored counseling trainees’ development of self-efficacy within an urban high school practicum experience. The following two research questions were addressed: (a) Did a field placement experience in an urban school increase counseling trainees’ self-efficacy? and (b) What fieldwork factors affected counseling trainees’ development of self-efficacy as urban counselors? Quantitative analysis indicated that participants self-reported overall improvement in counseling skills and greater confidence in executing school counseling activities in an urban environment, while qualitative analysis suggested the positive impact of using a targeted supervisory curriculum to develop counseling students’ self-efficacy in working with urban youth. Implications for counselor educators are provided.

• multicultural counseling speciality
• counselor education speciality
• pedagogy teaching education speciality
• social justice speciality
• supervision speciality

Notes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/orPUBLICation of this article.

Funding The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/orPUBLICation of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Laura Hayden

Laura Hayden, EdD, is an assistant professor of Counseling and School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research centers on professional issues in counselor education and counselors’ use of physical activity to promote positive youth development.

Amy Cook

Amy Cook, PhD, is an assistant professor of Counseling and School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research focuses on inclusion, social justice, educational equity, and school-family-community partnerships as they pertain to counseling practice, postsecondary transition, and counselor educator preparation.

Robert Gracia

Robert Gracia, PhD, is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Massachusetts. His research focuses on social justice issues in urban school counseling.

Meghan Ray Silva

Meghan Ray Silva is a doctoral student in Counseling and School Psychology, specializing in School Psychology, at the University of Massachusetts.

Melanie Cadet

Melanie Cadet is a doctoral student in Counseling and School Psychology, specializing in Counseling Psychology, at the University of Massachusetts.