Development and Initial Validation of the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory for Counselors and Counselors-in-Training

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory (CSRI) from a Transformative Learning Theory framework for counselors, and counselors-in-training to use in clinical and training settings.

Method

A sample of 351, mostly female (86.89%), white (85.19%), counselors with MS or MA (88.08%) graduate degrees completed the online survey to assess their self-reflective practice.

Results

The 39-item CSRI was validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. A one factor model of counselor self-reflection suggested indices are acceptable and indicate an overall good model fit (CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.958, RMSEA = 0.04 (90% CI[0.033; 0.049]), and SRMR = 0.065.) with standardized covariance between the CSRI, self-reflection, and awareness at 0.508.

Conclusions

Counselors and counselor educators can use the CSRI to understand strengths and areas of growth in their work. Counselors and counselors-in-training can take the CSRI to enhance self-reflective practice that promote positive identity development.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

The development and validation of the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory (CSRI) can help counselors, counselor educators, and counselors-in-training understand their self-reflective practice. Facilitating deeper understanding of counselor and counselor-in-training self-reflective practice can improve work with clients and counselor identity development.

Keywords:

• Professional counselors
• transformative learning theory
• counselor self-reflection inventory
• confirmatory factor analysis
• counselors-in-training

Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory

Instructions: The following statements cover self-reflective practice in counseling. Indicate how accurately each statement describes you as a counselor when reflecting about your work. Please rate your responses honestly rather than how you wish they were about your reflective practice.

The scale ranges from 1 (very untrue of me) to 6 (very true of me). The scale indicates the following:

• Very untrue of me

• Untrue of me

• Somewhat untrue of me

• Somewhat true of me

• True of me

• Very true of me

When I think about my work with clients, I reflect on…

1. What settings impact clients.

2. Why my counseling approach might influence clients.

3. What about my personality impacts my clients.

4. What about my gender, race, and other identities matter in counseling.

5. Why self-care helps me be available to clients.

6. How I can help clients find resources.

7. What resources I need to effectively serve clients.

8. How I can use my professional relationship with clients to improve their relationships.

9. What options are available to help clients.

10. Which people are important to clients.

11. Why ethical decision making might impact clients.

12. How I can use my consultation with colleagues to help clients.

13. How I can use my conceptualization skills to help clients.

14. How I can help clients understand systems that influence their well-being.

15. Why I empathize with clients.

16. What cultural factors influence clients.

17. Why my counselor presence impacts clients.

18. How developmentally appropriate are my interventions with clients.

19. What facts of clients’ experiences are important.

20. Why my reactions to clients during counseling matter.

21. What about my appearance influences my clients.

22. How I can use my culture to help clients.

23. What about my training impacts my clients.

24. Why my life experience impacts my work with clients.

25. How I can do better next time I meet with clients.

26. Why thinking about my clients outside of work might help me be a better counselor.

27. How I can use my values to help clients.

28. Why my values might impact the counseling session.

29. Why being helpful is important to me as a counselor.

30. What types of conflict impact clients.

31. What about my office setting impacts my clients.

32. How I can help clients use insights gained from counseling to improve their lives.

33. Why my counseling experience matters.

34. How I can assist clients to move forward with life.

35. Why it is important to remember each client is unique.

36. Why differences between the client and I are important.

37. How I can help clients use their culture to improve their lives.

38. Why my counseling techniques might impact clients.

39. How I can help clients with their issues.

Disclosure Statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daniel A. DeCino

Daniel A. DeCino is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of counseling programs in the Division of Counseling and Psychology in the School of Education at the University of South Dakota. He received his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Ph.D in Counselor Education and Supervision, and doctoral minor from the University of Northern Colorado. After finishing his Ph.D, he worked as a professional school counselor at Frontier Charter School in Greeley, CO for two years. Dr. DeCino’s research interests include school counseling, counselor education and supervision, qualitative research methods, gatekeeping in counselor training, and self-reflective practice.

Steven R. Chesnut

Steven R. Chesnut is an Associate Professor and Biostatistician in the Nursing Ph.D. program. He completed his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, with an extensive focus on measurement, methodology, and statistics in 2015 at Texas Tech University. Since then, Dr. Chesnut has taught graduate-level research courses and provided statistical expertise at the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of South Dakota, and University of Missouri-Kansas City in latent variable modeling, longitudinal SEM, IRT, hierarchical/multilevel modeling, and other parametric and non-parametric techniques. Although he is focused on improving the application of statistics in emerging areas of research, his program of research has focused on teacher development, early childhood behavioral and academic outcomes, and the development of teacher-student relationships in the classroom.

Phillip L. Waalkes

Phillip L. Waalkes is the Department Chair and Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs (ESPP) at the University of Missiour-Saint Louis. He received his Master’s in School Counseling from Western Carolina University. After working for about 5 years as a school counselor in a K-12 school, he obtained his Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Waalkes’ research interests include the development of teaching counselor educators, research mentorship, qualitative research methods, and the development of school counselors over their careers.

Reed N. Keen

Reed N. Keen is a second year graduate in the Clinical Mental Health program at the University of South Dakota and Graduate Assistant in the Counseling and School Psychological Services Center. His interests include working with college athletes and counseling students in university settings.