Counselor's self-perceived competency working with LGB clients

8/12/2019 Counselor's self-perceived competency working with LGB clients

1/26

Counselors Self-Perceived Competency

in Working with Lesbian, Gay, and

Bisexual (LGB) Clients

WONG SIEW SHUANG

157312


2/26

American Psychiatric Association removed homosexualbehaviour from DSM-III

Adequate preparation to work with LGB clients is mandated by

the ethical and accreditation standards of mental health

professional organisations

Counseling students and practicing counselors are feeling

minimally trained to provide counseling services to diverse

group.Counselors lack of education about LGB issues.

Counselors are biased against LGB individuals

Counselors self-reported attitudes are inconsistent with

their behaviours in analog counseling situation.

In reality


3/26

Counseling in Malaysia is believed tends to be directive, with

religious value being at the starting point

There are very few studies in Malaysia have focused on the

LGB counseling competency among counselors.

Education and training regarding to LGB issues seem to be

limited, caused uncertainty in counseling competence among

counselors.


4/26

1. What are counselors self-perceived competencies, includingattitudes, knowledge, and skills competencies, when counseling

lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients?

2. Is there significant relationship between counselors self-perceived

competency level and primary practice setting in relation to working

with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients?


competency level and program level in relation to working with

lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients?

4. Is there significant relationship between counselors self-perceivedcompetency level and additional training experiences in relation to

working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients?


competency level and gender in relation to working with lesbian, gay,

and bisexual (LGB) clients?


5/26

1. To examine the counselors self-perceived competencies, including

attitudes, knowledge, and skills competencies, when counseling lesbian,

gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.

2. To identify the relationship between counselors self-perceived

competency level and counselors primary practice setting in relation to

working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.


competency level and the highest program level in relation to working

with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.

4. To identify the relationship between counselors self-perceivedcompetency and additional training experiences in relation to working with

lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.


competency level and gender in relation to working with lesbian, gay, and

bisexual (LGB) clients.


6/26

H1 : There is a significant relationship between primary practice

setting and counselors self-perceived competency level in relation toworking with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.

H2: There is a significant relationship between the highest program

level and counselors self-perceived competency level in relation to

working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.

H3 : There is a significant relationship between additional training

experiences and counselors self-perceived competency level in

relation to working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.

H4 : There is no significant relationship between gender and

counselors self-perceived competency level in relation to working

with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients.


7/26

Adding the research exploring counselor competency withLGB clients.

Benefit the following authorities :

Counselors

Board of

Counselors

Malaysian

Counselor

AssociationMinistry of

Higher

Education


8/26

Location and population

Instrument

Respondent

Lack of literature within

the country


9/26

Multiculutal

Counseling& Therapy

(MCT)

Conceptualizing

Counselor Competence

-Knowledge, Attitudes,

Skills

Training

Training Content, Training

Form, Training Environment

Assessment of Counselor

Competence

-Knowlege, Attitudes, Skills

Counselors

Competency

Working

with LGB

Clients


10/26

Author Source Research Design Sample

Farmer L.B.,Welfare L. E.,Burge P.L. (2013)

Journal ofMulticulturalCounseling &Development

Quantitativedescriptive

468 counselors

Graham, Carney,& Cluck (2012)

Journal of CounselorEducation &Supervision

Quantitativedescriptice

234 counselingstudents

Farmer L.B. (2011) Doctoraldissertation, VirginiaPolytechnic Instituteand State University

Quantitativedescriptive

479 counselors


11/26

Author Source Research Design Sample

Graham (2009) Doctoral

Dissertation, AuburnUniversityin Partial Fulfillmentof the

Quantitative

descriptive

230 counseling

graduate students

Day, S. W. (2008) DoctoralDissertation, TheUniversity of Texas

Quantitativedescriptice

234 counselingstudents

Bidell (2005) Journal of CounselorEducation &Supervision

Quantitativedescriptive 312 counselingstudents,counselors,counseloreducators orsupervisors


12/26

Descriptive

researchTo examine phenomenon that is

occurring at a specific place or time.

Correlational

research

To determine whether, and to what

extent, a relationships between two or

more variables.


13/26

Research

Population

Population

- Counselors who currently

working in the institutionslocated at Klang Valley area,

either in school setting or

community setting.

Sample

-80 counselors working as

school counselor or community

counselor.-Based on G*Power (assumed

correlation coefficient of 0.3,

statistical significance of 0.05,

and statistical power of

rejecting null H at 0.95


14/26

Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS)

Bidell (2005)

29 items, measuring 3 components, rated on a 7-point

likert scale

Descriptive statistic

Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation.

Inferential statistic

Independent-sample t-test


15/26

Results, Discussions, Implications,and Recommendations


16/26

Score Frequency Percentage12 (low) 25 31.25

35 (moderate) 46 57.50

6 - 7 (high) 9 11.25

Total 80 100%

Table 1: Distribution of respondents according to the

competency level in attitudes subscale

Score Frequency Percentage

12 (low) 31 38.75

35 (moderate) 47 58.75

6 - 7 (high) 2 2.50

Total 80 100%


competency level in skills subscale


17/26


competency level in knowledge subscale


12 (low) 2 2.50

35 (moderate) 74 92.50

6 - 7 (high) 4 5.00

Total 80 100%


competency level in total SOCCS


12 (low) 4 5.00

35 (moderate) 76 95.00

6 - 7 (high) 0 0

Total 80 100%


18/26

Table 5: Descriptive statistics of counselors self-perceived competency

on the total SOCCS and three subscales

SOCCS Mean Standard

Deviation

Minimum

Score

Maximum

Score

Overall SOCCS 3.89 0.70 2.55 5.59

Attitudes 3.84 1.44 1.10 7.00

Skills 3.50 1.21 1.00 6.73

Knowledge 4.51 0.80 2.38 6.50


19/26

Primary

Practice

Setting

N Mean SD df t p

School

Counselors

39 3.80 .64 78 -1.177 .797

Community

Counselors

41 3.98 .74

Table 6: t-test analysis in relation to the relationship between primary

practice setting and counselors self-perceived competency in working

with LGB clients

Note: * Not significant at = .05

Hypothesis Analysis for H1


20/26


Highest

Program

LevelN Mean SD df t p

Bachelor

s Degree41 3.82 .67 78 -.943 .492

Masters

Degree39 3.97 .72

Table 7: t-test analysis in relation to the relationship between the

highest program level and counselors self-perceived competency levelin working with LGB clients



21/26


Additional

Training

Experience

N Mean SD Df t p

Yes 39 4.03 .72 78 1.668 .402

No 41 3.77 .65

Table 8: t-test analysis in relation to the relationship between the

additional training experience and counselors self-perceivedcompetency level in working with LGB clients



22/26


Table 9: t-test analysis in relation to the relationship between gender

and counselors self-perceived competency level in working with LGBclients

Gender N Mean SD df t p

Male 16 4.32 .68 78 2.811 .777

Female 64 3.79 .66



23/26

Implications

Lack of expositionand training related

to LGB issues and

counseling LGB

individuals

Deep-rooted cultural and

religious values causedunshakeable

preconceived

perceptions towards

LGB clients

Importance ofeffective and efficient

training programs.

Conservative society,

thinking, and beliefs.


24/26

Board of Counselors

For the relevant authorities

Malaysian Counselor Association

Ministry of Higher Education

Universities

Counselors

To particularize the factors that might affect the counselors self-

perceived competency

For future study

Replication of this study can be carried out by involving a different

samples or a greater number of samples

Translate the instrument into Malay language


25/26

1. The self-perceived competence with LGB clients by counselors is at a

moderate-low level.

2. There is no significant relationship between primary practice setting

and counselors self-perceived competency level in relation to working

with LGB clients.

3. There is no significant relationship between highest program level and

counselors self-perceived competency level in relation to working with

LGB clients.4. There is no significant relationship between additional training

experience and counselors self-perceived competency level in relation

to working with LGB clients.

5. there is no significant relationship between gender and counselors self-

perceived competency level in relation to working with LGB clients.

Issue regarding to counselors competency in working with LGB clients

should be look into deeply. Efforts should be carried out by all the

relevant authorities to increase the competency of counselors in term of

multiculturalism, and working with the minorities and diverse clients.


26/26

Documents

Counselor's self-perceived competency working with LGB clients