Year: 2008
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Skills and Knowledge, Assessment Skills, Treatment Skills and Professional Skills, concurrent with Charkow's (2002) findings.The lowest mean scores were found in the Conceptual Skills and Knowledge and Professional Skills scales.However, the average score for each competency scale was at or above the midpoint value (3 or "some confidence") in their grief counseling skills and knowledge as measured on the Conceptual Skills and Knowledge, Assessment, Treatment, and Professional Skills scales.The sample also reported, on average, values between "this describes me" (4) and "this describes me very well" (5) to statements on the Personal Competencies scale.The multiple regression analyses found experience and training with grief contributed significantly to the variance in the scores for each of the DCS scales.Gender was found to contribute significantly to the variance in the Personal Competencies, Assessment Competencies, and Treatment Competencies scales.The variable of years of experience as counselor, specifically the category of counselors who have practiced for more than 20 years (Master Practitioner), was found to contribute significantly to the variance in the Conceptual Skills and Knowledge and Assessment Skills scales.The variable of personal experience with grief was not found to be a statistically significant contributor in any of the regression models.The reduced model for the Personal Competencies scale accounted for 17% of the variance in scores and included the predictor variables of gender and experience and training in grief counseling.For the vii Competencies (i.e.personal understanding of death, self-care, and sense of humor), theories, definitions of grief, bereavement, and complicated grief, identification of effective and ineffective coping skills, and seeking support from professional peers to manage reactions to working with grieving clients.The findings suggest the importance of training on the topic of grief across the counselor's career, regardless of years of experience in the profession, to improve self-perceived grief counseling competencies.viii
Author: Anne M. Deffenbaugh
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2470370591