Constructive Development and Counselor Competence

Abstract

Developmental predictors of students' ability to learn counseling skills would help counselor educators select candidates and assist admitted students in their learning. The present research examined the relationship between adult development, as measured by the Learning Environment Preferences test (W. S. Moore, 1989) and the Defining Issues Test (J. Rest, D. Narvaez, M. J. Bebeau, & S. J. Thoma, 1999), and counseling skills performance, as rated by faculty experts using the Counseling Skills Scale (K. P. Eriksen & G. J. McAuliffe, 2003). Data indicate that adult moral development contributed to 18% of the variance in students' counseling skills performance.

Teaching Family Systems Theory: A Developmental-Constructivist Perspective

“…She found that none of them had reached the stage Perry (1970) calls relativism, a system of thought that is roughly analogous to Kegan's (1982Kegan's ( , 1994 fourth order of consciousness. Eriksen and McAuliffe (2006) found similar results in their sample of 119 graduate counselor education students, with students averaging between Perry's positions of multiplicity and early relativism, roughly equivalent to Kegan's third and early fourth order of consciousness.…”

Infusing Multicultural and Social Justice Competencies Within Counseling Practice: A Guide for Trainers

“…Adult development is significantly related to counselor competence. Eriksen and McAuliffe (2006) found that empathy, tolerance, ability to deal with ambiguity, relativistic thinking, and/or enhanced moral development are significant factors in predicting a more competent counselor. Trainers should be cognizant of developmental theory and learning as they design training for mental health professionals.…”

“…These strategies are discussed within the framework of adult development and learning. Eriksen and McAuliffe (2006) indicated the critical role of adult development on counseling competency. Specifically, cornerstone attitudes and skills that reflect multicultural sensitivity and responsiveness (e.g., empathy, open-mindedness, ability to deal with ambiguity) have been associated with the relativistic position of Perry's intellectual and ethical development and Kohlberg's higher levels of moral development (Eriksen & McAuliffe, 2006).…”

“…Eriksen and McAuliffe (2006) indicated the critical role of adult development on counseling competency. Specifically, cornerstone attitudes and skills that reflect multicultural sensitivity and responsiveness (e.g., empathy, open-mindedness, ability to deal with ambiguity) have been associated with the relativistic position of Perry's intellectual and ethical development and Kohlberg's higher levels of moral development (Eriksen & McAuliffe, 2006). Although the strategies are effective across the lifespan of development, specific adaptations to the proposed strategies are considered based on the age and developmental focus of the trainees.…”

The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision Volume 4, Number 1

“…To understand first-year student development, it is important to distinguish how theories of constructivism (Nelson & Neufeldt, 1998), contextual learning (Granello, 2000), social-cognitive learning (Fong, 1998), and Perry's (1970) stage model of absolute thought to relativist thought have been applied to counselor education. In recent years, constructivism and experiential learning have been directly applied to student development (Burnett, Long, & Horne, 2005;Eriksen & McAuliffe, 2006;House, 2007). Reflection refers to "learning first to carry out smaller units of activity and then to string those units together in a whole design process; for the pieces tend to interact with one another and to derive their meaning and characters from the whole process in which they are embedded" (Schon, 1987, p. 158).…”