Research Question and Counseling

¶ … Perceptions of Self-Efficacy Among Counseling Students Today, increasing numbers of college students are enrolled in online courses that either supplement or entirely replace traditional land-based counseling graduate degree programs (Smith, Mcaullife & Rippard, 2014). These trends may have an effect on the respective levels of self-efficacy that counseling students develop as a result of their online or land-based coursework.

To help determine the extent of these differences, if they exist, this paper was guided by the following research question: "What are the differences in perceptions of self-efficacy among counseling students in online and land-based counseling graduate degree programs?" In order to develop a timely and informed answer to this research question, a definition of self-efficacy is followed by a proposed 10-item survey that measures the respective levels of self-efficacy of online and land-based counseling students.

A listing of the 10 survey items is followed by supporting rationale for their inclusion and a description of the data collection and analysis procedures that would be used with this instrument. Finally, an explanation concerning the challenges that are associated with constructing a survey of this nature is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning these issues in the conclusion.

Definition of Self-Efficacy Self-efficacy is generally defined by Lane and Lane as "the levels of confidence individuals have in their ability to execute courses of action or attain specific performance outcomes" (2009, p. 687). It has been suggested that individual expectations concerning personal efficacy can affect initiating behaviors, the amount of effort that will be used to achieve a given objective and the amount of perseverance that will be applied to the objective in response to challenges and obstacles (Lane & Lane, 2009).

The research to date indicates that successful performance is highly correlated with high levels of self-efficacy (Lane & Lane, 2009). Ten-Item Survey A self-administered custom questionnaire (Sheparis, Young & Daniels, 2017) can be used to measure the self-efficacy of in online and land-based counseling students.

This survey can be administered to a population sample of online and land-based counseling students using an online or using a paper-and-pencil version which contains the following Likert-scaled questions with a five-level response scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree with a no opinion/not application option. 1. I'm confident that I can provide all clients with the counseling services they need to address the problems in their lives. 2. My education and background have provided me with the tools and knowledge I need to be an effective counselor. 3.

I am absolutely certain that counseling is the right career choice for me. 4. I am proficient at helping clients set realistic goals. 5. I feel I am proficient at creating and sustaining a therapeutic rapport with my clients. 6. I am comfortable using different counseling strategies depending on the circumstances. 7. I routinely use active listening skills and restatements of client concerns as part of my counseling approach. 8. I am comfortable using self-disclosure to help clients gain fresh insights into their problems. 9.

I keep an open mind when confronted with unexpected or offensive feedback. 10. I am thoroughly aware of relevant professional codes of conduct as they apply to the counseling profession. These survey questions were regarded as appropriate for measuring self-efficacy levels since they are directly linked with those factors that are considered important for the attainment of counseling goals Lane & Lane, 2009).

Data Collection and Analysis The data that emerges from the administration of the above survey will be collected from an online service such as Surveymonkey or Zoomerang or from paper-and-pencil versions. The collected data will be analyzed using SPSS Version 13.0 (Student Version) to develop frequencies of responses for comparison between online and land-based counseling students and the data presented in tabular and graphic form with a narrative interpretation.

Challenges Associated with Constructing a Custom Survey Some of the main challenges that are associated with developing custom surveys include the need to ensure reliability and validity of the instrument, ensuring.