Year of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

Counselor Education and Supervision

Department or School/College

Phyllis J. Washington College of Education

Committee Chair

Jayna Mumbauer-Pisano

Commitee Members

Veronica Johnson, Kristen Murray, Sara Polanchek, Ashby Kinch

Keywords

counselor education and supervision, doctoral students, evaluation, gatekeeping, problems of professional competence

Publisher

University of Montana

Abstract

In Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) programs, doctoral students assume five primary professional roles: counseling, teaching, supervision, research, and leadership/advocacy. Counselor educators bear the responsibility of assessing doctoral students’ professional development in these roles, encompassing professional dispositions and competence. This study explores how counselor educators in CES programs experience and address problems of professional competence (PPC) among doctoral students. Given the limited research on this topic, a constructivist grounded theory approach was employed. The study involved eight counselor educators from CACREP-accredited CES doctoral programs. Data collection included semi-structured interviews conducted in two rounds, followed by member checks. Data analysis followed Charmaz’s (2014) coding principles to identify emerging themes and develop a grounded theory. Findings revealed that faculty address PPC through a comprehensive, multilayered approach symbolized by the analogy of a spider weaving a web. This process includes understanding doctoral students’ experiences, recognizing the complexities of PPC, addressing issues of marginalization and power, responding to PPC, and enhancing PPC management. Faculty start by setting a baseline of expectations and identifying PPC types and methods to address them, followed by managing outcomes. They also focus on power dynamics and marginalization, respond to PPC through internal and external processes, and continuously improve PPC management strategies. This research provides a detailed framework illustrating the interconnected steps faculty take to address PPC among doctoral students, highlighting the complexity and dedication involved. The findings offer insights into effective gatekeeping practices, aiming to improve faculty approaches to evaluating PPC and support the professional development of aspiring counselor educators.

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