The Effects of an Equine Assisted Learning Supervision Intervention on Counselors'-in-Training Performance Anxiety , Counseling Self-Efficacy , and Supervisory Working Alliance

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Cheryl C Meola (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Due to the complexity of the counseling process , counselors-in-training often experience performance anxiety when entering the counseling profession. Research shows that higher counseling self-efficacy (the belief in oneself to perform counseling skills successfully) helps decrease performance anxiety. Further , a strong supervisory working alliance is the most effective intervention to increase counseling-self-efficacy. However , there are barriers to building a strong supervisory working alliance including high performance anxiety and low counseling self-efficacy as well as the dual nature of the supervisor's role as mentor and evaluator. This study introduces an equine assisted learning supervision intervention for counselors-in-training. This experiential learning intervention provides an opportunity for counselor self-exploration and growth in a non-evaluative , nonjudgmental , novel situation. The population of interest was counselors-in-training enrolled in CACREP counseling programs. The purposive sample included 20 students enrolled in a theories counseling course or a practicum skills course. The study used a quasi-experimental design where participants completed a Demographic Questionnaire , the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory , the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory , and the Supervisory Working Alliance-Trainee Form. Participants were randomly selected to be in a treatment group , which received a one hour individual equine assisted learning supervision intervention or in the control group , which received class as usual. Six research questions examined the main effect of the EAL-S intervention on counseling self-efficacy , the main effect of the EAL-S intervention on performance anxiety , the relationship between counseling self-efficacy and performance anxiety , the correlation of the quality of supervisory working alliance with counseling self-efficacy , the correlation of the quality of the supervisory working alliance with performance anxiety , and the correlation of the supervisory working alliance with the effectiveness of the EAL-S intervention. A split-plot MANOVA was performed to analyze the first two questions and revealed a significant main effect of the EAL-S intervention on counseling self-efficacy. Non-significance was found in the main effect of the EAL-S intervention on performance anxiety. Pearson Product Moment Correlations were performed for the remaining questions. A significant positive correlation was found between counseling self-efficacy and performance anxiety. No significance was found in the correlation of the quality of the supervisory working alliance with counseling self-efficacy , performance anxiety , or the effectiveness of the EAL-S intervention. Findings support that a one hour EAL-S intervention can improve counselors'-in-training counseling self-efficacy and improve their tolerance for performance anxiety. These results have implications for counselors-in-training , supervisors , and counselor educators.

Additional Information

Publication

Dissertation

Language: English

Date: 2017

Keywords

counselor supervision, experiential learning, counselor education

Subjects

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