The effects of an equine assisted learning supervision intervention on counselors'-in-training performance anxiety, counseling self-efficacy, and supervisory working alliance / by Cheryl C. Meola.
| Author/creator | Meola, Cheryl C. author. |
| Other author | Sias, Shari, degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Publication | [Greenville, N.C.] : [East Carolina University], 2017. |
| Description | 202 pages : illustrations. |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Series | ECU College of Allied Health Sciences dissertation ECU College of Allied Health Sciences dissertation. UNAUTHORIZED |
| Summary | 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. |
| General note | Presented to faculty of the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies |
| General note | Advisor: Shari M. Sias |
| General note | Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 31, 2018). |
| Dissertation note | Ph. D. East Carolina University 2017 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references. |
| Technical details | System requirements: Adobe Reader. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web. |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |