A Case Study in Counselor Development: First Person Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe in detail the process of counselor development during a training program in an academic setting. I described the development of one counselor in training in a descriptive case study, based on multiple sources of data and through the theoretical lenses of (a) the Integrated Developmental Model of Supervision (IDM; Stoltenberg, McNeil, & Delworth, 1998); (b) the Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986); and (c) Perry’s Scheme of Ethical and Intellectual Development (1999). Data were collected based on the (a) three overriding structures of the IDM (i.e., Motivation, Self and Other Awareness, and Autonomy) and (b) eight domains of clinical competence as outlined in the IDM (i.e., Intervention Skills Competence, Assessment Techniques, Interpersonal Assessment, Client Conceptualization, Individual Differences, Theoretical Orientation, Treatment Plans and Goals, and Professional Ethics). These data were then analyzed through two rival theoretical frameworks (i.e., The Social Cognitive Theory and Perry’s Scheme), based on Yin’s (2003) conception of case study research. Findings were reported as (a) thematic material relating to the research questions, (b) material relating to the Social Cognitive Theory, and (c) material relating to Perry’s Scheme. The discussion included an analysis of ways in which findings from this study relate to and/or contribute to the existing literature in counselor education. Methodological conclusions, based on the case study design (Yin, 2003), were discussed, and implications for future research were suggested.