Accreditation of Counselor Education Programs

Over the years there has been a vast array of efforts on the part of numerous individuals and professional organizations to upgrade and professionalize counselor training. These procedures include (a) the development of training standards for counselor education programs, and (b) the establishment of accreditation organizations. This article examines the ongoing process of professionalization in counselor education and will update readers on historical developments that have led to the present status of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Discussion on present trends and future implications for AACD and its divisions are drawn.     

Counselor Comfort,Counseling Climate,and Client Satisfaction: Client Ratings and Academic Improvement

This study examined client perceptions of counselor comfort, counseling climate, and client satisfaction as measured by the CEI relative to counselors described as high-effective or low-effective in terms of changes in client academic performance before and after group counseling. The results indicated that the client's perception of the comfort of the counselor in a group setting is significantly related to counselor effectiveness as measured by GPA change. The overall counseling climate and the client's estimate of his satisfaction were found not to be related to counselor effectiveness.     

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ILLUSTRATED ITEMS

Two problems in test development relate to the use of illustrations: (1) Do illustrated items perform better than written items, and (2) Does item performance vary as a function of the type and size of the illustration? A sample of 63 tests was drawn from all the Air Force Specialty Knowledge Tests containing illustrations. These 63 tests had been administered to approximately 28,261 airmen under operational conditions. Item statistics between illustrated and written items drawn from the same content areas were compared using F ratios. The results indicated: (1) That illustrated items in general performed slightly better than matched written items; (2) That the best-performing category of illustrated items was tables.     

Power Analysis of Research in Counselor Education

Statistical power analysis as a necessary and desirable activity in counselor education research is reviewed and discussed. Power of counseling research is discussed with respect to alpha levels, sample size, and size of effect. Four years of counselor education research are reviewed and analyzed according to the criteria of statistical power. Recommendations for increasing the power of research in counselor education are made.