Life and Work Values of Counselor Trainees: A National Survey

Abstract

This national web‐based study used the Schwartz Value Survey (Schwartz, 1994) and Super's Work Values Inventory‐Revised (Zytowski, n.d.) to identify general life and work value orientations of 674 female and male entry‐level counselor trainees residing in 27 states. In general, trainees emphasized benevolence, self‐direction, and achievement and the work values lifestyle, supervision, and achievement. Significant multivariate and univariate differences for age, gender, and program of study were found on both value domains. The sample of practicing counselors scored significantly higher on several values than did trainees. Implications for how students construe values to develop toward their professional role of counselor are considered.