Review of the Counseling Self-Efficacy Literature

TLDR

The article reviews counseling self‑efficacy research from 1983 onward, integrating findings into social‑cognitive theory and outlining practical implications for supervisors. The review analyzes 32 studies, examining key constructs, intervention trials, and predictors of counseling self‑efficacy to map them onto social‑cognitive theory. The review concludes that counseling self‑efficacy is linked to counselor characteristics, agency, performance, and environment, and recommends future research directions.

Abstract

This article provides an integrative review of the counseling self-efficacy (CSE) literature conducted from 1983 to the present. First, the content, structure, and psychometric properties of the four most common constructs across the 32 studies are reviewed. Second, the findings from the literature are integrated into the larger theory by relating CSE to the major components of social cognitive theory, namely, counselor characteristics, personal agency, counselor performance, and the supervision/counseling/work environment. Third, the intervention studies that have been targeted at increasing either CSE estimations or counselor performance are presented. Fourth, studies that have examined and identified significant predictors of CSE are discussed. Fifth, the practical implications for supervisors are discussed. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for future research are presented.