The Effects of Competency on Job Satisfaction for Professional Counselors When
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2015 The ffecE ts of Competency on Job Satisfaction for Professional Counselors When Providing Court Testimony Joshua David Francis Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Liberal Studies Commons, and the Other Education Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Counselor Education & Supervision This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Joshua Francis has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Shelley Jackson, Committee Chairperson, Counselor Education and Supervision Faculty Dr. Gary Szirony, Committee Member, Counselor Education and Supervision Faculty Dr. Kristi Cannon, University Reviewer, Counselor Education and Supervision Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2015 Abstract The Effects of Competency on Job Satisfaction for Professional Counselors When Providing Court Testimony by Joshua D. Francis M.Ed. Xavier University, 1997 B.S. Xavier University, 1995 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Counselor Education and Supervision Walden University May 2015 Abstract Professional counselors experience increasing levels of ethical complaints when they provide opinions in child custody cases; the complaints question their competency levels and potentially affect job satisfaction. The purpose of the study was to determine any relationship between competencies and job satisfaction for 277 counselors and 66 psychologists. The competence theory served as the foundation of the study. The quantitative study was a nonexperimental, correlational design using a closed-ended survey. A new, validated Professional Competence Standards Instrument (PCSI) measured both competency as the independent variable and job satisfaction as the dependent variable to assess if competency affected job satisfaction. E-mail lists were utilized to invite a convenience sample to participate. Data analysis included a t test and found that psychologists had higher levels of competency than did counselors; a correlation test found a positive relationship between competence and job satisfaction; a Mann-Whitney U test found that psychologists had higher levels of complaints than did counselors; factorial ANOVAs showed a main effect between experience and ethical complaints, and between competency and job satisfaction for all professionals. Last, a stepwise regression found 4 predictors of job satisfaction: bias awareness, ability, experience, and licensure. Recommendations for future research include studying factors influencing levels of competency among counselors when providing testimony. These findings may assist the counseling profession with a greater understanding of competency in custody matters and improving job satisfaction, resulting in counselors better serving children and families embroiled in conflicted divorce and custody disagreements, and minimizing the negative impact on the mental health of all involved. The Effects of Competency on Job Satisfaction for Professional Counselors When Providing Court Testimony by Joshua D. Francis M.Ed. Xavier University, 1997 B.S. Xavier University, 1995 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Counselor Education and Supervision Walden University May 2015 Dedication I dedicate this research to my five children, who by the grace of God have the love and nurturance of two parents who will love each other for the rest of our lives. It is also dedicated to the confused and tangled children who are innocent victims of high conflict divorce and turbulent child custody battles. I hope that this research makes a difference. Acknowledgments I want to thank many people for assisting in this long dissertation process. Most importantly is my wife and life partner, Jana, who is my compass and copilot as we navigate this journey together. I also want to thank my five children, Mary Sophia (Nitzie), Felix (Billy), Hazel (Bootsie), Ruby (Sally), and Henry (Stannis) who patiently put up with a grumpy and irritable dad through the process. Thanks crew—I will always love you more than anything. I also want to thank a great group of faculty, mentors, and friends at Walden University. Thanks to Dr. Brande Flamez and Dr. Shelley Jackson for chairing my committee and providing support and guidance along the way, Dr. Gary Szirony for being my methodologist, and Dr. Kristi Cannon whose feedback as the URR was vital to creating my final product. I would also like to thank Dr. D. Chris Alleyne, who guided me through my statistical analysis and shined a brilliant light into dark places. Lastly, I thank a host of friends and colleagues who assisted in the piloting of my instrument and all the professionals who took the time to fill out my survey. Thanks to all. Lasty, I want to thank the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, whose intervention, inspiration, and example provided additional guidance in the completion of this research project. Table of Contents List of Tables ....................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ......................................................................................................... x Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 Background of the Study .................................................................................... 3 Problem Statement .............................................................................................. 7 Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................... 9 Research Questions and Hypotheses ................................................................ 10 Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................... 11 Nature of the Study ........................................................................................... 13 Definition of Terms........................................................................................... 15 Assumptions and Limitations ........................................................................... 18 Assumptions .................................................................................................. 18 Limitations .................................................................................................... 19 Delimitations and Scope ................................................................................... 20 Delimitations ................................................................................................. 20 Scope ............................................................................................................. 20 Significance....................................................................................................... 21 Contribution to Discipline............................................................................. 21 i Contribution to Practice ................................................................................ 22 Implications for Positive Social Change ........................................................... 22 Summary and Transition ................................................................................... 24 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 26 Purpose of Study ............................................................................................... 28 Brief Synopsis of Current Literature................................................................. 28 Literature Search Strategy................................................................................. 30 Theoretical Foundation ..................................................................................... 31 Competency Theory ...................................................................................... 31 Job Satisfaction ................................................................................................. 38 Mental Health Professionals ............................................................................. 41 Licensed Professional Counselors ................................................................ 42 Licensed Psychologists ................................................................................. 43 Professional Licensure Requirements and Professional Practice ................. 44 Education and Supervision Requirements .................................................... 45 Adherence to Code of Ethics ........................................................................ 47 ACA Code of Ethics ..................................................................................... 48 Mental Health