Influence of E-Counseling Skills on Counseling Self-Efficacy Among E-Counselors in Malaysia
Abstract
Despite the rise in e-counseling services in Malaysia, there is an apparent lack of studies conducted from e-counselors’ perspectives on e-counseling features and provisions. The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between e-counseling skills and counseling self-efficacy. This quantitative study applied the descriptive correlational method in order to identify the relationship between e-counseling skills and counseling self-efficacy among e-counselors. The instrumentation involved the use of the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) and a self-constructed questionnaire, the E-Counseling Skills Scale which has undergone validity tests. 233 e-counselors from various institutions in Malaysia were selected using the simple random sampling technique to participate in completing an online survey form. Findings showed that respondents reported a high level of e-counseling skills (M = 4.07, SD = 0.60) and a moderate level of counseling self-efficacy (M = 4.00, SD = 0.67). E-counseling skills was positively correlated with counseling self-efficacy (r = .421, p < .05). The multiple regression analysis reported that the subconstruct “goal identification and attainment” of e-counseling skills best predicted counseling self-efficacy (? = .27, t(225) = 2.33, p .05). The findings implied that a higher ability to apply e-counseling skills is linked to higher counseling self-efficacy among e-counselors in Malaysia. This study suggests further improvement and standardization in the counselor education and training policy, specifically in terms of e-counseling interventions for both professional counselors and counseling trainees.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.21.2.14
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Adigwe, P., & Okoro, E. (2016). Human communication and effective interpersonal relationships: an analysis of client counseling and emotional stability. International Journal of Economics & Management Sciences, 05(03), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.4172/2162-6359.1000336
Asri, A. S., Zainudin, Z. N., Wan Othman, W. N., Hassan, S. A., Ahmad, N. A., Abu Talib, M., & Mohamad Yusop, Y. (2020). E-counselling process and skills: A literature review. Journal of Critical Reviews, 7(13), 629-643. https://doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.13.110
Ballestores, J. L., & Hilliard, R. C. (2016). U.S.-Based Latina/O college students’ attitudes toward online counseling. Int J Adv Counselling ,38,269–285. https://10.1007/s10447-016-9271-x.
Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117-148. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2802_3
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: the exercise of control. Freeman.
Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37, 122-147. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.37.2.122
Barnes, K. L. (2004). Applying self-efficacy theory to counselor training and supervision: A comparison of two approaches. Counselor Education and Supervision, 44(1), 56–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.2004.tb01860.x
Barnett, J. E. (2005). Online counseling: New entity, new challenges. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(6), 872–880. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000005279961
Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., Cuijpers, P., Riper, H., & Hedman-Lagerlöf, E. (2018). Internet-based vs. face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy for psychiatric and somatic disorders: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 47(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2017.1401115
Dowling, M. J., & Rickwood, D. J. (2014). Experiences of counselors providing online chat counseling to young people. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counseling, 24(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2013.28
Easton, C., Martin Jr., W., & Wilson, S. (2008). Emotional intelligence and implications for counseling self-efficacy: Phase II. Counselor Education and Supervision, 47, 218–232. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.2008.tb00053.x
Erlina Yaumas, N., Syafril, S., Mohd Noor, N., Mahmud, Z., Umar, J., Wekke, I., & Rahayu, T. (2018). The importance of counseling basic skills for the counselors. International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, 119, 1195–1207. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ismail-Wekke/publication/328643667_ The_Importance_of_Counseling_Basic_Skills_for_the_Counselors/inline/jsViewer/5d319745458515c11c3cbbc2?inViewer=1&pdfJsDownload=1&origin=publication_detail&previewAsPdf=false
Foon, L. W., Zainudin, Z. N., Mohamad Yusop, Y., Wan Othman, W. N. (2020). E-counseling: The intention, motivation and deterrent among school counselors. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(3C), 44-51. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2020.081605
Goreczny, A. J., Hamilton, D., Lubinski, L., & Pasquinelli, M. (2015). Exploration of counselor self-efficacy across academic training. Clinical Supervisor, 34(1), 78–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/07325223.2015.1012916
Greason, P. B., & Cashwell, C. S. (2009). Counselor preparation mindfulness and counseling self-efficacy: The mediating role of attention and empathy. Counselor Education and Supervision, 49(1), 2–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.2009.tb00083.x
Haberstroh, S., Duffey, T., Evans, M., Gee, R., & Trepal, H. (2007). The experience of online counseling. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(3), 269–282. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.29.3.j344651261w357v2
Haktanir, A. (2020) A comparison of counselling self-efficacy among international and domestic counselling students. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2020.19
Harun, M. M., & Kadir, R. A. (2014). Self-perceived multicultural counseling self-efficacy levels among school counseling teachers. Journal of Human Capital Development, 7(2), 97–113. Journal of Human Capital Development (JHCD). https://journal.utem.edu.my/index.php/jhcd/article/view/2134/1281
Highlen, P. S., & Hill, C. E. (1984). Factors affecting client change in counseling. Handbook of counseling psychology (4th ed.). Wiley.
Hill, C. E., Anderson, T., Kline, K., McClintock, A., Cranston, S., McCarrick, S., Petrarca, A., Himawan, L., Pérez-Rojas, A. E., Bhatia, A., Gupta, S., & Gregor, M. (2016). Helping skills training for undergraduate students: Who should we select and train? ?. The Counseling Psychologist, 44(1), 50–77. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000015613142
Holcomb-Mccoy, C., Ileana, G., & Georgina, J. (2009). School counselor dispositions as predictors of data usage. Professional School Counseling, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759x0901200504
Holmes, C., & Kozlowski, K. (2016). A pilot study of online group leadership skills: Perceived usage and difficulty level. Journal of Counselor Practice, 7(2), 61–77. https://10.22229/gkp070201.
Ivey, A. E., & Ivey, M. B. (2007). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society (6th ed.). Brooks/Cole.
Jackson, S. L. (2012). Research methods and statistics: A critical thinking approach (4th ed.). Cengage/Wadsworth.
Johnson, E., Baker, S. B., Kopala, M., Kiselica, M. S., & Thopmson, E. C. (1989). Counseling self-efficacy and counseling competence in prepracticum training. Counselor Education and Supervision, 28(3), 205–218. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.1989.tb01109.x
Kiralp, F. S. S. (2015). Do courses taken from psychological counseling departments affect the trainee counselor's self-efficacy? Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 205, 637–641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.09.100
Larson, L. M., Clark, M. P., Wesely, L. H., Koraleski, S. F., Daniels, J. A., & Smith, P. L. (1999). Videos versus role plays to increase counseling self-efficacy in prepractica trainess. Counselor Education and Supervision, 38(4), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.1999.tb00574.x
Larson, L. M., & Daniels, J. A. (1998). Review of the counseling self-efficacy literature. The Counseling Psychologist, 26(2), 179–218. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000098262001
Larson, L. M., Suzuki, L. A., Gillespie, K. N., Potenza, M. T., Bechtel, M. A., & Toulouse, A. L. (1992). Development and validation of the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 39, 105–120. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.39.1.105
Lau, P. L., Jaladin, R. A. M., & Abdullah, S. H. (2013). Understanding the two sides of online counseling and their ethical and legal ramifications. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103, 1243–1251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.453
Lent, R. W., Hoffman, M. A., Hill, C. E., Treistman, D., Mount, M., & Singley, D. (2006). Client-specific counselor self-efficacy in novice counselors: relation to perceptions of session quality. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(4), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.53.4.453.
Lewis, J., Coursol, D., & Wahl, K. H. (2004). Researching the cybercounseling process: A study of the client and counselor experience. Cybercounseling and Cyberlearning: An Encore, 307–325. http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/recordDetail?accno=ED481145
Mallen, M., Jenkins, I., Vogel, D., & Day, S. (2011). Online counselling: An initial examination of the process in a synchronous chat environment. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 11(3), 220-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733145.2010.486865
Mallen, M. J., & Vogel, D. L. (2016). Introduction to the major contribution. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(6), 761-775. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000005278623
Manhal-Baugus, M. (2001). E-therapy: Practical, ethical, and legal issues. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 4(5), 551-563. https://doi.org/10.1089/109493101753235142
Mattison, M. (2012). Social work practice in the digital age: Therapeutic email as a direct practice methodology. Social Work, 57(3), 249-258. https://doi.org/10.1093/SW/SWS021
Mejah, H., Bakar, A. Y. A., & Amat, S. (2019). Online counseling as an alternative of new millennial helping services. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(9), 40-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v9-i9/6267
Mejah, H., Yazid, A., Bakar, A., & Amat, S. (2020). The provision of tele-counseling in Malaysia : An in-depth qualitative analysis. Bisma The Journal of Counseling, 4(3), 291–298. https://doi.org/10.23887/bisma.v4i1
Melchert, T. P., Hays, V. L., Wiljanen, L. M., & Kolocek, A. K. (1996). Testing models of counselor development with a measure of counseling self-efficacy. Journal of Counseling & Development, 74, 640–644. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.1996.tb02304.x
Ooi, P. B., Wan Jaafar, W. M. B., & Baba, M. B. (2017). Relationship between sources of counseling self-efficacy and counseling self-efficacy among Malaysian school counselors. The Social Science Journal, 55(3), 369–376. https://10.1016/j.soscij.2017.05.005
Pollock, S.L. (2006). Internet counseling and its feasibility for marriage and family counseling. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 14(1), 65-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480705282057
Ribbers, A., & Waringa, A. (2015). E-coaching: Theory and practice for a new online approach to coaching. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315771670
Richards, D., & Vigano, N. (2013). Online counseling: A narrative and critical review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(9), 994-1011. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21974
Salleh, A., Hamzah, R., Nordin, N., Ghavifekr, S., & Joorabchi, T. N. (2015). Online counseling using email: a qualitative study. Asia Pacific Education Review, 16(4), 549–563. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-015-9393-6
Sawyer, C., Peters, M., & Willis, J. (2013). Self-efficacy of beginning counselors to counsel clients in crisis. The Journal for Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 5(2), 30–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.7729/52.1015
Setiyowati, A. J., Pali, M., Wiyono, B. B., & Triyono, T. (2019). Structural model of counseling competence. Cakrawala Pendidikan, 38(1), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v38i1.21509
Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2007). Dimensions of teacher self-efficacy and relations with strain factors, perceived collective teacher efficacy, and teacher burnout. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(3), 611–625. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.3.611
Trepal, H., Haberstroh, S., Duffey, T., & Evans, M. (2007). Considerations and strategies for teaching online counseling skills: Establishing relationships in cyberspace. Counselor Education and Supervision, 46(4), 266–279. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.2007.tb00031.x
Urbani, S., Smith, M. R., Maddux, C. D., Smaby, M. H., Torres-Rivera, E., & Crews, J. (2002). Skills-based training and counseling self-efficacy. Counselor Education & Supervision, 42, 92–106. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6978.2002.tb01802.x
Weizenbaum, J. (1966). ELIZA—A computer program for the study of natural language communication between man and machine. Communications of the ACM, 9(1), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.1145/357980.357991
Wong, K. P., Bonn, G., Tam, C. L., & Wong, C. P. (2018). Preferences for online and/or face-to-face counseling among university students in Malaysia. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00064
Yusof, R., Mohd Ishak, N., Mohd Salleh, A., Mohd Zahidi, A., & Abu Bakar, A. Y. (2017). Counseling self-efficacy (CSE) Among Malaysian School Counselors. Malaysian Online Journal of Counseling, 3(2), 73–86. University of Malaya. https://mojc.um.edu.my/index.php/MOJC/article/view/5545/3303
Zainudin, Z. N., & Harun, L. M. (2006). Perhubungan Menolong Secara Maya: Satu Penelitian [Virtual Helping Relationships: A Study; Paper Presentation]. Persidangan Lembaga Kaunselor, Hotel Legend, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322634849_PERKHIDMATAN_MENOLONG_SECARA_MAYA-_SATU_PENELITIAN
Zainudin, Z. N., Hassan, S. A., Ahmad, N. A., Mohamad Yusop, Y., Wan Othman, W. N., & Alias, B. S. (2021). A comparison of a client's satisfaction between online and face-to-face counseling in a school setting. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 29, 135–153. https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.29.s1.08
Zainudin, Z. N., & Yusop, Y. M. (2018). Clients Satisfaction in Face-To-Face Counselling and Cyber Counseling Approaches: A Comparison. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(3), 677–684. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v8-i3/3992
Zainudin, Z. N., Yusop, Y. M., Hassan, S. A., Alias, B. S. (2019). The effectiveness of cybertherapy for the introvert and extrovert personality traits. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 15, 105-109. https://medic.upm.edu.my/upload/dokumen/2019042915594715_0339(Final)15.pdf
Zamani, Z. A., Nasir, R., & Yusooff, F. (2010). Perceptions towards online counseling among counselors in Malaysia. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 585–589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.146
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
e-ISSN: 1694-2116
p-ISSN: 1694-2493