Tolerance of Ambiguity, Perfectionism, and Counselling Self-Efficacy Among Trainee Counsellors in India

IF 1.2 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research Pub Date : 2025-03-22 DOI:10.1002/capr.70013

Pooja Raju, N. T. Sudhesh

{"title":"Tolerance of Ambiguity, Perfectionism, and Counselling Self-Efficacy Among Trainee Counsellors in India","authors":"Pooja Raju, N. T. Sudhesh","doi":"10.1002/capr.70013","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Background</h3>\n \n <p>The presence of a wide gap between the need and availability of mental health counsellors has been a constant challenge in the Indian mental healthcare system. Considering the inherent complexity within the counselling profession and with literature evidence indicating that the fear stemming from the ambiguity of the counselling process, professional requirements, and internship experiences influences counsellors’ career decisions, it becomes crucial to focus on important factors at play.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>This research aimed to investigate the relationships between tolerance of ambiguity, perfectionism, and counselling self-efficacy among trainee counsellors in India. A quantitative correlational cross-sectional design is employed. The participants constitute post-graduate students pursuing their final year of master's in counselling psychology, counselling specialization or applied psychology programmes. Participants were recruited using a purposive sampling technique (<i>N</i> = 435). The scales administered are as follows: (i) Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale-II (MSTAT-II), (ii) Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS) and (iii) Counsellor Activity Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Findings</h3>\n \n <p>The findings indicate that intolerance of ambiguity significantly correlates negatively with counselling self-efficacy, as demonstrated by Pearson correlation analysis (<i>r</i> = −0.254, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Regression results showed that tolerance of ambiguity significantly predicted 6% of counselling self-efficacy. Furthermore, an independent samples <i>t</i>-test indicated gender differences, with female trainee counsellors (<i>M</i> = 37.6; SD = 6.84) having a higher tolerance of ambiguity than males (<i>M</i> = 34.9; SD = 6.85); and male trainee counsellors (<i>M</i> = 256.3; SD = 47.36) having higher counselling self-efficacy than females (<i>M</i> = 219.2; SD = 55.11), with a medium to large effect size.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Discussion</h3>\n \n <p>This study has implications for counsellor training and allows for a deeper understanding of counsellor self-efficacy, providing insight into the current status of counselling trainees in India. Efforts should be taken to reduce ambiguity in educational and training experiences and improve tolerance and self-efficacy among male and female trainees.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":46997,"journal":{"name":"Counselling & Psychotherapy Research","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Counselling & Psychotherapy Research","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/capr.70013","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The presence of a wide gap between the need and availability of mental health counsellors has been a constant challenge in the Indian mental healthcare system. Considering the inherent complexity within the counselling profession and with literature evidence indicating that the fear stemming from the ambiguity of the counselling process, professional requirements, and internship experiences influences counsellors’ career decisions, it becomes crucial to focus on important factors at play.

Methods

This research aimed to investigate the relationships between tolerance of ambiguity, perfectionism, and counselling self-efficacy among trainee counsellors in India. A quantitative correlational cross-sectional design is employed. The participants constitute post-graduate students pursuing their final year of master's in counselling psychology, counselling specialization or applied psychology programmes. Participants were recruited using a purposive sampling technique (N = 435). The scales administered are as follows: (i) Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale-II (MSTAT-II), (ii) Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS) and (iii) Counsellor Activity Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES).

Findings

The findings indicate that intolerance of ambiguity significantly correlates negatively with counselling self-efficacy, as demonstrated by Pearson correlation analysis (r = −0.254, p < 0.001). Regression results showed that tolerance of ambiguity significantly predicted 6% of counselling self-efficacy. Furthermore, an independent samples t-test indicated gender differences, with female trainee counsellors (M = 37.6; SD = 6.84) having a higher tolerance of ambiguity than males (M = 34.9; SD = 6.85); and male trainee counsellors (M = 256.3; SD = 47.36) having higher counselling self-efficacy than females (M = 219.2; SD = 55.11), with a medium to large effect size.

Discussion

This study has implications for counsellor training and allows for a deeper understanding of counsellor self-efficacy, providing insight into the current status of counselling trainees in India. Efforts should be taken to reduce ambiguity in educational and training experiences and improve tolerance and self-efficacy among male and female trainees.

查看原文本刊更多论文

印度受训辅导员对模糊性、完美主义和辅导自我效能的容忍度

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

12.50%

发文量

期刊介绍： Counselling and Psychotherapy Research is an innovative international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to linking research with practice. Pluralist in orientation, the journal recognises the value of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods strategies of inquiry and aims to promote high-quality, ethical research that informs and develops counselling and psychotherapy practice. CPR is a journal of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, promoting reflexive research strongly linked to practice. The journal has its own website: www.cprjournal.com. The aim of this site is to further develop links between counselling and psychotherapy research and practice by offering accessible information about both the specific contents of each issue of CPR, as well as wider developments in counselling and psychotherapy research. The aims are to ensure that research remains relevant to practice, and for practice to continue to inform research development.