How CACREP and non-CACREP counselor education training programs shift students' alexithymia during their pre-practicum experience

CACREP's mission statement includes admitting and developing a higher caliber of students in their accredited counseling programs. A key ability for counselors-in-training is an empathic understanding relationship with their clients. This relationship requires students to be self-aware of their own internal emotions and to be able to verbally express these to others. Some individuals lack this self-awareness and expressive ability. The absence of this ability is termed alexithymia. Research demonstrated that pre-practicum courses were designed to assist students in learning and practicing micro-counseling skills, and to become more aware and expressive of emotions of themselves and others.;This study explored the condition of alexithymia as it presented itself with students entering and engaged in a pre-practicum in several Counselor Education programs. CACREP and non-CACREP accredited programs were compared. Specific areas studied were: what proportion of students presented with mild to moderate or greater forms of alexithymia; and to what degree do counseling students have alexithymia. The Twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scales instrument was used for this study to measure proportions and degrees of alexithymia. Two rounds of surveys were conducted: Round One at the beginning of the semester of students' pre-practicum course, and Round Two at the end of this course. Counselor Education programs representing the five regions of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision in the United States were purposefully selected to have their students invited to participate. A mix of CACREP accredited and non-CACREP accredited programs were sought in order to compare accreditation. Comparisons of men to women were also explored.;No significant differences in the caliber of admitted students related to program accreditation or for sex differences were found regarding the proportion or degree of alexithymia. At the end of Round Two, a significant difference was found between CACREP and non-CACREP accredited programs, and between men and women. In the shift of alexithymia from Round One versus Round Two, significance was found in the interaction effects of men/non-CACREP. Based on the findings of this study, implications and recommendations, and future research are explored related to the admission and development of counselors-in-training.