Vocational aspirations of doctoral students in the counseling profession

The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred vocational settings, preferred work activities, and related perceived levels of competency of doctoral students enrolled in accredited counseling preparation programs. Influences of factors including program, gender, candidacy status, and number of postbaccalaureate hours also were investigated.;The theoretical basis for the study was Bandura's self-efficacy theory. The primary supposition was that perceived levels of professional competency would be related to preferred settings and professional activities, and that the relationships would differ on the basis of type of preparation program.;Respondents were 207 doctoral students enrolled in 13 accredited counselor education and 13 counseling psychology programs located across the country. The Doctoral Student Questionnaire (DSQ) was used to obtain data on students' preferred settings and work activities, and related perceived levels of competency. The DSQ was from an instrument developed by Fitzgerald and Osipow for their 1986 Occupational Analysis of Counseling Psychology.;Few differences in preferences, perceived levels of competency, or the relationships between them were found among the factors investigated. Counselor education students preferred academic settings, whereas counseling psychology students expressed greater preference for working in direct service settings. Both groups preferred similar professional activities, but counselor education students expressed stronger interest in academic-related activities. The major finding was that counselor education students perceived themselves to be more capable of engaging in four of seven professional activities than did counseling psychology majors. There were no differences between the two groups on the bases of gender, candidacy status, or number of postbaccalaureate hours completed. Professional and self-perspectives of counselor education and counseling psychology students are apparently very similar. Because, theoretically, counseling and counseling psychology are different professions, further research is recommended to determine if there are actual differences in practice and how doctoral program graduates' professional perceptions and self-perceptions relate to effectiveness in various counseling service delivery activities. Additional research also is needed to identify programmatic and other factors influencing counselor education and counseling psychology students' preferred settings, preferred vocational activities, and related perceived levels of competency.