EXPLORING THE MEDIATING EFFECTS BETWEEN COUNSELOR SELF-EFFICACY, CAREER SUSTAINING BEHAVIORS, PERCEIVED WELLNESS, AND BURNOUT AMONG NOVICE COUNSELORS: TESTING TWO PROPOSED MEDIATION MODELS

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2019-04-17

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Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships among counselors’ implementation of career-sustaining behaviors, counselor self-efficacy, and counselor wellness and burnout among novice counselors. I used a mediation model to examine the ways career sustaining behaviors and self-efficacy could predict wellness and burnout. In addition, I analyzed the relationship between the three dimensions of burnout and wellness. Finally, I analyzed the extent to which career sustaining behaviors and self-efficacy mediate the relationship between the three dimensions of burnout and wellness. Methodology In order to measure counselors’ implementation of career sustaining behaviors, self-efficacy, wellness, and burnout, I surveyed practicing novice professional counselors using the Career Sustaining Behaviors Questionnaire, Counselor Self-Estimate Inventory, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, and Five Factor Wellness Inventory. I used snowball and convenience sampling to recruit participants and gathered 67 useable responses. I first analyzed the responses using multiple regression to assess the relationship between burnout and wellness. I then examined the mediation models by calculating the confidence intervals for the indirect effect using bootstrap methods. Findings The results of the regression analysis indicated that the three dimensions of burnout predicted wellness with a large effect size, with 34.1% of the variance of wellness being accounted for by the three dimensions of burnout. The analysis of the mediation models revealed that counselor self-efficacy did not mediate the relationship between career sustaining behaviors and wellness or burnout. Because the hypothesized models did not display good fit, a new theoretically-sound model and research question were developed. After creating and analyzing the post hoc model, I concluded that the relationships between each of the three dimensions of burnout and counselor wellness was partially mediated by counselor self-efficacy and counselors’ implementation of career sustaining behaviors.

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Career Sustaining Behaviors, Counselor Self-Efficacy, Counselor Burnout, Counselor Wellness, Mediation

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