A Survey of Students’ Knowledge about Child Sexual Abuse and Perceived Readiness to Provide Counseling Services
Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision
Abstract
Master's level students in counselor education and counseling psychology (N = 304) were surveyed to explore
their knowledge about child sexual abuse (CSA) and perceived readiness to provide related counseling
services. While students demonstrated general knowledge about sexual abuse, preparedness to counsel was
rated much lower with 69% of students indicating low levels of competency. Data was analyzed to explore
demographic characteristics that led to increased readiness scores. Indicators of statistically significant higher
readiness scores included: prior work or volunteer experience with victims of sexual abuse, participation in
CSA trainings, and supervised field experience. Implications for student training and recommendations for
counselor preparation programs are delineated.
Description
item.page.type
Article
item.page.format
Keywords
child sexual abuse, training, preparation, counseling, competency
Citation
Foster, J. M. (2017). A Survey of Students’ Knowledge about Child Sexual Abuse and Perceived Readiness to Provide Counseling Services. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 9(1).