Keywords

Counselor Education, Professional Dispositions, Gatekeeping, Psychometric Evaluations, Admissions Assessment, CACREP

Subject Categories

Counseling Psychology | Counselor Education

Abstract

Professional dispositions are recognized as an essential component of counselor competence and are now explicitly included within accreditation standards. However, questions remain regarding how these characteristics should assessed in ways that are fair, systematic, and supported by empirical evidence. This two-manuscript dissertation focused on professional disposition assessment in counselor education. The first manuscript provides a conceptual examination of professional dispositions, counselor competence, and gatekeeping responsibilities while reviewing established disposition assessment instruments in counselor education. The manuscript advocates for the use of established disposition measures rather than relying solely on locally developed assessment procedures. The second manuscript presents an empirical evaluation of the Professional Disposition Competency Assessment-Revised Admissions (PDCA-RA), an instrument designed to assess counselor applicants’ professional dispositions during admissions. Using archival data from a CACREP-accredited counselor education program, the study examined internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, internal structure validity, predictive validity, and differential item functioning. Results demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and supported interpreting PDCA-RA scores as reflecting a unidimensional construct of professional disposition readiness. Several dispositions demonstrated moderate stability over time, although predictive validity was not supported. Additionally, findings identified differences across race, ethnicity, campus location, and rater groups, highlighting the need for continued examination of fairness, assessor training and implementation practices when interpreting and using PDCA-RA scores. Together, these manuscripts contribute to the literature on professional disposition assessment by advancing evidence supporting the interpretation and use of disposition assessment scores while encouraging more evidence-informed, transparent, and defensible admissions and gatekeeping practices. Implications for counselor education, gatekeeping and admissions practices, assessor training, and future research are discussed.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

W. Bryce Hagedorn

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Counselor Education and School Psychology

Format

PDF

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

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