Counselor Trainees’ Sensitivity to Individual and Cultural Differences, Empathic Tendency, and Functional Thinking Competencies

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine sensitivity to the individual and cultural differences, empathic tendencies, and dysfunctional attitudes of the counselor trainees depending on their grades. For this purpose, the differences between 523 counselor trainees (72.5% female, 27.3% male) studying at a state university were compared according to their grades. The skill of sensitivity to individual and cultural differences was examined through some items that investigate the values of the trainees in the Personal Information Form. Other data collection tools of the research were Empathic Tendency Scale and Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale. The results indicated that the senior students’ empathic tendency scores were higher and dysfunctional attitude scores were lower when compared with the students from lower grades. However, these students preferred to counsel in situations that conflict with their values less than other grades. To internalize the skills of multiculturalism/sensitivity to culture, it is recommended to divide the Culturally Sensitive Counseling course into sub-courses and include creative new methods in these sub-courses.