Prediction of Membership in Rehabilitation Counseling Professional Associations

Abstract

Declining membership is a concerning yet poorly understood issue affecting professional associations across disciplines (Bauman, 2008). Rehabilitation counseling association membership is in decline even while number of certified rehabilitation counselors continues to increase (Leahy, 2009). Factors influencing rehabilitation counseling professional association membership were explored and motives for membership examined using tenets of social exchange and social identity theories. A sample of 1,257 professionals was obtained from the databases of Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, National Rehabilitation Counseling Association, and Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association. Results support tenets of exchange and identity theories for membership motives, with perceived value of membership and professional identity salience predicting current membership. Graduate programs and the workplace were also shown to play an important role in predicting membership status. Results provide multiple individual and organizational means for addressing professional association membership decline.