Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Possibilities Of Predicting Positive Counselor Qualities In Counseling Students From Personality Domains, Nina M. Ditommaso, Laura S. Wheat, Casey A. Barrio Minton, Jeffery L. Cochran

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

In this pilot study, the authors investigated the degree that Big Five personality domains may predict the positive counselor qualities among 160 students enrolled in sections of a combined undergraduate/graduate Counseling Skills course. Positive counselor qualities of focus in this study are empathy, mindfulness or self-awareness, and unconditional positive self-regard in students studying counseling skills. The results do not suggest a significant predictive role for the Big Five personality domains for the Counseling Skills students, except that the Big Five domain of neuroticism predicted enough variation in mindfulness and unconditional positive self-regard to be practically significant. Limitations and potential implications …