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ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0552-3046
Date of Graduation
5-14-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
First Advisor
Stephanie Crockett
Second Advisor
Cara Meixner
Third Advisor
Kenson Hiatt
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited programs identify, implement, and assess essential professional dispositions among master’s-level counselors-in-training (CITs). The dissertation includes three components that examine conceptual, experiential, and consensus-based perspectives on professional dispositions within counselor education. The first component presents a conceptual framework for implementing gatekeeping practices that reflect the values of the counseling profession. Drawing on Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT), the article proposes gatekeeping strategies that emphasize mutuality and connection while accounting for sociocultural contextual factors and fostering psychological safety within the hierarchical dynamics inherent in evaluative gatekeeping processes. The second component examines CITs’ experiences with dispositional assessment. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), nine counseling CITs were interviewed. Analysis revealed six superordinate themes that highlight ways to strengthen the development, monitoring, and evaluation of professional dispositions in developmentally supportive ways that enhance overall counselor competence. The third component employs a mixed-methods Delphi study in which nine experts participated in iterative rounds to establish consensus on essential professional dispositions for counseling CITs. The panel reached consensus on 42 items organized into six dispositional categories, promoting a more unified understanding of key professional dispositions across CACREP-accredited programs. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for counselor education, limitations, and directions for future research.
