Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Sid Hellyer

Advisor Role

Thesis Committee Member

Second Advisor

Frederick Binding

Advisor Role

Thesis Committee Member

Third Advisor

James Dudeck

Advisor Role

Thesis Committee Member

Abstract

An exploratory study investigating graduate student consultation training experiences was conducted. Eighty-five graduate students from 35 training programs focusing on community psychology participated in the study. Students reported that they experienced an increase in the intensity of negative feelings as they moved through successive phases of the consultation. The concept of the role discrepancy was introduced and described as the incongruence between the student and professional expert roles which students play simultaneously. There was some evidence to suggest that students who perceived the roles of student and professional as discrepant were more likely to feel incompetent than were students who perceived no discrepancy between the roles. There was also an indication that awareness of role discrepancy was associated with greater feelings of anxiety and loneliness and lesser feelings of competence. Intensity of feelings experienced by students and awareness of role discrepancy were also examined in relation to situational variables such as prior consultation training experiences, course relatedness and advisor’s role, and demographic variables (age, GPA and number of years in the program). Suggestions were made for future research.

Convocation Year

1979

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