The Best Time to Offer a Course in Research Methods

Year 2019, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 30 - 42, 01.06.2019

Mildred Dukic

Abstract

Many
master’s-level counseling students may not see the relevance of outcome
research to clinical practice.  There
is a paucity of literature examining master’s level counseling students’
research self-efficacy, interest in and attitudes toward research.  This study examined a sample of master's
level counseling students (N = 83) at
pre and post course.
Using a survey-based,
pretest/posttest design, change in students' attitudes toward and interest in research,
and research self-efficacy from pre to post a course in research methods was
observed.  Students from six counseling
programs participated in the study.  Research
self-efficacy was the only outcome variable to reveal significant positive
change from pre- to post- course.  Where
students were in their program was used as a covariate in analyses (i.e.,
early, middle, late).  Significant
differences between the change scores of the three points in program subgroups
was observed. Suprisingly, students late in their program scored less than the
early and middle subgroups across all of the outcome variables, except for
interest.  Findings and implications for
future research is discussed.

Keywords

attitudes, interest, research self-efficacy, point in program, semester

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