Date of Conferral

5-25-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Cynthia Briggs

Abstract

In Ghana, many people seek help for their mental health; however, despite the great need, there are often barriers or factors that can create unwellness among mental health counselors. There is a gap in the research literature addressing whether unwellness among Ghanaian mental health counselors is caused by external factors of counselor caseload, low funding, and minimal work staff. This quantitative study aimed to fill this gap by using predictive regression analysis to determine whether there is a correlation between Ghanaian counselors’ unwellness and counselor caseload, low funding, and minimal work staff. The study participants (N = 96) were Ghanaian mental health counselors actively practicing in Ghana and providing mental health services. The results determined some correlation between the dependent variable (wellness) and independent variables (work staff, counselor caseload, and funding). The holistic wellness theory served as the theoretical framework for this study because it applies to multicultural research studies and diverse populations and allows for assessing various levels and dimensions of wellness. The Five Factor Wellness Inventory (5F-WEL) was used to assess participants’ level of wellness and unwellness, and a survey was used to measure the impact of low funding, minimal work staff, and counselor caseload on participants. The study results could lend support for the need to create a revised training model that incorporates wellness practices for counselors in Ghana. Potential implications for positive social change include the awareness of addressing the importance of counselor wellness and unwellness and incorporating measures to implement a wellness program as part of counselor onboarding for Ghanaian mental health counselors.

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