Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Melinda Haley

Abstract

Using Bandura's social learning theory as a frame, this quantitative survey study examined the relationship between attitudes and beliefs of counselor educators and the importance they placed on taking social justice as well as advocacy action in their personal and professional lives. Two survey instruments, the Social Issues Advocacy Scale and the Social Justice Scale, were given to faculty members of graduate counselor education programs to examine the question of whether a statistically significant relationship exists between faculty attitudes and beliefs regarding the value of social justice and advocacy, and faculty taking action in social justice and advocacy initiatives in their personal and professional lives. The research design was a quantitative survey study using a nonrandom convenience sample. The number of the convenience sample was (N = 78). Thirty-one percent (n = 24) of the respondents identified themselves as male, and 69% (n = 54) identified themselves as female. A Pearson correlation analysis yielded a moderate correlation (r = 0.401, p = 0.00) between faculty attitudes and beliefs regarding the value of social justice and advocacy and faculty taking action in social justice and advocacy initiatives in their personal and professional lives. Thus, counselor educators who expressed stronger attitudes and beliefs about social justice and advocacy tended to be more active in including social justice and advocacy in their personal and professional lives. Results suggest that institutions and faculty must be social justice thought leaders and take action for social justice and advocacy.

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