REPORTED PREPAREDNESS OF CERTIFIED COUNSELORS IN REHABILITATION COUNSELING KNOWLEDGE AREAS

The purposes of this study were (a) to investigate perceived preparedn ess, and (b) to assess differences in perceived preparedness across re spondent characteristics. A sample of 1,535 rehabilitation counselors who renewed their certification between March 1991 and October 1992 re ported that they were at least moderately prepared in the following ar eas that constituted the majority of rehabilitation counseling knowled ge: vocational services; foundations of rehabilitation; case managemen t and services; group and family counseling; medical and psychosocial aspects; workers' compensation, employer services, and technology; ind ividual counseling and development; social, cultural, and environmenta l issues; research; and assessment. Significant (p < .001) differences in perceived preparedness on at least one subscale were found for pre service education level, gender, job setting, job title, and years of experience. Respondents with master's degrees from accredited programs reported significantly higher perceived preparedness in six subscales than did respondents with unrelated degrees. Results generally seemed to support the efficacy of both accreditation and certification as we ll as the importance of preservice education requirements for employme nt in rehabilitation counseling.