The purpose of this study is to explore the perception of social responsibility among professional counselors, based on their field experience in counseling, and describe the different types of perception of social responsibility using Q-methodology. ...
The purpose of this study is to explore the perception of social responsibility among professional counselors, based on their field experience in counseling, and describe the different types of perception of social responsibility using Q-methodology. Forty-seven Q-statements were secured for Q-sample and 54 professional counselors (P-sample) Q-sorted them following a Q distribution. Collected Q data were subjected to Q factor analysis using the PQMethod program and the 3 types of perception of social responsibility among professional counselors were identified. The first type of counselors, named as “enhancing the counselor’s competencies”, recognized that the counselor’s self-reflection, ethics, and continuous efforts for learning and professional development to maintain the highest standard for practice were among the most important in their perception of social responsibility. The second type of counselors, labeled as “promoting the client’s growth”, strongly endorsed the counselor’s social responsibility to work for their clients’ best interest by putting their clients’ personal growth, positive change, and well-being first. The third type of counselors, labeled as “realizing social justice”, recognized as social responsibility to participate in and serve in national crises, allow free counseling and cost adjustment in support of the socially disadvantaged in relation to social welfare, and help the client in connection with social systems and institutional changes. Our findings could be used to understand the scope of social responsibility perceived by professional counselors in Korea and as basic empirical data for developing curricula or programs for developing counselors’ competencies for social responsibility.