DIGEST-V7i3

3 TPC Digest 3 | TPC Digest 3 | Shainna Ali, Glenn Lambie, Zachary D. Bloom An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale Examining the Variable of Experience I n order for counselors to be ethical and effective professionals, they require competence in providing services to sexual minority clients. The American Counseling Association’s 2014 Code of Ethics requires that counselors honor the uniqueness of clients in embracing their worth, potential, and dignity. Additionally, counselors should actively attempt to understand client identity, refrain from discrimination, and utilize caution when assessing diverse clients. Furthermore, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs 2009 Standards assert that counselors should understand identity development, develop self-awareness, promote social justice, and strive to eliminate prejudices, oppression, and discrimination. Therefore, it is both ethical and essential to empirically explore competence assessments in order to improve overall counseling competence. Sexual minority clients are at risk for a myriad of concerns such as shame, depression, risky behaviors, self-harm, abuse, and suicide. Since the 1970s, researchers have identified the importance of counseling for LGB individuals as these clients have a higher propensity for suicide and substance abuse as compared to heterosexual populations. Furthermore, at the turn of the 21st century, researchers began to note the importance of competence in providing effective counseling services to sexual minority clients. The Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS) was developed in an effort to measure counselors’ competencies in assisting LGB clients. Initial research findings supported the criterion, concurrent, and divergent validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SOCCS with the norming population; however, the factor structure (construct validity) of the SOCCS with the norming population was questionable (e.g., 40% of the variance explained by the 29-item SOCCS). Therefore, the present study sought to examine the construct validity of the SOCCS in order to better understand whether or not the assessment (a) measures the intended competencies, (b) is adequately explicated by a 3-factor structure, and (c) is best comprised of 29 items. Consequently, the purpose of the present study was to examine the factor structure of the SOCCS with a sample of counseling practitioners and counselors-in-training to gain an increased understanding of the construct validity of the SOCCS. The findings of the present study add a new perspective as the results display a potential 4-factor structure that warrants consideration in the literature. The data analyses resulted in a four-factor model 28-item assessment that explained 56% of the variance. In acknowledging the loading of the fourth factor, this result highlights the need to focus on involvement and engagement in clinical practice in order to maintain best practice standards. Furthermore, the fourth factor of experience adds a compelling perspective to consider when understanding, improving, and maintaining sexual orientation counselor competence. Findings of the study enabled an in-depth understanding of IF, as well as its manifestation under adoptees’ real-life context, and indicated potential factors associated with IF. The study reinforced the stance that children’s IF does not mean atypical attachment; namely, IF and secure attachment may co-exist within a child. Researchers and professional counselors can benefit from the results of this study to better serve international adoptive families and children adopted from China. Shainna Ali, NCC, is an instructor at the University of Central Florida. Glenn Lambie is a professor at the University of Central Florida. Zachary D. Bloom is an assistant professor at Northeastern Illinois University. Correspondence can be addressed to Shainna Ali, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816, Shainna.ali@ucf.edu.