99 The Professional Counselor | Volume 13, Issue 2 such as substance misuse, eating disorders, antisocial behaviors, self-injury, and suicidality (Foshee et al., 2013), counselors play an integral role in TDV prevention and intervention. Many young clients may choose to initially disclose personal experiences of TDV or unhealthy relationship behaviors in a therapeutic setting, making counselor preparedness critical. Gender Symmetry in TDV TDV has also led to strong debates regarding the issue of gender symmetry. Several studies have found that TDV is reciprocal, with both partners exhibiting aggressive or toxic behaviors in response to each other (Eisner, 2021; Emelianchik-Key et al., 2022; K. E. Hunt et al., 2022). However, some studies indicate vastly disproportionate rates of TDV victimization among adolescent girls (Kann et al., 2018), mainly in instances of extreme physical brutality or sexual violence (Swahn et al., 2010). The inconsistent rates may be related to social perceptions of TDV as a female concern, decreased male reporting (often attributed to stigma), conceptualization and understanding of violence, and a lack of validated measures that encompass diverse cultural and gendered experiences (Eisner, 2021; Walker et al., 2020). These contradictory reports make it even more challenging for clinicians. Counselor Preparedness Currently, there are several gaps in the literature regarding counselor education and TDV, including training, competency, and expertise (Murray et al., 2016). In a small sample of programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), Henriksen et al. (2010) found that graduate counseling programs minimally addressed specialty training areas, requiring graduates to acquire additional skills independently. CACREP (2015) standards do not include TDV in training criteria, thus leaving the inclusion of these topics to the discretion of faculty. Further, Wozny (2005) found that 34% of marriage and family therapy programs had a domestic violence course, compared to 4% of counselor education programs. Similarly, in a sample of practicing school counselors, only 10% reported specific domestic violence training and continuing education at their workplace in the past 2 years (Khubchandani et al., 2012). Among the participants, 19% reported no formal education or training on TDV, and 83% of the participants’ settings did not assess TDV amongst the students within their school system (Khubchandani et al., 2012). This is alarming, given that 72% of sexual harassment and 28% of dating violence incidents occur in schools (Turner et al., 2011). A lack of preparation for crisis training, intervention, and prevention may cause serious detriment and endangerment to clients and counselors (Morris & Minton, 2012). Counselor Bias Gender bias related to survivors of relationship abuse is prevalent among trainees and professional counselors, reflecting stigmas among the general population (Maghsoudi, 2018). Karakurt et al.’s (2013) study on counselor attitudes toward perpetrators of violence revealed that most participants believed female offenders were justified in their violent actions and were not as dangerous as their male counterparts. Results also indicated that participants expressed less empathy for male survivors and more confidence in treating male perpetrators (Karakurt et al., 2013). Counselors may perpetuate stigma regarding female survivors by over-pathologizing, minimizing their complaints, and invalidating their feelings (Maghsoudi, 2018). Maghsoudi (2018) contended that there is a lack of training, but more importantly, there are limited opportunities within the educational curriculum for trainees to explore implicit biases regarding violence among partners. The development of counselor self-awareness regarding personally held biases and beliefs can mitigate widespread assumptions about TDV. In addition, counselor self-awareness is a focal point of counselor education programs. This study sought to examine if there were differences in how counseling students
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