The Professional Counselor | Volume 13, Issue 2 108 guidelines. Research demonstrates that teens fear the information counselors report to their parents or caregivers from counseling sessions. In contrast, caregivers can often lack the ability to respond appropriately to this information (Black et al., 2015). Thus, counselors must understand the critical role of establishing trust and rapport with teens experiencing TDV to strengthen the therapeutic relationship and ability to work together and increase support and trust within the family system. Limitations and Future Research Directions Research findings must always be considered in the context of the existing limitations. One limitation was that the study included a sample of counseling students across three universities in the southern region of the United States and we did not delineate the number of students affiliated with each university. The study may have benefited from a more diverse sample across many CACREPaccredited programs. The students in the study pertained to four different tracks (school, mental health, marriage and family therapy, and rehabilitation counseling), with some non–degree-seeking students and doctoral students. Although this illuminates overarching gaps in the counseling profession, future researchers may examine differences between specializations, allowing for more in-depth assessments and recommendations for training and continuing education. Additionally, we did not inquire about counseling students’ strategies and decision-making processes to develop their case conceptualizations and treatment decisions. This data would have been beneficial for counselor educators to address these areas early on in training. A final limitation of the study included the use of binary gender identities and heterosexual relationships in the case vignettes. Although the present research may provide a framework for future studies to build upon, it is essential to note that TDV occurs across diverse populations, including LGBTQ+ youth. As such, future research should examine counseling students’ conceptualization of TDV within diverse communities and relationships. This would further illuminate disparities and challenges in the conceptualization and treatment of TDV, shedding light on areas needing attention in counselor training. Conclusion Counseling students must develop self-awareness and knowledge of TDV to treat the transgenerational cycle of violence, thereby preventing or addressing potential mental health consequences. To do so, students must understand the etiology of violence, manifestations of violence in relationships, and trauma-informed conceptualization and treatment of violence. Although such training must begin in counselor education programs and continue after graduation (Murray et al., 2016; Wozny, 2005), this study revealed the importance of reflexivity and self-awareness on existing biases, assumptions, and beliefs on TDV. Counselor biases can significantly impact client treatment outcomes (Karakurt et al., 2013). Therefore, personal biases must be recognized early in training to prevent harmful and stigmatizing treatment of clients experiencing TDV. Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure The authors reported no conflict of interest or funding contributions for the development of this manuscript.
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