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Newly adopted accreditation standards within rehabilitation counselor education require the assessment of knowledge, skills, and a set of characteristics known as professional dispositions (PDs). PDs may be regarded as individual characteristics like values, beliefs, attitudes, or interpersonal ways of being that influence professional behavior. Yet, this remains an abstract construct that eludes simple definition and measurement. The purpose of this article is to review existing literature related to PDs in order to assist rehabilitation counselor educators in understanding (a) the conceptualization and identification of PDs, (b) the assessment of PDs within a program evaluation process, and (c) contextual dynamics that may influence the assessment of PDs. To this end, the article explores existing PD definitions; common factors related to counseling outcomes; and the guiding philosophies, codes, and values for the field of rehabilitation counseling. Additionally, the role of PDs are discussed in relation to accreditation standards, the development of standardized instruments, student assessment, and program evaluation. Finally, the assessment of PDs are considered in relation to multicultural dynamics, students with disabilities, and distance education.

The occurrence of psychiatric conditions among people 55 years and older ranges from dementia, cognitive disorders, depression/mood and anxiety disorders, to severe mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar disorders) and substance abuse disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health (2009) identified depression as the major mental health concern for older citizens in general. Attention to the older vocational rehabilitation (VR) population with psychiatric conditions is relatively recent, and evidence suggests that middle-aged and older people with mental illness are understudied and underserved in the field of vocational rehabilitation. This article presents a description of the 50 to 69 year old cohort of persons with psychiatric conditions who were served by VR from 2002 to 2006 nationally as compared to North Carolina (NC) state VR data for the same period of time, discusses public funding for mental health treatment of this group and the role of health insurance parity, and addresses potential implications and needs for future research for this population.

Professional dispositions are recognized as a fundamental to counselor professional practice, but this construct remains largely undefined. This qualitative study explored the professional dispositions that rehabilitation counselors should demonstrate for effective service delivery, particularly within rural areas. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews to gather perspectives on the conceptualization and identification of professional dispositions in the field. Participants for this study were practicing rehabilitation counseling supervisors ( n = 14) from five states and largely represented state/federal vocational rehabilitation agencies ( n= 12). A preliminary, field-driven definition of the term professional disposition is presented, and primary dispositional categories are identified. Findings indicated three major dispositional themes that are necessary and generalizable to rehabilitation service delivery: traditional rehabilitation counseling values, professional attitude and conduct, and ethically principled behavior. A theme discrete to rural rehabilitation is also identified, community oriented. These domains reflect a focus on the client, the agency, and the community. The concept of ethically principled practice was a bridging theme that connects and is interwoven across the three main themes. Implications for practice and future research suggestions are also discussed.

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