Active Listening and Counselor Self-Efficacy

Abstract

By emphasizing active listening over the other microskills, it is hypothesized that beginning counselors will feel more efficacious and better able to hear clients, thus performing better in skill areas. In this pilot study with five Master's-level counselor trainees in their first counseling practicum, an emphasis on active listening in instruction and individual supervision resulted in increases in active listening and self-efficacy ratings, as well as performance in three skill areas (reflection of feelings, challenging, and immediacy). These results suggest the importance of attending to counselors' strengths and reducing anxiety in the first counseling experience.

Teaching Active Listening Skills to Pre-Service Speech-Language Pathologists: A First Step in Supporting Collaboration With Parents of Young Children Who Require AAC

“…However, at present we have a limited understanding of the best instructional approach for the effective and efficient teaching of professional skills in university-based pre-service programs. In addition, as reported in other studies of the impact of instruction in active listening in the helping professions (Levitt, 2001;McNaughton & Vostal, 2010;Paukert, Stagner, & Hope, 2004;Rautalinko et al, 2007), the behaviors taught as part of the instruction were viewed positively both by the individuals who received instruction and by potential communication partners (i.e., parents) who were unaware of the nature of the instructional intervention. The current study describes the impact of one approach to teaching a frequently identified skill-active listening-to pre-service SLPs for use with the parents of young children with complex communication needs.…”

“…The components of the strategy were based on a review of the professional literature on communication skills for education and health professionals (Bodie, St. Cyr, Pence, Rold, & Honeycutt, 2012;Fontes, 2009;Hudson & Glomb, 1997;Just, 1997;Levitt, 2001;Rautalinko, Lisper, & Ekehammar, 2007;Sullivan, 2007). The components of the strategy were based on a review of the professional literature on communication skills for education and health professionals (Bodie, St. Cyr, Pence, Rold, & Honeycutt, 2012;Fontes, 2009;Hudson & Glomb, 1997;Just, 1997;Levitt, 2001;Rautalinko, Lisper, & Ekehammar, 2007;Sullivan, 2007).…”

The Relative Effectiveness of Active Listening in Initial Interactions

“…Similarly, supervisors rated college student helpline volunteers more skillful six weeks following active listening training (Paukert et al, 2004). Likewise, mental health counseling students received higher scores in counseling effectiveness after learning active listening (Levitt, 2001). Miller, Hendrick, and Orlofsky (1991) also successfully improved crisis intervention counselors' empathic listening skill by training them to deliver active listening responses.…”

“…Rogers formulated empathic listening as a psycho-therapeutic technique, which demonstrates unconditional acceptance and unbiased reflection of a client's experience through message paraphrasing. Levitt (2001) identifies active listening as a therapeutic micro-skill involving listening attentively and responding empathically so a client feels heard.…”

Promoting Tolerance for Ambiguity in Counselor Training Programs

“…These skills are perceived as ambiguous because they are abstract and have multiple interpretations. Counselor educators likewise attempt to convince students that listening and being patient with the process will allow mastery to happen (Levitt, 2001). This is a challenging and perhaps seemingly unfair concept at this developmental stage, when students are searching for concrete answers and methods.…”