3.2.6 School Counselors’ Self-Efficacy Regarding Gifted Students: The Role of School Counselors' Self-Competence and Perception

Goal of the study: To help gifted student to solve their affective and emotional concern, school counselors are in an ideal position since they are professional who are responsible for serving all students. Research findings has showed that counselor' self-efficacy is an important factor for effective counseling because it influences counselors’ ability to serve effectively in counseling relationship. Although school counselors’ efficacy was extensively studied in the areas of individual and career counseling, few studies has been encountered examining counselors’ self-efficacy in the area of gifted education. Research Questions •How well does school counselor self-efficacy predict overall school counselors’ competence and perceptions after controlling for effect of work experience and educational attainment? •Is there a significant difference in counselors’ self-efficacy in terms of work experience and educational level of school counselors’? •Is there any relationship between self-efficacy, counselors’ self-competencies and perceptions? Based on these research questions it was hypothesized that school counselors who have high level of competence and perception in relation with gifted students will show high-level of self-efficacy in working with gifted students. Methods: This study was conducted by using correlational research design. Correlational research ensures opportunity to identify nature of relationship between two variables. Participants of this study consisted of 118 school counselors who work in different types of schools (primary, secondary and high schools).Convenient sampling method was utilized to obtain data from participants. The School Counselors’ Knowledge scale, School Counselors’ Self-Efficacy Scale regarding Special Education and demographics form were utilized to gather data. The descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test research questions.

Results: Before carrying out the hierarchical regression analyses, assumptions of hierarchical regression analyses were controlled Hierarchical Regression was performed to test predictive relationship between counselors’ competence, work experience, educational attainment and their self-efficacy. Result of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that counselors’ self-efficacy after controlling for the effect of work experience and educational attainment of school counselors is correlated with counselors’ competence. School counselors’ self-competencies and perceptions regarding gifted students statistically significantly predicted to counselors’ self-efficacy.

Conclusion: Findings of the present study revealed that school counselors’ competencies and perceptions significantly predicted counselor’ self-efficacy. Relying on these findings, school counselors working with gifted students may increase their competence and perceptions regarding gifted students and researchers should conduct further studies with larger sample size

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