Conseling
zeinab shariati; atousa Kalantar hormozi; Asieh Shariatmadar; Ebrahim Naeimi
Abstract
Extended Abstract:
Introduction
The development of professional identity is a central aspect of counselor education and one of the major indicators of professional maturity. For novice counselors, who are in the early stages of their careers, this process entails a complex interplay between personal ...
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Extended Abstract:
Introduction
The development of professional identity is a central aspect of counselor education and one of the major indicators of professional maturity. For novice counselors, who are in the early stages of their careers, this process entails a complex interplay between personal growth, academic preparation, and the practical demands of real-world counseling. Professional identity encompasses internalized values, attitudes, and behaviors that define one’s belonging to a profession and influence ethical conduct and professional decisions.
During the initial years of practice, novice counselors frequently encounter discrepancies between the theoretical ideals emphasized in their academic training and the realities of professional practice. These discrepancies manifest as sources of tension, uncertainty, and growth struggles. While the literature in counseling has addressed various developmental models and supervision frameworks (Skovholt & Ronnestad, 2003; Moss, Gibson & Dollarhide, 2011), relatively little is known about how new counselors in Iranian cultural and organizational contexts experience the challenges and facilitators that shape their professional identity development.
In Iran, where the counseling profession is still in a process of institutional consolidation, understanding how emerging professionals develop a professional sense of “who I am as a counselor” is of significant scholarly and practical value. Identifying both obstacles and supportive factors can help universities, supervisors, and policymaking bodies design better developmental and training environments for novice counselors.
The present qualitative research therefore aimed to explore the challenges and facilitators influencing the development of professional identity among novice counselors employed in counseling and psychology centers in Tehran during the year 2023–2024 (1402 SH). Using a grounded theory approach, this study sought to develop an empirically grounded model of how these professionals perceive, experience, and make sense of their professional growth journey.
Methodology
This study adopted a qualitative research design using the grounded theory method developed by Strauss and Corbin (2014), as it allows researchers to generate theoretical understanding directly from participants’ lived experiences rather than from pre‑existing hypotheses.
- Participants
The study population consisted of novice counselors currently working in counseling and psychology centers in Tehran. Fourteen participants were selected through purposeful criterion sampling combined with the snowball sampling technique, ensuring that only those meeting specific inclusion criteria were involved. Participants were doctoral graduates in counseling, had up to two years of professional experience, and were actively practicing in Tehran-area counseling centers. All participants provided informed consent, and their anonymity was safeguarded. The principle of data saturation determined the sample size, which was reached after 14 interviews.
- Data Collection
Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews designed to encourage deep reflection. Each interview lasted approximately 40 minutes. Initial guiding questions focused on participants’ perceptions of their professional identity, the kinds of challenges they had faced, and the strategies or supports that facilitated their professional development. Sample guiding questions included: “How do you perceive your professional identity as a novice counselor?”; “What challenges have you encountered in developing your professional identity?”; and “What factors have helped you grow or feel more professional in your career?”
The interviews were recorded (with permission), transcribed verbatim, and analyzed immediately after completion to ensure continuous comparison and refinement of emerging concepts.
- Data Analysis
The data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis, consisting of two primary coding stages:
Open Coding: data were broken into discrete meaning units, assigned conceptual labels, and grouped into initial categories.
Axial Coding: relationships between categories were examined, leading to the identification of core categories that explained the dynamics of professional identity growth.
Throughout the analysis, the researchers combined inductive reasoning (letting concepts emerge from the data) with deductive validation (re‑examining earlier interpretations across interviews).
Results
The process of coding yielded 72 open codes and 14 axial (central) categories, organized into two overarching dimensions: (1) challenges in professional identity formation and (2) facilitating factors that promote development.
- Challenges in Professional Identity Development
Institutional Challenges Related to the Profession: Many participants reported a lack of support from counseling centers, insufficient collaboration between institutions and novice counselors, job instability, and administrative ambiguity regarding standards and professional recognition. These institutional deficiencies hindered a secure professional start.
Functional Challenges Resulting from Lack of Experience: Participants highlighted difficulty in implementing theoretical knowledge, reliance on trial and error in practice, inflexibility in treatment planning, and uncertainty in managing clients effectively. Feelings of incompetence and anxiety about making mistakes pervaded early professional experiences.
Psychological Challenges at the Onset of Practice: Emotional vulnerability, self‑doubt, perfectionistic standards, and fear of disappointing clients or supervisors were reported widely. The transition from “student” to “professional” generated tension between the need for immediate competence and persistent feelings of inadequacy.
Self‑Evaluation Dependent on External Approval: Many novice counselors evaluated their success through external validation, such as client satisfaction or peer recognition. Dependence on others’ approval impeded the internalization of confidence and autonomy essential for professional identity consolidation.
- Facilitating Factors in Professional Identity Development
Guidance from Professors and Supervisors: Constructive feedback and mentorship offered direction, helping participants reinterpret experiences through reflection rather than judgment.
University‑Based Facilitators: The academic environment served as a stable reference system, linking theory to practice and instilling professional norms.
Foundational Professional Readiness: Foundational readiness, including ethical awareness, basic skills, and self‑discipline, strengthened confidence.
Interaction and Dialogue with Professional Peers: Peer support reduced isolation and encouraged shared problem‑solving.
Personal Growth Traits: Attributes like emotional resilience, empathy, and openness to feedback contributed to adaptive professional integration.
Learning from Client Experiences: Practical learning from client interactions led to professional maturity and authenticity.
Continuous Improvement of Skills and Knowledge: Lifelong learning was seen as both a duty and a motivator for identity consolidation.
Professional Experience as Catalyst: Each counseling session was perceived as a micro‑learning event, reinforcing confidence through action.
Commitment to Professional Maintenance and Ethics: Counselors viewed responsibility and professionalism as identity markers that sustain growth.
Application of Counseling in Personal Life: Integrating counseling values into personal relationships strengthened a consistent professional self‑concept.
Discussion
Analyzing both challenge and facilitation patterns reveals professional identity development as a transitional journey marked by instability, adaptation, and reconstruction. The early career stage is characterized by a fragility of professional self-definition, where institutional conditions and personal self‑concept interplay dynamically. The counselors’ reliance on external validation, combined with the scarcity of structured supervision in the Iranian context, amplifies role confusion and developmental stress.
However, the presence of mentors, academic affiliation, and a commitment to continuous self‑improvement emerge as key protective factors that mitigate professional uncertainty. This finding aligns with global studies (Skovholt & Ronnestad, 2003; Koçyiğit, 2020) that emphasize supervision, reflection, and experiential learning as key drivers of counselor identity growth.
Conclusion
This qualitative grounded theory study provides an in‑depth understanding of how novice counselors in Tehran experience and interpret the evolution of their professional identities. The findings reveal a dual process: while novices face institutional, functional, and psychological barriers that challenge their sense of professional adequacy, they also engage with powerful facilitators—mentorship, reflective learning, peer interaction, and ethical commitment—that sustain growth.
Acknowledgments
The researchers express their gratitude and appreciation to all participants in this study, who cooperated with willingness and patience throughout the process of deriving the results.
Keywords: Professional Identity, Counselor, Novice, Challenge, Facilitator.
mohammad hoseyn salari far; hamidreza pour e'temad
Abstract
Academic selfñ regulation was one of the fundamental issues in Pedagogical and Educational system and it seemed that it had a relation to meta-cognition. This important educational issue has been studied from both theoretical and applied perspectives. The aim of this study was to determine the ...
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Academic selfñ regulation was one of the fundamental issues in Pedagogical and Educational system and it seemed that it had a relation to meta-cognition. This important educational issue has been studied from both theoretical and applied perspectives. The aim of this study was to determine the role of cognitive elements in academic self- regulation. In this correlation, three hundred and eighteen boys of second degree of high school in the 6th educational borough of Tehran by cluster sampling method were chosen. They were asked to fill in the following questionnaires: Wells & Cartwright ñ Hatton metacognitive beliefs questionnaire (2004), O'nell & Abedi metacognitive State questionnaire (1996) and Ryan & Conell academic Self-Regulation questionnaire (1989). Multiple regression analysis and Pearsons correlation coefficiency were applied on the data. Statistical analyses presented a positive correlation between metacognitive state and academic self- regulation. On the other hand, there was a negative association between meta-cognitive believes and academic self- regulation. Furthermore, analyses showed that %26 variance of academic self- regulation can be predicted by three metacognitive components: planning, uncontrollability and the need to control. Based on the finding of this study, metacognitive beliefs and metacognitive state are both associated with academic self- regulation, but in a different way.Thus, acquiring para- cognitive elements can be influential in improving the academic self- regulation of students. None the less, it is required that the findings of this research be considered when the selection and setting of the educational context are done.
mohammad hoseyn salari dar; hamidreza pour e'temad
Abstract
Metacognition is one of the highest level cognitive process which has positive association with other cognitive function. On the other hand, it is considered as one of the basic factor in most psychopathological conditions .The purpose of this study was to investigate any possible inhibitory or facilitatory ...
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Metacognition is one of the highest level cognitive process which has positive association with other cognitive function. On the other hand, it is considered as one of the basic factor in most psychopathological conditions .The purpose of this study was to investigate any possible inhibitory or facilitatory role of metacognitive components of worry. In this correlation study, first,318 high school students were chosen by cluster sampling method from 6 educational regions of Tehran.Then, They were asked to fill in the following questionnaires: Wells & Cartwright ñ Hatton metacognitive beliefs questionnaire (2004), O'nell&Abedi metacognitive State questionnaire (1996) and Meyer et al worry questionnaire (1990). Separate sets of correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that there was a positive correlation between metacognitive beliefs and worry. On the other hand ,there was a negative relationship between metacognitive state and worry. Four metacognitive components (uncontrollability, self- monitoring, need to control and cognitive competence) predict %46 of variance of worry. It was also shown that uncontrollability ,need to control and cognitive competence were positively correlated with worry, whilst self- monitoring was negatively correlated with worry. According to the findings of the present study, metacognitive beliefs and metacognitive state are both associated with worry in a different way. However, manipulation of metacognitive components using interventional training would reduce and control worry in worriers
