Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2023, Counselor Education and Supervision

This study examined the contribution of affirmative training and implicit bias on affectional identity counselor competencies among new professionals. Data were collected from June to August 2023. New professionals from across the four geographic regions of the United States (N = 92) completed an online Qualtrics survey comprised of four instruments: (1) the survey-software Implicit Association Test (IAT), (2) the Affirmative Training Inventory-Student Version (ATI-S), the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), and a demographic questionnaire. Canonical correlation was used to investigate the research hypothesis. Results demonstrated that affirmative training and implicit bias were statistically significantly related to affectional identity counselor competencies among new professionals. Notably, lower levels of affirmative training in counseling graduate classrooms, less affirmative stances in counseling graduate programs, and higher levels of implicit bias were associated with lower awareness, knowledge, and skills competencies. However, univariate regression analyses revealed that only implicit bias was statistically significantly related to the three affectional identity counselor competency factors (Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills). Results suggested that affirmative training and implicit bias can be crucial in developing and enhancing affectional identity counselor competencies. Limitations and recommendations for further research on affirmative training, implicit bias, and affectional identity counselor competencies were discussed.

Committee: Varunee Faii Sangganjanavanich (Advisor); Robert Schwartz (Committee Member); Delila Owens (Committee Member); Yue Dang (Committee Member); Ronald Otterstetter (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education; Multicultural Education