Core Competencies for Psychological Counselors: A Scoping Review

Treatment provided by psychological counselors is a professional solution to prevailing mental health issues. Despite the presence of several narrative reviews, the counseling competencies have not been systematically examined based on empirical studies. Therefore, the present study aimed to comprehensively clarify the core counseling competencies using the scoping review method. Five databases were searched, including Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, WANFANG, and CNKI. The articles were included or excluded based on strict criteria of having a specific focus on the general counseling competencies. The competencies were extracted using a three-stage coding process following the principles of the Grounded Theory method. Only 15 studies qualified and were subsequently coded to extract the relevant competencies. Through the three-level coding, 122 competencies were initially identified; then, 30 core competencies were obtained by merging similar items. Based on the attributes of the core competencies, four categories finally emerged: (1) attitude, (2) personality, (3) knowledge, and (4) skill and ability. The precise definition of each core competence was explicitly articulated and presented with references. The category of skill and ability emerged as the most frequently reported in the articles reviewed. The empirical research on counseling competencies was limited. The present study enumerated 30 core competencies for counselors and further extracted four categories from them. The findings contribute to the establishment of a compelling framework that facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the pivotal areas for counselors' professional growth and development.