The relationship between age, religious identity, multicultural counseling competency, and transgender counseling competency of graduate students enrolled in CACREP accredited programs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between age, religious identity, multicultural counseling competency, and transgender counseling competency. A correlational design was used to assess whether age and religious identity predicted multicultural and transgender counseling competence. Religious identity was measured using the Religious Identity Development Scale (RIDS); multicultural counseling competency was assessed the Multicultural Awareness, Knowledge, and Skills Scale–Counselor Edition–Revised (MAKSS-CE-R); and transgender counseling competency was measured using the Gender Identity Counselor Competency Scale (GICCS). There was a total of 157 participants who completed a demographic questionnaire and the assessments. Participants included graduated students from CACREP accredited counseling programs. A canonical correlation analysis was used to assess how age and religious identity impacted multicultural counseling competency. The full model was statistically significant and explained about 28% of the shared variance between the variables. Concrete, Relational, and Confusion were inversely related to Awareness and Knowledge, whereas Exploration was positively related to Awareness and Knowledge. Participants who were less rigid, less influenced by significant others about their beliefs, who sought less logical and rational views of religion, and were more independent and intentional in their search for religious meaning scored higher on multicultural awareness and knowledge. A canonical correlation analysis was conducted using the six statuses of the RIDS and age as predictors for the three subscales of the GICCS to evaluate the shared relationship between the two sets of variables (i.e., age and religious identity with transgender counseling competency). The full model was statistically significant and accounted for about 41% of the shared variance. Participants who were less passive and rigid and less influenced by significant others in their beliefs were more likely to report greater transgender counseling competency. Participants who were more independent and deliberate in their search for religious meaning and those who were more likely to value other religions possessed greater transgender counseling attitudes, skills, and knowledge. The second function was also significant in the analysis and indicated that older counseling students reported greater skills in counseling transgender clients. Overall, a relationship exists between religious identity and counseling competency