Outcome-Based Program Evaluation Impact of a University-Based Practicum Experience on Counseling Students ’ Levels of Empathy and Assessed

This study investigated the impact of a university-based practicum experience on counseling students ’ (n 87) levels of empathy and assessed counseling competencies. Data were analyzed using Within Groups Hotelling’s Trace multivariate analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of cov-ariance, and two-tailed Pearson product–moment correlations. The counseling students ’ empathy (empathetic concern) and supervisor-rated counseling competency scores both increased following their practicum experience. Implications for counselor education, clinical supervision, and program evaluation research in counseling are discussed. Keywords counseling competencies, counselor development, counselor education, empathy, program evaluation research in counseling Empathy is a core condition of the therapeutic alliance and influential in positive client out-comes (Lambert & Barley, 2001; Wampold & Budge, 2012). The accurate expression of empathy can either facilitate or hinder the counseling process (Angus & Kagan, 2009; Miller & Rose, 2009; Rogers, 1957); thus, empathy development is necessary for counse-lor educators to promote in their students. In addition, counselor educators are tasked in facilitating and assessing their students ’ acqui-sition of counseling knowledge, skills, and competencies (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014