Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale (CERS)

Abstract

The Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale (CERS) is a standardized instrument developed by Myrick and Kelly in 1971 designed to assess the skills and professional demeanor of practicum students in counseling settings. This 27-item scale provides supervisors with a structured method for evaluating student competency across critical dimensions of clinical work and professional development. CERS focuses on observable behaviors related to clinical skill application, theoretical understanding, and the student’s ability to engage effectively in both counseling sessions and counseling supervision.

Keywords

Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale, CERS, Counselor Evaluation, Counseling Supervision, Practicum, Clinical Skills, Professional Development, Myrick and Kelly.

Authors

Robert D. Myrick, Frederick D. Kelly, Jr.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale (CERS) is to provide a reliable and systematic method for supervisors to evaluate the performance of master’s-level counseling students, particularly those engaged in their clinical practicum or internship. Prior to its development, evaluation methods in counseling supervision often lacked standardization, leading to subjective assessments. CERS aims to quantify specific behavioral competencies, thereby making the evaluation process more objective and actionable for student feedback.

The scale is designed not only to measure current performance but also to identify areas requiring further professional growth and development. By covering aspects of clinical skill application, supervisory interaction, and personal readiness, CERS serves as a comprehensive tool for gatekeeping and fostering successful transitions into professional practice.

Construct

The CERS measures the overarching construct of professional readiness and competence in entry-level counselors. This construct is operationalized through three hypothesized dimensions, which encompass the core requirements for effective counseling practice and successful engagement in supervision. These dimensions cover theoretical knowledge, applied skills, and self-awareness within the therapeutic context.

The three primary conceptual factors originally identified by Myrick and Kelly are:

1. Understanding of a counseling rationale.
2. Counseling practice with clients.
3. Exploration of self and counseling relationships.

Validity

Initial validity studies focused on establishing content validity, ensuring that the items accurately reflected the critical behaviors and skills necessary for successful counseling practice as defined by counselor educators and supervisors at the time of its creation. Subsequent research, such as that conducted by Benshoff and Thomas (1992), further explored the construct validity of the CERS.

While the CERS is widely used, studies have suggested that the factor structure may vary across different supervisory populations, prompting ongoing discussion regarding its optimal application and interpretation. However, its continued use underscores its recognized face validity as a tool for counselor evaluation in academic settings.

Reliability

The reliability of the CERS has generally been reported as acceptable to strong, reflecting the scale’s internal consistency in measuring the defined constructs. Studies often report high inter-rater reliability among supervisors, particularly after appropriate training on utilizing the scale’s specific behavioral anchors. The robust nature of the items, which focus on observable behaviors rather than purely subjective traits, contributes significantly to its stability as an assessment instrument.

Factor Analysis

The initial design of the CERS was based on a hypothesized three-factor model, derived from expert consensus regarding the essential components of counselor competence. These factors, and the items associated with them, are delineated as follows:

• Understanding of a Counseling Rationale (Items 3, 6, 9, 14, 19, 23, 26): This factor assesses the student’s theoretical grounding and ability to articulate and apply fundamental principles of counseling rationale and methodology.
• Counseling Practice with Clients (Items 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 21, 22): This factor measures applied clinical skills, including communication, therapeutic environment setting, and behavioral flexibility during the session.
• Exploration of Self and Counseling Relationships (Items 4, 7, 10, 15, 16, 20, 24, 25): This factor evaluates the student’s self-awareness, professional responsibility, openness to feedback, and ability to manage dynamics within both counseling and supervisory relationships.

A later factor analysis conducted by Benshoff and Thomas (1992) suggested that a two-factor structure might better represent the observed data, combining elements into broader domains of “Professional Behavior/Skill” and “Personal Behavior/Growth.” This finding highlights the need for ongoing critical review of the scale’s psychometric properties depending on the specific population and context of use.

Instrument

Test Type: Behavioral Rating Scale; Standardized Supervisory Evaluation Tool

Format: 27 items rated on a 7-point Likert-type scale.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Counselor Supervisors rating students.

Age Group: Typically adult (graduate-level) practicum students.

Population Details: Master’s-level students in Counselor Education programs undergoing clinical training.

Test Methodology: Supervisors rate the student on each item using a 7-point scale ranging from +3 (Strongly Agree/Excellent Performance) to -3 (Strongly Disagree/Poor Performance). The source documentation indicates the scoring scale as +3, +2, +1, or -1, -2, -3, suggesting a forced-choice scale without a neutral zero point, or a scale structure where the zero point is implied but not listed explicitly in the source text. Higher overall scores indicate greater professional competence.

Keywords

Counselor Education, Clinical Evaluation, Supervisory Instruments, Psychometric Scale, Counseling Skills, Professional Competence, Counselor Evaluation, Student Assessment.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source material.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale (CERS) was published in 1971. The scale is frequently used in academic and training settings and is often available for educational and research purposes. Researchers should consult the original publication or the authors’ affiliated institutions for specific usage permissions and licensing fees, if applicable.

The original PDF of the instrument and related materials can be downloaded here: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331049/m2/1/high_res_d/1002783991-Rishe.pdf

Reference’s

• Myrick, R. D., & Kelly, F. D., Jr. (1971). A scale for evaluating practicum students in counseling and supervision. Counselor Education and Supervision, 10, 330-336.
• Benshoff, James M. Thomas, Wayne P. (1992). A New Look at the Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale. Counselor Education and Supervision 32(1), 12-22.

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Items of the Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale (CERS)

1. Demonstrates an interest in client’s problems.
2. Tends to approach clients in a mechanical, perfunctory manner.
3. Lacks sensitivity to dynamics of self in supervisory relationship.
4. Seeks and considers professional opinion of supervisors and other counselors when the need arises.
5. Tends to talk more than client during counseling.
6. Is sensitive to dynamics of self in counseling relationships.
7. Cannot accept constructive criticism.
8. Is genuinely relaxed and comfortable in the counseling session.
9. Is aware of both content and feeling in counseling sessions.
10. Keeps appointments on time and completes supervisor assignments.
11. Can deal with content and feeling during supervision.
12. Tends to be rigid in counseling behavior.
13. Lectures and moralizes in counseling.
14. Can critique counseling tapes and gain insights with minimum help from supervisor.
15. Is genuinely relaxed and comfortable in supervisory session.
16. Works well with other professional personnel (e.g., teachers, counselors, etc).
17. Can be spontaneous in counseling, yet behavior is relevant.
18. Lacks self-confidence in establishing counseling relationships.
19. Can explain what is involved in counseling and discuss intelligently its objectives.
20. Is open to self-examination during supervision.
21. Can express thoughts and feelings clearly in counseling.
22. Verbal behavior in counseling is appropriately flexible and varied, according to the situation.
23. Lacks basic knowledge of fundamental counseling principles and methodology.
24. Participates actively and willingly in supervisory sessions.
25. Is indifferent to personal development and professional growth.
26. Applies a consistent rationale of human behavior to counseling.
27. Can be recommended for a counseling position without reservation.