Two Perspectives on the Effectiveness of an Entry-Level Community Rehabilitation Training Program: A Comparison of Student and Supervisorial Perceptions

Although a significant amount of attention has focused on the effectiveness of graduate level training programs for rehabilitation counselors, little, if any, research has been devoted to entry-level training programs for Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP) personnel. To remedy this deficiency, this study first developed a survey instrument for both students and their supervisors to measure the change in skills, aptitudes, and attitudes that resulted from participation in a university sponsored training program. After administering the survey to 188 students and 20 supervisors, the perceptions of these two groups were compared and then select demographic measures were used to explain the overall variation in student responses. Results suggest that both students and supervisors believed the training to be beneficial, although students consistently rated the value of the training higher then did their supervisors, particularly in the area of aptitudes and attitudes. Demographic factors were also found to be important in explaining variation in student responses, although these regressions explained only about 10 percent of the overall variation. However, African Americans and Caucasians appear to have benefited more than Hispanic American and others, while respondents with disabilities benefited less than those without disabilities. In addition, students who both completed their survey on the Internet and received the majority of their instruction in this manner benefited more from the training than those completing both in traditional environments. Taken together, these results suggest the importance of training for entry-level CRP personnel. Furthermore, results from the regression analysis suggest that certain groups benefited more in some areas than did others, suggesting that curricular reform may be needed if all students are to benefit equally from the training.

Name thesis:degree_name

EdD Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation: Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Year dc:date.available

2004

Author dc:creator

• Twomey, Howard D., EdD

• community rehabilitation training program
• demographic factors
• entry level
• Leadership studies
• perspective
• rehabilitation counselors
• students
• supervisor

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/738

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.sandiego.edu:dissertations-1743