the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory (CSRI)

Description

The Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory (CSRI; DeCino et al., 2025) is designed to assist counselors, counselor educators and supervisors, and counselors-in-training (CITs) in evaluating their self-reflective practice. The development of the CSRI involved a comprehensive literature review on critical self-reflection in counseling and counselor training, followed by a pilot study conducted with actively working counselors to enhance item construction and depth. The pilot study yielded free responses that were subsequently compiled and categorized into content, process, and premise domains. Initially, twenty items were developed for each category. After eliminating redundant items, sixteen items remained. Content experts with training and work experience in clinical mental health or school counseling then assessed the CSRI for content validity. The final version of the CSRI, refined based on expert feedback, comprises 39 items: 12 measuring content reflection, 13 measuring process reflection, and 14 measuring premise reflection. The 39-item measure was validated using a sample of professional counselors with a minimum of a master’s degree who reported using self-reflective practice as part of their work. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor model. Results pertaining to reliability and validity were reported.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory (CSRI) is to assess counselors’ self-reflective practice. It is intended for use by counselors and counselor educators to identify strengths and areas for growth in their professional practice. Furthermore, counselors and counselors-in-training can utilize the CSRI to enhance self-reflective practices that foster positive identity development.

Validity

Convergent Validity: The 6 items of the Self-Awareness and Management Strategies Scale (SAMS; Williams et al., 2003) were added to the CFA model representing the CSRI as a single latent factor. The SAMS items were specified as manifest indicators of a single, general self-reflection and awareness latent variable, that was allowed to correlate with the single latent factor representing the CSRI. Model fit indices suggested this model fit the data well with CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.958, RMSEA = 0.04 (90% CI[0.033; 0.049]), and SRMR = 0.065. The standardized covariance between the latent factor representing the CRSI and the latent factor representing general self-reflection and awareness was 0.508.

Reliability

Internal Consistency: Based on the single factor representation of the CSRI, responses to the items demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, with a McDonald’s ω = 0.92 (bootstrapped 95% CI[0.84; 0.95]). Inter-item correlations were generated and evaluated with the items measuring each category. Items that shared trivial to small associations (-0.1 < r < 0.1) with other items were removed from subsequent analysis as they were not likely measuring the same underlying latent constructs. After removal of item 4, inter-item correlations ranged from 0.146 to 0.583, with an average inter-item correlation of 0.339. After removal of item 22 and 27, inter-item correlations ranged from 0.146 to 0.653, with an average inter-item correlation of 0.324. After removal of item 5, inter-item correlations ranged from 0.133 to 0.549, with an average inter-item correlation of 0.345.

Factor Analysis

Confirmatory Factor Analysis: The 39-item CSRI was validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. A one-factor model of counselor self-reflection suggested indices are acceptable and indicate an overall good model fit (CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.958, RMSEA = 0.04 (90% CI[0.033; 0.049]), and SRMR = 0.065.) with standardized covariance between the CSRI, self-reflection, and awareness at 0.508.

Test Methodology

The test methodology included test validity, content validity, convergent validity, test reliability, internal consistency, factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis.

Population Details

The population details include:

• Age Range: 24-79

• Gender Identities Reported: Non-Binary

• Respondents: Counselors with a Master’s Degree

Age Group

The CSRI is applicable to the following age groups: Adulthood (18 years & older), Young Adulthood (18-29 years), Thirties (30-39 years), Middle Age (40-64 years), and Aged (65 years & older).

Population Group

The CSRI is designed for use with a human population, including both males and females.

Test Type

Original

Instrument Type

Rating Scale

Format

Items are rated on a 6-point scale.

Language Available

English

Keywords

Counselors-in-Training, Professional Counselors, Self-Reflection, Transformative Learning Theory.

Test Year

2025

Author

The authors of the CSRI are Daniel A. DeCino, Steven R. Chesnut, Phillip L. Waalkes, and Reed N. Keen.

Author Orcid Identifier

Steven R. Chesnut: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6164-7823

Phillip L. Waalkes: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2956-5078

Affiliation

• DeCino, Daniel A.: Division of Counseling and Psychology, University of South Dakota

• Chesnut, Steven R.: University of Missouri-Kansas City

• Waalkes, Phillip L.: University of Missouri-St. Louis

• Keen, Reed N.: Division of Counseling and Psychology, University of South Dakota

Email

DeCino, Daniel A.: [email protected]

Files

No data is Available

Permissions

Contact Publisher

Fee

No

Correspondence Address

DeCino, Daniel A.: University of South Dakota, Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, 57069, [email protected]

Reference’s

DeCino, D. A., Chesnut, S. R., Waalkes, P. L., & Keen, R. N. (2025). Development and initial validation of the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory for counselors and counselors-in-training. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 58(1), 7–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2024.2364587

Items of the Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory

Counselor Self-Reflection Inventory (CSRI)

Instructions: The following statements cover self-reflective practice in counseling. Indicate how accurately each statement describes you as a counselor when reflecting about your work. Please rate your responses honestly rather than how you wish they were about your reflective practice.

Use the following scale:
1 = Very untrue of me
2 = Untrue of me
3 = Somewhat untrue of me
4 = Somewhat true of me
5 = True of me
6 = Very true of me

When I think about my work with clients, I reflect on …

1. What settings impact clients.

2. Why my counseling approach might influence clients.

3. What about my personality impacts my clients.

4. What about my gender, race, and other identities matter in counseling.

5. Why self-care helps me be available to clients.

6. How I can help clients find resources.

7. What resources I need to effectively serve clients.

8. How I can use my professional relationship with clients to improve their relationships.

9. What options are available to help clients.

10. Which people are important to clients.

11. Why ethical decision making might impact clients.

12. How I can use my consultation with colleagues to help clients.

13. How I can use my conceptualization skills to help clients.

14. How I can help clients understand systems that influence their well-being.

15. Why I empathize with clients.

16. What cultural factors influence clients.

17. Why my counselor presence impacts clients.

18. How developmentally appropriate are my interventions with clients.

19. What facts of clients’ experiences are important.

20. Why my reactions to clients during counseling matter.

21. What about my appearance influences my clients.

22. How I can use my culture to help clients.

23. What about my training impacts my clients.

24. Why my life experience impacts my work with clients.

25. How I can do better next time I meet with clients.

26. Why thinking about my clients outside of work might help me be a better counselor.

27. How I can use my values to help clients.

28. Why my values might impact the counseling session.

29. Why being helpful is important to me as a counselor.

30. What types of conflict impact clients.

31. What about my office setting impacts my clients.

32. How I can help clients use insights gained from counseling to improve their lives.

33. Why my counseling experience matters.

34. How I can assist clients to move forward with life.

35. Why it is important to remember each client is unique.

36. Why differences between the client and I are important.

37. How I can help clients use their culture to improve their lives.

38. Why my counseling techniques might impact clients.

39. How I can help clients with their issues.