International Counseling Students’ Social Support and Personal and Professional Identities
A Mixed Methods Investigation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13867331 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yanhong Liu (0000-0002-1251-1700, Syracuse University, corresponding author), Dan Li (0009-0009-7330-3225, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center), Fei Shen (0000-0002-6682-1712, Kean University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-16 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0165-0653 • E-ISSN: 1573-3246 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10447-026-09640-8 |
| OpenAlex | W7129147524 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 47 |
Through this study, we investigated the mechanisms between social support, social connectedness, personal identity gaps, and professional identity among international counseling students in the United States (U.S.), following a concurrent embedded mixed methods design. Participants were 60 international counseling students enrolled in U.S. counselor education programs. We first tested a multi-mediator path model for a direct effect of social support on international counseling students’ professional identity outcome, as well as indirect effects of social support on the students’ professional identity via perceived connectedness and personal identity gaps. We then performed a manifest content analysis of parsimonious qualitative data retrieved from participants’ responses to the Social Support Questionnaire. Our path analysis supported significant direct and indirect effects of perceived social support on international counseling students’ professional identity development. Qualitative findings revealed differences in social support among international counseling students, as well as nuances concerning their social support across circumstances. Implications for counselor education and supervision are discussed
Counselor education · Identity (music · Industrial and organizational psychology · Path analysis (statistics · Qualitative research · Social connectedness · Social identity theory · Social support · Counseling Practices and Supervision · Cultural Competency in Health Care · Psychological Treatments and Assessments
Elaborating the communication theory of identity
Path Analysis
Demystifying Content Analysis
Measuring belongingness
The Relative Performance of Full Information Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Missing Data in Structural Equation Models
Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models
A Test of Missing Completely at Random for Multivariate Data with Missing Values
The taboo of mental health problems, stigma and fear of disclosure among Asian international students
The Relative Trustworthiness of Inferential Tests of the Indirect Effect in Statistical Mediation Analysis
Mental health help-seeking intentions among Chinese international students in the U.S. higher education system
Professional Identity Development in Counseling Professionals
A review of the acculturation experiences of international students
Perceptions and Experiences of International Trainees in Counseling and Related Programs
A “Chameleonic” Identity
The Lived Experiences of International Students in a Cacrep Counseling Program
Differential Associations of Social Support and Social Connectedness With Structural Features of Social Networks and the Health Status of Older Adults
An analysis of friendship networks, social connectedness, homesickness, and satisfaction levels of international students
Assessing social support
Career Barriers and Coping Efficacy with International Students in Counseling Psychology Programs
Facilitating the Professional Development of International Counseling Psychology Students
Acculturation, Enculturation, Social Connectedness, and Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese International Students
The role of identity in international students’ psychological well-being in the United States
International students' reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress
Code-switching 101
Professional Identity Development and Multicultural Identity Among International Counselor Education Doctoral Students
Supporting international students through strengthening their social resources
Needs and Acculturative Stress of International Students in Cacrep Programs
International Counseling Doctoral Students' Teaching Preparation
Professional identity development of international counseling doctoral students
The emergence of unique elective identities in the professional identity development research in the counseling profession
Professional Identity Development
Lessons from professional identity development literature
Measuring Professional Identity Development Among Counselor Trainees
The use of triangulation in qualitative studies employing elite interviews
Social Support Benefits Psychological Adjustment of International Students
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |