Mindfulness and Counseling Self-Efficacy: The Mediating Role of Attention and Empathy

This study examined the predictive relationship between mindfulness and counseling self-efficacy and the potential mediating effects of attention and empathy. Master's-level counseling interns and doctoral counseling students (N = 179) were surveyed to determine levels of mindfulness, attention, empathy, and counseling self-efficacy. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients revealed significant pairwise relationships between the 4 variables of interest. A multiplemediator path analysis supported the hypotheses that mindfulness is a significant predictor of counseling self-efficacy and that attention is a mediator of that relationship. Results suggest that mindfulness may be an important variable in the development of key counselor preparation outcomes.