Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 3 approved with reservations]

Дата публикации: 20-08-2026 08:11:55

Background The measurement of professional competency in school counseling remains methodologically constrained by fragmented domain assessment and heavy reliance on classical test theory approaches. There is a critical need for an empirically calibrated instrument that integrates regulatory competency standards with expanded theoretical domains while ensuring measurement precision and structural coherence. This study developed and validated a multidimensional instrument of professional competency for school counselors using Rasch analysis. Methods A cross-sectional instrumental design was implemented. The instrument was constructed across seven domains: assessment, development of guidance and counseling program, implementation of guidance and counseling services, evaluation of guidance and counseling program, supervision of pre-service counselor training, continuous professional development, and collaborative engagement in co-curricular programs. Seventy-one items were rated on a five-point Likert scale. Data from 93 practicing school counselors were analyzed using the Rasch Rating Scale Model. Analyses included the evaluation of category functioning, item and person fit statistics, reliability and separation indices, and principal component analysis of residuals (PCAR) to assess construct dimensionality. Results The Rasch model demonstrated acceptable item fit and ordered rating scale thresholds. The raw variance explained by measures was 53.4%, with 6.7% unexplained variance in the first contrast, indicating a dominant latent construct despite the multidomain theoretical structure. Item difficulty estimates ranged from −1.68 to +1.71 logits, forming a hierarchical continuum from foundational service practices to advanced supervisory and professional roles. Reliability and separation indices indicated stable item calibration and adequate differentiation among levels of professional competency. Conclusions The findings support the preliminary evidence of structural validity, hierarchical calibration, and measurement precision of the instrument within a unified Rasch framework. The instrument provides a methodologically robust basis for professional assessment, supervision, and competency-based development in school counseling contexts, with significant potential for further validation across diverse educational systems.

Основное содержимое страницы с новостью.

Introduction

Professional competency is widely recognized as a foundational determinant of service quality and ethical practice in school counseling (Kaslow, 2004; Remley & Herlihy, 2010). As educational systems worldwide increasingly emphasize accountability, evidence-based intervention, and student well-being, the role of school counselors has expanded beyond traditional guidance functions toward comprehensive developmental, preventive, and systemic responsibilities (Yuwono & Utomo, 2023; Zabek et al., 2023). In this context, the measurement of professional competency becomes not merely evaluative but strategic, informing supervision, professional development, certification, and policy implementation (Borders, 2014; Stolenberg & McNeill, 2010).

The construct of professional competency in school counseling is inherently complex and theoretically multidimensional. Regulatory frameworks, such as national counseling standards and professional accreditation systems, emphasize core domains including needs assessment, guidance and counseling program planning, service implementation, and guidance and counseling program evaluation (Permendikbud No. 111, 2014). In the Indonesian context, for instance, the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 111/2014 formally articulates four central competencies: (1) assessment of student potential, characteristics, and environment, (2) development of counseling programs, (3) implementation of guidance and counseling services, and (4) evaluation of guidance and counseling program. These domains represent the operational foundation of professional practice.

However, contemporary scholarship argues that professional competency extends beyond technical-programmatic capabilities. The literature emphasizes the importance of supervisory competency, continuous professional self-development, ethical accountability, and systemic collaboration within the broader educational ecosystem (Kivlighan, 2008; Luke & Bernard, 2006; Riggs & Bartholomaeus, 2016; Vivekananda et al., 2021). Notably, three dimensions frequently underrepresented in Western measurement models include: (a) the supervision of pre-service counselor training (Littrell et al., 1976; Luke & Bernard, 2006), (b) sustained personal and professional growth (Stoll et al., 2006; Young et al., 2011), and (c) active collaboration with school personnel in co-curricular and systemic initiatives (Yudha et al., 2024; Zabek et al., 2023). These dimensions are critical for sustaining the profession, ensuring service quality, and integrating counselors into formal educational structures (Kaslow, 2004; Rice & Furr, 2013). Their inclusion reflects a more holistic and sustainability-oriented conception of professional competency. This development highlights the need for competency instruments capable of capturing the broad and evolving responsibilities of contemporary school counselors.

Despite the acknowledged multidimensionality of professional competency, existing measurement instruments reveal several limitations. First, many instruments are fragmented, assessing isolated domains rather than an integrated competency system (Ridley et al., 2021). Second, numerous tools are grounded in Western-centric professional frameworks that may not fully capture the regulatory and systemic realities of school counseling in emerging educational contexts (Khairun, Taufiq, Yustiana, Budiman, & Al Hakim, 2025a, 2025b). These conceptual limitations restrict the comprehensive evaluation of counselors’ professional competency and reduce the applicability of existing instruments for evidence-based supervision, professional development, and educational policy. Consequently, there remains a need for an integrated multidimensional instrument that reflects both regulatory requirements and contemporary perspectives on professional competency. Moreover, contemporary psychometric research increasingly emphasizes that instrument validity should extend beyond internal consistency to include evidence of internal measurement quality, fairness across respondent groups, and, where appropriate, measurement invariance, ensuring that observed score differences reflect genuine differences in competency rather than measurement bias (Geesa et al., 2024; Nuryanto et al., 2024).

The Rasch Measurement Model offers an appropriate psychometric framework for addressing methodological limitations in existing competency validation studies (Bond, 2015; Boone et al., 2013; Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015). By transforming ordinal raw scores into interval-level measures, Rasch analysis enables objective calibration of item difficulty and respondent ability on a common metric (Linacre, 2016; Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015). Furthermore, Rasch-based principal component analysis of residuals provides empirical evidence of dimensional structure, ensuring that theoretically multidimensional frameworks cohere into a unified latent construct (Boone et al., 2013; Zaporozhets et al., 2015). Rather than replacing Classical Test Theory, Rasch analysis complements conventional psychometric evidence by providing additional information regarding hierarchical item functioning, rating scale performance, and measurement precision. Evidence of measurement invariance across respondent groups, however, generally requires additional analyses such as Differential Item Functioning (DIF), which were beyond the scope of the present study. Recent validation studies have increasingly employed the Rasch Measurement Model because it provides evidence regarding item functioning, construct validity, reliability, and dimensionality. When combined with Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analyses, Rasch models can also evaluate measurement invariance across respondent groups (Areskoug-Josefsson & Rolander, 2020; Kang et al., 2021; Phipps, 2023). These properties make Rasch analysis particularly suitable for validating multidimensional professional competency instruments intended for educational decision-making.

Grounded in both regulatory mandates and international theoretical perspectives, the present study develops a multidimensional Professional Competency Instrument for School Counselors comprising seven integrated domains: assessment, development of guidance and counseling program, implementation of guidance and counseling services, evaluation of guidance and counseling program, supervision of pre-service counselor training, continuous professional development, and collaborative engagement in co-curricular programs (Luke & Bernard, 2006; Permendikbud No. 111, 2014; Stoll et al., 2006). Conceptually, these seven domains represent distinct but interrelated facets of professional competency rather than independent constructs. Accordingly, the instrument is grounded in a hierarchical multidimensional framework in which each domain contributes to an overarching construct of professional competency. Within the Rasch Measurement Model, this conceptualization implies that although competency is theoretically multidimensional, the domains are expected to function cohesively as indicators of a dominant latent variable that can be measured through a unified psychometric framework.

Previous studies have examined various components of counselor competency and professional competency; however, few have integrated regulatory competency standards with broader theoretical dimensions into a unified measurement framework (Khairun, Taufiq, Yustiana, Budiman, & Al Hakim, 2025a, 2025b; Ridley et al., 2021). Existing instruments also provide limited representation of supervisory engagement, continuous professional development, and systemic collaboration, despite growing recognition of their importance for sustaining professional practice and institutional accountability (Luke & Bernard, 2006; Stoll et al., 2006; Vivekananda et al., 2021). Building upon these conceptual gaps, the present study develops and validates a multidimensional competency instrument specifically designed for Indonesian school counselors using the Rasch Measurement Model (Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015). This study contributes conceptually by proposing that professional competency should be understood as a hierarchical multidimensional construct consisting of seven theoretically grounded domains that jointly represent an overarching competency framework. Methodologically, the study examines whether these domains demonstrate sufficient empirical coherence to function as indicators of a dominant latent construct within the Rasch Measurement Model. In doing so, the study provides psychometric evidence regarding dimensionality, hierarchical item calibration, rating scale functioning, and measurement precision while preserving the conceptual richness of the multidimensional framework. This methodological approach is also consistent with contemporary validity frameworks, which view validation as an ongoing process requiring multiple sources of evidence—including content, internal structure, response processes, and the appropriate interpretation and use of assessment scores—rather than relying solely on reliability coefficients or a single form of validity evidence (Carney et al., 2017; Im et al., 2019; Mislevy, 2016).

Accordingly, this study aims to develop and rigorously validate a multidimensional instrument for measuring professional competency in school counselors using a five-point Likert rating scale and Rasch Measurement Model analysis. Specifically, the study seeks to (1) evaluate rating scale functioning across ordered response categories, (2) examine construct validity through principal component analysis of residuals to establish empirical unidimensionality, (3) assess item fit and hierarchical item calibration, and (4) determine person and item reliability as well as separation indices to ensure measurement precision and internal consistency. The findings are expected to provide both conceptual and psychometric evidence supporting the use of the instrument for counselor assessment, professional development, supervision, and educational decision-making.

Methods

Study design

This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional instrumental design aimed at developing and validating a multidimensional instrument for measuring professional competency in school counselors. The research followed a structured process of construct specification, item development, expert validation, and psychometric evaluation using the Rasch Measurement Model. The design was intended to ensure conceptual rigor, measurement precision, and reproducibility.

Instrument development

The School Counselor Professional Competency Instrument was developed through a structured construct specification process grounded in regulatory, theoretical, and empirical foundations, which is available as extended data (Khairun, 2026). The initial conceptual framework was derived from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture Regulation No. 111/2014 concerning guidance and counseling in formal education, which specifies four core professional functions: assessment, development of guidance and counseling program, implementation of guidance and counseling services, and guidance and counseling program evaluation.

To strengthen the theoretical comprehensiveness of the construct, the framework was expanded to incorporate three additional domains identified in contemporary professional competency literature: supervision of pre-service counselor training, continuous professional development, and collaborative engagement in co-curricular programs. The inclusion of these domains reflects a broader conceptualization of professional competency that extends beyond technical program delivery to encompass sustainability of the profession, ethical responsibility, and systemic integration within educational settings.

Based on this integrative framework, an item pool was generated to represent seven domains:

a. Assessment of student potential, characteristics, and environment
b. Development of guidance and counseling program
c. Implementation of guidance and counseling services
d. Evaluation of guidance and counseling program
e. Supervision of pre-service counselor training
f. Continuous professional development
g. Collaborative engagement in co-curricular programs

Although seven domains were specified during instrument development, the scale was intentionally designed to measure a single overarching construct of professional competency. The multidimensional framework reflects the theoretical complexity of professional competency, whereas the Rasch Measurement Model evaluates whether these domains operate together as indicators of one dominant latent variable. The final instrument consisted of 71 favorable items rated using a five-point Likert scale. The rating scale was designed to capture the behavioral frequency of professional practices in authentic school contexts.

Content validation

The content validation of the School Counselor Professional Competency Instrument was conducted through a rigorous expert judgment process involving a panel of three senior scholars. The committee comprised experts with specialized proficiency in psychometrics, guidance and counseling supervision, and professional development. This multidisciplinary panel was intended to enhance conceptual alignment with both regulatory standards and contemporary theoretical advancements in the counseling field. Content validation relied on a qualitative expert judgment approach rather than quantitative content validity indices. Each expert independently evaluated the relevance, clarity, representativeness, and professional appropriateness of every item. The review process was conducted iteratively until consensus was achieved regarding the conceptual adequacy of each competency indicator.

During the refinement phase, initial item formulations underwent systematic revision based on critical reviewer feedback. The experts recommended replacing ambiguous terms with standardized operational verbs to enhance measurability and professional clarity. For instance, items were adjusted to integrate managerial elements such as designing and reporting and to clarify referral sources, ensuring that the measured competencies reflect a complete range of professional accountability and systematic clinical practice. Examples of these revisions are presented in Table 4 and demonstrate how expert feedback contributed to improving conceptual precision while maintaining consistency with the underlying competency framework.

Following the expert consensus, a comprehensive readability test was administered to a select group of students possessing demographic and academic characteristics identical to the target population. This stage verified the linguistic structure and sociocultural nuances of the instrument, ensuring it was easily comprehensible to the end-users. Gathering direct feedback allowed researchers to confirm that the items were free from interpretative bias and remained ecologically valid within the Indonesian higher education context.

The final validation strategy employed a robust dual-layered approach that combined theoretical scrutiny from subject-matter experts with student-centered linguistic feedback. This systematic process was intended to ensure that the instrument was fully optimized for large-scale data collection and subsequent psychometric calibration. Because the expert review was designed as an iterative qualitative consensus-building process, quantitative content validity indices (e.g., Aiken’s V, Content Validity Index, or inter-rater agreement coefficients) were not calculated. Instead, content validity was established through documented expert consensus prior to empirical validation using the Rasch Measurement Model. Consequently, the validated scale provides an appropriate methodological foundation for evaluating professional competency using the Rasch Measurement Model.

Following expert review, all 71 items were retained for field testing because each item represented a theoretically important indicator within the proposed seven-domain competency framework. After empirical Rasch calibration, all items continued to demonstrate acceptable overall psychometric performance and contributed to the measurement of the intended latent construct. Therefore, item deletion was considered unnecessary, as removing theoretically meaningful items could reduce the content coverage of the competency framework.

Readability and pilot testing

Following the attainment of expert consensus on item validity, a comprehensive readability assessment was conducted with 10 practicing public senior high school counselors who were not included in the main Rasch validation sample. Participants were purposively selected because they represented the intended target users of the instrument and possessed professional characteristics comparable to those of the study participants. This phase served as a critical bridge between theoretical validation and practical application, ensuring conceptual alignment between the population and the research sample. The primary objective of this assessment was to verify that the linguistic structure and sociocultural nuances of the instrument were readily comprehensible to the end-users, thereby mitigating interpretive bias and establishing ecological validity within the Indonesian educational context. Each participant evaluated the clarity of the instrument using a five-point comprehension scale and provided qualitative feedback regarding wording, terminology, sentence structure, and contextual relevance. Qualitative feedback was reviewed descriptively and categorized into recurring themes, including linguistic clarity, ambiguity, technical terminology, contextual relevance, and professional appropriateness, to identify recurring linguistic and contextual issues requiring revision. Proposed revisions were implemented only when the suggested modifications improved readability while preserving the intended competency construct.

The readability results indicated high overall comprehension rates (ranging from 3 to 5), yet prompted strategic refinements to enhance clarity and measurement precision. Based on counselor feedback, technical jargon and specific Indonesian acronyms, such as “ITP/ATP,” were supplemented with brief descriptors to prevent data measurement errors, while descriptions of complex administrative tasks were simplified to improve readability and reduce respondent fatigue. Furthermore, items were updated to encompass a broader “school authorities” network, strengthening the instrument’s ecological validity by accurately reflecting the hierarchical referral flow in schools. Additional refinements included revising professional terminology to improve conceptual precision, simplifying lengthy statements to enhance readability, and refining operational wording to better reflect contemporary school counseling practice. These revisions were implemented only when participant feedback consistently indicated that the proposed changes improved clarity without altering the conceptual meaning of the items. This dual-layered validation process was intended to ensure that the instrument was fully optimized for large-scale administration and subsequent Rasch Measurement Model analysis.

Participants and data collection

Data collection for this instrumental study officially commenced on 2 February 2025, following the renewal of ethical approval and within its validity period. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling through professional school counselor networks and the Guidance and Counseling Teachers Association (Musyawarah Guru Bimbingan dan Konseling/MGBK). The sampling strategy was adopted to ensure that only actively practicing school counselors who met the professional criteria for instrument validation were included.

A total of 93 practicing school counselors (N = 93) participated in this study. Eligible participants were required to (1) be currently employed as guidance and counseling teachers in Indonesian public senior high schools, (2) actively provide guidance and counseling services, (3) have a minimum of two years of professional experience, and (4) complete all questionnaire items. All submitted questionnaires were screened for completeness before the Rasch analysis. Responses containing missing values or incomplete questionnaire submissions were excluded from the dataset; consequently, all 93 cases included in the final analysis contained complete data, and no data imputation procedures were required.

To enhance the contextual representativeness of the instrument, participants were recruited from the western, central, and eastern regions of Indonesia. Each region was represented by three cities, thereby capturing diverse educational, institutional, and sociocultural contexts in which Indonesian public senior high school counselors perform their professional responsibilities. Although the participants represented different geographical regions, they shared a common institutional context as practicing counselors employed in public senior high schools under the Indonesian national education system.

Demographic analysis of these participants revealed an age range of 24 to 59 years, with a mean age of 34.45 years (SD = 9.40). The sample comprised 17 male (18.3%) and 76 female (81.7%) counselors. Most participants held a bachelor’s degree in Guidance and Counseling, while others possessed master’s qualifications or related educational backgrounds. Participants also represented diverse stages of professional experience, ranging from two to thirty-seven years of service. This demographic diversity provides a reasonable basis for evaluating professional competency across various career stages within the school counseling profession ( Table 1).

Table 1. Demographic profile of the participants (N = 93).

Characteristics	Category	Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Gender	Female	76	81.7%
Gender	Male	17	18.3%
Education Background	Bachelor of Guidance and Counseling	65	69.9%
	Master of Guidance and Counseling	18	19.4%
	Bachelor of Psychology	5	5.4%
	Others	5	5.4%
Age (Years)	Range: 24–59	Mean: 34.45	SD: 9.40

Participation was voluntary and anonymous (Khairun, 2026). Participants were informed about the purpose of the study and the anonymous use of data for research purposes. No personally identifiable information was collected. Responses were coded numerically and prepared in spreadsheet format for Rasch analysis. Prior to analysis, the dataset was screened for consistency before Rasch Measurement Model analysis.

To minimize potential bias, standardized written instructions were provided to all participants, a uniform five-category response format was used, and anonymous participation was maintained to reduce social desirability effects. Post-hoc diagnostic analysis was planned to evaluate potential person misfit during Rash Measurement analysis.

Rasch measurement analysis

Psychometric evaluation was conducted using the Rasch Rating Scale Model implemented in Winsteps version 5.4.0. The Rasch model was selected because it transforms ordinal Likert responses into interval-level measures, estimates item and person parameters on a common logit scale, and provides rigorous evaluation of measurement properties.

Given the uniform five-category response structure across all items, the Rating Scale Model (Andrich model) was applied. The analysis estimated item difficulty parameters, person ability parameters, item and person fit statistics, reliability indices, separation indices, and Principal Components Analysis of Residuals (PCAR). All 71 items were retained for analysis.

Item fit was evaluated using Infit and Outfit Mean Square statistics. Acceptable fit was defined as MNSQ values between 0.50 and 1.50 and standardized fit statistics within ±2.0. Measurement precision was examined through person reliability, item reliability, person separation index, and item separation index. Unidimensionality was assessed using Principal Components Analysis of Residuals. The raw variance explained by measures was 53.4%, and the unexplained variance in the first contrast was 6.7%, indicating the presence of a dominant latent construct despite the multidomain conceptual structure.

Category functioning was evaluated through category frequency distribution, average measures across categories, and threshold ordering. The five-category Likert scale demonstrated ordered thresholds, indicating appropriate category progression.

Results

Descriptive overview of the instrument structure

The instrument consisted of 71 favorable items distributed across seven theoretically defined domains of professional competency in school counselors, as detailed in the instrument blueprint ( Table 2). The final version was refined through a panel of three experts whose profiles are detailed in the Rater Committee ( Table 3). This process involved significant linguistic and conceptual adjustments, which are documented in the Original and Revised Versions ( Table 4) and the Matrix of Counselor Feedback and Linguistic Refinements ( Table 5). Participants responded to the items using a five-category Likert scale, with the response options and their corresponding statistical interpretations defined in the Scoring Guidelines ( Table 6).

Table 2. Instrument blueprint of the multidimensional school counselor professional competency instrument.

No	Domain	Indicator	Item	Total
1.	Assessment of Student Potential, Characteristics, and Environment	a. Developing non-test instruments	1	1
		b. Analyzing test and non-test data	2	1
		c. Utilizing Developmental Task Inventory (DTI/ITP)	3	1
		d. Developing cumulative record formats	4	1
		e. Interpreting and explaining psychological test results	5	1
		f. Utilizing student data for school program development	6	1
		g. Utilizing student data for placement	7	1
		h. Utilizing student data for career guidance	8	1
		i. Assisting teachers through student data utilization	9	1
		j. Providing individual and group interventions	10	1
2.	Development of Guidance and Counseling Program	a. Designing school-wide guidance and counseling programs	11, 12	2
2.	Development of Guidance and Counseling Program	b. Developing operational action plans	13, 14, 15	3
3.	Implementation of Guidance and Counseling Services	a. Delivering core/basic services	16, 17, 18	3
		b. Delivering responsive services	19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34	16
		c. Utilizing media and technology	35, 36	2
		d. Establishing partnerships	37, 38	2
		e. Participatory duties	39, 40	2
4.	Evaluation of Guidance and Counseling Programs	a. Conducting process and outcome evaluations	41, 42	2
4.	Evaluation of Guidance and Counseling Programs	b. Executing program accountability	43	1
5.	Supervision of Pre-service Counselor Training	a. Implementing supervision programs	44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49	6
5.	Supervision of Pre-service Counselor Training	b. Evaluation and follow-up	50, 51, 52	3
6.	Continuous Professional Development	a. Professional community involvement	53, 54, 55	3
		b. Advanced studies	56, 57	2
		c. Professional training and workshops	58, 59, 60	3
		d. Utilizing scientific and public forums	61, 62	2
		e. Research and scholarly works	63, 64, 65	3
7.	Collaborative Engagement in Co-curricular Programs	a. Program planning and development	66, 67	2
		b. Mentoring personal development	68, 69	2
		c. Character and value development	70, 71	2
		Total		71

Table 3. Profiles and expertise of expert committee for content validation.

No	Education	Gender	Age and work experience	Expertise	Affiliation
1	Prof., Dr., M.Pd.	Male	60/35	Proficiency in psychometrics	Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
2	Dr., M.Pd.	Male	37/11	Expertise in guidance and counselling supervision	Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
3	Dr., M.Pd.	Female	54/9	Professional development in guidance and counseling	Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Table 4. Original and revised versions of school counselor professional competency instrument.

Item no.	Domain/indicator	Initial item formulation	Expert reviewer feedback	Refined item	Refinement rationale
1	Assessment of student potential, characteristics, and environment/Developing non-test instruments.	Conducting tests and non-tests to identify student problems at school.	The word “conducting” is too general.	Administering psychological tests and developing non-test instruments to collect data on individual student potential, characteristics, and their environment.	Integrating non-test instrument development and environmental factors to ensure assessment competence covers more systemic and contextual data collection.
15	Development of guidance and counseling program/Developing operational action plans	Informing school members about the guidance and counseling activity schedule so they know when it takes place.	The phrasing remains too informative and fails to demonstrate specific professional managerial actions.	Promoting and coordinating the implementation schedule of guidance and counseling program.	Integrating advocacy and systematic organization aspects through the use of more standardized and measurable operational verbs.
21	Implementation of guidance and counseling services/Delivering responsive services	Conducting home visits to provide assistance to students in need.	Your initial phrasing tends to focus only on technical implementation without demonstrating a complete range of professional accountability.	Designing, implementing, and reporting on home visits to understand or assist specific student cases.	Integrating managerial elements (designing and reporting) into operational actions to ensure the measured competence covers systematic and accountable practice standards.
23	Implementation of guidance and counseling services/Delivering responsive services	Assisting in handling students with problems based on reports from school authorities or parents.	The initial phrasing is too general and does not describe systematic clinical or pedagogical work stages.	Receiving and analyzing referrals from teachers or parents and providing appropriate interventions.	Operationalizing performance verbs and clarifying referral sources so that the measured competence can be evaluated more objectively and structurally.
51	Supervision of pre-service counselor training/Evaluation and follow-up	Checking guidance and counseling program implementation reports prepared by staff.	The item phrasing needs to be more operational and demonstrate the supervisor’s active role in the document preparation guidance process.	Guiding the supervisee in designing implementation reports for the guidance and counseling programs they conducted.	Increasing competency accuracy from mere result-checking to strategic guidance actions during the report design stage.
65	Continous professional development/Research and scholarly works	Capable of independently conducting action research in guidance and counseling.	This phrasing is very comprehensive in describing the workflow, but is technically double-barreled as it combines four different activities into one statement.	Developing, implementing, and reporting on Action Research in Counseling and presenting findings in scientific forums.	Delineating behavioral indicators specifically from planning to dissemination to ensure the measured competency standards become more concrete and observable.

Table 5. Matrix of counselor feedback and linguistic refinements (readability phase).

Item no	Reader ID	Comprehension Rate (1–5)	Initial counselor feedback & comprehension notes	Refinement action/observation	Ecological & face validity impact
1	R1	5 (Very Clear)	The phrase “administering psychological tests” is highly appropriate as it distinguishes our professional role from general teaching staff.	Retained the technical terminology to maintain professional standards	Strengthens the face validity of the instrument as a specialized professional tool.
4	R2	4 (Clear)	“Cumulative data formats” is clear, but some younger counselors might confuse it with digital databases versus physical folders.	Added a note to include both digital and physical formats during the instrument briefing.	Ensures the item is contextually relevant to schools with varying levels of digitalization.
3	R3	3 (Neutral)	Using specific acronyms like “ITP/ATP” (Inventory of Developmental Tasks) might be confusing for those not trained in these specific Indonesian tools.	Decided to keep the acronyms but provided brief descriptors in parentheses for clarity.	Increases linguistic precision and prevents data measurement errors due to jargon.
15	R4	5 (Very Clear)	“Promoting and coordinating” perfectly captures the proactive nature of modern BK management compared to just “informing.”	Phrasing finalized; no further linguistic adjustment needed.	Reflects the transition from a passive service to an active leadership role in schools.
21	R5	3 (Neutral)	The combination of “designing, implementing, and reporting” home visits in one sentence feels wordy and implies a heavy administrative load.	Simplified the sentence structure while maintaining the three-stage accountability process.	Improves readability and prevents “respondent fatigue” when answering long items.
23	R6	4 (Clear)	Suggests that “referral cases” should explicitly include those from the school principal, not just teachers and parents.	Updated the item to include “school authorities” to encompass a broader referral network.	Enhances ecological validity by reflecting the actual hierarchical referral flow in schools
8	R7	5 (Very Clear)	Using student data for “career guidance” is a very high-frequency task that resonates well with high school counselors.	Retained as a “high-resonance” item for the career counseling indicator.	Solidifies the contextual validity of the instrument for secondary education settings.
5	R8	4 (Clear)	“Interpreting data to relevant parties” raised a question about confidentiality; who are the “relevant parties”?	Refined the wording to “authorized stakeholders” to imply adherence to the code of ethics.	Safeguards professional ethics within the competency measurement framework.
6	R9	5 (Very Clear)	Linking student data to “school program development” shows that BK is not an isolated island but part of the school system.	No adjustments needed; the operational verb is well-received.	Demonstrates the systemic impact of BK services on the broader educational environment.
10	R10	3 (Neutral)	The term “assistance” (bantuan) was felt to be too “charity-based” rather than “empowerment-based.”	Changed “providing assistance” to “facilitating interventions” to reflect a more modern pedagogical approach.	Shifts the perspective from reactive help to proactive, professional psychological intervention.

Table 6. Scoring guidelines for school counselor professional competency instrument.

Response options	Favorable	Statistical interpretation
Always	5	Highly Competent
Often	4	Competent
Sometimes	3	Moderately Competent
Rarely	2	Partially Competent
Never	1	Incompetent/Not yet Competent

Overall model fit and measurement summary

The Rasch calibration produced a well-targeted measurement structure with item difficulty centered at 0.00 logits (SD = 0.76). Item fit statistics showed a mean Infit MNSQ of 0.98 (SD = 0.31) and mean Outfit MNSQ of 1.05 (SD = 0.45), indicating overall conformity to model expectations. As shown in Figure 1, most items fell within acceptable fit criteria (0.50–1.50 MNSQ). Although several items showed elevated ZSTD values due to sample sensitivity, their MNSQ values remained within tolerable ranges, supporting retention of all 71 items. Elevated standardized fit statistics were interpreted cautiously because ZSTD values are highly sensitive to sample size and may indicate statistically significant but practically trivial deviations from model expectations. Since the corresponding Infit and Outfit Mean Square statistics remained within the predefined acceptable range and the affected items represented theoretically essential competency indicators, item revision or deletion was not considered warranted at this stage.

Figure 1. Rasch reliability and measurement summary of the instrument.

This figure presents the overall Rasch calibration statistics, including mean measures, standard deviations, and reliability indices.

Unidimensionality evidence

Unidimensionality was evaluated using Principal Components Analysis of Residuals (PCAR), with results presented in Table 7.

Table 7. Construct validity of school counselor professional competency instrument based on Rasch unidimensionality analysis.

UNDIMENSIONALITY
Table of STANDARDIZED RESIDUAL
variance (in Eigenvalue units)
	Empirical			Model
Total raw variance in observations	152.5	100.0%		100.0%
Raw variance explained by measures	81.5	53.4%		53.5%
Raw variance explained by persons	31.1	20.4%		20.5%
Raw Variance explained by items	50.3	33.0%		33.1%
Raw unexplained variance (total)	71.0	46.6%	100.0%	46.5%
Unexplained variance in 1^st contrast	10.3	6.7%	14.5%
Unexplained variance in 2^nd contrast	9.0	5.9%	12.6%
Unexplained variance in 3^rd contrast	4.5	2.9%	6.3%
Unexplained variance in 4^th contrast	3.4	2.3%	4.8%
Unexplained variance in 5^th contrast	3.2	2.1%	4.4%

Key indicators were:

a. Raw variance explained by measures = 53.4%
b. Unexplained variance in first contrast = 6.7%

These findings support the presence of a strong primary latent construct underlying the instrument despite its seven-domain theoretical structure. Although the instrument was intentionally developed as a hierarchical multidimensional framework comprising seven theoretically distinct but conceptually related competency domains, the residual structure identified through PCAR is interpreted as reflecting meaningful domain-specific variation rather than separate independent constructs. Accordingly, the seven domains function as substantively distinct yet statistically integrated components of an overarching professional competency construct, supporting the use of the instrument as a practically unidimensional Rasch measure while preserving the substantive interpretation of its multidimensional theoretical framework.

Item difficulty distribution across domains

Item difficulty ranged from −1.68 logits to +1.71 logits, as documented in the Distribution of Item Difficulty Levels ( Table 8). The most difficult items (e.g., items 55, 64 and 65) were primarily located in supervision of pre-service counselor training, research activities, professional leadership roles. Conversely, the easiest items (e.g., items 8, 18, and 23) were concentrated in basic assessment utilization, routine implementation of counseling services, and administrative documentation tasks.

Table 8. Distribution of item difficulty levels based on Rasch measurement analysis.

Entry number	Measure	Infit		Outfit		Pt-Me Corr,
Entry number	Measure	MNSQ	ZSTD	MNSQ	ZSTD	Pt-Me Corr,	Interpretation
55	1,71	1,76	3,7	2,62	5	0,51	Very Difficult
64	1,67	1,41	2,2	1,52	2,1	0,62	Very Difficult
65	1,39	1,61	3,5	1,66	2,9	0,57	Very Difficult
63	1,36	1,29	1,8	1,18	0,9	0,64	Very Difficult
52	1,02	1,57	3,7	1,32	1,8	0,61	Very Difficult
28	0,97	0,97	-0,2	1,09	0,6	0,63	Very Difficult
48	0,9	1,08	0,6	1,09	0,6	0,66	Very Difficult
51	0,87	1,17	1,3	1,03	0,2	0,66	Very Difficult
57	0,87	1,59	3,9	1,77	3,8	0,5	Very Difficult
49	0,84	1,22	1,6	1,05	0,4	0,63	Very Difficult
59	0,83	1,08	0,6	1,11	0,7	0,63	Very Difficult
47	0,82	1,46	3,1	1,25	1,4	0,61	Very Difficult
44	0,78	1,37	2,6	1,18	1,1	0,59	Very Difficult
62	0,75	0,79	−1,7	0,81	−1,1	0,66	Difficult
66	0,74	0,87	−1	0,81	−1,1	0,64	Difficult
45	0,71	1,46	3,2	1,25	1,4	0,58	Difficult
58	0,7	0,82	−1,4	0,85	−0,9	0,65	Difficult
53	0,64	1,31	2,2	1,33	1,8	0,59	Difficult
61	0,61	0,85	−1,2	0,8	−1,2	0,65	Difficult
50	0,54	0,97	−0,2	0,86	−0,8	0,62	Difficult
46	0,52	1,38	2,6	1,21	1,2	0,57	Difficult
67	0,46	0,79	−1,6	0,68	−1,9	0,65	Difficult
68	0,42	0,91	−0,6	0,78	−1,3	0,6	Difficult
69	0,39	1,02	0,2	0,88	−0,6	0,59	Difficult
70	0,38	1,02	0,2	0,9	−0,5	0,57	Difficult
3	0,36	1,75	4,6	1,9	3,9	0,35	Difficult
71	0,36	0,92	−0,5	0,77	−1,3	0,61	Difficult
24	0,32	0,84	−1,2	0,97	−0,1	0,54	Difficult
14	0,25	0,42	−5,4	0,64	−2	0,63	Difficult
41	0,15	0,63	−2,9	0,61	−2,2	0,62	Difficult
40	0,1	0,92	−0,5	0,9	−0,4	0,58	Difficult
43	0,08	0,38	−5,6	0,41	−3,7	0,69	Difficult
42	0,06	0,73	−2	0,65	−1,9	0,61	Difficult
17	0,04	0,61	−3	0,93	−0,2	0,55	Difficult
38	0,02	0,45	−4,6	0,47	−3,1	0,67	Difficult
29	0,01	0,78	−1,5	0,71	−1,5	0,59	Difficult
60	−0,12	0,97	−0,1	0,93	−0,3	0,45	Difficult
32	−0,17	1,15	0,9	0,99	0	0,48	Easy
33	−0,19	0,82	−1,1	0,79	−0,9	0,55	Easy
13	−0,21	0,72	−1,8	0,69	−1,5	0,56	Easy
54	−0,24	0,84	−1	0,76	−1	0,55	Easy
56	−0,28	1,55	2,8	1,87	3	0,37	Easy
15	−0,3	0,71	−1,9	0,73	−1,2	0,5	Easy
5	−0,31	0,87	−0,7	0,99	0	0,49	Easy
12	−0,32	0,68	−2,1	0,69	−1,4	0,51	Easy
22	−0,32	0,7	−1,9	0,7	−1,3	0,54	Easy
7	−0,34	1,59	3	1,47	1,8	0,36	Easy
30	−0,35	0,81	−1,1	0,72	−1,2	0,53	Easy
36	−0,37	0,91	−0,5	0,84	−0,6	0,49	Easy
39	−0,44	0,58	−2,7	0,61	−1,7	0,55	Easy
34	−0,46	0,87	−0,7	0,85	−0,5	0,46	Easy
1	−0,49	1,03	0,2	1,19	0,8	0,46	Easy
2	−0,49	0,81	−1	2,64	4,6	0,44	Easy
9	−0,52	0,93	−0,3	1,93	2,9	0,33	Easy
10	−0,54	0,75	−1,4	1,79	2,6	0,42	Easy
11	−0,59	0,67	−1,9	0,61	−1,6	0,5	Easy
31	−0,66	0,89	−0,6	0,79	−0,7	0,46	Easy
4	−0,72	1,08	0,4	1,54	1,8	0,26	Easy
37	−0,76	0,84	−0,8	0,78	−0,8	0,46	Easy
35	−0,78	1,07	0,4	1,25	0,9	0,33	Very Easy
16	−0,82	0,69	−1,7	0,61	−1,5	0,53	Very Easy
6	−0,9	1,06	0,4	1,55	1,7	0,32	Very Easy
27	−0,93	0,73	−1,4	0,67	−1,1	0,45	Very Easy
25	−0,95	0,93	−0,3	0,88	−0,3	0,43	Very Easy
20	−1,07	1,04	0,3	1,12	0,5	0,37	Very Easy
26	−1,07	0,64	−1,9	0,55	−1,6	0,51	Very Easy
21	−1,09	0,77	−1,1	0,79	−0,6	0,41	Very Easy
19	−1,31	0,92	−0,3	0,94	−0,1	0,33	Very Easy
23	−1,37	0,81	−0,9	0,78	−0,6	0,38	Very Easy
18	−1,43	1,19	0,9	1,45	1,3	0,25	Very Easy
8	−1,68	0,8	−0,9	1,2	0,6	0,29	Very Easy
MEAN	0	0,98	−0,2	1,05	0,1
S,D,	0,76	0,31	2,1	0,45	1,7

This distribution indicates that advanced professional engagement (e.g., research publication, structured supervision, leadership in professional organizations) represents higher levels of the latent trait, whereas operational service delivery reflects foundational competency. The item hierarchy therefore mirrors developmental progression within the profession.

Wright map interpretation

The Wright Map ( Figure 2) presents the joint distribution of person ability and item difficulty on the same logit scale.

Figure 2. Wright map of school counselor professional competency.

Key observations:

a. Person measures were generally well-targeted to item difficulty range.
b. The mean person ability was slightly higher than item mean (0 logits), indicating that respondents overall demonstrated moderate-to-high professional competence.
c. Items representing Domains 5, 6, and 7 were clustered at higher logit levels, confirming that supervision, research engagement, and systemic collaboration function as advanced competence indicators.
d. Items from Domains 1–3 were more evenly distributed across mid-level logits, reflecting core operational practice.

The Wright Map demonstrates adequate coverage of the latent continuum without major ceiling or floor effects.

This figure illustrates the distribution of person ability and item difficulty on the same logit scale. Higher logit values represent more advanced competencies, while lower logit values reflect foundational counseling practices.

Rating scale functioning

Category functioning diagnostics are displayed in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Analysis showed:

a. All five categories were utilized.
b. Average measures advanced monotonically across categories.
c. Thresholds were properly ordered.

Figure 3. Category functioning and rating scale diagnostics.

Figure 4. Probability curves for rating scale categories.

These findings indicate that respondents meaningfully differentiated between response categories, and the five-point Likert structure functioned as intended. The scale progression reflects increasing behavioral frequency of authentic professional practice.

This figure shows that average measures increase monotonically across categories and that thresholds are properly ordered, indicating appropriate functioning of the five-point Likert scale.

This plot displays distinct peaks for each response category, indicating effective differentiation among the five Likert scale options without significant overlap.

Reliability and separation indices

Reliability results are summarized in Figure 1. The analysis demonstrated:

a. High item reliability (indicating stable item hierarchy)
b. Adequate person reliability (indicating consistent ordering of respondents)
c. Satisfactory separation indices for both persons and items

The instrument was therefore capable of distinguishing multiple strata of professional competency among school counselors.

Construct validity synthesis

Taken together, strong variance explained (53.4%), low first contrast (6.7%), acceptable item fit, ordered rating scale structure, adequate reliability and separation, and a theoretically coherent item hierarchy across seven domains provide converging evidence that the instrument provides evidence of:

a. Preliminary evidence of structural validity
b. Internal construct coherence
c. Satisfactory measurement precision
d. Functional multidimensional integration within a dominant latent construct

The seven domains operate as theoretically meaningful facets while remaining statistically unified within a single Rasch-calibrated measurement framework.

Discussion

This study advances the measurement of professional competency in school counselors by integrating regulatory mandates and contemporary theoretical expansions into a Rasch-calibrated framework. Although the instrument was theoretically structured across seven domains, Rasch principal component analysis of residuals demonstrated a dominant latent construct, with variance explained exceeding recommended criteria and first-contrast residual variance well below critical thresholds (Boone et al., 2013; Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015). Nevertheless, the first-contrast eigenvalue suggests that a degree of residual multidimensionality remains among subsets of items. Given that the instrument was intentionally constructed to represent seven theoretically related competency domains, this residual structure is interpreted as reflecting meaningful domain-specific variation rather than evidence of separate independent constructs. Accordingly, the Rasch results support the use of the instrument as a practically unidimensional Rasch measure for calibration purposes while preserving the conceptual multidimensionality of the proposed competency framework. These findings indicate that the proposed competency framework is best understood as a hierarchical multidimensional construct in which seven theoretically distinct but conceptually interrelated domains collectively represent an overarching professional competency construct. Rather than functioning as statistically independent dimensions, each domain contributes to a common latent variable that reflects counselors’ overall professional competency. These findings therefore provide preliminary empirical support for conceptualizing professional competency as an integrated and hierarchically organized capability while acknowledging the presence of theoretically meaningful multidimensionality across competency domains in applied educational settings (Bernard & Goodyear, 2014; Kaslow, 2004).

The hierarchical ordering of item difficulty offers substantive theoretical insight. Foundational practices such as routine assessment and implementation of counseling services were positioned at lower logit levels, whereas supervision of trainees, engagement in research and scholarly production, and leadership within professional communities were located at higher levels. This ordering aligns with competency-based supervision frameworks that conceptualize professional growth as developmental progression from operational proficiency toward reflective, supervisory, and systemic expertise (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019; Borders, 2014, 2019). It also reinforces the view that sustainable professional competency requires more than technical service delivery, encompassing mentorship, reflective practice, and institutional collaboration (Luke & Bernard, 2006; Stoll et al., 2006).

Methodologically, the study contributes by applying the Rasch Measurement Model to provide evidence regarding item hierarchy, construct validity, rating scale functioning, and measurement precision beyond conventional indices of internal consistency (Bond, 2015; Boone et al., 2013; Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015).

Rather than demonstrating comprehensive instrument validity, however, Rasch analysis should be interpreted as providing substantial evidence of internal measurement quality that complements broader sources of validity evidence. Recent psychometric literature emphasizes that Rasch-based validation is one component of an ongoing validation process and should be supported by external validity evidence, cross-validation in independent samples, and replication across diverse educational contexts before broad implementation (Asrijanty, 2026; Peeters & Augustine, 2023).

The Rasch validation process adopted in this study followed a sequential psychometric evaluation comprising rating scale functioning, item and person fit analysis, reliability and separation indices, Wright map interpretation, and Principal Components Analysis of Residuals (PCAR) (Peeters & Augustine, 2023). Each analytical component served a distinct purpose within the validation process. Rating scale analysis examined whether respondents used the five response categories as intended; item and person fit statistics evaluated consistency between observed responses and model expectations; reliability and separation indices assessed the precision and discriminatory capacity of the instrument; the Wright map examined the alignment between respondent competency and item difficulty; and PCAR evaluated whether the theoretically multidimensional framework functioned as a dominant latent construct suitable for Rasch measurement (Cruchinho et al., 2024; Ho et al., 2020). Collectively, these complementary procedures provide evidence regarding response category functioning, internal measurement quality, hierarchical item calibration, and dimensional structure, thereby offering a more comprehensive psychometric evaluation than reliance on conventional reliability coefficients alone (Asrijanty, 2026; Mui Lim et al., 2009).

The inclusion of supervision of trainees, continuous professional development, and collaborative engagement extends traditional regulatory frameworks that often prioritize programmatic implementation alone. Contemporary scholarship increasingly emphasizes that professional competency must incorporate supervisory alliance, reflective capacity, and systemic integration within educational ecosystems (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019; Borders, 2014; Luke & Bernard, 2006). By empirically demonstrating that these domains function as higher-order indicators within a unified competency continuum, the present findings support the interpretation that professional competency should not be viewed as a collection of isolated competencies but rather as a hierarchical multidimensional construct represented by a dominant latent variable. This conceptualization reconciles the theoretical multidimensionality of counselor competency with the empirical requirement for unidimensional measurement within the Rasch Measurement Model. The present study therefore provides preliminary empirical support for a more holistic and sustainability-oriented model of counselor professionalism (Kaslow, 2004; Stoll et al., 2006).

The novelty of this work lies in three interrelated contributions. First, it operationalizes a regulatory-theoretical synthesis into a coherent measurement architecture rather than assessing fragmented skill domains. Second, it empirically provides evidence of hierarchical integration of advanced professional roles within a single latent construct. Third, it applies Rasch modeling to establish interval-level measurement and hierarchical calibration, thereby strengthening the precision and policy relevance of competency assessment (Bond, 2015; Boone et al., 2013; Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015). In doing so, the study responds to calls for more rigorous, competency-based supervision research grounded in robust psychometric methodology (Bernard & Goodyear, 2019; Borders, 2019).

Several limitations warrant consideration. The cross-sectional design and moderate sample size limit generalizability of the present findings, although Rasch estimation has been shown to provide stable internal calibration under similar conditions (Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2015). In addition, professional competency was assessed exclusively through self-reported responses, which may be susceptible to social desirability bias and self-perception bias. Consequently, the findings should be interpreted as reflecting participants’ perceived professional competency rather than objectively observed professional performance. Future research should therefore complement self-report measures with multiple sources of evidence, such as supervisor evaluations, peer assessments, direct observation of counseling practice, or professional portfolio reviews, to strengthen the external validity and practical interpretability of the instrument. Furthermore, content validation was established through qualitative expert consensus rather than quantitative content validity indices. Although this iterative review process strengthened conceptual alignment and item refinement before Rasch calibration, future studies should complement expert judgment with quantitative evidence, such as Aiken’s V, the Content Validity Index (CVI), or inter-rater agreement coefficients, to provide additional evidence regarding the relevance and representativeness of the instrument content. In addition, Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis was not performed in the present study. Consequently, the equivalence of item functioning across participant characteristics, including gender, educational background, certification status, and professional experience, was not evaluated. Future studies should incorporate DIF analysis to examine measurement invariance across relevant respondent groups before the instrument is applied in broader educational contexts. Further analysis of differential item functioning and longitudinal sensitivity would strengthen evidence of invariance and developmental responsiveness (Bond, 2015; Boone et al., 2013).

Overall, the findings provide encouraging psychometric evidence supporting the proposed competency framework and its potential application in counselor supervision, professional development, and educational evaluation. Nevertheless, these applications should be interpreted cautiously because the present study represents an initial Rasch validation conducted within a single educational context involving practicing public senior high school counselors in Indonesia. Accordingly, the hierarchical item structure, construct interpretation, and potential policy applications should be regarded as preliminary evidence requiring confirmation through external validation studies, independent sample replication, and cross-context investigations. Consistent with contemporary psychometric recommendations, broader implementation should be supported by additional evidence from external validation studies, independent sample replication, and cross-context investigations before the instrument is adopted for high-stakes educational decision-making (Asrijanty, 2026; Bernard & Goodyear, 2019; Cruchinho et al., 2024).

Conclusion

This study developed and Rasch-validated a multidimensional instrument for measuring professional competency in school counselors. The findings provide preliminary Rasch-based evidence supporting the internal measurement quality of the proposed instrument’s internal measurement quality, including preliminary evidence of structural validity, coherent hierarchical calibration, appropriate rating scale functioning, and satisfactory reliability and separation indices within the present sample. Although conceptually organized into seven domains, the instrument was intentionally developed as a hierarchical multidimensional framework in which each domain represents a distinct aspect of professional competency while contributing to an overarching competency construct. The Rasch Measurement Model provided evidence that these theoretically distinct domains operate empirically as indicators of a dominant latent construct, supporting the interpretation of professional competency as an integrated and hierarchically structured capability rather than a collection of isolated skills.

The calibrated item hierarchy indicates that foundational counseling practices represent core competence, while supervision, scholarly engagement, and systemic collaboration function as higher levels of professional competency. This structure provides a scalable framework for assessing developmental progression within the profession.

Beyond preliminary psychometric evidence, the instrument offers practical utility for informing supervision systems, professional development pathways, certification benchmarks, and policy evaluation. Nevertheless, these applications should be interpreted as potential uses pending further cross-context validation, external validity studies, differential item functioning analysis, and longitudinal evaluation across broader educational settings. Following further validation, the instrument may provide a standardized reference framework for competency-based school counseling systems.

The principal contribution of this study lies in the development of a Rasch-calibrated hierarchical multidimensional competency framework that integrates Indonesian regulatory standards with contemporary theoretical perspectives on school counselor professionalism into a single psychometrically evaluated instrument. By conceptualizing seven competency domains as interrelated indicators of an overarching professional competency construct, this study provides an initial framework for competency assessment that can inform future research, supervision, and professional development while requiring further validation across broader educational contexts.

Declaration of funding (acknowledgment)

The authors wish to express their highest appreciation and profound gratitude to the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, through the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), as well as to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, through the Center for Higher Education Funding and Assessment (PPAPT) and the Indonesian Education Scholarship (BPI) program, for the financial support, facilitation, and sponsorship provided throughout the publication process of this research.

Ethics and consent

This study was conducted in accordance with international ethical standards for research involving human subjects. Ethical approval was formally granted by the Research Ethics Committee of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (Approval Nos. 9403/UN40.A1.1/TD.07/2024 and 1391/UN40.A1.07/2025). The initial approval was valid from 1 September 2024 to 31 January 2025 and was subsequently renewed for the period from 1 February 2025 to 31 August 2025. Data collection commenced on 2 February 2025, fully within the validity period of the renewed ethical approval. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and all data were treated confidentially and used solely for research purposes.

Data availability

OSF: Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CJBXR (Khairun, 2026). This project contains the following underlying data:

• A Data Recapitulation of 93 School Counselors Who Have Completed School Counselor Professional Competency Instrument.xlsx: This file contains the anonymized raw response data from 93 practicing school counselors in Indonesia.

Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero “No rights reserved” data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).

Extended data

OSF: Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CJBXR (Khairun, 2026).

This project contains the following extended data:

• School Counselor Professional Competency Instrument.pdf: The full version of the validated 71-item Professional Competency Scale for School Counselors.
• Ethical approval certificate No. 9403 (valid from 1 September 2024 to 31 January 2025).
• Ethical approval certificate No. 1391 (valid from 1 February 2025 to 31 August 2025).
• README.txt: Documentation providing a detailed overview of the folder structure, data dictionary, and licensing information for the project.

Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC-BY 4.0).

References

Areskoug-Josefsson K, Rolander B: Value of Performing a Rasch Analysis on a Reliable and Valid Instrument—Case Study of the SA-SH. Journal of Nursing Measurement. 2020; 28(2): 322–342. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Asrijanty: Applying the Rasch Model as a Diagnostic Tool for Rating Scale Refinement. JP3I (Jurnal Pengukuran Psikologi Dan Pendidikan Indonesia). 2026; 15(1): 134–155. Publisher Full Text
Bernard JM, Goodyear RK: Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision. Pearson Education; 2014.
Bernard JM, Goodyear RK: Fundamentals of clinical supervision. 6th ed.Pearson; 2019.
Bond T: Applying the Rasch Model. Routledge; 2015. Publisher Full Text
Boone WJ, Staver JR, Yale MS: Rasch analysis in the human sciences. Springer; 2013.
Borders LD: Best Practices in Clinical Supervision: Another Step in Delineating Effective Supervision Practice. American Journal of Psychotherapy. 2014; 68(2): 151–162. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Borders LD: Science of Learning: Evidence-Based Teaching in the Clinical Supervision Classroom. Counselor Education and Supervision. 2019; 58(1): 64–79. Publisher Full Text
Carney MB, Cavey L, Hughes G: Assessing Teacher Attentiveness to Student Mathematical Thinking: Validity Claims and Evidence. The Elementary School Journal. 2017; 118(2): 281–309. Publisher Full Text
Cruchinho P, López-Franco MD, Capelas ML, et al.: Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Validation of Measurement Instruments: A Practical Guideline for Novice Researchers. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 2024; 17: 2701–2728. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
Geesa RL, Elam NP, Quick MM, et al.: Leading and supporting school counselors through evaluation systems: A national study. Psychology in the Schools. 2024; 61(3): 1090–1115. Publisher Full Text
Ho SY, Phua K, Wong L, et al.: Extensions of the External Validation for Checking Learned Model Interpretability and Generalizability. Patterns. 2020; 1(8): 100129. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
Im G-H, Shin D, Cheng L: Critical review of validation models and practices in language testing: their limitations and future directions for validation research. Language Testing in Asia. 2019; 9(1): 14. Publisher Full Text
Kang M, Kim H, Kim M: Applying the Rasch model to sport management research: the case of the psychological capital questionnaire for sport employees. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing. 2021; 21(3/4): 172. Publisher Full Text
Kaslow NJ: Competencies in Professional Psychology. Am. Psychol. 2004; 59(8): 774–781. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Khairun DY: Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument. [Dataset]. OSF. 2026. Publisher Full Text
Khairun DY, Taufiq A, Yustiana YR, et al.: A Bibliometric Review of Counselors’ Professional Competency Literature. The Eurasia Proceedings of Educational and Social Sciences. 2025a; 125–145.
Khairun DY, Taufiq A, Yustiana YR, et al.: Trends of Professional Competencies on Guidance and Counseling Teachers: A Survey in Indonesia. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan. 2025b; 17(3). Publisher Full Text
Kivlighan DM: Structural changes in counselor trainee intention use and clients’ session evaluation. Psychotherapy Research. 2008; 18(5): 560–572. Publisher Full Text
Linacre JM: Winsteps® Rasch measurement computer program user’s guide. Winstep.com; 2016.
Littrell LJM, Lee-Borden N, Lorenz J: A Developmental Framework for Counseling Supervision. Counselor Education and Supervision. 1976; 19(2): 129–136. Publisher Full Text
Luke M, Bernard JM: The School Counseling Supervision Model: An Extension of the Discrimination Model. Counselor Education and Supervision. 2006; 45(4): 282–295. Publisher Full Text
Mislevy RJ: How Developments in Psychology and Technology Challenge Validity Argumentation. Journal of Educational Measurement. 2016; 53(3): 265–292. Publisher Full Text
Mui Lim S, Rodger S, Brown T: Using Rasch analysis to establish the construct validity of rehabilitation assessment tools. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. 2009; 16(5): 251–260. Publisher Full Text
Nuryanto IL, Kurniawan DE, Dzulkurnain MI: Identification Of Competencies And Professionalism Of Guidance And Counseling Teachers: A Case Study In Indonesia. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences (PJLSS). 2024; 22(1). Publisher Full Text
Peeters MJ, Augustine JM: Using Rasch measurement for instrument rating scale refinement. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning. 2023; 15(1): 110–118. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
Permendikbud Tentang Bimbingan Dan Konseling Pada Pendidikan Dasar Dan Pendidikan Menengah, Pub. L. 111: 2014.
Phipps J: The validation of two L2 self-efficacy instruments using Rasch analysis. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. 2023; 2(3): 100084. Publisher Full Text
Remley TP Jr, Herlihy B: Ethical, legal, and professional issues in counseling. 3rd ed.Merrill; 2010.
Rice LN, Furr S: The role of gatekeeping in counselor education. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory & Research. 2013; 40(1): 28–38.
Ridley CR, Mollen D, Console K, et al.: Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Construct in Search of Operationalization. The Counseling Psychologist. 2021; 49(4): 504–533. Publisher Full Text
Riggs DW, Bartholomaeus C: Australian mental health professionals’ competencies for working with trans clients: a comparative study. Psychology & Sexuality. 2016; 7(3): 225–238. Publisher Full Text
Stolenberg DC, McNeill B: IDM Supervision: An integrative developmental model for supervising counselors & therapists. 3rd ed.Routledge; 2010.
Stoll L, Bolam R, McMahon A, et al.: Professional Learning Communities: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Educational Change. 2006; 7(4): 221–258. Publisher Full Text
Sumintono B, Widhiarso W: Aplikasi pemodelan rasch pada assessment pendidikan. Trim Komunikata; 2015.
Vivekananda K, Bamford H, Allen C, et al.: A trial to address the complex needs of counselling helpline callers. Advances in Mental Health. 2021; 19(2): 152–163. Publisher Full Text
Young TL, Lambie GW, Hutchinson T, et al.: The Integration of Reflectivity in Developmental Supervision: Implications for Clinical Supervisors. The Clinical Supervisor. 2011; 30(1): 1–18. Publisher Full Text
Yudha ES, Taufiq A, Sunarya Y: Collaborative counseling supervision model: implications for the mental well-being and professionalism of novice counselors. Proceedings of Annual Guidance and Counseling Academic Forum. 2024; 230–233.
Yuwono I, Utomo U: Enhancing Learning Processes: The Impact of Guidance and Counseling Programs on Visually Impaired High School Students. Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment. 2023; 11(3): 157–166. Publisher Full Text
Zabek F, Lyons MD, Alwani N, et al.: Roles and Functions of School Mental Health Professionals Within Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems. School Mental Health. 2023; 15(1): 1–18. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
Zaporozhets O, Fox CM, Beltyukova SA, et al.: Refining Change Measure With the Rasch Model. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development. 2015; 48(1): 59–74. Publisher Full Text

Grant information

The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.

© 2026 Khairun DY et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Download

Export To

metrics

	Views	Downloads
F1000Research	-	-
PubMed Central Data from PMC are received and updated monthly.	-	-

Citations

CITE

how to cite this article

Khairun DY, Taufiq A, Yustiana YR et al. Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 3 approved with reservations]. F1000Research 2026, 15:603 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.178940.2)

NOTE: If applicable, it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.

track

receive updates on this article

Track an article to receive email alerts on any updates to this article.

Open Peer Review

Current Reviewer Status: ?

Key to Reviewer Statuses VIEW HIDE

ApprovedThe paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested

Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.

Not approvedFundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions

Version 2

VERSION 2

PUBLISHED 20 Aug 2026

Revised

Reviewer Report 21 Sep 2026

Riswandi Riswandi, Master of Educational Administration, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Lampung, Bandar Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia

Approved with Reservations

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Partly
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Partly
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Yes
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Yes
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Educational Management/Administration

Reviewer Report 08 Sep 2026

Wahyu Nanda Eka Saputra, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Approved with Reservations

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Partly
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

No
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

No
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Partly
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Yes
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Yes

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: This paper must undergo a major revision. The small sample size is the main discussion for this paper.

Reviewer Report 04 Sep 2026

Sigit Sanyata, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Approved

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: My research focuses on counseling topis, specifically Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and gender issues in counseling, with a particular emphasis on Feminist Therapy.

Version 1

VERSION 1

PUBLISHED 22 Apr 2026

Reviewer Report 12 May 2026

Mohamad Awal Lakadjo, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia

Approved with Reservations

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Partly
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Partly
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Partly
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Yes
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Psychometrics, Rasch Measurement Model, Educational Measurement, Instrument Validation, Guidance and Counseling or School Counseling

Reviewer Report 06 May 2026

Sigit Sanyata, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Approved with Reservations

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Yes
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

I cannot comment. A qualified statistician is required.
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Yes
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Yes

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: My research focuses on counseling topis, specifically Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and gender issues in counseling, with a particular emphasis on Feminist Therapy.

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Version 2

VERSION 2 PUBLISHED 22 Apr 2026

Comment

Схожие новости

#	Наименование новости	Информативность	Дата публикации
1	Development and Psychometric Validation of a Multidimensional Clinical Coding Quality Assessment Instrument in Casemix Systems [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]	9.5	15-09-2026
2	Profiling Teacher Digital Literacy to Develop AI-Based Project-Based Learning in Under-Resourced Coastal Contexts [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]	12.14	26-05-2026
3	Pedagogical Innovation in Digital Environments: A Systematic Review Focused on Higher Education [version 2; peer review: 3 approved, 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]	16.7	09-09-2026
4	Data-Driven Policy: An Analysis of Graduate Job Waiting Time and Its Implications for Higher Education Services [version 2; peer review: 3 approved]	10.4	08-09-2026
5	Sample size determination across study designs in health professions education research: a methodology guide [version 2; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]	9.01	03-09-2026
6	Psychosocial Factors Explaining Academic Dropout among Scholarship Students at a Public University in Peru [version 2; peer review: 3 approved]	7.52	21-08-2026
7	A Bibliometric Analysis of Digital Citizenship Education and Competences for Democratic Culture: Global Trends, Knowledge Structure, and Future Research Agenda [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]	6.14	21-09-2026
8	Impact of a Transformational Leadership Program for Nurse Managers on Nurses' Job Satisfaction and Work Environment in Saudi Arabian Primary Healthcare Centers: A Quasi-Experimental Study   [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]	7.42	10-09-2026
9	Attained Curriculum in Japanese Elementary School Arithmetic and Junior High School Mathematics: An Alignment Analysis of the National Assessment of Academic Ability [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]	5.4	09-07-2026
10	The Mediating Role of ICTs in the Relationship Between Pedagogical Innovation and Student Satisfaction in Private Universities in Northern Peru [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]	6.94	21-09-2026

Классификация: . Схожих патентов: 0. Схожих новостей: 10. Тональность: 0. Информативность: 8.25. Источник: f1000research.com.

Вход на сайт

Просмотр новости

Найдите то, что Вас интересует

Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 3 approved with reservations]

Дата публикации: 20-08-2026 08:11:55

Основное содержимое страницы с новостью.

Схожие новости