Development and validation of Korean Family Counselor Development Assessment Scale (KFC-DAS)

Objectives: This study aimed to develop an assessment scale for Korean family counselor development. Methods: Initial items were generated from previous research on counselor development and studies of core competencies specific to Korean family counseling, and refined through expert consultation with five professionals in the field. Two rounds of surveys were conducted: the first, using 37 items in six domains with participation from 222 counselors, and the second, using a refined set of 31 items in five domains with 293 counselors. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the final structure, identifying five core domains: understanding and assessment of client family problems, family counseling intervention skills, counseling plan and process management, counselor identity, and professional ethics. Criterion validity was demonstrated through positive correlations with the Counselor Development Scale (Shim, 1998), and construct validity through negative correlations with the Lack of Counseling Competence Scale (Lee, 2011). Conclusions: The results clarify essential aspects of counselor development in Korea and offer a validated tool for both research and clinical settings, while discussing limitations and future application possibilities.