Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department Students' Metaphoric Perceptions Related to Their Profession.

9 Applied Psychology, May 2014

Applied Psychology

Citation this paper:

Saricaoglu H., Arslan C., Koksal O. (2014). Psychological Counseling and Guidance

Department Students' Metaphoric Perceptions Related to Their Profession. Applied

Psychology. 7: 9-21.

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Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department Students' Metaphoric Perceptions … 10

Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department Students'

Metaphoric Perceptions Related to Their Profession

Halim Saricaoglu Cumhuriyet University

E-mail: [email protected]

Coskun Arslan Necmettin Erbakan University

[email protected]

Onur Koksal Selcuk University

[email protected]

Received: 2 Mar, 2014

Accepted: 12 Apr, 2014

Abstract

The main purpose of the present research is examining the Psychological

Counseling and Guidance (PCG) department undergraduate second grade

students' perceptions related to “Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor)

concepts before and after they take “Guidance and Psychological Counseling”

course, through metaphor analysis. The research was conducted with pretest-

posttest experimental model without control group. 40 second grade students

who study at Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Education Department of

Psychological Counseling and Guidance department undergraduate program in

2013-2014 academic year form the workgroup of the research. In the form

created as the data collection tool of the study, participants were asked to

complete the statement; “Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like

..., because ......” Content analysis technique and Pearson X2 test used to

evaluate the statements of the participants. Four conceptual categories were

formed by analyzing the metaphors produced by participants. These conceptual

categories were named as “Required, Trusted, Healing, and Directing”. The

sequencing according to the number of metaphors produced by participants in

the pre-test implementation is as follows: Trusted, Healing, Directing and

Required. This sequence for post-test is as; Trusted, Directing, Healing and

Required. The differences in pre-test and post-test findings on participants'

metaphoric perceptions related to guidance counselor concept was not

statistically significant.

Key Words: Metaphor, metaphoric perception, conceptual category, guidance

counselor

Applied Psychology

Vol. 2(7), pp. 9-21, May 2014

http:// www. Jourpsyc.com


Introduction

Departments of Psychological Counseling and Guidance have been offering education at

undergraduate level for about 40 years in Turkey. During this process, many changes have

been experienced in terms of both the style of training members of profession via curriculums

(teaching programs) and professional role expectations. Guidance, which was taught as only a

course in faculties of teacher training in the past, has now become a department on its own

and become the main factor of pupil personnel services conducted at schools. Traditional

counseling perception that focus on intervening crises, helping students make educational and

professional decisions or solve their problems gave way to developmental counseling; and

this can be shown as a concrete step of this change and improvement. In the process of

transition from traditional approach to developmental approach; both job definitions and

professional role expectations underwent changes. The purposes of guidance services can be

defined in general as; a systematic and professional psychological service process intended at

individuals' knowing themselves and their environment, making the choices required in the

development of themselves in the most efficient way, solving the problems, adapting the

environment in a healthy way and therefore realizing themselves (Kepceoglu, 1999; Kuzgun,

2009; Tan, 2000; Yesilyaprak, 2003). Besides these general purposes, many field definitions

have been made. Tan (1992) defined Psychological Counseling as “a helping process

intended at solving the problem among the problematic individual and the expert who help

him/her solve the problem”. According to another definition, “Guidance is the psychological

help provided by experts to the individuals for understanding themselves, solving their

problems, making realistic decisions, developing their capacities in the most convenient way,

being in a balanced and healthy harmony with their environment and therefore realizing

themselves” (Kaya, 2012). Guven (2006) defined guidance services as trying to help students

to know themselves better, be aware of their features, recognize opportunities and options

that are available for them, make realistic decisions, realize themselves, acquire the skill of

coping with problems they face and adapt their environment.

According to American School Counselor Association (2007), counselors offer services such

as; conducting psychological counseling and guidance programs at schools, helping students

with planning, providing individual or group counseling according to requirements,

consulting with parents, teachers and other educators, referring to other support systems at

schools, providing peer-supports, and providing information (Cited in. Korkut-Owen and

Owen, 2008).

Metaphor means that, a word loses its literal meaning and is used instead of another word

(Nesterova, 2011). Metaphor is defined as a form of verbal expressions and cognitive

structures that enable reconciliation between conceptual meaning and cognitive system which

are different from each other (Angus and Rennie, 1989). The essence of metaphor is

understanding and experiencing something according to something else of a different type

(Lakoff and Johnson, 2005). Metaphors serve to find the similarities and establish

relationships between the previous and newly acquired knowledge; and to explain the new

information concretely (Senemoglu, 2007). Saban (2009) stated that metaphors are created by

directly or indirectly expressing that X phenomenon is like Y phenomenon. What makes

metaphors strong as a cognitive model is that they enable the reflecting a mental schema on

another mental schema by establishing a relationship between two non-similar phenomenons

(Şahin, Köksal and Gündüz, 2010). For a phenomenon to be accepted as a metaphor, it

should have a subject (as the “psychological counselor” in the “Psychological counselor is

like a mirror.” statement), a resource (as the “mirror” concept in the “Psychological counselor

is like a mirror.” statement), some features (for example; “because psychological counselors

help people see themselves like mirrors”) considered to be referred from the resource (mirror


phenomenon) to the subject (psychological counselor phenomenon) (Forceville, 2002).

Therefore, while examining metaphors, both resources, and subjects and analogy elements

should be examined separately.

Considering the changes in the above mentioned field in time, the perceptions of the students

in the field related to their profession have been an issue of concern for researchers. They

have wondered how they perceive their future profession before and after taking professional

knowledge courses, what their professional role expectations are and whether these change

after they take these courses. Accordingly, the main purpose of the present research is

examining the Psychological Counseling and Guidance (PCG) department undergraduate

second grade students' perceptions related to “Guidance Counselor/Psychological Counselor”

concepts before and after they take “Guidance and Psychological Counseling” course,

through metaphor analysis. In accordance with this main purpose, the answers to the

following questions are sought.

1. What are the metaphors related to the concept of guidance counselor/psychological

counselor developed by PCG students before they take “Guidance and Psychological

Counseling” course?

2. What are the metaphors related to the concept of guidance counselor/psychological

counselor developed by PCG students after they take “Guidance and Psychological

Counseling” course?

3. Under which conceptual categories in terms of the common features, these developed

metaphors can be examined?

4. Are there any statistically significant differences between these categories?

Method

Research Model

Qualitative and quantitative research models were used together considering the purpose of

the research and the obtained data. The qualitative dimension of the research was realized by

using phenomenologic pattern. Phenomenologic pattern focuses on the phenomenons that we

are aware of but we don't have a deep insight about (Yıldırım&Şimşek,2008). Within the

scope of the present research, we wanted to examine PCG students' perceptions related to the

phenomenon of guidance counselor/psychological counselor. The quantitative dimension of

the present research was conducted with pretest-posttest model without control group which

is an experimental pattern.

Work Group

The present research was conducted with second grade students who study at Cumhuriyet

University Faculty of Education Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance

department undergraduate program in 2013-2014 academic year. 28 female, 12 male; a total

of 40 students form the workgroup of the research.

Data Collection

Before preparing the data collection tool for the research, previous researches on the subject

(Saban, 2009, 2008, 2004; Unal and Unal, 2010) were examined; and a form similar to the

ones used in these researches was created. Participants were provided with this form on

which the statement “Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like

................................, because .............................” was written and asked to fill in the blanks

in order to reveal their perceptions related to the concept of guidance counselor

(psychological counselor). The statement given to the participants was organized in a way

that includes the elements of “resource, subject and referred feature” so that it can be


accepted as a metaphor. During data collection process, participants were asked to write as

many metaphors as they can without any time or number limitations.

Data Analysis and Evaluation

“Metaphor Analysis” which is a qualitative data analysis technique was used in the analysis

of data. Before metaphor analysis was conducted, previous researches that used this

technique (Aydin, 2010; Aydogdu, 2008; Saban, 2008, 2009) were examined. The analysis

and evaluation of the metaphors in the present research were conducted in five stages. These

stages are; (1) Naming Stage, (2) Elimination and Treatment Stage, (3) Compilation and

Category Development Stage, (4) Providing Validity and Reliability Stage, and (5)

Transferring Data into Computer Environment Stage. Within the scope of present research,

these stages were followed and the analysis and evaluation of the metaphors developed for

guidance counselor/psychological counselor phenomenon were conducted within the

framework of these five stages.

1. Naming Stage: In this stage, each form filled in by participants was numbered and the

metaphors in these forms were detected. The empty forms without any metaphors were

marked to be eliminated in the stage.

2. Elimination and Treatment Stage: In this stage, every metaphor was separated into pieces

through metaphor analysis and content analysis methods; and examined in terms of

similarities and common features. Accordingly, metaphors written by each participant were

analyzed in terms of subject, resource, and the referred feature. Forms without valid

metaphors or weak-structured metaphors were eliminated considering four criteria. These are;

a. Not involving any metaphor resource,

b. Not providing any justifications or reasonable base,

c. Involving features belonging to more than one category, and

d. Being irrational or not making any contributions to the understanding

of the concept of guidance counselor / psychological counselor.

3. Compilation and Category Development Stage: In this stage, created metaphors were

compiled in terms of the features related to the concept of guidance counselor / psychological

counselor. Each metaphor created by participants was associated with a certain category

according to the perception related to the concept. This procedure resulted in 4 different

conceptual categories. These are: Required, Trusted, Healing and Directing. Participants

created 88 metaphors similar to each other in the pre-test stage for these categories. These

were repeated 21 times in required category, 53 times in trusted category, 39 times in healing

category, 34 times in directing category; 147 times in total. For post-test implementation,

participants produced 43 different metaphors repeated 10 times in required category, 24 times

in trusted category, 18 times in healing category, 22 times in directing category; 74 times in

total.

4. Providing Validity and Reliability Stage: In order to provide the validity of the study,

detailed explanation of data analysis process which is claimed to be required to be done in

metaphor studies (Saban, 2009) was made under the related title. All procedures within the

scope of obtaining and analysis of data and the research, was explained in detail under this

title in order to provide validity. In order to provide reliability, two separate lists of metaphors

and categories were presented to a professor of psychological counseling and guidance in

order to confirm that the determined metaphors are matching with the categories they were

associated with by the researchers. The expert in the field was asked to match the metaphors

in the first list with the categories on the second list, without leaving out any unmatched

metaphors. The numbers of agreements and disagreements in the comparisons were detected.

The reliability of the research was calculated using the formula (Reliability=agreement /


agreement + disagreement) developed by Miles and Huberman (1994). In qualitative studies,

when the compliance between the expert and researcher evaluations is 90% or over, the

reliability at desired level is provided (Saban, 2009). The comparisons made for the present

study resulted in 93% compliance for pre-test and 92% compliance for pos-ttest and it was

observed that desired reliability was provided.

5. Transferring Data into Computer Environment Stage: After determining 135 metaphors

and 4 conceptual categories, data were transferred into computer environment. After

transferring data into computer environment, number of participants (f) and percentages (%)

representing 135 metaphors and 4 categories were calculated. Following this, in order to

determine whether there are significant differences between metaphors and categories

produced before and after experimental procedure, category frequencies and metaphors

frequencies in each category were calculated.

Besides, Pearson Chi-square technique was used in order to test whether there is a significant

difference between metaphors in categories created after pre-test and post-test; which is

fourth sub-purpose of the research.

Result

The findings reached from the data obtained within the scope of the present research are

presented in tables. The findings are sorted as; first, metaphors obtained in the pre-test

implemented at the beginning of course period, and then metaphors obtained in posttest

implemented at the end of course period.

Results Related to Pre-test

Metaphors written by students in the forms given before they take professional knowledge

course were analyzed and grouped under 4 categories in terms of the common features. These

categories were named as Required, Trusted, Healing and Directing. Metaphors obtained

from a total of 40 students were analyzed in the stages of metaphor analysis mentioned in

method section and 88 of them were accepted as valid metaphors. The categories and the

metaphors that belong to these categories along with their frequencies are presented in Table

1.

Table 1 reveals that, trusted (f=53; %36.05) is the category in which most metaphors are

produced. The other categories formed within the scope of metaphors produced in pre-test

implementation are respectively; healing (f=39; %26.53), directing (f=34; %23.13) and

required (f=21; %14.29).

Participants' expressions from which the above mentioned categories were formed and which

metaphors these categories were formed from are presented below.

Category 1: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Trusted

When this category is examined, it can be observed that before taking the course, PCG

students perceived guidance counselor as someone trusted and they produced metaphors with

reference to this perception. As the common feature of these metaphors developed by

students, it is understood that guidance counselor is perceived as a trusted person who can

always be shared suffering and troubles with and who will keep the shared information

secret. Therefore, it is thought that it would be convenient to name is category as “Trusted”.

It can be observed in Table 1 that there are 23 metaphors that belong to this category (Sister,

tree (3), family member, mother (4), parent (7), friend (12), father (2), computer, suffer box,

suffering cupboard, real friend (6), wall, house, diary, agony aunt, sibling, box, harbor, soul

mate, patience stone(very patient), storage box, secret cube (secretive)(2), confidant) and


these were produced by 53 students. It is observed that among the total metaphors developed

in pre-test implementation, this category has a 36.05% share; friend (f=12) is the metaphor

developed by most participants; and it is followed by parent (f=7) and real friend (f=6)

metaphors. One example expression by participants for each of the 3 mostly used metaphors

within this category is presented below.

Table 1.Frequencies and Percentages of Metaphors Related to Concept of Guidance Counselor

(Psychological Counselor) Produced by PCG Students in the Pre-test Implementation

Category Metaphors Frequency

(f)

Perce

ntage

(%)

Number

of

Metaphor

s

Required

Alarm system, search engine, brain, house base, sky, sun (2),

life, peace, pencil (2), book (2), protection, small note, logic,

teacher (2), pilot, water (2)

21 14.29 16

Trusted

Sister, tree (3), family member, mother (4), parent (7), friend

(12), father (2), computer, suffer box, suffering cupboard, real

friend (6), wall, house, diary, agony aunt, sibling, box,

harbor, soul mate, patience stone(very patient), storage box,

secret cube (secretive)(2), confidant

53 36.05 23

Healing

Painkiller, light bulb, antidepressant, mirror (5), white sheet,

computer game, lifesaver, exit door, chocolate, cartoon,

doctor (3), doping, fun box, dress, smile, sculptor, light (2),

pencil sharpener, light in darkness, lego, candle (2), music

(2), play dough, window, soul nourishment, tranquilizer,

eraser, crane, vitamin, rain

39 26.53 30

Directing

Light house, steering wheel, station, flash light, map (3),

employer, captain, snowdrop flower, guide (4), operating

manual, navigation, arrow, compass (11), guide, traffic light,

traffic sign, traffic police, investment expert, bow

34 23.13 19

Total 147 100 88

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a friend. Because as guidance

counselor, friends is a trusted person who we can share everything with. (F, 14)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like parents. Because, whatever their

children do, they won't judge or leave them. (M, 05)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a real friend. Because, you can

contact and communicate with them any time, and you know that they won't tell anybody

else. (F, 34)

With reference to the participant expressions above, it can be observed that guidance

counselor is perceived as a trusted who can be shared private information with, and acts upon

confidentiality principle.

Category 2: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Healing

As can be seen in Table 1, this is the second category in which most metaphors were

produced. It is observed that, 30 different metaphors were stated by 39 students. The common

feature of the metaphors produced within this category is that, guidance counselors are

perceived as people who have positive effects on counselees or individuals with problems by

responding to their needs. Under this category named as Healing, a total of 30 metaphors

(Painkiller, light bulb, antidepressant, mirror (5), white sheet, computer game, lifesaver, exit

door, chocolate, cartoon, doctor (3), doping, fun box, dress, smile, sculptor, light (2), pencil

sharpener, light in darkness, lego, candle (2), music (2), play dough, window, soul

nourishment, tranquilizer, eraser, crane, vitamin, rain) were produced. These metaphors were

produced by 39 students, and have a 26.53% share in the total metaphors. Among the


metaphors in this category, mirror metaphor was the most used one by 5 participants, which

is followed by doctor (f=3) metaphor. Below are the example statements by participants

related to these metaphors. Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a mirror. Because, as we look into it,

we see things in ourselves that we haven't noticed before, and with this awareness, we

solve our problems.(F, 16)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a doctor. Because, they understand

the problem that we cannot express and administer the appropriate treatment.(K, 40)

Through the metaphors developed by students, it is observed that guidance counseling is

perceived as a profession that has a healing effect on counselees.

Category 3: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as directing

According to the number of metaphors produced by students in the pre-test implementation,

directing category is in the third place. There are 19 metaphors (Light house, steering wheel,

station, flash light, map (3), employer, captain, snowdrop flower, guide (4), operating

manual, navigation, arrow, compass (11), guide, traffic light, traffic sign, traffic police,

investment expert, bow) in this category and have a 23.13% share in the total metaphors.

Among these metaphors mostly used ones are; compass (f=11), guide (f=4) and map (f=3)

respectively. Example participant statements in which these metaphors were used are

presented below.

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a compass. Because, they show us the right way when we don't know which way to go. (M, 38)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a guide. Because, they take a guiding

task for individuals' making their decisions. (F, 27)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a map. Because, they guide their

students deciding on what kind of path to follow in the future within their personalities. (F,

28)

In accordance with these metaphors, it is observed that directing aspect of guidance

counselors that can be defined as helping individuals in various preference and decision

stages is perceived as important.

Category 4: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Required

The last of the categories presented in Table 1 is required category, in which are the

metaphors expressing how important guidance counseling is for education system and

individuals. It can be observed that 16 different metaphors (Alarm system, search engine,

brain, house base, sky, sun (2), life, peace, pencil (2), book (2), protection, small note, logic,

teacher (2), pilot, water (2)) were produced by 21 students. Among the metaphors in this

category, sun, pencil, book, teacher and water metaphors were written twice while others

were written once. Example statements from participant students related to the metaphors that

belong to this category are presented below. Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like water. Because, just as people

cannot live healthily without water, students and schools cannot function without guidance

counselors. (M, 18)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a pencil. Because, they put what we

want to write down on paper whatever its color or shape is. (M, 18)

As the common feature of these metaphors produced by students, it is understood that

students perceive guidance counseling as a required element for both individuals and

educational system.

Results Related to Post-test

At the end of the professional information course taken during semester, students were given

the same form that was also given before the course and asked to develop metaphors. Among


these, metaphors that can be put in the same categories so that they can be compared with the

implementation done before the course were accepted and compilation was done. The

metaphors obtained in post-test, categories, frequencies and percentages are presented in

Table 2. 43 of the metaphors obtained in post-test were accepted as valid metaphors.

Table 2.Frequencies and Percentages of Metaphors Related to Concept of Guidance Counselor

(Psychological Counselor) Produced by PCG Students in the Post-test Implementation

Category Metaphors

Freque

ncy

(f)

Perce

ntage

(%)

Number

of

Metaphor

s

Required Alarm system, book (3), ink, puzzle piece, water (3), life

coach 10 13.51 6

Trusted

Family (2), mother (2), friend (6), confidant, real friend (6),

diary, agony aunt, inner voice, ourselves, chest, secret cube

(secretive), confidant

24 32.43 12

Healing

Onyx stone, mirror (3), chameleon, life buoy doctor,

rainbow, light (2), medication, rope, pencil, pencil

sharpener, caravansary, Red crescent of Turkey (as red

cross), savior, eraser

18 24.32 15

Directing Light house, sun, map (3), captain, guide (3), pole star,

navigation, compass (9), traffic sign, traffic police 22 29.73 10

Total 74 100 43

As can be seen in Table 2, trusted (f=24; %32.43) is the category in which most metaphors

were produced. Other categories formed with the metaphors produced in post-test

respectively are; directing (f=22; %29.73), healing (f=18; %24.32) and required (f=10;

%13.51).

The classification of metaphors obtained in post-test according to categories and example

statements related to these metaphors are presented below.

Category 1: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Trusted

As can be understood from Table 2, participants kept perceiving guidance counselors as

someone primarily trusted and produced various metaphors in accordance with this

perception. In pre-test implementation too, the common feature of the metaphors developed

by students was that, guidance counselors are perceived as trusted people. This result

occurred in post-test implementation as well, and most of the metaphors produced by

participants were included in trusted category. It was observed that 12 metaphors were

produced in this category (Family (2), mother (2), friend (6), confidant, real friend (6), diary,

agony aunt, inner voice, ourselves, chest, secret cube (secretive), confidant) by 24 students.

This category forms the 32.43% of all metaphors and metaphors produced by most

participants were friend (f=6) and real friend (f=6) metaphors. Below are presented one

example sentence for each of these two metaphors. Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a friend. Because, they listen to you

unconditionally and try to understand. (F, 18)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a friend. Because, we can bare our

souls to them and they understand us. (F, 21)

In accordance with this finding, it can be observed that primary guidance counselor related

perceptions of PCG students are based on feeling of trust.

Category 2: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Directing

In post-test implementation, the category in which most metaphors were produced by

participants was directing category. Just as the first implementation, mostly used metaphors


by participants were compass (f=9), guide (f=3) and map (f=3). Other metaphors (Light

house, sun, captain, pole star, navigation, traffic sign, traffic police) were used once and in

total 10 different metaphors were developed and used 22 times. The proportion of the

directing category among the metaphors produced in post-test was 29.73%. Some example

statements related to the metaphors in this category are presented below. Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a compass. Because, they enable

individuals choose the truest way for their skills. (M, 03)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a map. Because, they provide

alternative roads for you to go. (F, 19)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a guide. Because, they provide

options by showing ways when needed. (F, 13)

When the produced metaphors are examined, it is observed that some metaphors in directing

category were repeated while their reasons changed. This change is a desired change in

accordance with the professional principles. While reasons such as “shows way, lead” were

written in pre-test implementation, these reasons were expressed as “....contributes to

choosing the way, offers alternatives, ... offers options by showing ways” in post-test

implementation. The reason for perceiving this change as positive is that, the directing

dimension of guidance is defined as “showing no way but ways” (Kuzgun, 2009).

Category 3: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Healing

It was observed in post-test implementation that, PCG students developed 15 different

metaphors suitable to healing category. 18 students produced metaphors for healing category

which has a 24.32% proportion in total metaphors. Among the produced metaphors (Onyx

stone, mirror (3), chameleon, life buoy doctor, rainbow, light (2), medication, rope, pencil,

pencil sharpener, caravansary, Red crescent of Turkey (as red cross), savior, eraser) mostly

used metaphors were mirror (f=3) and light (f=2). Below are example participant statements

in which these metaphors were used. Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a mirror. Because, when we cannot

see what is in ourselves, they show us ourselves and help us find solutions. (F, 06)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like light. Because, they help students in

their darkest moments and illuminate them. (M, 09)

The common features of the metaphors developed by students was that the services provided

to individuals are perceived as healing and useful.

Category 4: Guidance Counselor (Psychological Counselor) as Required

It can be seen in Table 2 that, 6 different metaphors in required category (Alarm system, book

(3), ink, puzzle piece, water (3), life coach) were developed by 10 different students. The

most used of these metaphors were book (f=3) and water (f=3). This category in which the

importance of guidance for individuals and educational system was emphasized forms the

13.51% of the all metaphors. Two participant statements are presented below as examples for

produced metaphors. Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like water. Because, just as life cannot be

without water, schools cannot be without counselors (F, 08)

Guidance counselor (psychological counselor) is like a book. Because, the information

sought by students are in them most of the time.(M, 09)

Results Related to the Comparison of Pre-test and Post-test Results

After categorizing the metaphors developed by students in pre-test and post-test

implementations, Pearson Chi-square analysis technique was conducted in order to find out

whether there is a significant difference between two measurements of the frequencies in the

categories. Findings obtained in the analysis are presented in Table 3.


Table 3. Comparison of Conceptual Categories according to Pretest-Posttest Results

Category Pre-Test Post-Test Total

Required 21 10 31

Trusted 53 24 87

Healing 39 18 57

Directing 34 22 56 Pearson X

2 (df=3) =6,22;

p=0.102

According to Table 3, there are no significant differences between pre-test and post-test

results, in terms of the metaphors developed by PCG students about their perceptions related

to guidance counselors.

Conclusion

The main purpose of the present research is examining Psychological Counseling and

Guidance department 2nd grade undergraduate students' metaphoric perceptions related to the

concept of “Guidance Counselor” before and after basic professional knowledge course. Four

conceptual categories were developed by examining the metaphors developed by participants

in pre-test implementation. These categories were named as “Required, Trusted, Healing, and

Directing”. It was observed in pre-test implementation that most metaphors were developed

in the category of “Trusted”. This category was followed by “Healing”, “Directing” and

“Required” categories. In post-test implementation as well, most metaphors were developed

in the category of “Trusted”. The order of the other categories was different from pre-test as,

“Directing” category took the second place, and “Healing” category took the third place.

According to post-test findings, “Required” category was the category in which least

metaphors were produced. Obtained findings are discussed below comparatively in terms of

categories.

Trusted category was the category in which most metaphors were produced in both

implementations. This finding was encountered in other researches as a category in which an

important number of metaphors are produced, even it is not in the first place in other

researches (Altun and Camadan, 2013; Dogan, 2013; Unal and Unal, 2010). As stated by

Kuzgun (2009), confidentiality is one of the most important principles of guidance

counseling and psychological counseling. In counseling service which is a helping process in

which individuals consult to share their most secret feelings, thoughts and behaviors,

counselors are primarily expected to provide confidentiality for counselees. With the

development of trust that this confidentiality will be protected, the relationship between

counselee and counselor gets stronger and the quality and efficiency of the service improves.

This is the primary of the desired and expected situations. That the counselor perception most

emphasized by the students of the field both before and after taking the course is based on

feeling of trust can be claimed to be a positive finding.

Healing category was in the second place in pre-test results while it took the third place in

post-test implementation. Even it was observed that the number of metaphors produced in

this category in pre-test decreased in half in post-test implementation, it was revealed that this

difference was not statistically significant. In past, guidance services were based on curing-

healing approach. However, modern guidance service approach is based on developmental

and extensive guidance service axis. The change in the number of metaphors in this category

can be claimed to be resulted from the students' acquainting themselves with this information

during course period. In addition, it is an expected professional role from the guidance


counselors that they positively affect the conditions of the individuals who consult them to

solve their problems and they act healing and remedying.

Directing category was in third place in pre-test findings and in second place in post-test

findings. Directing function of guidance (Sahin, 2010), is an important function for guidance

services provided in either educational problem field or professional guidance field. This

finding is also similar to the findings of other researches in the literature (Altun and

Camadan, 2013, Camadan ve Kahveci, 2013; Dogan, 2013, Unal and Unal, 2010). The main

reason for guidance counseling exist as a directing profession in the participants' perceptions

can be explained as that the guidance services they received in their personal pasts were

mostly directing guidance within the scope of professional guidance services.

The last category named as required is the one in which the least metaphors were produced in

both implementations. The metaphors in this category were produced generally based on

justifications that guidance counseling is a required and important element for both

individuals and educational system. In other researches which produced similar results (Altun

and Camadan, 2013; Ozpolat, 2014), it is observed that the concept of guidance counseling

creates the perceptions of importance and necessity. It is known that pupil personnel services

are a required element for educational system because of its status in modern education

system. It is a pleasing finding for educators in the field that the students are also aware of

this fact.

When findings are evaluated in general, it is observed that the education provided to students

changed the students' metaphors related to guidance and psychological counseling. This

finding shows that a qualified education can change the metaphors of students. For this

reason, it is important for individuals to have realistic opinions about psychological

counseling for getting help more freely, especially in a field offering help services to

individuals such as psychological counseling. Therefore, informing individuals through

seminars and conferences will be useful.

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