{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T08:25:57Z","timestamp":1787214357985,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"F1000 Research Ltd","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776816000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Indonesian Education Scholarship (BPI) program"},{"name":"Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia"},{"name":"Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["f1000research.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["F1000Res"],"abstract":"<ns5:p>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 \u22121.68 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 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.<\/ns5:p>","DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.178940.1","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,6]],"date-time":"2026-05-06T03:29:07Z","timestamp":1778038147000},"page":"603","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/f1000research.crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Measuring Professional Competency in School Counselors: Development and Rasch Validation of a Multidimensional Instrument"],"prefix":"10.12688","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9727-5558","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Deasy Yunika","family":"Khairun","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Guidance and Counseling Serang Banten 42111 Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Agus","family":"Taufiq","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guidance and Counseling Bandung West Java 40150 Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Department of Educational Psychology and Guidance"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yusi Riksa","family":"Yustiana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guidance and Counseling Bandung West Java 40150 Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Department of Educational Psychology and Guidance"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7771-2565","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fuja Siti","family":"Fujiawati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Educational Curriculum Serang Banten 42111 Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maya","family":"Nurlita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mathematics Education Baubau Southeast Sulawesi 93716 Universitas Dayanu Ikhsanuddin"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2756-2348","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sohibun","family":".","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physics Education Bandung West Java 40150 Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kamaliyah","family":"Kadir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mathematics Education Bandung West Java 40150 Indonesia University of Education Department of Mathematics Education"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mutmainnah","family":".","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guidance and Counseling Enrekang South Sulawesi 91712 Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Muhammadiyah Enrekang"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ibrahim Al","family":"Hakim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Guidance and Counseling Bandung West Java 40150 Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Department of Educational Psychology and Guidance"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2560","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315814698","author":"T Bond","year":"2015","journal-title":"Applying the Rasch Model."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"151-162","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.psychotherapy.2014.68.2.151","article-title":"Best Practices in Clinical Supervision: Another Step in Delineating Effective Supervision Practice.","volume":"68","author":"L Borders","year":"2014","journal-title":"Am. J. Psychother."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"64-79","DOI":"10.1002\/ceas.12124","article-title":"Science of Learning: Evidence-Based Teaching in the Clinical Supervision Classroom.","volume":"58","author":"L Borders","year":"2019","journal-title":"Couns. Educ. Superv."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"774-781","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.59.8.774","article-title":"Competencies in Professional Psychology.","volume":"59","author":"N Kaslow","year":"2004","journal-title":"Am. 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Res."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"129-136","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1556-6978.1976.tb02021.x","article-title":"A Developmental Framework for Counseling Supervision.","volume":"19","author":"L Littrell","year":"1976","journal-title":"Couns. Educ. Superv."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"282-295","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1556-6978.2006.tb00004.x","article-title":"The School Counseling Supervision Model: An Extension of the Discrimination Model.","volume":"45","author":"M Luke","year":"2006","journal-title":"Couns. Educ. Superv."},{"key":"ref17","first-page":"28-38","article-title":"The role of gatekeeping in counselor education.","volume":"40","author":"L Rice","year":"2013","journal-title":"Ournal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory & Research."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"504-533","DOI":"10.1177\/0011000020988110","article-title":"Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Construct in Search of Operationalization.","volume":"49","author":"C Ridley","year":"2021","journal-title":"Couns. 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Health."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1-18","DOI":"10.1080\/07325223.2011.532019","article-title":"The Integration of Reflectivity in Developmental Supervision: Implications for Clinical Supervisors.","volume":"30","author":"T Young","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin. Superv."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"157-166","DOI":"10.6000\/2292-2598.2023.11.03.5","article-title":"Enhancing Learning Processes: The Impact of Guidance and Counseling Programs on Visually Impaired High School Students.","volume":"11","author":"I Yuwono","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Intellect. Disabil. Diagn. Treat."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1-18","DOI":"10.1007\/s12310-022-09535-0","article-title":"Roles and Functions of School Mental Health Professionals Within Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems.","volume":"15","author":"F Zabek","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sch. Ment. Heal."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"59-74","DOI":"10.1177\/0748175614544686","article-title":"Refining Change Measure With the Rasch Model.","volume":"48","author":"O Zaporozhets","year":"2015","journal-title":"Meas. Eval. Couns. Dev."}],"updated-by":[{"DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.178940.2","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000}}],"container-title":["F1000Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1\/iparadigms","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T08:14:10Z","timestamp":1787213650000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"references-count":19,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/f1000research.178940.1","relation":{"has-review":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197385.r478756","asserted-by":"subject"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197385.r481647","asserted-by":"subject"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197385.r481647","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197385.r478756","asserted-by":"object"}],"is-version-of":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.12688\/f1000research.178940.2","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2046-1402"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2046-1402","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"assertion":[{"value":"Approved with reservations, Approved with reservations","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1#article-reports","order":0,"name":"referee-status","label":"Referee status","group":{"name":"current-referee-status","label":"Current Referee Status"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.197385.r478756, Sigit Sanyata, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, 06 May 2026, version 1, 2 approved with reservations","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1#referee-response-478756","order":0,"name":"referee-response-478756","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"<b>Deasy Yunika Khairun<\/b>; \n<i>Posted: 12 Aug 2026<\/i>; We sincerely thank the reviewer for the careful evaluation of our manuscript and for the constructive and insightful suggestions. We greatly appreciate the reviewer's positive assessment of the study design, methodological rigor, availability of source data, and the overall scientific quality of the manuscript. We have carefully considered every recommendation and have substantially revised the manuscript accordingly. All revisions are visible using \n<b>Track Changes<\/b> in Version 2. Our point-by-point responses are provided below. &nbsp; \n<b>Comment 1<\/b> \n<i>The article will be better equipped to clarify its findings and innovations if supplemented with contemporary literature in the introduction and discussion sections. In the introduction, it is essential to cite literature regarding professional competence from both global and Indonesian perspectives.<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> Thank you for this valuable suggestion. We have substantially revised the \n<b>Introduction<\/b> by incorporating additional contemporary literature from both international and Indonesian contexts to strengthen the conceptual foundation of professional competency in school counseling. The revised introduction now better integrates international competency frameworks, Indonesian regulatory standards, and recent empirical studies concerning counselor professionalism, supervision, continuous professional development, and collaborative practice. Specifically, we expanded the discussion of:  contemporary international perspectives on professional competency; Indonesian regulatory competency standards (Permendikbud No. 111\/2014); recent literature concerning supervision, professional development, and collaborative engagement; current psychometric literature supporting Rasch-based instrument validation.  These additions provide a stronger theoretical rationale for the development of the proposed multidimensional competency framework. \n<b>Revision made in:<\/b> Introduction.  \n<b>Comment 2<\/b> \n<i>Furthermore, the procedural steps of the Rasch model as an analytical technique should be elaborated upon within the discussion.<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> We appreciate this important methodological recommendation. In response, we expanded the \n<b>Discussion<\/b> by adding a dedicated paragraph explaining the sequential Rasch validation procedure adopted in this study. Rather than simply stating that Rasch analysis was used, we now describe the specific analytical stages and their respective purposes, including:  rating scale functioning, item and person fit analysis, reliability and separation indices, Wright map interpretation, Principal Components Analysis of Residuals (PCAR).  The revised manuscript also explains how these complementary analyses collectively 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. This additional explanation clarifies the methodological contribution of applying the Rasch Measurement Model beyond traditional Classical Test Theory approaches. \n<b>Revision made in:<\/b> Discussion.  \n<b>Comment 3<\/b> \n<i>Finally, the conclusion must explicitly present the research findings that constitute the core innovation of this study.<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> Thank you for this helpful suggestion. We revised the \n<b>Conclusion<\/b> to explicitly state the principal innovation and contribution of the study. The revised conclusion now emphasizes that the major contribution lies in the development of a Rasch-calibrated hierarchical multidimensional competency framework integrating Indonesian regulatory standards with contemporary international perspectives on counselor professionalism. The conclusion also highlights that the instrument represents an integrated competency framework rather than a collection of isolated competency domains, while emphasizing that broader validation across educational contexts remains necessary. This revision makes the novelty of the study substantially clearer and more directly aligned with the overall findings. \n<b>Revision made in:<\/b> Conclusion.  \n<b>Comment 4<\/b> \n<i>The article will be better equipped to clarify its findings and innovations...<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> Beyond addressing each specific recommendation above, we conducted a comprehensive revision throughout the manuscript to improve clarity, conceptual coherence, methodological transparency, and consistency of interpretation. The revised version additionally includes:  strengthened discussion of the multidimensional conceptual framework; more balanced interpretation of Rasch validation results; clearer distinction between preliminary psychometric evidence and broader validity claims; expanded discussion of study limitations and future validation requirements; improved consistency of terminology throughout the manuscript.  These revisions collectively improve the clarity, methodological transparency, and overall contribution of the manuscript.   Once again, we sincerely thank the reviewer for the constructive comments. We believe these revisions have substantially strengthened the manuscript and improved its conceptual clarity, methodological transparency, and scientific contribution.","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1#referee-comment-16910","order":1,"name":"referee-comment-16910","label":"Referee Comment","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.197385.r481647, Mohamad Awal Lakadjo, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Gorontalo, 12 May 2026, version 1, 2 approved with reservations","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1#referee-response-481647","order":2,"name":"referee-response-481647","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"<b>Deasy Yunika Khairun<\/b>; \n<i>Posted: 16 Aug 2026<\/i>; We sincerely thank the reviewer for the careful evaluation of our manuscript and for the constructive comments. We greatly appreciate the positive assessment regarding the clarity of the manuscript, the appropriateness of the study design, the methodological rigor, the availability of source data, and the overall scientific quality of the work. We carefully considered all suggestions and revised the manuscript accordingly. All modifications are highlighted using \n<b>Track Changes<\/b> in the revised manuscript.  \n<b>Comment 1<\/b> \n<i>The article will be better equipped to clarify its findings and innovations if supplemented with contemporary literature in the introduction and discussion sections. In the introduction, it is essential to cite literature regarding professional competence from both global and Indonesian perspectives.<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> Thank you for this valuable suggestion. We have substantially revised the \n<b>Introduction<\/b> by incorporating additional contemporary literature from both international and Indonesian contexts. The revised manuscript now provides a stronger conceptual foundation by integrating recent studies on professional competency in school counseling, Indonesian regulatory standards (Permendikbud No. 111\/2014), supervision, professional development, collaborative practice, and contemporary psychometric validation using the Rasch Measurement Model. In addition, the \n<b>Discussion<\/b> has been strengthened by relating our findings to more recent international studies, thereby providing a clearer interpretation of the study's contribution within the broader literature. \n<b>Revision made in:<\/b> Introduction and Discussion.  \n<b>Comment 2<\/b> \n<i>Furthermore, the procedural steps of the Rasch model as an analytical technique should be elaborated upon within the discussion.<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> Thank you for this important methodological recommendation. In response, we expanded the \n<b>Discussion<\/b> by providing a more comprehensive explanation of the Rasch validation process adopted in this study. The revised discussion now explains how the sequential analyses\u2014including rating scale functioning, item and person fit statistics, reliability and separation indices, Wright Map interpretation, and Principal Components Analysis of Residuals (PCAR)\u2014collectively provide evidence regarding measurement precision, construct coherence, and hierarchical item calibration. This additional explanation clarifies the methodological contribution of applying the Rasch Measurement Model beyond conventional Classical Test Theory approaches. \n<b>Revision made in:<\/b> Discussion.  \n<b>Comment 3<\/b> \n<i>Finally, the conclusion must explicitly present the research findings that constitute the core innovation of this study.<\/i> \n<b>Response<\/b> We appreciate this valuable suggestion. The \n<b>Conclusion<\/b> has been revised to more explicitly highlight the principal findings and the main innovation of the study. The revised conclusion now emphasizes that this study developed a Rasch-calibrated multidimensional professional competency instrument integrating Indonesian regulatory competency standards with broader contemporary theoretical domains. The conclusion also clearly states that the instrument provides preliminary psychometric evidence supporting hierarchical item calibration, structural coherence, and measurement precision, while acknowledging that further validation across broader educational contexts remains necessary. This revision clarifies both the scientific contribution and the novelty of the study. \n<b>Revision made in:<\/b> Conclusion.  \n<b>Overall Response<\/b> Beyond addressing the specific comments above, we carefully reviewed the entire manuscript to improve conceptual clarity, methodological transparency, and consistency throughout the paper. These revisions strengthen the theoretical foundation, improve the interpretation of the Rasch analysis, and present the study's contribution more explicitly while maintaining appropriate scientific caution.  Once again, we sincerely thank the reviewer for the thoughtful and constructive feedback. We believe that these revisions have substantially strengthened the quality, clarity, and overall contribution of the manuscript.","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/15-603\/v1#referee-comment-16940","order":3,"name":"referee-comment-16940","label":"Referee Comment","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work","order":4,"name":"grant-information","label":"Grant Information"},{"value":"This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.","order":0,"name":"copyright-info","label":"Copyright"}]}}