BANGLA ADAPTATION OF EXPECTATIONS ABOUT COUNSELING-BRIEF FORM

Abstract

The Expectation About Counseling-Brief (EAC-B) form is becoming increasingly important in counseling expectation studies across the world. A variety of factor analysis and validation investigations have been conducted in many cultures since the inception of the EAC-B (H. E. A. Tinsley, 1982). Because of a growing need for mental health research, the goal of this study was to translate the instrument into Bangla and validate it in Bangladeshi culture. The study included 326 participants (85 clients and 241 non-clients; 217 females and 109 males). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with principal axis factoring revealed a three-factor solution of the EAC-B with 34 items. Consistent with the previous research, the three factors were labeled, Client Involvement, Facilitative Conditions, and Counselor Expertise and these factors together explained 60.93% of the total variance. In comparison to non-clients, clients had lower expectations about counseling in ‘Counselor Expertise’ and greater expectations in the other two factors. In comparison to females, males had lower expectations for ‘Client Involvement’ and higher expectations for the other two factors. EFA was also performed using the EAC-B’s 17 scales, yielding a two-factor structure: Client Role and Counselor Role. Both the 34-item and 53-item EAC-B, as well as their factors, had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .97 for the 53-item EAC-B, Cronbach’s α = .96 for the 34-item EAC-B and .89–.96 for its factors), as well as strong convergent, discriminant, and know-group validity. As a result, both the 34-item and 53-item Bangla versions of the EAC-B appear to be valid and reliable, and may be utilized in future research on counseling expectations in the country.