Purpose

The purpose of the research project was to develop and pilot test a certification instrument for consumer credit counselors. The project was funded by the National Foundation for Consumer Credit. The specific objectives of the project were:

1. To determine the state-of-the-art in consumer credit counseling.
2. To establish the basic beliefs of a philosophy of consumer credit counseling.
3. To identify the tasks performed by consumer credit counselors.
4. To identify the competencies needed by consumer credit counselors.
5. To determine the priority of tasks performed and competencies needed by consumer credit counselors.
6. To construct measures for use in assessing counselor competencies.
7. To combine these measures into an examination that is weighted according to the priorities of tasks and competencies.
8. To pilot test and then to revise the instrument.
9. To make recommendations for the administration of the examination.

Procedures

Consumer credit counselors in the United States and Canada participated in the study. Regional representatives of the Council of Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies assisted in generating a basic philosophy of consumer credit counseling. Counselors in the field participated in the development of basic beliefs, tasks performed, and competencies needed by effective consumer credit counselors. The following steps were taken in completing the study:

Step 1. To determine the state-of-the-art in consumer credit counseling. Computer searches were run in an attempt to find any existing research that dealt with consllliler credit counseling. Articles were read and evaluated for basic beliefs about the profession. Handbooks that had been developed by active consumer credit counseling agencies were useful in determining the nature of the work done by consumer credit counselors.

Step 2. To establish the basic beliefs of a philosophy of consumer credit counseling. Three methods were employed to arrive at the basic beliefs that were held by the leaders in the field of consumer credit counseling.

1. Statement of beliefs were taken from the literature.
2. The"operationalization of fuzzy concepts" technique was used to generate statements of basic belief from leaders in the field of consumer credit counseling.
3. A modified Q methodology was used to get further reaction to the basic beliefs that had been generated in Step 2.

Step 3. To identify the tasks performed by consumer credit counselors. Background information that gave insight into the tasks was obtained by the following methods:

1. A daily log of consumer credit counselors.
2. On-site visitations and interviews.
3. A study of notes and tapes taken at the initial meeting of leaders.

The tasks identified were checked and ranked by active consumer credit counselors. The list was revised according to the results of the task list checks.

Step 4. To identify the competencies needed by consumer credit counselors. A panel of experts utilized the data collected and developed a list of competencies needed by effective consumer credit counselors to perform each of the tasks identified in Step 3.

Step 5. To determine the priorities of tasks performed and competencies needed by consumer credit counselors. A variation of Q methodology was used to get reaction from a random sample of counselors and clients. The tasks and competencies were ranked according to the results of the card sort.

Step 6. To construct measures for use in assessing counselor competencies. The panel of researchers was used to generate items designed to measure the competencies needed by consumer credit counselors.

Step 7. To combine those measures into an examination that is weighted according to the priorities of tasks and competencies. A competency based certification instrument was developed to assess the competencies of consumer credit counselors. A reactor group was utilized in reviewing the items generated. This group made suggestions for improving the test items and the instrument was revised based upon these recommendations.

Step 8. To pilot test and then to revise the instrument. The test was administered to 24 counselors under the supervision of the developers and a committee of three leaders appointed by the National Foundation for Consumer Credit. The test was revised by the developers based upon the results of the pilot test.

Step 9. To make recommendations for the administration of the examination. Recommendations were based upon observations of the examining committee, comments of the pilot test participants and the item analysis of the pilot test scores.

Results

As a result of the study, the philosophy of consumer credit counseling has been established. A task inventory was made and critical tasks performed by consumer credit counselors identified and their importance established by counselors as well as clients in the field. A certification instr\Dllent was developed in order to assess the competencies of consumer credit counselors in the field. A pilot test was conducted and revisions were made on the instrument.