Abstract
Evidence suggests that mandatory individual counseling could be helpful for students in Masters of Social Work (MSW) programs. However, little is known about how MSW students would perceive such a requirement, or whether these perceptions differ by program specialization. This research study explored perceptions about potentially mandatory individual counseling during MSW programs amongst current students enrolled in the MSW program at California State University, Sacramento. A sample of 134 students was collected via non-probability convenience sampling. Students were asked to complete a short survey during their research class. Results demonstrate that most students were highly supportive of mandatory individual counseling for MSW students, showing a mean of 3.85 with 1 being strongly disagree. An Analysis of Co-Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine whether there were differences in mean scores supporting mandatory counseling between program specializations; the results suggest no significant differences. This study reflects the need for further research and possible implementation of personal psychotherapy in graduate social work programs.