The structural model of predicting the professional development of consultants based on causal conditions with the mediation of individual and collaborative strategies with the Grounded theory method

The current research was conducted with the aim of predicting the professional development counselors based on causal conditions with the mediation of individual and collaborative strategies.

The present study is of qualitative and quantitative type, which was conducted with the Grounded theory method. The statistical population of this research included all the counselors who were working in counseling centers in Tehran in 2023. Using the principle of theoretical saturation, the number of samples reached 21 semi-structured interviews, which were selected by purposive sampling. Data analysis was done with open coding, axial coding and selective coding. In the quantitative part of the sample size of the research, using the table of Koresji and Morgan, the number of 201 people was estimated, and they were selected by purposive sampling. Path analysis and LISREL software were used for data analysis.

According to qualitative research data analysis, for "causal conditions of professional development of consultants", 5 components of work conscience, purposefulness, interest, growth and development motivation and correct policy, for "strategies of professional development of consultants", 2 individual and collaborative components, and for " Consequences of the professional development of counselors", 4 components of building trust in clients, increasing the quality of counseling, increasing the self-confidence and motivation of counselors and forming a therapeutic alliance were identified. The results showed that the causal conditions had an indirect effect on the results (t>1.96) and the strategies only had a direct effect on the results (t>1.96).

Paying attention to causal conditions such as work conscience, purposefulness, interest, motivation for growth and development, and correct policies as well as individual cooperative strategies of consultants can improve the quality of consultants' work.