Measurement Invariance of the Counselor Burnout Inventory Across Cultures: A Comparison of U.S. and Korean Counselors

Abstract

This study assessed scores from the Counselor Burnout Inventory for factorial validity, convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency reliability, and measurement invariance across U.S. and Korean counselors. Although evidence existed for factorial validity across both groups, mixed results emerged for the other forms of validity and reliability. Measurement invariance analyses revealed that three of the five factors possessed measurement invariance across cultures, thus allowing for statistically appropriate group comparisons. Of those invariant factors, mean differences indicated that Korean counselors reported higher scores on the Devaluing Clients and Deterioration in Personal Life factors than U.S. counselors. Both cultures experienced similar mean scores on Exhaustion.