Research identity is a critical component of counselor education, yet little is known about the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) graduate counseling students engaged in academic research. This interpretive phenomenological analysis study explored how BIPOC counseling students navigate research training, and examined systemic barriers, motivations, and factors that influenced their development as researchers. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 11 participants in CACREP-accredited programs. The analysis revealed four central themes and stages of researcher identity development: (a) Roots of inspiration, (b) Pathway to readiness, (c) Research in motion and (d) Grounded in growth. The results also suggested the need for more inclusive, equity centered research training in counselor education and offered recommendations for supporting novice counseling student researchers.
Ferguson et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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