Structural Analysis of Counsellors’ Competencies in Digital Counselling Practice Using ISM and MICMAC

The digital transformation of counselling, accelerated by technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic, has redefined the competencies required for effective, ethical, and client-focused online services. In Malaysia, this shift necessitates a clear understanding of how different competencies interrelate to support high-quality digital counselling practice. This study aims to determine and propose a Counsellors’ Competencies in Digital Counselling Practice (CCDCP) model based on expert consensus. Using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (MICMAC) analysis, input was obtained from six experienced counselling professionals. Six key competencies were identified: Digital Competence, Communication Skills, Self-Management Support, Ethical Competence, Cultural Competence, and Self-Development & Reflective Practice. ISM results revealed that Digital Competence is the ultimate dependent competency, developed through the integration of the other five driver competencies. MICMAC analysis positioned Communication Skills, Self-Management Support, Ethical Competence, Cultural Competence, and Self-Development & Reflective Practice as linkage variables with high driving and dependence power, while Digital Competence was classified as a dependent variable. No competencies were found in the autonomous or independent categories, underscoring the highly interconnected nature of skills in digital counselling. The findings highlight that digital competence emerges as an outcome of strengthening interpersonal, ethical, cultural, and self-regulatory skills, rather than functioning as an isolated driver. This integrated ISM–MICMAC framework provides valuable guidance for policymakers, training institutions, and professional bodies to design holistic competency development programs that ensure counsellors are equipped to meet the complex demands of digital counselling practice.