This research described below comes from a doctoral dissertation completed by the author in 2005 (Morris, W.P., 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of role conflict, role ambiguity, role congruence, and job satisfaction among counselors working in community colleges in the state of North Carolina and technical colleges in the state of South Carolina, and to determine whether there is a relationship between levels of role conflict, ambiguity, and congruence and job satisfaction. Technical colleges in South Carolina provide both general education components for transfer to four-year colleges and universities as well as terminal technical programs designed to prepare students for jobs in the work force and are the same type institutions that are called community colleges in most other states. This study also examined the relationship between role conflict, role ambiguity, role congruence, and job satisfaction and specific demographic characteristics, especially educational preparation. Finally, the research in this study sought to determine the current demographic characteristics, duties, and functions of community and technical college counselors in North Carolina and South Carolina. The research in this study borrowed some design features from a study done by Coll (1989, Coll & Rice, 1993) among community college counselors in Oregon.

Two hundred sixty-two counselors were identified in the two states and mailed survey packets containing the Role Questionnaire (Rizzo, House, and Lirtzman, 1970), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Job Satisfaction is defined as the level of acceptability expressed by a person about various aspects of his/her job, as measured by a standardized instrument called the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The Role Questionnaire measures role ambiguity, role conflict, and role congruence. Role ambiguity is defined as the degree to which a person perceives clear information is available regarding the expectations associated with a role, as measured by a standardized instrument, the Role Questionnaire (RQ). Role conflict is defined as the degree to which a person perceives conflicting expectations associated with a role, as measured by a standardized instrument, the Role Questionnaire (RQ). Role congruence is the degree of combined role conflict and role ambiguity as measured by a standardized instrument, the Role Questionnaire (RQ). The Role Questionnaire was scored in such a way that high scores reflect role incongruity and low scores reflect role congruity. One hundred fifty packets were returned for a response rate of 57%. Response rate for North Carolina counselors was 55% and response rate for South Carolina counselors was 64%. Frequency and descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and regressions were used to analyze and compare the data.

While the dissertation only discusses combined data from North and South Carolina, the demographic information presented here will be broken out by state. Role ambiguity, role conflict, and job satisfaction were found to be highly correlated with one another (p < .01). Statistically significant relationships were found between role conflict, role ambiguity, job satisfaction and several demographic characteristics, job duties, and educational backgrounds.

Demographics:

Gender:	Male - 31%, Female - 69%. SC: Male - 31%, Female - 69%. NC: Male - 31%, Female - 69%.
Age:	Mean age – 46, Median age – 48, Mode – 60. NC: Mean age – 46, Median age – 48, Mode – 48. SC: Mean age – 45, Median age – 49, Mode – 51.
Years on Job:	Mean – 7.6, Median – 4.8, Mode – 2 NC: Mean – 7.2, Median – 4, Mode – 2 SC: Mean – 8.4, Median – 5, Mode – 1, 5
Years in Profession:
Mean – 15, Median – 13, Mode – 7. NC: Mean – 14.9, Median – 14, Mode – 15. SC: Mean – 15.2, Median – 12.5, Mode – 7, 25.
Ethnicity:	African American/Black – 20.7%, Asian - .7%, Hispanic/Latino – 2.0%, White/Caucasian – 76.7%. NC: African American/Black – 13.7%, Asian - 1%, Hispanic/Latino – 2.9%, White/Caucasian – 82.4%. SC: African American/Black – 35.4%, White/Caucasian – 64.6%.
Highest Degree Type:	Bachelors – 5.3%, Masters – 90.7%, Education Specialist – 1.3%, Doctorate – 2.7%. NC: Bachelors – 5.9%, Masters – 91.2%, Doctorate – 2.9%. SC: Bachelors – 4.2%, Masters – 89.6%, Education Specialist – 4.2%, Doctorate – 2.1%.
Major for Highest Degree (34 different specific majors listed):	Counseling – 58%, Student Personnel/Affairs/Administration – 18%, Psychology – 9%, Social Work – 5%, Other – 10%.
NC Majors (29 different specific majors listed):	Counseling – 65.7%, Student Personnel/Affairs/Administration – 13.7%, Psychology – 7%, Social Work – 3%, Other – 10%.
SC Majors (24 different specific majors listed):	Counseling – 41.7%, Student Personnel/Affairs/Administration – 25%, Psychology – 10.4%, Social Work – 8.3%, Other – 10.4x%.
Licensure/Certification:	Some type – 39%, LPC and/or NCC – 31%. NC: Some type – 41.2%, LPC and/or NCC – 35.3%. SC: Some type – 35.4%, LPC and/or NCC – 25%.
Job Duties: (mean hours per week)	Academic Advising – 13.4 Administrative Tasks – 6.0 Career Counseling – 6.3 Personal Counseling – 4.5 Disability Services – 3.5 Other – 3.4 Testing – 2.5 Supervising – 2.1 Staff Meetings – 1.7 Researching – 0.8
NC Job Duties: (mean hours per week)	Academic Advising – 13.4 Administrative Tasks – 6.4 Career Counseling – 6.0 Personal Counseling – 4.3 Disability Services – 3.1 Other – 3.2 Testing – 2.8 Supervising – 2.2 Staff Meetings – 1.7 Researching – 0.8
SC Job Duties: (mean hours per week)	Academic Advising – 13.6 Administrative Tasks – 5.2 Career Counseling – 7.1 Personal Counseling – 5.0 Disability Services – 4.4 Other – 3.8 Testing – 1.9 Supervising – 1.9 Staff Meetings – 1.6 Researching – 0.8
Preferred Job Duties – Percentage desiring more or less time in particular duties:
	Less time on administrative tasks – 35.4% More time for individual career counseling – 32.7% More time for personal counseling – 34.7% More time for group career counseling – 29.3% More time for research – 26.7% Less time for individual advising – 21.3% More time for group advising – 22.7%
NC Preferred Job Duties – Percentage desiring more or less time in particular duties:
	Less time on administrative tasks – 32.4% More time for individual career counseling – 28.4% More time for personal counseling – 56.9% More time for group career counseling – 27.5% More time for research – 28.4% Less time for individual advising – 24.5% More time for group advising – 20.6%
SC Preferred Job Duties – Percentage desiring more or less time in particular duties:
	Less time on administrative tasks – 41.7% More time for individual career counseling – 41.7% More time for personal counseling – 50% More time for group career counseling – 33.3% More time for research – 22.9% More time for individual advising – 22.9% More time for group advising – 27.1%

Professional Membership and Conference Attendance: