ABSTRACT
Objectives
Therapeutic agency refers to the client’s perception of oneself as a proactive agent of change. This study aimed to translate and validate the Therapeutic Agency Inventory (TAI) in a Korean sample.
Method
Two independent samples (N = 330 and 339, respectively) of Korean college students were obtained. Study 1 conducted exploratory factor analysis to examine the underlying structure of the Korean version of the TAI (K-TAI). Study 2 used confirmatory factor analysis to validate its factor structure. Additional analyses tested reliability, convergent and discriminant validity and predictive validity of counselling goal attainment.
Results
The findings supported a 3-factor 11-item structure that was largely consistent with the original instrument, with minor cultural adaptations. The K-TAI demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity. Furthermore, the inventory significantly explained additional variance in counselling outcomes beyond working alliance.
Conclusions
The K-TAI is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing client agency for Korean populations, contributing to a better understanding of therapeutic change mechanisms in a non-Western sample.