This article by Valencia-Naranjo and Robles-Bello (2022) examines the assessment of communication and relationship skills in degree programmes oriented toward counseling and helping professions (Psychology and Social Work), integrating them within contemporary frameworks of self-regulated learning and formative feedback. To this end, it analyses the psychometric suitability of the HABICOM as an instrument for generating meaningful feedback in interactive contexts and explores its convergence with other sources: peer perception (SPOM) and objective video analysis.
The study combines large-scale survey data with brief recorded interaction tasks, positioning feedback (from instructors, peers, and self-assessment) as a lever to refine evaluative judgment and develop transversal competencies.
The findings support a reduced version of the HABICOM (26 items, 7 subscales) with good model fit, acceptable reliability, and convergent/discriminant validity. In terms of perceived performance, third-year Psychology students scored higher than Social Work students on Total score, Motivation, and Non-verbal Communication, while “basic” skills appeared more homogeneous across groups.
The correlation between self- and peer-reports was significant for most subscales; moreover, peer assessments using HABICOM were associated with their evaluations of the interaction session (SPOM) and with video-coded indicators, reinforcing the triangulation between subjective perception and observable performance.
Overall, the study provides pragmatic evidence for integrating HABICOM into formative assessment designs that combine rubrics, video analysis, and multi-source feedback, fostering self-regulation and the refinement of evaluative judgment. Among its contributions are the operationalization of “advanced” competencies (motivation, non-verbal communication, openness) and their sensitivity to curricular progression; among its limitations, the brief interaction time, the use of familiar dyads, and the restricted generalizability to a specific context.
The authors propose expanding the use of institutional digital technologies to close the feedback loop and transform information into concrete actions for improvement—an approach aligned with current trends in evidence-based and authentic performance-oriented digital education.
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How to Cite: Valencia-Naranjo, N., & Robles-Bello, M. A. (2022). Communication and Relationship Skills in Higher Education Disciplines Aimed at Counseling. RIED-Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 25(1), 323–341. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.25.1.31327
