Abstract

This study aims to identify the effectiveness of a proposed training program for the development of educational counselors’ professional competencies to deal with autistic children in the Tulkarm governorate. The study sample consisted of 40 educational counselors in the Tulkarm Educational Directorate. The researchers used the Counselors’ Professional Competencies Scale as well as the training program, which was prepared by the researchers. The study results showed that there were statistically significant differences between the average means of the experimental group in the preand posttests in favour of the posttest. Also, there was a significant effect for the training program among the experimental group. However, there were no statistically significant differences between average scores of the experimental group in the pre- and posttests. Finally, the study recommended the need to provide efficient services for the autistic people and adopt intervention measures and therapy program.