Accuracy of accurate empathy ratings.

Studied the accuracy of accurate empathy ratings among 31 counseling graduate students by comparing 2 sets of ratings made under different experimental conditions with each other and with a predefined criterion of accuracy. 10 counselor-client exchanges representing excerpts from a single interview were deliberately constructed to represent 2 interactions at each level of the 5-point Accurate Empathy Scale. 2 groups of raters differing in amount of prior client information rated the exchanges. Data indicated that the 17 informed raters were significantly more accurate in their ratings than 14 noninformed raters and significant discrepancies in ratings occurred at the higher scale points of the Accurate Empathy Scale. Implications and suggestions for using this scale are discussed. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)