The effect of counselor touch in an initial counseling session.

32 17–25 yr old female clients were determined to be either field independent or dependent, using the Group Embedded Figures Test. During a counseling session in which vocational interest in teaching was discussed, Ss received 1 of 2 conditions. Ss in the touch condition received a total of 6 touches; Ss in the no-touch condition were not touched. After the session, Ss completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Self-Disclosure Questionnaire, and Counselor Rating Form. Ratings were also made of Ss' statements during the interview for actual self-disclosure. Results indicate that counselors were perceived as significantly more expert when they touched than when they did not. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of counselor intention and anxiety to brief counseling outcome.

Explored the construct validity of counselor intention as conceptualized in the cognitive-mediational paradigm (Martin, 1984). Specifically, we examined the influence of clarity of counselor-stated intention, which is the quality of articulation of counselor statements of intention associated with counseling interventions, and counselor in-session anxiety as mediators of outcome in brief counseling. Counselors, clients, and independent judges rated the quality of counseling sessions. The clarity of counselor-stated intention was related positively to clients' and judges' ratings of counseling outcome. Counselor in-session anxiety was associated negatively with the outcome ratings of the counselors. The implications of these findings for the counselor intention construct and Martin's paradigm are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselor touch on counseling outcome.

Examined the effect(s) of counselor touch on client evaluation of counseling and level of self-exploration. 25 counselors and 100 undergraduates participated. Nonverbal condition (touch, no touch), sex of counselor, and sex of client were the factors. Each S participated in a single individualized vocational counseling session to discuss their performance on the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. All 50-min counseling sessions included 6 clusters of verbal and nonverbal procedures that were administered by counselors at predetermined periods of time. Data were collected by means of questionnaires (Counseling Evaluation Inventory and Depth of Self-Exploration Scale) and audiotapes that were submitted to independent raters for analysis. Contrary to previous studies, counseling touch did not have a significant effect. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of note-taking on perceived counselor social influence during a career counseling session.

Examined the effects of counselor note-taking behavior on participants' impressions of a counselor during a career counseling session. A total of 140 participants (70 men and 70 women) rated 1 of 2 videotapes designed to credibly simulate a real career counseling interview. Note-taking was the independent variable. Results of this study suggest that whether a counselor is observed in a note-taking or non-note-taking condition has no significant effect on perceived counselor expertness, attractiveness, or trustworthiness. However, there was a significantly greater willingness of the participants to see the counselor who refrained from note-taking. Results offer tentative suggestions for those counselors who choose to take notes during a career counseling session. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselor race and counseling approach on Asian Americans' perceptions of counselor credibility and utility.

Conducted 2 studies in which Asian Americans rated a counselor's performance in a simulated counseling session with an Asian American student. Two tape recordings of a contrived counseling session were prepared in which the client responses were identical but the counselor responses differed, 1 depicting a "directive" counseling approach and 1 a "nondirective" approach. Each tape recording was paired with 2 different introductions, 1 in which the counselor was identified as Asian American and 1 in which the counselor was described as Caucasian American. In the 1st study, 52 Asian American university students were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 introduction–approach combinations. In the 2nd study, 48 Japanese Americans who were members of the Young Buddhist Association were randomly assigned to the 4 introduction–approach combinations. In both studies, the counselor was rated as more credible and approachable when employing the directive counseling approach than when using the nondirective counseling approach. Evidence was found that Asian American university students see Asian American counselors as more credible and approachable than Caucasian American counselors, while the association members viewed them as equally credible and approachable. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The beauty of counseling: Effects of counselor physical attractiveness and self-disclosures on perceptions of counselor behavior.

Investigated influences of the physical attractiveness and self-disclosures of nonprofessional counselors in initial counseling interviews. In a 3–2 factorial design, 144 female undergraduates were exposed to audiotaped interviews in which an attractive, unattractive, or physically unidentified male counselor revealed no self-information or expressed an equal and moderate number of demographic or personal similarity self-disclosures. Consistent with previous research evidence, nondisclosing, unattractive counselors elicited less desirable behavioral attributions (including perceived regard, empathy, and genuineness determined by the Relationship Inventory) and counseling expectations than attractive counselors. Demographic and personal disclosures successfully eliminated these attractiveness effects for attribution variables. Additive effects of attractiveness and disclosure were observed for nearly all the expectancy variables. Experimental and applied implications are discussed with regard to the literature on physical attractiveness and counselor disclosure. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Client self-terminations after one counseling session: Effects of problem recognition, counselor gender, and counselor experience.

From a pool of 758 clients seen individually by 1 of 34 counselors at a large university counseling center, 533 clients were identified as having self-terminated from counseling after their initial session or as having continued in counseling for at least 3 sessions. The authors investigated potential relationships between continuation in counseling and the variables of counselor experience, counselor gender, and counselor recognition of clients' problem definitions. As predicted, the results of logit analyses indicated that clients were more likely to self-terminate after 1 session when problem recognition was absent. This relationship was more pronounced for experienced counselors than it was for trainees, suggesting a possible explanation for the lack of a direct relationship between counselor experience and continuation in counseling in recent studies. Female counselors had higher rates of early premature terminations than male counselors. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived counselor social influence and counseling outcomes: Validity of the Counselor Rating Form.

Examined the predictive validity of the Counselor Rating Form (CRF) and tested S. R. Strong's model of the impact of counselor social influence on counseling outcomes. 36 15–32 yr old clients from a rural midwestern outpatient drug treatment program were asked to rate counselors after their initial interview and then after their final counseling session using the CRF. Precounseling and postcounseling scores were generated for each client using the method of Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). Scores from pre- and postcounseling CRF and GAS were used to study the relationship between initial client perceptions and postcounseling outcomes. The major hypothesis that a positive relationship would occur between final perceptions and outcomes was supported. Regression analyses produced a prediction equation using CRF variables that accounted for 35% of outcome variance. Results suggest the research and clinical utility of the CRF and the validity of the social influence model on which its dimensions are based. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to special sections: Race/ethnicity in counseling process and outcome and measuring session outcome in counseling and psychotherapy.

This article introduces the first in a series of special sections in the Journal of Counseling Psychology. The first special section is on multicultural counseling, which has been of major concern to counseling psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counselor and client sex pairing: The effects of counseling problem and counselor sex role orientation.

291 male and 246 female undergraduates viewed a videotape of a client of the same sex with either a vocational or personal social problem, counseled by either a masculine or feminine male or female counselor. Three times during the videotape, Ss predicted the client's next response by selecting 1 of 4 affective self-reference statements. At the conclusion of the videotapes, Ss rated the counselors using the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (BLRI) and the Counselor Rating Form (CRF). Results indicate significant main effects and interactions of counselor sex and sex role and client sex and presenting problem for the BLRI, the CRF, and S affective self-references. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of level of acculturation and counseling style on Hispanic students' perceptions of counselor.

It was hypothesized that level of acculturation and counseling style would affect Hispanic students' perceptions of certain counselor attributes and willingness to see a counselor. Pretesting on an acculturation scale placed 94 Hispanic undergraduate college students in one of three types, Hispanic acculturated, bicultural, or Anglo acculturated. The participants viewed a counseling videotape of one of two White female counselors portraying either a directive or a nondirective counseling style and rated her on two scales. Results indicated that acculturation had a significant effect on ratings of trustworthiness and counselor understanding. Counseling style had a significant effect on the students' perception of counselor knowledge of psychology, counselor willingness to help, and on their own willingness to see a counselor. Sex of the participants had a significant effect on perceptions of counselor attractiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predictors of the change in self-stigma following a single session of group counseling.

One of the major obstacles to seeking psychological help is the stigma associated with counseling and therapy. Self-stigma, the fear of losing self-respect or self-esteem as a result of seeking help, is an important factor in the help-seeking process. In the present study, college students meeting a clinical cutoff for psychological symptoms participated in 1 session of group counseling that either contained therapist self-disclosure or did not. In general, participants reported significantly less self-stigma following the session. Working alliance–bond and session depth significantly predicted the change in self-stigma. Furthermore, self-stigma (as well as bond, depth, psychological symptoms, and being female) predicted the intention to seek help following the session. Self-stigma and session depth also predicted interest in continuing with counseling. The therapist self-disclosure condition, however, had no effect on the change in self-stigma, intentions to seek help, or interest in continuing with group counseling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal influence process in real-life counseling: Investigating client perceptions, counselor experience level, and counselor power over time.

Examined the interpersonal influence process within an actual counseling context over an average of 8 sessions. Counselors were either beginning or advanced practicum students or doctoral interns (n?=?27); clients were 31 students who sought counseling at a university center. Before and after counseling Ss completed the Counselor Rating Form, the Expectations about Counseling measure, and the Counselor Perceptions Questionnaire. Results indicate that (a) the actual counselor experience level did not affect client perceptions of the counselor; (b) perceived counselor expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness changed over time, but not in the same direction across counselors; (c) different levels of client need did not affect clients' perceptions of counselor characteristics; and (d) counselors rated as highly attractive indicated they had more therapeutic power over clients than counselors rated as moderately attractive. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counselor and client ethnicity and counselor intake judgments.

Used archival research to compare intake judgments made by women counselors about women clients seen for an initial intake interview. Sociopsychological variables, which have been shown to influence counselor judgments, were controlled for in the research design. 41 African-American and 41 White female clients (aged 17–38 yrs), matched on demographic and pretreatment variables, were seen by African-American and White female counselors. Chi-square analysis and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed no significant differences in counselor judgments for the matched client groups. Results support the need to control for sociopsychological variables that may influence counselor judgments when examining potential bias as a function of ethnicity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Client and counselor characteristics and engagement in counseling.

Examined relations among various client and counselor characteristics and engagement in counseling for more than 1 session with 5 female and 4 male practicum counselors and 203 of their clients (128 women, 75 men) who had come to a university counseling center for the 1st time. After the initial interview, clients rated counselors' interest, helpfulness, competence, warmth, and genuineness; counselors rated clients' verbalness, intelligence, capacity for insight, likability, and the severity of clients' problems. Clients also indicated the extent to which counselors identified concerns for which the clients did not initially seek counseling. Findings show that 71 clients returned for more than 1 counseling session. Counselors' perceptions of clients as more disturbed and counselors' desire to see the clients were positively associated with clients' returning for counseling after intake. Identification of concerns for clients by counselors at intake was also positively related to engagement in counseling. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselor sex and sex role and client sex on clients' perceptions and self-disclosure in a counseling analogue study.

Studied the effects of client sex and counselor sex and sex role on the counseling relationship, using an analogue format in which 35 male and 39 female undergraduate students participated in simulated counseling interviews. Ss were stratified by sex and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment conditions: (a) masculine male counselor, (b) feminine male counselor, (c) masculine female counselor, and (d) feminine female counselor. At the conclusion of the interview, the S completed the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (Form OS-M-64) and a questionnaire assessing the S's satisfaction with the counseling session. The audiotapes of the sessions were rated by trained judges for (a) positive affective self-references, (b) negative affective self-references, and (c) total non-affective self-references of the Ss. Male Ss were more satisfied with the counseling process than female Ss. Male Ss indicated greater satisfaction and a higher level of counselor regard with feminine counselors than with masculine counselors, regardless of counselor sex, but female Ss indicated greater satisfaction and a higher level of counselor regard with masculine counselors than with feminine counselors, regardless of counselor sex. Male Ss talked most about themselves with feminine female counselors and least about themselves with masculine female counselors, while female Ss talked most about themselves with feminine male counselors and least about themselves with masculine male counselors. These findings are related to the feminist pleas for same-sex pairing in the counseling relationship. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some effects of counselor profanity in counseling.

60 male and female 24–50 yr old recovering alcoholic counseling clients were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 male counselors and to 1 of 2 treatment conditions. In the nonstandard English condition, the counselor casually and passively introduced 4 profane words. The standard English condition was identical except in respect to the use of these specific words. On client self-report and behavioral measures, which cut across all schools of counseling, counselors who used nonstandard English were judged to be less effective and satisfying. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Help-seeking attitudes and perceptions of counselor behavior.

Evaluated with 219 female undergraduates the Fischer-Turner Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help inventory and its component factor scales in terms of their "known groups" validity and their predictive utility in counseling research. Ss reporting prior professional assistance for psychological problems espoused more favorable attitudes (including greater recognition of need, stigma tolerance, interpersonal openness, and confidence in mental health practitioners) than Ss without such professional contact. Ss listened to taped counseling interviews and rated the counselors on several perceptual and expectancy variables (including the Relationship Inventory). Help-seeking attitudes were found to represent a significant positive influence on the counselors' perceived expertise, trustworthiness, regard, empathy, genuineness, and general helpfulness; on Ss' expected willingness to return for a 2nd interview; and on their expectancies of improvement across a variety of personal problems. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convergence in client and counselor recall of important session events.

The authors examined convergence of clients' and counselors' recall of important session events by comparing client and counselor Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQs) from 27 counseling dyads. In addition, clients reported interpersonal problems before and after counseling. Trained judges rated matched pairs of CIQs for similarity of change mechanisms and content. Individual growth modeling was conducted with the Hierarchical Linear Model program. Results showed that (a) convergence of client and counselor recall of important therapeutic events increased linearly over time, and (b) increasing convergence was related to counseling outcomes, as measured by a decrease in interpersonal problems. Implications for counseling practice and future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Client introversion and counseling session impact.

Tested the hypothesis that insofar as personal counseling is a social encounter, introverted clients may be expected to experience greater distress in sessions than extraverted clients. This expectation was confirmed in a total of 83 clients (aged 17–39 yrs) in a university clinic who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) during their treatment and completed a session evaluation questionnaire immediately after their sessions. With differences among counselors statistically controlled, relatively introverted (higher MMPI Social Introversion) clients rated their sessions as relatively uncomfortable, unpleasant, tense, rough, and difficult and rated their postsession mood as relatively unfriendly, uncertain, sad, angry, and afraid. Conversely, relatively gregarious, overactive, extraverted (higher MMPI Hypomania scores) clients rated their sessions as relatively comfortable, pleasant, relaxed, smooth, and easy. It is suggested that client introversion should be incorporated explicitly into counseling theories and should be measured as a possible mediating variable in process and outcome research. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)