Impact of counselor gender and counselor sex role orientation on perceived counselor characteristics.

Assessed the influence of counselor (C) gender (male or female), C sex role orientation (traditional or egalitarian), S's sex role orientation (masculine, feminine, or androgynous), and client problem type (sex role related or not sex role related) on female Ss' judgments of their comfort with disclosing to Cs and their perceptions of the C's attractiveness, expertness, and trustworthiness. Results show that (a) S's ratings of comfort in disclosing was greater with female rather than male and with egalitarian rather than traditional Cs; (b) female egalitarian Cs were perceived as most expert, whereas female traditional Cs were perceived as least expert, and (c) male traditional Cs were perceived as least trustworthy. The presence of C gender and C sex role effects and the absence of effects as a function of problem type and Ss' sex role orientation are discussed. Suggestions are made concerning the need for more consistent definition of sex role orientation and designation of problem type. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rational restructuring versus desensitization with clients of diverse conceptual levels: A test of a client-treatment matching model.

Examined the efficacy of matching treatment orientations differing in structure with clients differing in conceptual level (CL). Theoretically, "matched" conditions (i.e., high-structure treatment with low-CL clients and low structure treatment with high-CL clients) should be more effective than "mismatched" conditions (i.e., high-structure treatment with high-CL clients and low structure treatments with low-CL clients). 59 socially anxious males (as determined by the Social Anxiety Scale) were assessed as either high or low on CL (Paragraph Completion Test) and randomly assigned to rational cognitive restructuring (low structure), systematic desensitization (high structure), or a waiting list control group. After 5 1-hr-per-wk treatment sessions, analyses of the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Fear of Negative Evaluation Questionnaire, Behavioral Checklist for Interpersonal Anxiety, and a cognitive response assessment failed to confirm the matching model. Superiority of treatment effects relative to controls was obtained, with rational restructuring emerging as a preferred treatment. Discussion focuses on a comparison of this study with one in which the matching effect was obtained. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of client race on counselors' assessment of case materials.

Determined whether racial labels contribute to counselors' assessments of clients. 86 graduate students from 6 counseling programs read and assessed 8 intake case summaries. Four summaries were used in the computation of data. For 1 group of counselors, the clients in those 4 summaries were labeled Black, for a 2nd group they were labeled White, and for a 3rd group there were no racial labels. The counselors rated the cases on 11 positive-to-negative dimensions. Analysis of counselors' ratings summed across cases indicated that Black-labeled cases were rated significantly more positive than those labeled White or with no label. A stepwise multiple regression using the no-label condition as a relative reference point indicated that in the final regression equation, Black-labeled cases contributed more to the prediction of counselors' ratings than level of counseling experience, level of physical social distance to minorities, or prior contact with minorities. Counselors seemingly overcompensated to avoid negative professional bias. The reverse biases they demonstrated are discussed as well as the implications for counseling minorities. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognition and psychopathology: An analysis of social introversion and self-statements.

Administered the MMPI and the Social Interaction Self-Statement Test (SISST) to 92 18–49 yr old mental health center clients as part of the intake process. Ss' self-ratings and clinicians' ratings on the degree to which shyness had been a problem for S were also obtained. Results show that the Social Introversion scale of the MMPI was the most efficient predictor of the SISST scales. Both measures were equally efficient in predicting clinicians' ratings of shyness. Findings support the notion that cognitive assessment methods may complement information obtained by traditional assessment methods. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counselor race and power base: Effects on attitudes and behavior.

Assessed the effects of expert and referent power bases and counselor race on Ss' attitude and behavior change. 32 White undergraduates who identified themselves as having procrastination and career-planning problems were divided into internal or external groups on the basis of their scores on Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale. Four female interviewers, 2 Black and 2 White, portrayed either an expert or referent role and attempted to influence Ss to use a problem-solving process and perform a career-planning activity. Dependent variables included a measure of attitude change, a measure assessing knowledge of the problem-solving process, and 2 behavioral measures. Results show that (a) the roles were perceived as intended, (b) Ss of expert interviewers recalled more of the problem-solving process, and (c) significant interactions of race and role were obtained such that Black-expert and White-referent interviewers were most influential both in attitude and behavior change. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of self-efficacy and coping with cancer: Development and validation of the Cancer Behavior Inventory.

This article reports the development of a measure of self-efficacy for coping with cancer. Items culled from a variety of sources were chosen for inclusion in the Cancer Behavior Inventory (CBI) based on the psychometric properties of the items and the fit of the items in a factor structure. Factor analysis on a group of 502 persons with cancer yielded 6 factors: (a) Maintenance of Activity and Independence (α?=?.89), (b) Coping With Treatment-Related Side Effects (α?=?.88), (c) Accepting Cancer/Maintaining Positive Attitude (α?=?.87), (d) Seeking and Understanding Medical Information (α?=?.88), (e) Affective Regulation (α?=?.75), and (f) Seeking Support (α?=?.77). Cronbach's α for the entire measure was .96, and correlations with other measures supported its validity. The CBI may be useful for research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of performance expectancy and self-focused attention on social interaction.

Investigated the impact of performance expectancies and self-focused attention on social performance in mixed-sex dyads of 48 undergraduate men with self-reported moderate social anxiety on a modified Social Avoidance and Distress Scale. Ss were divided into 2 groups on the basis of their high or low performance expectancies. Ss were asked to respond to several self-report questionnaires before and after making a telephone call lasting 4–5 min to a female confederate for the purpose of getting acquainted. Results show that half of the Ss in each expectancy group performed in the presence of a self-focusing stimulus (video-camera). When anxiety level was controlled for, focus of attention alone had a very limited effect on performance. Expectancy had a significant influence on social performance, but only if Ss were self-focused. Thus confident Ss were rated by judges as more socially skilled than were doubtful Ss, but only when the camera was present. The interaction between these variables parallels previous research by C. S. Carver et al (see record 1980-32489-001) and Carver and M. F. Scheier (see record 1980-25774-001) and supports the self-regulation model of Carver and Scheier (1983). (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Breach of confidentiality and perceived trustworthiness of counselors.

200 male undergraduates heard audiotaped counselor–client interactions that culminated in a decision by the counselor to breach or maintain confidentiality. In a control condition no confidentiality manipulation was presented. The degree of seriousness of the client's problem was manipulated in addition to the level of counselor experience, type of presenting problem, and counselor. Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of 48 cells defined by a 3 (confidentiality: confidential, nonconfidential or control) by 2 (problem seriousness: highly or moderately serious) by 2 (counselor experience: expert or nonexpert) by 2 (presenting problem: suicide or drug abuse) by 2 (counselor: A or B) between-Ss factorial design. Among other measures Ss rated counselors on trustworthiness on the Counselor Rating Form. A Confidentiality?×?Problem Seriousness Interaction indicated that with highly serious client problems breaching confidentiality was associated with significantly lower trustworthiness ratings compared to all other conditions. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factor structure of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (Self-Report) for persons with cancer.

The Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS–SR) is a frequently used self-report measure, yet its factor structure, reliability, and validity have not been tested adequately on a sample of persons with cancer. A group of persons with cancer (N?=?502) completed the PAIS–SR and other measures of adjustment and coping. A principal-axis factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded 7 factors: Social and Leisure Activities (.86), Job and Household Duties (.85), Psychological Distress (.87), Sexual Relationship (.92), Relationships With Panner and Family (.70), Health Care Orientation (.61), and Help From Others (.63). Values in parentheses are Cronbach's αs for the factors; α for the entire scale was .93. Correlations with measures of disease impact, adjustment, and coping support the validity of the PAIS–SR and its use for cancer research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construal of complex assertion situations: A multidimensional analysis.

To determine how people cognitively represent complex social situations, 84 undergraduates and 8 clients (aged 18–23 yrs) in assertion training scaled 48 positive and 32 negative assertion vignettes according to similarity of difficulty. Ss also rated the vignettes on 21 bipolar scales and responded to an assertion questionnaire. The vignettes were constructed from a preliminary study in which the major components of assertion situations (i.e., target, context, and type of behavior) were explored. The scaled vignettes were then analyzed using INDSCAL (a multidimensional scaling program) and PROFIT (a program that fits the bipolar scales into the dimensionalized space). Analysis of the vignettes indicated that (a) each of the derived dimensions could be described according to the major components that contributed to the dimension and (b) the importance of the dimensions varied as a function of assertion level. Reformulation of assertion in terms of information processing is discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)