Replication and extension of social influence processes in counseling: A field study.

Attempted to validate S. R. Strong's (1968) theory of counseling as a social influence process by using a correlational field study, replicating the 3-factor structure of clients' perceptions, and extending findings to the relationship between counselor attributes and the success of an intake interview. 250 college students seeking help from a university counseling center's walk-in service participated in the pre- and postintake interview design. Factor analysis of both preintake preferences for counselor attributes and postintake perceptions of actual counselors resulted in extraction of 3 factors corresponding to Expertness, Attractiveness, and Trustworthiness. Regression analysis accounted for 48% of the variance in Ss' ratings of satisfaction with the intake interview. Four variables contributed significantly to prediction. Regression analysis of Ss' return for a scheduled referral revealed no significant predictors. Replicated findings and divergent results are discussed in terms of the validity of Strong's model and the need for field validation. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)