Japanese Americans (N=68) completed acculturation scale and rated credibility and attractiveness of counselor in tape-recorded simulated counseling session. Bicultural participants rated counselor as more attractive than did Western-identified participants. Japanese-American counselor was rated as more attractive than white-American counselor when…

In order to examine how the manipulation of the stylistic and semantic attributes of a counselor's language affects client perceptions of counselor expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness, 132 college students (88 females, 44 males) were randomly assigned to listen to one of four counseling audiotapes; the tapes were identical as to topic…

Counselor candidates' self-reports indicated increased personal mastery immediately after a required laboratory group experience in personal growth. Gains were retained in a 2-month follow-up. (Author)

Investigated Christian and non-Christian subjects' expectations for counseling with a Christian or traditional counselor. Subjects completed a modified version of Tinsley's Expectations About Counseling: Brief Form and were blocked on religious orientation. Results from 167 subjects revealed differences in expectations by subject's sex, subject's…

Interviews with an angry client made by counselors judged to be high or low empathic responders were compared on the stylistic complexity and the inherent semantic relations of their language. Significant differences were not found between counselors on information block length and use of state verb phrases. (Author)

Multicultural counseling competencies of university counseling center staff (N=176) were assessed. A one-model multiple regression analysis using a four-step forced entry method accounted for 34% of the variability. Variables are placed in order of influence. Minority scores varied from white counselors; multicultural competencies increased with…

In the last two decades, the international student population has increased in the United States. Although these students demonstrate a need for counseling services, they often underutilize what counseling services colleges and universities have available. Researchers have reported that people from different ethnic and social groups display…

College students rated an academic advisor, a vocational counselor, or a psychotherapist on 10 characteristics and subsequently rated each of the three types of counseling situations on how "personal" they perceived each to be. Subjects viewed psychotherapy as a more personal situation than academic advising or vocational counseling. (Author/RD)

Counseling is a dyadic interaction between client and counselor, in which their cognitive processes influence how they interact and communicate. To investigate the effect that a match of cognitive complexity between counselor and client has upon the counselor's empathy, 9 counselors and 27 clients participated in a study. After 7 weeks of…

Investigated the relationships between clients' early premature termination of counseling and ratings of their counselors' expertness, trustworthiness, and attractiveness and the extent to which clients believed that they were understood by their counselors. Conducted a follow-up survey to assess clients' reasons for terminating prematurely. Time…

Analyzed effects of race and socioeconomic status on perception of counseling process variables, including judged counselor empathy, judged counselor-client cognitive similarity, and attraction. Raters (N=24) gave highest counselor empathy ratings, client-counselor attraction and cognitive similarity ratings, and client improvement ratings when…

Explored effects of Native-American undergraduate students' (N=84) cultural commitment on preference for ethnically similar counselors. Found degree of cultural commitment significantly affected preferences for counselor ethnicity as well as expectations about counseling, in that subjects reporting strong commitments to culture expected more…

Investigated counselor trainee's recollections of early family structure and current intergenerational relationships. Found trainees who remained relatively free from "triangling" patterns with parents reported significantly greater spousal intimacy, more individuation from parents, and less triangulation with children and spouses.…

Four steps are critical in developing cultural competence in students: (1) a supportive training program; (2) a significant number or "critical mass" of culturally diverse students and allies; (3) opportunities to learn about diversity; and (4) development of racial identity. An appreciation of cultural diversity lies at the heart of any…