Investigated preference for counselor race and sex, client sex, likelihood of using the counseling center, and problem type for Native American college students (N=62). Both females and males demonstrated a strong preference for Native American counselors, regardless of problem situation. Likelihood of using the counseling center increased as…

Compared client ratings of counselor effectiveness with tested personality characteristics, personal-professional demographic variables, and supervisor ratings. Findings included a high correlation between supervisor and client ratings of counselor effectiveness and a significant difference between high- and low-effective counselors for job…

Searched for interaction between quality of counseling skills (presence or absence of empathy, genuineness, and positive regard) and physical attractiveness as determinants of counseling effectiveness. Attractiveness influenced perceived effectiveness of counselor's skill. Analyses of expectancy data revealed that only with good skills did…

Examined effects and relative contribution of three counselor behaviors (nonverbal behavior, jargon, and attire) on perceived expertise and attractiveness. Results revealed that all three independent variables significantly affected the two rated dimensions. Nonverbal behavior accounted for most of the variance and differentially affected ratings…

Tested effects of client-counselor racial similarity on perceived counselor social influences and client satisfaction and effects of differing communication channels on perception of counselors of different races. Results indicated four communications channels produced differences in ratings of counselor behavior but the differences depended on…

Compared two measures of perceived counselor expertness, trustworthiness, and attractiveness: the Counselor Rating Form (CRF) and the Counselor Effectiveness Rating Scale (CERS). Results showed expertness, trustworthiness, and attractiveness as measured by both instruments are not independent and are components of a single dimension of perceived…

Compared Black and White patients who were seen in individual psychotherapy. Obtained assessments of treatment outcomes from therapists. White therapists generally rated their clients, especially Black clients, as psychologically more impaired than did Black therapists. Contrary to expectation, there were no differences in psychotherapy outcome as…

Discusses the impact of seven contextual variables related to counseling office environment: the initial reception, the name of the center, the color of the room, music, counselor, clothing, seating arrangements, and the room itself. Offers suggestions for improving the counseling process. (RC)

Determined the effects of the use of profanity in counseling. Participants (N=123) were randomly assigned to view one of three videotapes, two of which included profanity. The participants tended to give higher therapeutic ratings to sessions including both client-initiated and counselor-initiated profanity than to the session free of profanity.…

Focuses on the large and increasing number of older widows available for human service work within the hospice movement caring for the dying and bereaved. Suggests widows possess an empathetic readiness for work in this human service field, and become both beneficiaries and benefactors of their service efforts. (Author)

Examined leadership/influence effectiveness in democratic psychosocial situations. Compared legislators' and school counselors' role effectiveness as associated with positive self-concepts and attitudes. Results suggest the primary value of the study is in the techniques and methodology used within the content of perceptual theory. (RC)

Studied American Indian high school students (N=102) who rated seven dimensions of perceived counselor credibility and utility. Results indicated Indian counselors were perceived as more effective than non-Indian counselors and that the nondirective, verbal response style was rated as less effective than either a directive or a…

Counselor burn-out is characterized by feelings of frustration, rigidity, omnipotence, and the like. Reality therapy uses systematic plans to increase love, worth, fun, and self-discipline to deal effectively with burn-out. (Author)

Studied the effect of counselor sex and sex role on empathic understanding in the counseling relationship. Findings suggest need for further studies investigating the impact of client variables on the counseling relationship. Counselor sex did not significantly affect expressed empathic understanding. There was no evidence that the androgynous…

Counselor ratings were not influenced by counselor gender or subject sex role. Counselor sex role affected the ratings, with both androgynous and feminine counselors rated higher than the masculine counselor. Incongruent androgynous and undifferentiated subjects were more willing to see androgynous and feminine sex-typed counselors. (Author)