In 3 studies, Mexican-American college students reported a clear preference for ethnically similar counselors. These findings are robust because they pertain to both men and women, they pertain to persons who have and have not sought counseling, they are not significantly influenced by the experimenter's ethnicity, and they apply to students who have considered professional help for a wide range of personal problems. Furthermore, the 3rd study demonstrated that these preference ratings are unlikely to be a function of the participants' knowing the intent of the studies. Contrary to the mixed findings of past research, the present research suggests that ethnicity plays an important role in the counseling of Mexican Americans. It is argued that the methodologies used to assess preference (as either a judgment or a choice) may be an important factor in the study of Mexican Americans' preferences for their counselor's ethnic background.

Atkinson and Wampold's (1993) assessment of the available methods to study counselor preference failed to consider the limitations of the judgment and multidimensional approaches and the strength of the single-dimension choice approach, the method used in S. R. L6pez, L6pez, and Fong's (1991) research. In recognizing that each method has its respective strengths and weaknesses, it is important that researchers use multiple methods to assess counselor preferences. Naturalistic studies of counseling will ultimately determine which method or methods are most valid. It is suggested that the emphasis placed on a given method and the interpretation of given findings may reflect the degree to which researchers value the role of ethnicity and culture in counseling.

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