Afro-American preferences for counselor characteristics: A replication and extension.

Abstract

This study replicates and extends the Atkinson, Furlong, and Poston (1986) investigation that examined Black subjects' preferences for salient similar and dissimilar counselor characteristics within a disconfirmatory hypothesis-testing strategy framework. Using a markedly different Black college student sample and replicating the paired-comparison technique of , the present study found a generally high rank-order correlation (p = .91) between the two respective samples on preferences for counselor characteristics. Despite the global rank-order stability across samples, a number of important rank differentials are noted and discussed. We caution against generalizing the results of cross-cultural studies to geographically displaced samples and highlight suggestions for cross-cultural research using the paired-comparison technique.The authors express their appreciation to Donald R. Atkinson, Michael J. Furlong, and Carlos Poston for sharing their survey with us and for encouraging our replication study. Special thanks are extended to Michael J. Furlong for his review and commentary on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

The Suinn‐Lew Asian Self‐Identity Acculturation Scale: Cross‐Cultural Information

“…Hence, a bicultural person may display some host culture behaviors (for example, in gender role behaviors), while retaining other parent culture behaviors (for example, behaviors toward elders and parental authority). The variable of acculturation has an important role in promoting the understanding of ethnic minority issues, because it is associated with patterns of conflict resolution (Kagan, Zahn, & Geasly, 1977), attitude toward counselors (Atkinson & Matsushita, 1991;Parham & Helms, 1981;Pomales & Williams, 1989;Ponterotto, Alexander, & Hinkston, 1988). willingness to use counseling services (Sanchez & Atkinson, 1983).…”

American Indian Secondary School Students' Preferences for Counselors

“…Information concerning the preferences of African American, Asian American, Mexican American, and American Indian college students for this expanded range of counselor attributes is now available. For these groups, results suggest that counselor race or ethnicity is of less importance than other characteristics, such as the counselor's educational level or the similarity of the counselor's attitudes and values to that of the client (Atkinson et al, 1986; Atkinson, Poston, Furlong, & Mercado, 1989; Bennett & BigFoot-Sipes, 199 1 ; Ponterotto, Alexander, & Hinkston. 1988).…”

Group Counseling for African American Males: When All You Have Are European American Counselors

“…Both counselors were about the age of the members' mothers. Research by Ponterotto et al (1988) found that the African American male students ranked preference for an opposite-sex counselor higher than for a samesex counselor. The researchers state that this preference may be due to the tendency of men and women in the United States to prefer a woman as a source of emotional support.…”

“…However, with the disproportionate number of European American counselors in many school systems, African American students need not be deprived of their own groups. In addition, although caution has been advised in the interpretation of the findings, research studies on older students have consistently concluded that African Americans generally prefer counselors of the same race (Coleman, Wampold, & Casali, 1995;Ponterotto, Alexander, & Hinkston, 1988;Terrell & Terrell, 1984;Watkins & Terrell, 1988).…”