Changes in counselor response as a function of experience.

Abstract

The responses of 67 counselors to 21 widely varying client statements were rated on eight dimensions {dominance, approach-avoidance, focus on affect, immediacy, breadth vs. specificity, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation). The counselors were divided into three experience levels (beginning students [n = 24], advanced students [n = 23], and doctoral level professionals [n = 20]). and their responses were compared. We hypothesized that siudem counselors would evidence different amounts of these variables than would the doctoral counselors. This hypothesis was supported on the dimensions of dominance, immediacy, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation. It was also hypothesized that response flexibility would differ across the experience levels. On the dimensions of dominance, meeting client demands, and confrontation, doctoral counselors were more flexible than were advanced student counselors. The results indicate that students focus on learning and honing the use of certain counseling skills. In the process of doing this, they tend to apply them in a rigid manner. Doctoral counselors appear more able to apply their skills flexibly depending on the situation.

Competing schools or stylistic variation in careers guidance interviewing

“…There was some evidence, too, that more experienced careers officers were less information-oriented in their interviewing. This seemed to be consistent with how more experienced counsellors appear to change-they are less likely to gratify client demands than those with less experience (Tracey et al, 1988). …”

Counselor Sex Role Orientation, Flexibility, and Working Alliance Formation

“…One score was derived from the therapist intention data as an index of counselor flexibility. Tracey, Hays, Malone, and Herman (1988) have argued that flexibility is the counselor's ability to alter his or her approach based on the demands of the client's situation. Inflexible counselors respond in a similar manner regardless of variations in the client's situation or state.…”

Counselor Interpersonal Power Base Preference: An Examination of Counselor and Client Variables

“…(1986) suggested that perhaps students may respond more to the client's distress level than the problem content itself. Tracey et al (1988) found that students respond quite differently to more severely disturbed, suicidal clients, and less disturbed, relationship-focused clients. Thus, the authors chose problems that differed in both content and distress.…”

“…The purpose of this study was to extend the work of Robyak and associates (Robyak, 1981;Robyak et al, 1986) regarding the effect of student experience and client problem on student power base preference. Experience level was reexamined, as a relevant factor, particularly because additional counseling experience has been suggested to reflect increasing skill usage and skill flexibility (e.g., Robyak et al, 1986;Tracey, Hays, Malone, & Herman, 1988). A different method for defining experience level was employed.…”

“…In accordance with Robyak et al (1986), it was hypothesized that less experienced students would prefer the legitimate and referent bases more and the expert base less than advanced students. These power bases reflect more basic types of skills, and ought to be reflective of an inexperienced student's rigid style of preference (e.g., Tracey et al, 1988). The second research question was how student power base preference was related to client problem type.…”