Effects of Client Race‐Ethnicity on Perceptions of Counselor Trainees: Study 1 and Study 2

Abstract

The authors investigated the impact that racial stereotypes have on counselor trainees' perceptions of the attributes and behaviors of ethnically diverse male clients. Two studies were conducted in which participants were counselor trainees (Study I, N = 58; Study 2, N = 75) who received a case study in which a male student sought counseling for problems affecting his school work. No differences were revealed in Study 1. In Study 2, counselor perceptions ofclient attributes differed across client race-ethnicity. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for training counselors, particularly regarding multicultural courses and workshops.

The relationship of clients’ social class to early therapeutic impressions

“…The scale was patterned after numerous previous studies that have featured similar rating scales to capture diagnostic impressions (e.g., Fisher, Matthews, Robinson, & Burke, 2001;Fisher & Miller, 1973;Gushue, 2004). A sample item is ''How depressed would you estimate Michael to be?''…”

Counselors' Attributions of Blame Toward Female Survivors of Battering

“…When it comes to variables of interest in examining counselors' perceptions of, and work with, women who have experienced IPV, unique considerations must be taken into account. Although counselor training programs make a considerable effort to incorporate such information into training, there seems to be substantial variability in helpers', lay-persons', and practitioners' attitudes based on factors such as gender, theoretical orientation (Jackson et al, 2001), age (McChrystal, 1994, gender role orientation (Gold & Hawley, 2001), personal history of violence (including both physical and sexual child abuse and violence in past or current relationships; Cappell & Heiner, 1990;Coleman & Stith, 1997;King & Ryan, 1989), and client factors such as history of abuse, severity of violence (Wandrei & Rupert, 2000), gender (Trepal et al, 2008;Vogel et al, 2003), sexual orientation (Barrett & McWhirter, 2002;Wisch & Mahalik, 1999), age (Foshee & Linder, 1997), comorbidity with substance abuse (Harrison & Esqueda, 2000), and race (Fisher, Matthews, Robinson Kurpius, & Burke, 2001;Harrison & Esqueda, 2000). When working with women who are currently or have experienced battering, it is also important to consider counselorclient relationship factors as well.…”

Informing Culturally Competent Practice Through Cross-Racial Friendships

“…Researchers continue to explore the influence of race, among other cultural variables, on the counselling relationship (Burkard et al 2003;Darnell and Kuperminc 2006;Fisher et al 2001). There is, however, little counselling research on the impact of race on non-clinical or non-supervisory relationships.…”