Helping counselor trainees learn to respond consistently to anger and depression.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to help counselor trainees learn to respond consistently to client negative affect such as anger and depression. Fifty graduate students were randomly divided into five groups that were exposed to different kinds of videotaped counselor training procedures. The group of main interest was exposed to a training procedure that enabled the subjects first to verbally practice responding to client negative affect and then to observe a model counselor's response. When these subjects counseled either angry or depressed role-playing clients, they responded more consistently to client feelings than subjects exposed to other training procedures. An analysis of covariance with repeated measures was used to analyze the data.Negative affect expressed by clients has long been a focus of attention for counselors. Feelings such as anger, guilt, and depression are typically considered important areas for discussion and analysis. Frequently, the persistence of one of these feelings is the central problem presented by the client. If it is not the central problem, the content regarding the problem is often related to such a feeling: The dissolving marriage may be permeated by anger, poor academic performance sometimes results in excessive guilt, alcohol dependence can be associated with prolonged states of depression.Recently, several writers have been concerned with the role that negative affect plays in the counseling process (e.g.

Teaching graduate trainees how to manage client anger: a comparison of three types of training

“…Thus, perhaps because all three training conditions included practice or modeling, no type of training emerged as consistently more powerful in changing participants' verbal responses to angry clients. Comparing our findings with those of Hector et al (1981) and Davis et al (1985) is difficult, however, because it is unclear what they meant by ''responding appropriately.'' Were the pretraining responses abjectly inappropriate but then became appropriate after training, or was there just an evolution of initially appropriate to even more appropriate responses after training?…”

“…For example, although we do not know exactly what Bohn (1967) meant when stating that trainees became ''less directive'' in their responses to videotaped clients expressing anger, the current study's participants also used more nondirective responses after training (i.e., the supervisor-facilitated condition elicited more reflection than did self-training). Relatedly, Hector et al (1981) and Davis et al (1985) found that verbal practice with modeling (similar to our supervisor-facilitated training condition) yielded more consistent therapist-trainee responses (i.e., greater proportion of time trainees responded appropriately) toward client affect (i.e., anger and depression) than did conditions that included no practice or modeling. A comparison of the findings of Hector et al (1981) and Davis et al (1985) with those of the current study is intriguing.…”

“…Relatedly, Hector et al (1981) and Davis et al (1985) found that verbal practice with modeling (similar to our supervisor-facilitated training condition) yielded more consistent therapist-trainee responses (i.e., greater proportion of time trainees responded appropriately) toward client affect (i.e., anger and depression) than did conditions that included no practice or modeling. A comparison of the findings of Hector et al (1981) and Davis et al (1985) with those of the current study is intriguing. All three forms of permission has been granted for this version to appear in e-Publications@Marquette.…”

“…Hector, Davis, Denton, Hayes, and Hector (1979) found that a training group (either modeling or didactic) produced better (e.g., more appropriate) responses to client anger than did a no-treatment control group. Hector et al (1981) and Davis et al (1985) found that verbal practice was also helpful in producing more appropriate responses. Sharkin (1989) noted that these studies were important because they highlighted the need for therapist trainees to receive specialized instruction in how to respond to client anger, especially anger directed at the them personally.…”

“…When faced with client anger, trainees may respond defensively (Peabody & Gelso, 1982;Yulis & Kiesler, 1968), use avoidance behaviors (Bandura, Lipsher, & Miller, 1960;Cormier & Cormier, 1979;Gamsky & Farwell, 1966), attempt to reduce the anger by focusing on content (Hammond, Hepworth, & Smith, 1977), resort to problem solving rather than addressing and exploring the client's anger (Davis et al, 1985;Hector, Davis, Denton, Hayes, Patton-Crowder, & Hinkle, 1981), or respond to therapist-directed anger with reciprocal anger (Bandura et al, 1960;Fremont & Anderson, 1986;Heller, Myers, & Kline, 1963;Sharkin & Gelso, 1993). Given the possible negative consequences for clients and the therapeutic relationship when therapists do not deal effectively with client anger, it seems important to provide specific training to help novice therapists learn how to manage client anger.…”