Racial similarity of client and counselor and client satisfaction with counseling.

Abstract

Client evaluations of a precollege counseling interview were obtained for black and white students counseled by three experienced black counselors and eight experienced white counselors. Black students tend to react more favorably to black and to white counselors than do white students. In general, racial similarity of client and counselor is not an important factor in these counseling interviews. The hypothesis that counselors are differentially effective in counseling students of a different racial background than their own lacks support.

Effects of Cross‐Cultural Training on Helper Response

“…These results would seem to support the findings of previous studies suggesting that race may not be as important a factor as some believe (Ewing, 1974). The present study went further than most in corroborating the objective ratings of trained judges by eliciting the subjective impressions of both clients and counselor trainees about the latter's performance.…”

Receptivity to assessment‐based feedback for management development

“…Ewing, 1974;Fry et al, 1980). In a comprehensive review, Atkinson and Schein (1986) noted that there was little evidence of a gender similarity effect in terms of counselor bias, client preference, or effects on process or outcome of counseling sessions, and equivocal results for these same areas for ethnic or racial similarity.…”

Reconstructing Clinical Training: Implications From Research

“…1988). Ewing (1974) found that racial similarity of client and counselor in a counseling experience did not significantly contribute to client satisfaction with the experience. Similarly, Cimbolic (1972) found no significant racial preference among African American clients for either White or African American counselors.…”