Through the use of an analog methodology and a factorial experimental design, the current study investigated the effects of counselors' race and multicultural competency on counselor preference for Black participants. Eighty-seven African American college students participated in an online or computer-administered study. The African American multiculturally competent counselor received significantly higher counselor effectiveness ratings than did the White multiculturally competent counselor. Also, the correlations between racial identity ideologies and counselor effectiveness were examined within each condition of race and multicultural competency. Racial Identity was measured with the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers, Rowley, Chavous, Shelton, & Smith, 1997). The findings from this study may assist counselors and researchers in understanding how potential African American clients perceive counselors based on their race and multicultural competency and how client's racial identity may affect African American clients' perceptions of counselors' effectiveness.

This study explored interpersonal trust, racial identity, perceived racism, and religious orientation as predictors of preference for a Black counselor and cultural mistrust. The unique variance of interpersonal trust and cultural mistrust in predicting preference for a Black counselor was also explored. The relationship between cultural mistrust and interpersonal trust was tested to determine whether or not they are independent constructs. This study also examined the relationship between racial identity and religious orientation. Gender differences in religious orientation, cultural mistrust and preference for a Black counselor were examined. Previous studies provide support that cultural mistrust contributes to negative help-seeking attitudes and underutilization of mental health services. Researchers have identified racial identity and perceived racism as correlates to and/or predictors of cultural mistrust and preference for a Black counselor (Whaley, 2001). This study involved participants recruited in part from the Educational Psychology (EDP) Subject Pool at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). Participants were also recruited from five student organizations at UT. Participants completed the survey using an online survey tool or a paper copy of the survey. One stratum was used for selection of participants: students who racially identify as African-American or Black. Results of the study revealed interpersonal trust as a significant predictor of preference for a Black counselor. However, exploratory analyses indicated that cultural mistrust served as the sole predictor of Black counselor preference when seeking a counselor for dealing with racial concerns. Interpersonal trust, immersion-emersion anti-white racial identity attitudes (IEAW) and extrinsic religious orientation were significant predictors of cultural mistrust. Results also indicated a positive relationship between Internalization Multiculturalist (IMCI) racial identity attitudes and intrinsic religious orientation. A negative correlation was found to exist between intrinsic religious orientation and IEAW. High cultural mistrust levels were also positively associated with high IEAW attitudes. Additionally, a small, yet statistically significant negative relationship was found to exist between cultural mistrust and interpersonal trust. Cultural mistrust did not account for a significant amount of variance above that of interpersonal trust in predicting preference for a Black counselor. Finally, no mean sex differences were found among levels of Black counselor preference, cultural mistrust, and intrinsic or extrinsic religious orientation. Exploratory analyses also revealed a positive relationship between cultural mistrust and seven out of ten scenarios for Black counselor preference. Individuals with a preference for a Black counselor reported higher levels of cultural mistrust related to issues concerning: excessive worry/anxiety, drinking too much alcohol/using drugs, relationship problems, feelings of harassment/feeling threatened, sexual issues, racial issues, and difficulty controlling anger. Results of the study bear implications for understanding cultural mistrust and interpersonal trust as it relates to counselor preference. Implications for counselors are also discussed regarding the intersection of racial and religious identities. Limitations and future directions for research are also discussed. / text

In the last several decades, multiculturalism has became the one of the most popular research topics in psychology and counseling, and the counselor preferences of ethnic minority clients has been well researched. However, in the history of research on counselor preferences, the needs and preferences of ethnic majority clients have been neglected. This study investigated the counselor preferences of White university students. This study examined three primary research questions: whether counselor ethnicity influenced White university students’ initial counselor preferences, what were White university students’ preferences for various counselor characteristics, and whether White university students preferred specific counseling styles for different problem types. A survey consisting of three parts, a demographic questionnaire, a questionnaire including three analogical counselor-client vignettes, and a Preferred Counselor Characteristics Inventory, was administered to students at a university in the southeastern United States. With regard to preferences for counselor ethnicity, the findings suggested that counselor ethnicity generally did not affect White participants’ initial counselor preferences. Aside from ethnicity, the study investigated White students’ preferences for various counselor characteristics: credibility, counseling style, age, gender and race. The results indicated that the characteristics valued by the highest percentage of White students were counselor credibility and counseling style. Moreover, participants’ preferences were influenced by their own gender and past experiences with counseling. Lastly, participants favored different counseling styles depending on the problem type, and gender played an important role in preference for counseling style.

In the last several decades, multiculturalism has became the one of the most popular research topics in psychology and counseling, and the counselor preferences of ethnic minority clients has been well researched. However, in the history of research on counselor preferences, the needs and preferences of ethnic majority clients have been neglected. This study investigated the counselor preferences of White university students. This study examined three primary research questions: whether counselor ethnicity influenced White university students’ initial counselor preferences, what were White university students’ preferences for various counselor characteristics, and whether White university students preferred specific counseling styles for different problem types. A survey consisting of three parts, a demographic questionnaire, a questionnaire including three analogical counselor-client vignettes, and a Preferred Counselor Characteristics Inventory, was administered to students at a university in the southeastern United States. With regard to preferences for counselor ethnicity, the findings suggested that counselor ethnicity generally did not affect White participants’ initial counselor preferences. Aside from ethnicity, the study investigated White students’ preferences for various counselor characteristics: credibility, counseling style, age, gender and race. The results indicated that the characteristics valued by the highest percentage of White students were counselor credibility and counseling style. Moreover, participants’ preferences were influenced by their own gender and past experiences with counseling. Lastly, participants favored different counseling styles depending on the problem type, and gender played an important role in preference for counseling style.