One purpose of this study was to present a theoretical model for research in counseling, involving matching counselor and client variables, expressed as: Counselor effectiveness is a function of the interaction of counselor characteristics and client characteristics. The second purpose, examination of the interaction effect of counselor and client variables in the counseling relationship, was an application of the model. The counselor and client characteristic selected was dogmatism; and the experimental problem was to determine if the overall effectiveness of a counseling interaction is significantly influenced by matching counselor and client on dogmatism level.Volunteers were solicited from seven classes of a graduate level counseling course taught concurrently in a counselor education program for Americans stationed with the United States Military in West Germany. This sample was administered the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, Form E, to determine dogmatism level for matching counselor-client dyads. The mean of the total sample of scores obtained on this scale, 127.1, divided the sample into two groups, 72 low and 73 high dogmatic subjects.Based on the scores from this instrument, the 145 subjects were randomly matched with persons of either similar or dissimilar dogmatism levels according to the high and low dogmatic pools in each class. In the matching procedure, the subjects were also randomly assigned to one of two roles, counselor or client. This procedure produced four different dyad-type groups:counselor low dogmatic / client low dogmatic; (2) counselor low dogmatic / client high dogmatic; (3) counselor high dogmatic / client low dogmatic;(4) counselor high dogmatic / client high dogmatic.One week after the initial testing for dogmatism levels, the students were again asked to voluntarily participate in an experimental study. From these 109 male and female volunteers, 54 dyads formed by the earlier matching procedure were given audio-cassette tapes with their assigned roles and instructions regarding these roles. They then taped a 30 minute counseling session. After two dyads were deselected for statistical purposes, there were thirteen dyads in each of the four dyad-type groups. Subjects were debriefed following the experiment and anonymity was guarded throughout the study.To investigate counselor effectiveness, the Gross Facilitative Interpersonal Functioning Scale was used to rate counseling effectiveness. Four male and five female raters were trained in the use of the scale. Three 3-minute segments from each of the 30 minute taped sessions were rated from three master tapes, three raters per tape. Criteria were specified for the 3-minute segments and the recording of the master tapes.Analyses of the three hypotheses of the study, using a two-way analysis of variance, showed no main effect significance and a significant interaction effect. Analysis of the interaction effect and additional post hoc analysis indicated a significant interaction effect based on similarity of dogmatism levels in counselor-client dyads when compared to dissimilarly matched counselor-client dyads.When the conclusions of the study were viewed in the context of the theoretical model, it appeared that the matching model may be a useful construct for future research in counseling. In view of the problem of this study, the findings indicated that counselor effectiveness maybe a function of the interaction of similar counselor and client dogmatism levels and not a function of a particular dogmatism level in either counselor or client. If supported by further research, the implication of this finding is that counseling effectiveness might be enhanced by considering counselor and client level of dogmatism when client assignments are made and by matching counselor and client on dogmatism level.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176193 |
| Date | January 1977 |
| Creators | Fletcher, Jerry Baker |
| Contributors | Shapiro, Joseph B. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | ix, 104 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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