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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED CLIENT NEED FOR COUNSELING AND INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE: A FIELD STUDY
Abstract
A full model multiple regression analysis was employed to evaluate the relationship between perceived client need for counseling with perceived counselor credibility and with counseling outcome. This research was correlational and non-manipulative in nature. Ninety-two undergraduate students who sought the services of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Counseling Center were divided into high and low perceived need groups on the basis of their ratings on a self-evaluation measure. Subjects also rated their behavioral goal attainment before and after counseling, their perception of their counselor's level of expertness, and their perception of counseling outcome. Client perceived need for counseling was not found to relate significantly to the perception of the counselor as a credible resource for help. A significant positive relationship was found for one of the perceived need measures, "Locus of Control" and the outcome variable "Client Mood State." A significant inverse relationship is also found for this need variable and the outcome variable "Information Acquisition." None of the other perceived need measures had any significant relationship to any of the outcome measures. The hypothesis that subjects who perceive their counselor to be a high expertness resource report more positive counseling outcome than those who perceive their counselor to be a low expertness resource received no empirical support. The hypothesis that there are no significant relationships between type of counseling sought and counseling outcome received partial support. No relationships were found between type of counseling and outcome measures concerning client mood state, information acquisition, decision making skills, and satisfaction with counseling. Significant relationships were found between type of counseling and outcome variables relating to attitude toward self and relationships with others. Personal counseling respondents reported making significantly greater improvements in their relationships with others than did vocational subjects. Full support was given to the hypothesis that there would be no perceived need/perceived expertness interactions with counseling outcome. The hypothesis there is no significant relationship between length of time spent in counseling and counseling outcome received partial support. Length of time had no significant relationships with the outcome measures concerning relationships with others, information acquisitions, decision making skills and satisfaction with counseling. Unexpected inverse relationships were found for length of time with client attitude toward self and client mood state. In summary, the results of this study did not confirm the existence of the theoretical relationship for counselor power, P = f (N(DBLTURN)R), which states that power is a function of the relationship between the perceived need of a client for counseling and the perception of the counselor as a credible resource for help (Strong and Matross, 1973). Additional research is recommended regarding alternative measures for detecting various aspects and levels of perceived need for counseling. Further investigation is also recommended to study the relationships between perceived need and other counselor credibilities, such as trustworthness and attractiveness.
Subject Area
Psychology
Recommended Citation
BRZEZINSKI-STEIN, KATHARINE ANNE, "THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED CLIENT NEED FOR COUNSELING AND INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE: A FIELD STUDY" (1981). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8124507.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8124507