Students viewing a therapy session excerpt were told about the counselors' reputation, credentials, fees, or androgynous personality. Results indicated that the androgynous therapist received the most credible and attractive ratings, while the high-fee-charging therapist received the least credible rating. (JAC)

Examined influences on therapists' expectancies of four variables. Counselors at three training levels completed the Therapist Expectancy Inventory. Significant differences were found for therapist gender, professional affiliation, and level of training; client gender effect was not significant. Concluded therapists' judgments about clients are a…

Male and female interviewers who were introduced as expert or nonexpert met individually with undergraduates. Male experts were rated lower in social attractiveness; however, introductions did not affect either perceived expertness or trustworthiness. Reasonably competent therapist behavior may neutralize differential expertness; expertness may…

Explored the relationship between therapist-client compatibility, sex of therapist, and psychotherapeutic outcome. Results suggested the sex of therapist did not have a significant differential effect. There was no consistent effect between dyadic compatibility and sex of therapist. Differences in therapeutic outcome across levels of compatibility…

Investigated the impact of therapist attire and seating arrangement on observers' perceptions of a therapist's attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness. Undergraduates (N=233) listened to an audiotaped interview while viewing a slide presentation. The casual attire/no desk setting elicited the highest attraction ratings, mediated by the…

Examined the relationship between preference for major counseling orientations and perception of counselor behavior in college students (N=77) naive about the process of counseling and psychotherapy. Results suggested that subjects' perceptions of the theoretically derived counseling approaches were not influenced by their personal preference for…

Examined the health behaviors practiced by psychotherapists (N=86) themselves and the extent to which they focus on these behaviors with their clients. Results indicated that psychotherapists actively evaluate and make recommendations to their clients in the areas of diet, physical exercise, and relaxation practice. (JAC)

Investigated whether particualr types of patients benefit from a given level of a professed technique. High scores on empathic warmth and uncovering appear to be more helpful for patients with neurotic and personality trait disorder diagnoses. Low scores on directiveness seemed to be associated with effectiveness. (Author)

Compared Black and White patients who were seen in individual psychotherapy. Obtained assessments of treatment outcomes from therapists. White therapists generally rated their clients, especially Black clients, as psychologically more impaired than did Black therapists. Contrary to expectation, there were no differences in psychotherapy outcome as…

Female college students (N=75) completed measures of social intimacy, sex role type, locus of control, therapy expectancy, and authoritarianism; then rated videotaped intimate and nonintimate sessions with a female psychotherapist. Socially intimate subjects preferred an intimate therapist, assigning her significantly higher levels of intimacy,…

Studied stereotyped and androgynous college students' perceptions of therapists. Results show that androgynous subjects did not differ in their perceptions either as a function of disclosure level or experience. Stereotyped subjects perceived the high disclosing female nonexpert as significantly less trustworthy than the low disclosing nonexpert.…

Surveyed directors (N=109) of clinical psychology programs to assess their opinions regarding proposed personality evaluation of doctoral applicants. Results showed that 75.3 percent opposed the evaluation based on the applicant's right to privacy and the inadequacies of assessment alternatives. (Author/JAC)

Investigated client self-disclosure and client perception of counselors. Subjects rated counselors on intelligence and empathy, and while role-playing clients in therapy. Clients disclosed more to male counselors when counselors were high in status or attractiveness. Suggests the effect of counselor gender depends on an interaction with other…