The objective of this research was to create a general computer program which simulates client behavior in an initial counseling interview..Through interaction with the counselor, a programmed client progresses toward the croal of verbalizing a special problem statement..Client movement is a function of the simulated variables; threat value of counselor and client statements, strength of the relationship, and an index of counselor competence.. The simulation project is valuable as a means of training and evaluation in counselor education and in studying counselor cognitive processes..It also provides an opportunity to test the sufficiency of an explicit set of theoretical constructs for explaining client behavior.

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Two groups of participants observed a videotaped interpersonal conflict involving two friends. The two groups were distinguished by their observing the videotaped protagonist making a request by imposing guilt or eliciting altruism. Immediately after observing the conflict, ratings were obtained from the two groups on their evaluation of the protagonist and their probable response to the protagonist's request. The major results indicated that when altruism was elicited instead of guilt imposed, participants indicated that the protagonist was more likable and respected and that they would be more likely to comply with the protagonist's request and less likely to become overtly or covertly angry at the protagonist.

CLIENT 1 is an interactive program that was designed to simulate client behavior in an initial interview and to provide a standardized environment for training and research on counselor problem-solving strategies. Through interaction with the computerized client, counselors attempt to facilitate client movement toward the goal of verbalizing a specific problem statement. Client movement is a function of the appropriateness and accuracy of counselor statements, the threat value associated with both client and counselor statements, the strength of the relationship between the counselor and client, and an index of counselor expertise. The uses of the simulation in counselor education and research are discussed.People are confronted with problems when they want something and do not know immediately what series of actions they can and should take to get it (Newel1 & Simon, 1972). Within the broad framework of counseling, the concept of a problem takes on a hierarchy of meanings. At the first level of meaning, clients can be seen as having problems-they are confronted with personal, social, educational, and vocational dilemmas for which solutions are desired but for which steps toward the solution are unclear. At the next level of meaning, counselors have problemsspecifically, they are confronted with the problem of determining the appropriate series of actions through which they can help their clients resolve the problems they present. Finally, as counselor educators and supervisors, we may be seen as being confronted with the problem of James W .

Presented an empathy algorithm, a procedure for deciding whether to use an interchangeable or an additive empathy response and instructions for the construction of each response, to a randomly chosen group of novice counselors (N = 23). The experimental group performed significantly better in counseling a role‐played client than did a control group of classmates when the groups were measured on the Empathic Understanding Scale and the Counseling Evaluation Inventory.