An Investigation of Client and Counselor Variables That Influence Likelihood of Counselor Self‐Disclosure

Abstract

Selected client and counselor variables affecting reported likelihood of self‐disclosure by 120 experienced clinicians in relation to four scenarios were examined. Variables included client age and diagnosis and counselor gender, experience, and exposure to disclosing counselors in their own experience of counseling. Disclosure likelihood was greatest for high ego‐strength diagnoses and for respondents who reported positive disclosures from counselors in their own counseling experiences. Reasons for and against using self‐disclosure also were examined. Reasons for disclosing included promoting universality, giving encouragement, modeling, rapport‐building, and offering alternatives. Reasons against disclosing included boundary blurring, concern about counselor welfare, merging, and premature closure. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

The Use of Self-Disclosure: Lived Experiences of Recovering Substance Abuse Counselors

“…These reasons correspond with the overall literature on therapist self-disclosure and reported reasons for not disclosing. For example, Simone et al (1998) found that counselors chose to not self-disclose primarily due to boundary issues among other reasons. Boundary issues seemed especially salient for female recovering counselors in this study due to experiences of inappropriate treatment by male clients who learned of their recovery status.…”

“…Lastly, in both studies there seems to be a degree of skepticism associated with self-disclosure in that it may at times be overused or used for the wrong reasons, perhaps a mistake made more often by those new in recovery and new in the substance abuse field. As noted above, these reasons are also addressed in the general self-disclosure literature, mostly framed as concerns associated with boundary issues (Simone et al, 1998).…”

“…These reasons for using self-disclosure correspond with the overall literature on the perceived therapeutic benefits of using self-disclosure in psychotherapy, and are supported by research findings on the effects of self-disclosure. Simone et al (1998) surveyed psychotherapists concerning their rationales for self-disclosing to clients and found that their reasons included the promotion of universality, to give encouragement, modeling, rapport building, and to explore alternatives for clients. Additionally, Edwards and Murdock (1994) surveyed psychologists to investigate therapist variables that affect frequency, content, and reasons for therapist self-disclosure and found that, among other reasons, they often disclose to increase similarity between clients and themselves, or promote a sense of universality.…”

“…These findings offer additional support to the notion that therapist disclosures may have a beneficial impact on the therapeutic relationship. Simone, McCarthy, and Skay (1998) surveyed 120 psychotherapists to inquire about their likelihood to use self-disclosure in relation to certain variables. These variables included client age and diagnosis, counselor gender, experience, and exposure to other counselors who disclosed to them while in psychotherapy.…”

The use of self-disclosure among Swedish psychotherapists

“…In an experimental study, Barrett and Berman (2001) found that more experienced psychotherapists increased selfdisclosing more than did inexperienced when advised to do so. On the other hand, Simone, McCarthy, and Skay (1998) found no differences due to age or experience when psychotherapists were asked to report whether they would use self-disclosure in four given situations. Skovholt and Rönnestad (1992) have presented a model of psychotherapists' development that basically implies that more experienced psychotherapists usually feel freer to use their own ideas instead of manual-based instructions and that they tend to feel free to disclose their own experiences to a higher degree than younger psychotherapists.…”