Counseling implications of recent research on women

Abstract

The growing concern for women and women's rights has been reflected in an increasing amount of research on women. As counselors may be unaware of the results of this research and its implications for counseling, the author surveys some of the recent investigations in four areas: counselor bias, demographic changes, sex differences, and sex‐role stereotypes. After providing a review of the research in each area, she discusses implications of the findings. The author also makes specific suggestions for counselors who wish to confront some of the issues raised by recent research on women.

Patterns of Early Labor Force Participation of American Women

“…Although we agree with Oliver (1975) that career counseling is best done in the context of life-style preferences, it would be wrong to assume that part-time or sporadic involvement would often be preferable to most women. Of course, if later career data show a prevalence of more intermittent patterns, as Super (1957) presumed, then such patterns could be more common in later careers.…”

How helpful are the helpers? A review of sexist helping practices and competencies needed by helpers of women

“…The Task Force in arriving at its findings and conclusions, reviewed in a comprehensive fashion the research literature on this topic and surveyed women psychologists, obtaining documentation of sex stereotypic practices the female psychologists themselves had encountered. This report documents psychotherapeutic sex bias in the following areas: As Oliver (1975) notes in a recent review of the counseling implications of recent research on women: 'Although counselors are dedicated to the principle that they should serve each client's best interests, they may be unable to do so if they themselves are biased ' (p. 430). A number of studies also find that counselors arid counselors-in-training exhibit a sexist bias in their counseling (Bingham and House, 1973;Pietrofesa and Schlossberg, 1970;Pringle, 1973;Schtossberg and Pietrofesa, 1973;and Thomas and Stewart, 1971).…”

“…As Schlossberg and Pietrofesa (1973) declare: 'Counselors need to evaluate critically every tool they use -whether it is description of occupational fields in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, an interest inventory, a career brochure, or a college catalog' (p. 49). For as numerous writers on the subject point out (Oliver, 1975;Schlossberg and Goodman, 1972;Schlossberg and Pietrofesa, 1973; Title 1974) even out best inventories and measures, including interest inventories, have demonstrated sex bias. Some of the questions that should be raised about every prospective counseling tool are set forth by Schlossberg and Pietrofesa (1973, p. 49):…”

“…Career information in general which is commonly used by counselors has been shown to reflect the sex stereotyping presently existent in the world of work (Birk, Cooper and Tanney, 1973;Oliver, 1975;Schlossberg and Pietrofesa, 1973); and merits the vigilant raised consciousness of all helping professionals, whenever and wherever they contemplate its use. For as the Rosenthal and Jacobsen (1968) studies show, our expectations and opinions of others tend to be reinforcing and to have self-prophesizing consequences.…”

“…(Applegarth, 1975;Hansen, 1974;McEwen, 1975;Oliver, 1975;Schlossberg and Pietrofesa, 1973). Documentation of sex bias in vocational counseling and perceptions of appropriate female career development has already been provided (Bingham and House, 1973a, b;Friedersdorf, 1970;Kaley, 1971;McCarthy, 1973;McEwen, 1975;Pietrofesa and Schlossberg, 1970;Smith, 1974;Thomas and Stewart, 1971); as well as documentation as to the sex stereotypic practices of the home, school and other institutions, which have a strait-jacketing effect on women's optimal growth and development (Nickerson, 1974.…”