Differential helpfulness of counselor verbal response modes.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine the helpfulness of different counselor verbal response modes. Two samples were studied, an analogue sample and an actual counseling sample. Using Interpersonal Process Recall, clients in both samples rated the helpfulness of particular counselor responses in just-completed counseling sessions. In the counseling sample, counselors also rated the helpfulness of the same responses. These responses were measured for type of response mode by objective raters, clients, and counselors. Interpretations received the highest helpfulness ratings from both client and counselor. Advisements were rated as slightly more helpful than nonadvisements, and questions were rated as slightly less helpful than nonquestions. However, counselor response modes account for only a small proportion of the variance in helpfulness ratings, which points out the need for research on contextual variables and response mode subtypes.Basic helping skills training programs (e.g., Carkhuff & Pierce, 1975;Danish & Hauer, 1973;Goodman, 1979;Ivey & Gluckstern, 1974; Kagan, Note 1) teach helpers to reduce advice-giving and question-asking and to increase reflection, "uhhuh," and self-disclosure responses. In spite of this, there is little research that evaluates the actual effectiveness of different response modes, although this issue has been addressed in several recent reviews (e.g., Orlinsky & Howard, 1978;Pope, 1979).

The Impact of Interpersonal Patient and Therapist Behavior on Outcome in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

“…Only Emmelkamp and van der Hout (1983) reported findings in the opposite direction. Several of the studies that assessed the therapists' activity, expertise, self-confidence, and directiveness in an early treatment phase reported significant associations with outcome (Bennun & Schindler, 1988;Elliott, Barker, Caskey, & Pistrang, 1982;Williams & Chambless, 1990); others reported nonsignificant associations (Alexander et al, 1976;Blaauw & Emmelkamp, 1991;, and in one study, a negative association was found (Keijsers et al, 1995). The last study is of interest because, in a group of 30 panic disorder patients treated according to a treat-ment protocol, Keijsers et al tested whether the frequency of directive statements and explanations during the first treatment session were negatively associated with treatment outcome, and whether those in the third session were positively associated with treatment outcome.…”

“…Studies that investigated the impact of therapist self-disclosure on treatment outcome do not lend support to the helpfulness of therapist self-disclosure or indicate an association with treatment outcome (Alexander at al., 1976;Elliott et al, 1982;Llewelyn & Hume, 1979;van Beek, 1996). In their extensive literature review of psychotherapy process research, Orlinsky and Howard (1986) conclude that therapist self-disclosure may occasionally be helpful but is generally not a powerful mode of therapeutic intervention.…”

A comparative analysis of the therapeutic focus in cognitive–behavioral and psychodynamic–interpersonal sessions.

“…In selecting the high-and low-impact sessions, we excluded the first and last three sessions to avoid a ~apy focus directed toward initial evaluation and relationship formation and termination issues. The impact of the session was based on therapists' postsession ratings of helpfulness (Elliott, Barker, Caskey, & Pistrang, 1982), where 7 = greatly helpful and 1 = greatly hindering. Client ratings of helpfulness, although obtained after each session, were insufficiently variable for purposes of discrimination; most sessions were typically rated as helpful by clients.…”

Perceptions of Self-Disclosing Counselors Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals

“…Elliott, Barker, Caskey, and Pistrang (1982) interviewed 16 clients engaged in counseling in outpatient settings and found that interpretation and advisement response modes were rated as the most helpful, whereas modes that involved questioning the client were rated as the least helpful. Within this study, counselor self-disclosure was not related to client ratings of helpfulness.…”