Use of an empathy algorithm with a role-played client

Abstract

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.