The Validity of the Personal Orientation Inventory for Measuring the Effects of Training for Therapeutic Practice

Abstract

The present study examines the effects of training counselors for the core therapeutic conditions of empathy, warmth, and genuineness in terms of increased levels of actualizing as measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory. Findings revealed significant differences between the experimental group and the contrast and control groups on the major Inner Directed scale and significant positive pretest to posttest changes for the experimental group on subscales of Spontaneity, Self-Regard, and Synergy. Correlations between POI scales and independent ratings of the core conditions showed that all three conditions of empathy, warmth, and genuineness were significantly related to the Inner Directed, Feeling Reactivity, and Spontaneity scales and that genuineness was also significantly correlated with the Synergy scale.

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