To describe the psychological characteristics of volunteer rape crisis counselors, a battery of psychological tests was administered to 20 female counselors and 14 pediatric nurses. Groups were matched in age and education. Analyses of several measures, including the MMPI, showed counselors to be well-adjusted, open-minded, nonanxious, relatively assertive, profeminist, and individuals whose mood of vigor and activity leads them to seek out and enjoy new experiences.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AlterR. D.WhiteB. J.Some norms for the dogmatism scale. Psychological Reports, 1966, 19, 967–969.
2.
BarronF.An ego-strength scale which predicts response to psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1953, 17, 327–333.
3.
ChappellD.Forcible rape and the criminal justice system: Surveying present practices and projecting future trends. In WalkerM. J.BrodskyS. L. (Eds.), Sexual assault. Lexington, Mass.: Heath, 1976. Pp. 9–22.
4.
EysenckH. J.EysenckS. B.Manual, Eysenck Personality Inventory. San Diego, Calif.: Educational and Industrial Testing Service, 1968.
5.
HathawayS. R.McKinleyJ. C.A multiphasic personality schedule (Minnesota): I. Construction of the schedule. Journal of Psychology, 1940, 10, 249–254.
6.
KilpatrickD. G.SmithA. D.SippellJ.On the training of paraprofessionals for rape crisis counseling. Paper presented at a symposium entitled, Perspectives on Rape, Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 20, 1976.
7.
KilpatrickD. G.SutkerP. B.RoitzschJ. C.MasonR.Self-reported fears and electrodermal responsiveness of high and low trait anxious subjects to fear of failure and other stressors. Social Behavior and Personality, 1975, 3, 205–211.
8.
KilpatrickD. G.SutkerL. W.SutkerP. B.Dogmatism, religion, and religiosity, a review and re-evaluation. Psychological Reports, 1970, 26, 15–22.
9.
LefcourtH. M.Locus of control—current trends in theory and research. Hillsdale, N. J.: Erlbaum, 1976.
10.
McNairD. M.LorrM.DropplemanL. F.Manual, Profile of Mood States. San Diego, Calif.: Educational and Industrial Testing Service, 1971.
RokeachM. (Ed.) The open and closed mind. New York: Basic Books, 1960.
13.
RotterJ. B.Generalized expectancies for internal vs. external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 1966, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609).
14.
SpenceJ. T.HelmreichR.The Attitudes Toward Women Scale: An objective instrument to measure attitudes towards the rights and roles of women in contemporary society. JSAS Catalogue of Selected Documents in Psychology, 1972, 2, No. 66.
VeronenL. J.KilpatrickD. G.MillerW. C.The burn unit nurse: Anxiety, fear, and sensation seeking. Paper presented at the 84th Annual Convention, American Psychological Association, Washington, D. C., September 3–7, 1976.
ZuckermanM.Dimensions of sensation-seeking. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971, 36, 45–52.
19.
ZuckermanM.Sensation seeking and anxiety traits and states, as determinants of behavior in novel situations. In SarasonI. G.SpielbergerC. D. (Eds.), Stress and anxiety. Vol. 3. New York: Wiley, 1976. Pp. 141–167.