Preference for an Approach to Counseling

Abstract

350 students in a general psychology class were given Rotter's Locus of Control Scale. Based on ± 1 SD from the mean, 48 were classified as Internals and 46 as Externals. In a Latin square design groups of equal size viewed 15-min. audiovisual tapes of a simulated first counseling session. The same client, same counselor, and same presenting concern were portrayed as representative of a humanistic, psychoanalytic, and behavioral approach to counseling. The subjects were asked to identify which film they preferred and why. A chi square analysis showed no differences between Internals and Externals. However, there was a statistically significant preference for the behavioral approach by both Internals and Externals. The major factor in the preference appeared to be the “structure” of the behavioral frame of reference.