The Counseling Evaluation Inventory and the Counselor Rating Form: Their Relationship to Perceived Improvement and to Each Other

Abstract

Although the Counseling Evaluation Inventory and the Counselor Rating Form are frequently used among researchers studying clients' perceptions in counseling-therapy, few data are available on the relationship of these measures to outcome with real-life clients and on their relationship one to another. 49 clients of a university consultation center serving a broad community were seen by 25 practicum therapists for an average of 20 sessions. Clients completed both measures and a 21-item improvement measure at the conclusion of therapy. All test dimensions showed significant positive association with perceived improvement; therapeutic climate and perceived trustworthiness and expertness yielded the highest correlations. Among treatment variables examined, number of sessions correlated significantly with perceived improvement but not with test dimensions. Clients' and therapists' ratings of improvement were compared and indicated significant moderate agreement. Intrascale correlations indicated all dimensions of each measure were significantly interrelated. In general, the Counselor Rating Form variables were more highly interrelated than variables of the Counseling Evaluation Inventory. Interscale correlations indicate some interdependence of variables on the tests particularly with regard to perceived expertness, satisfaction, climate, and trustworthiness. Further study of common dimensions underlying the two scales seems warranted.