Attitudes towards a blind counselor and perceived effectiveness were evaluated using a videotape of a simulated counseling session. One group were told the counselor was a blind doctoral student whereas control participants were informed that the counselor was a doctoral student. Participants were then administered the Disability Factor Scale/B and the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory. Analysis showed no difference in groups' scores on the Disability Factor Scale/B. A significant difference was obtained on one of the four scales of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory, i.e., the blind counselor was perceived to show significantly more unconditional regard.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AschA. (1984) The challenge to psychology. American Psychologist, 40, 529–536.
2.
Barrett-LennardG. P. (1959) Dimensions of perceived therapist response related to therapeutic change. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Univer. of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
3.
Barrett-LennardG. P. (1962) Dimensions of therapist response as causal factors in therapeutic change. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 76, No. 43 (Whole No. 562).
4.
BleakleyW. H. (1988) When you are asked to sit in an exit row. Braille Monitor, April 8, 11–14.
5.
ClarkJ. V.CulbertS. A. (1965) Mutually therapeutic perceptions and self awareness in a t-group. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1, 180–194.
6.
CohenO. (1972) Prejudice and the blind. In LukoffI. F.CohenO. (Eds.), Attitudes towards blind persons. New York: American Foundation for the Blind. Pp. 16–35.
7.
DavisF. (1961) Deviance disavowal: the management of strained interaction by the visibly handicapped. Social Problems, 9, 120–132.
8.
FineM.AschA. (1984) Disabled women: sexism without the pedestal. American Psychologist, 4, 233–248.
9.
GoffmanE. (1963) Stigma: notes on the management of a spoiled identity. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
10.
HarrellR. L.StraussF. A. (1986) Approaches to increasing assertive behavior and communication skills in blind and visually impaired persons. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 80, 794–798.
11.
LamplA. W.OliverG. (1985) Vision without sight. Journal of Analytical Psychology, 30, 297–309.
12.
LukoffI. F. (1972) Attitudes towards the blind. In LukoffI. F.CohenO. (Eds.), Attitudes towards blind persons. New York: American Foundation for the Blind. Pp. 1–16.
13.
MonbeckM. (1973) The meaning of blindness: attitudes towards blindness and blind people. Bloomington, IN: Indiana Univer. Press.
14.
ShoreZ. (1988) Blindness: the meaning and the metaphor. Braille Monitor, September-October, 164–168.
15.
SillerJ. (1986) The measurement of attitudes towards physically disabled persons. In HermanC. P.ZannaM. P.HigginsE. T. (Eds.), Physical appearance: stigma and social behavior. The Ontario Symposium. Vol. 3. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Pp. 21–24.
16.
SillerJ.FurgersonL.VannD. H.HollandB. (1967) XII. Structure of attitudes towards the physically disabled: disability factor scales—amputation, blindness, and cosmetic conditions: studies in reactions to disabilities. New York: New York Univer. School of Education.
17.
TuttleD. W. (1984) Self-esteem and adjusting with blindness: the process of responding to life demands. Springfield, IL: Thomas.
18.
Van HornD. (1986) Visually impaired people and work. In BelleciC. A. (Ed.), Census: a consumers guide to technology for blind and partially sighted people. New York: Sensory Aids Foundation. Pp. 5–7.
