EFFECTS OF SIMILARITY OF DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION STYLE ON COUNSELOR SOCIAL INFLUENCE WITH DEAF ADOLESCENTS

This study tested the effects of disability status (hearing impaired or nonhearing impaired) and communication method (sign language, interpreter, or written) on deaf subject ratings of counselor social influence, counselor empathy, and willingness to see the counselor. Fifty-three female and fifty-three male deaf adolescent subjects rated one of twelve videotapes portraying a deaf or hearing counselor using sign language, an interpreter, or written communication in counseling a deaf client on a topic of high relevance. Two individuals fluent in sign language were used as counselors. Dependent measures included the Counselor Rating Form-Short Form, the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory, the Counselor Effectiveness Rating Scale, the Willingness to See the Counselor Scale. The results indicated that deaf or hearing counselors were rated higher on social influence effectiveness and empathy if they used sign language and therefore support sign language as a critical skill for the enhancement of counselors\u27 social influence with this group. In addition, subjects with a high willingness to see a counselor were more willing to see a counselor who used sign language