The effect of information about counseling process or the counseling center on multiple measures of counseling outcome at a university counseling service

In an attempt to impact on the high incidence of premature termination which has been documented at several university counseling centers, this study was designed to investigate the effect of precounseling information on premature termination and other measures of counseling outcome. Counselor and client gender effects were also examined. Seventy-six students who sought counseling at a large university counseling center served as subjects. Prior to their initial counseling session clients viewed one of two videotapes. One videotape presented information about the counseling process with particular focus on the client role. The other videotape presented information about the services which the counseling center offers. Multiple measures of counseling outcome were used, with both clients and counselors responding. Videotape treatments failed to produce any significant differences on the dependent measures. Two isolated gender effects were found. Counselor experience level which was not considered in the initial design of the study, proved to have considerable impact on some of the counseling outcome measures