Preferences for counselor characteristic and role and counseling intervention style of high school students at International School

To know the students\u27 preferred counselor role and characteristics as well as counseling intervention style, the researcher administered a survey questionnaire dealing with counselor characteristics (including demographic variables and personality traits), counselor role and intervention style to four cultural groups, namely: American, Japanese, Filipino and Korean students at the International School, Manila. There were 90 respondents (21 American, 25 Japanese, 20 Filipino and 24 Korean students) from the junior and senior year levels. The study was descriptive in nature and it made use of the survey method in gathering data. For the statistical treatment, frequency, percentage, mean scores, ranking of means, and the Kruskal-Walls H Test were employed. The findings were as follows:1. For the counselor\u27s demographic variables: American students preferred a counselor who is female of a nationality different from theirs, lay and in the age range of 30-39 years. However, at the same time, some revealed that they did not mind the age. Japanese students preferred a female counselor, of a different nationality, lay, and in the thirties in terms of age range. Filipino students did not mind about the sex and nationality of the counselor. However, they preferred lay counselors and those in their thirties. Korean students preferred a counselor who is female, of a different nationality, lay and 30-39 years old.2. For the counselor\u27s personality traits: American students preferred a counselor who is experienced, friendly, likeable, trustworthy, and honest. Japanese students preferred friendly, experienced, honest, understanding, and reliable counselors. Filipino students preferred them to be friendly, experienced, honest, understanding, and active listeners. Korean students preferred friendly, experienced, understanding, likeable, and open counselors.3. For perceived role of counselor: American students perceived the role of counselor as friend, listener, and advisor. Japanese students perceived him/her as advisor, listener, and friend. Filipino students perceived him/her as friend, listener and advisor. Korean students perceived him/her as listener, friend, and advisor.4. For the intervention style counseling: American students preferred the style of Help me in Decision Making , Help me Set Goals and Suggest a Course of Action .Japanese students preferred counselors who could Help me in decision making , Suggest a Course of Action and Help me set goals .Filipino students preferred that counselors Help me set goals , Help me analyze the consequence of my feeling/problems , and Help me in decision making .Korean students expected counselors to Help me in decision making , Help me set goals and Help me analyze the consequence of my feeling/problems .When the results were compared among groups, the preferences were more or less the same although there were some minor differences. It can be assumed then that even though the students are from different cultural backgrounds, studying in the same environment during the adolescence when they are establishing their values is more influential in building their values