Self-monitoring and counseling skills skills-based versus interpersonal process recall training.(Research)

Journal of Counseling and Development, January, 2005 by Casey, John A.; Crews, Judith; Maddux, Cleborne D.; Smaby, Marlowe H.; Smith, Michael R.; Torres-Rivera, Edil; Urbani, Steve

For many years, counselor educators have debated whether general personality characteristics and relationship-building abilities or specific knowledge and skills are the most important qualities to emphasize in preparing counselors. Some studies have indicated that counselors' personality traits and relationships with clients have greater impact on clients' outcomes than the specific theories or techniques used (Stein & Lambert, 1995: Stevens, Dinoff, & Donnenworth, 1998). For example, interpersonal characteristics of counselors, such as self-monitoring, self-efficacy, and dogmatism, have been assessed in relation to empathy skills (Barrow, 1990; Haferkamp, 1989: Haverkamp, 1994; Ottens, Shank, & Long, 1995; Tongue, 1989). Haferkamp suggested that those low in...