2 3 TPC Digest TPC Digest 2 TPC Digest 3 TPC Digest Amy Biang, Clare Merlin-Knoblich, Stella Y. Kim An Examination of Client Bias Toward Overweight, Underweight, and Average-Weight Counselors Body weight can inform a client’s perception of a health professional’s level of authority, trust, and competence. Research on weight bias is necessary for counseling, given that counselor attributes have the potential to be an integral part of a client’s decision-making and change process. Attributes of a counselor that may affect client impressions, such as attractiveness or race, illuminate the social influence process of counseling. Weight bias continues to be a product of social influence, and as such, weaves stereotypes into the minds of those who consume the message of weight as a moral indiscretion. As clients seek, build trust with, and consider life changes with a counselor, weight bias should be explored as a potential issue for counselors. In this study, we examined if client weight bias influences a client’s trust in a counselor’s competence, willingness to follow a counselor’s advice, and desire to select a counselor for therapy. We asked: 1) Does a counselor’s weight impact a client’s decision to trust, follow advice, and select the counselor? 2) Is there an association between a client’s antifat attitudes and weight bias toward counselors? 3) Are there differences in weight bias toward counselors based on the socio-demographics of the clients using their services? and 4) Do participants with eating disorders have similar perceptions of counselors due to weight bias as those without eating disorders? We conducted a quasi-experimental research design using the revised Physician Weight Survey, a 32-item questionnaire designed to assess client weight bias of counselors perceived as overweight, underweight, or average weight. We performed a one-way analysis of variance using participants’ scores across three subscales and overall weight bias, calculated by summing their responses across subscales from the Antifat Attitudes Questionnaire. Results indicated that clients might use weight to select a counselor, trust the counselor’s competence, and follow their counsel. Participants in this study slightly preferred the average-weight counselor to an overweight counselor, with higher weight bias directed at an underweight counselor. Some results indicated increased advice following with an average-weight counselor instead of an overweight counselor, but more surprising results suggested that participants would prefer an overweight or average-weight counselor to an underweight counselor. Participants scored counselors perceived as underweight significantly lower on a client’s willingness to select, trust, and follow a counselor’s advice than average-weight and overweight counselors. Additionally, participants with eating disorders were not significantly different from participants without eating disorders in weight bias toward counselors in any of the variables. Lastly, people with previous counseling experience had similar levels of weight bias to those who had not worked with a counselor. Many people see weight as a medical concern instead of a social justice issue. This idea limits the amount of education and training counseling graduate students receive on the topic of weight. Despite years of education and experience, weight bias may rule out working with competent counselors. Weight is a part of intersectional identities, and counselors must train to be sensitive to and inclusive of weight. Counselors should also acknowledge that stereotypes, discrimination, and oppression influence the counseling relationship. Lastly, counselors should not ignore weight bias as a possible stereotype and should be comfortable discussing it with their clients. Amy Biang, PhD, LCMHC, CEDS, is an assistant professor at Northern Arizona University. Clare Merlin-Knoblich, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Stella Y. Kim, PhD, is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Correspondence may be addressed to Amy Biang, 15451 N 28th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85053, amy.biang@nau.edu. Read full article and references: Biang, A., Merlin-Knoblich, C., & Kim, S. Y. (2023). An examination of client bias toward overweight, underweight, and average-weight counselors. The Professional Counselor, 13(2), 77–97. doi: 10.15241/ab.13.2.77
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