TPC-Journal-V1-Issue2

The Professional Counselor \ Volume 1, Issue 2 97 include personality type, therapist training, age of clients, and level of counselor development. A limitation in this study was the ability to generalize to different races. All mental health professionals that participated were Caucasian. Another possible limitation was that the participants self-reported on their theoretical orientation. Implications and Conclusions The counseling profession benefits from research designed to identify the predictive factors leading to one’s choice of a theoretical orientation. Graduate programs, for example, could use the current data to facilitate the process of theory formation and adoption, including theoretical integration and technical eclecticism, in addition to general instruction that covers the history of theory and the art of the therapeutic relationship. Supervisors of beginning clinicians might profit, not only in facilitating a supervisee’s development of professionalism, but by assisting them to re-examine their strengths and limitations, which may lead to an investigation into new theoretical possibilities that create a better “clinical fit.” Even agencies, conceivably, could utilize the predictors in an attempt to match a client to a particular counselor based on theory and personality. Although this may not seem practical, such an effort could be a positive ingredient for increasing community outcome measures and reducing counselor burnout. Further research supporting this idea would be beneficial. Conversely, further research is necessary to investigate whether matching a counselor’s personality to a theoretical orientation is actually empirically effective. This study is limited by the fact that it does not provide support for such a hypothesis, but does support its consideration. Although the list of predictive factors leading to a counselor’s choice of orientation is extensive and complex, and no study has been able to identify them in their entirety, it does not mean that isolating the factors for clinical research is meaningless. On the contrary, identifying the predictive factors is advantageous. Doing so could make theory adoption more counselor-centered and satisfying to the adopting practitioner, who can choose an approach that “fits” best. References Bakker, C. B., Bakker-Rabdau, M. K., & Breit, S. (1978). The measurement of assertiveness and aggressiveness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 42 (3), 277–284. Bayne, R. (1995). Psychological type and counselling. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 23 (1), 95–106. Cheston, S. E. (2000). A new paradigm for teaching counseling theory and practice. Counselor Education and Supervision, 39 (4), 254–270. Churchill, S., & Bayne, R. (2001). Psychological type and conceptions of empathy in experienced counsellors: Qualitative results. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 14 (3), 203–217. Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Corcoran, K. J. (2000). Measures for clinical practice: A sourcebook . New York: Free Press. Corey, G. (2008). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Corsini, R. J., & Wedding, D. (2008). Current psychotherapies (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Cummings, N. A., & Luchese, G. (1978). Adoption of a psychological orientation: The role of the inadvertent. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice, 15 , 375–381. Erickson, D. B. (1993). The relationship between personality type and preferred counseling model. Journal of Psychological Type, 27 , 39–41. Freeman, M. S. (2003). Personality traits as predictors of a preferred theoretical orientation in beginning counselor education students. Dissertation Abstracts International, 64 (02), 407B. Gass, R. H., & Seiter, J. S. (2003). Persuasion, social influence, and compliance gaining (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Halbur, D. A., & Halbur, K. V. (2005). Developing your theoretical orientation in counseling and psychotherapy . Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Heppner, P. P., Kivlighan, Jr., D. M., & Wampold, B. E. (1999). Research design in counseling (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Herzberger, S. D., Chan, E., & Katz, J. (1984). The development of an assertiveness self-report inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment, 48 (3), 317–323. Johnson, J. A., Germer, C. K., Efran, J. S., & Overton, W. F. (1988). Personality as the basis for theoretical predilections.