Counseling approaches and personality theory: an examination of choices and traits among African-Americans

• Main Author: Reynolds, Newburn Charles
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center 1991
• Subjects: Counseling
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/2278; http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3793&context=dissertations

To determine if personality differences existed between African-American graduate counselors who selected a counseling orientation and those who did not, fifty-three African-American graduate students enrolled in a counseling program were administered the Theoretical Orientation Survey (TOS) and the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory (NEO-PI). Frequency analysis, t-test and chi-square were used to interpret survey data. The study found that significant differences existed between personality traits and various counseling models with males and females differing significantly in their selection of a counseling model. The study data suggest that (1) counseling approaches and personality traits seem more related to information processing styles and (2) counseling programs that train African-American counselors may need to be more consistent in integrating counseling philosophy, goals and techniques.