Student perceptions of therapist credibility based on attention to client religious and spiritual functioning at intake

This investigation tested empirically whether college student participants (N = 176) would perceive a counselor during an intake interview as more credible when she asked questions of a religious and spiritual nature versus when she did not. Additionally, because research has suggested clients prefer to discuss religion and spirituality in counseling (Rose, Westefeld, & Ansley, 2001), and that level of religiosity influences perceptions of the counselor in this situation (Guinee & Tracey, 1997), the current study investigated whether preference for discussion of religious and spiritual issues and level of participant religiosity would influence counselor ratings. Results of the current study indicated students did not find the intake counselor who included religious and spiritual items in the intake session more credible than the intake counselor who did not include religious and spiritual items in the intake. Results also demonstrated preferences for discussing religious and spiritual issues in counseling and participant level of religiosity did not moderate the relationship between group assignment (religious and spiritual experimental condition versus non-religious and spiritual experimental condition) and counselor ratings on the CRF-S (Corrigan & Schmidt, 1983).;Analyses comparing participants who had never received counseling before (n = 115) and participants who had previous counseling experience (n = 61), suggested the participants who had no previous counseling experience rated the counselor in both role plays significantly higher overall. Exploratory analyses with a short-answer open-ended opinion question suggested some students (31%) want to discuss religious and spiritual issues in counseling; some students (23%) stated their preference to discuss religious and spiritual issues in counseling depended on other factors; and some students (41%) did not want to discuss religious or spiritual issues in counseling. The fact that student participants rated the counselor who introduced religious and spiritual issues in this brief section of an intake interview similar to when she did not is noteworthy and is discussed in terms of implications for research, training, supervision, and clinical work.