Effects of client physical and vocal attractiveness on selected clinical judgments by counselors-in-training

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of client physical and vocal attractiveness on counselors-in-training and how this might relate to a professionals' selected clinical judgments. Participants in the study were 60 graduate students at a public university located in the southwestern region of the United States. Participants were required to be enrolled in a graduate-level counseling psychology program or other similar helping-profession program. Each participant completed an Informed Consent Form, Modified Simulated Client Vignette Questionnaire, and Demographic Questionnaire. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to test each of four null hypotheses.

Findings and Conclusions: Aspects of a simulated client's physical and vocal attractiveness were found to be significantly associated with counselors-in-training judgments regarding client impairment, prognosis for a recovery as well as counselor's interest in working with the client. These results were obtained using a series of 2 X 2 ANOVA and descriptive statistics. However, the results should be interpreted with caution, in that, the statistical analysis was associated with low statistical power.