Perceptions of Counselor Expertness: The Effects of Interpretation Content,Discrepancy, and Type

This study addresses limitations of previous research examining the effects of the counselor's use of interpretation on participants' perceptions of counselor expertness. Three factors (interpretation content, degree of interpretation discrepancy, and interpretation type) were crossed in a 2×2×2 factorial design. A main effect for interpretation type (propositional versus semantic interpretation) and an interacton between degree of discrepancy and interpretation type were found. These findings suggest that the relationship between the use of interpretations and perceptions of counselor expertness may be more complex than indicated by earlier research.