ignificant for empathy ratings.
However, the gender stereotypes expected were not displayed by study participants. There was also an interaction between actual experience level and interview for competence with ratings of experts increasing more than those novices subsequent to the interview.
It was also found that the actual experience level of the therapist made a difference in how clients perceived the therapists' competence. This finding was said to confirm that actual experience is evident no matter what introduction that the therapist receives.
In an interesting study, Dye (1983) investigated the use of counselor touch, counselor gender and client gender on perceptions of counselor competency, attractiveness and trustworthiness. Study participants consisted of 40 male and 40 female adults requesting counseling services from a mid-western, urban community mental health center.
Two experienced counselors (one male, one female) conducted intake interviews on all 80 clients. Each c
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