Date of Award

1-1-1989

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling Psychology & Community Services

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships that may exist among certain cognitive attributes of the counselor-in-training and the formation of his or her clinical conceptualization of a client. Specifically, the study examined the relationships that exist among the counselor's learning style, cognitive mode, conceptual level, theoretical orientation, and particular aspects of the counselor's case conceptualization.Fifty-nine Masters level graduate students in counseling participated in the study. Subjects viewed a videotaped simulation of a client presentation after which they provided their clinical impressions and conceptualization. Conceptualization was assessed by two methods, a descriptive essay written by the subject and a rating inventory to which the subject responded. The independent variables were measured by the following instruments. Learning Style was measured by the Inventory of Learning Processes (Schmeck, Ribich & Ramanaiah, 1977), cognitive mode by the O'Connell Cognitive and Affective Scale (O'Connell, 1985), and conceptual level by the Paragraph Completion Method (Hunt, Butler, Noy & Rosser, 1978). Theoretical orientation was gathered by subject self-report.In this study the independent variables generally demonstrated low to moderate value in accounting for the variance of the dependent variable dimensions. None of the variables contributed significantly to the prediction of overall quality and accuracy of the written conceptualization.Learning style provided predictive value for the following aspects of the conceptualization: integration of client information, an intuitive conceptualization style, direct use of verbally presented information, and identification of one set of client issues. Cognitive mode accounted for variance of the following dimensions of the conceptualization: identification of two sets of client issues, and rating of two descriptive scales regarding the cognitive, affective, and behavioral presentation of the client.Theoretical orientation predicted to these aspects of the conceptualization: an analytic conceptualization style, direct use of verbally presented information, and the rating of two scales regarding the cognitive, affective, and behavioral presentation of the client. Conceptual level proved predictive only in the treatment goal of cognitive restructuring. The results suggest that at this stage of their professional development the counselors relied more upon existing personal learning and cognitive modes than upon theoretical understanding in their conceptualization of the client.

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