Discussion of Racial Difference in Counseling: A Counselor's Perspective

Abstract

Fifty-three counselors at a university counseling center and a university practicum clinic were surveyed using the Working Alliance Inventory–Short Form to examine the effect of acknowledging and discussing racial differences between counselor and client on the working alliance formed during the counseling sessions. Based on the counselor's perspective, a significant relationship between counselor-client discussion of racial difference and the working alliance was found.

KEYWORDS:

• counselor discussion of racial difference
• working alliance
• racial difference in counseling
• cross-racial counseling