Description

The gender and gender role identity of the client was varied and each variation was matched with a male or female counselor. The clients’ length of conversation and degree of client self-disclosure was assessed. The design of the study is factorial (2 X 2 X2) in which gender (male and female) and gender role (androgynous and sex type) of the client with the counselor’s gender were varied in a dyad. There were 80 respondents, 40 males and 40 females who were randomly assigned to a male or female counselor. The clients’ gender role identity was identified using the Ben Sex Role Inventory. The participants were requested to participate in a psychological interview over the telephone and their conversations were recorded with permission. Clients’ self-disclosure was assessed by raters and the length of conversation was timed in minutes. The results showed that females (M=49.99) self-disclose more as compared to males (M=47.6) regardless of the counselor’s gender. Also androgynous (M=51.61) clients significantly self-disclosed more as compared to sex-types (M=46.03). Androgynous female clients with a male counselor had the highest self-disclosure (M=50.23). Self-disclosure of the client significantly increases as the interview session becomes longer (r=.36).