Self-Disclosure and Gender of a Therapist: Its Effect on Adult Client Willingness to Self-Disclose
Date of Conferral
11-9-2023
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Alethea Baker
Abstract
There has been much controversy over the past several decades concerning therapist self-disclosure with clients. Although many psychologists believe that revealing anything about themselves would be inappropriate, some psychologists believe in using various forms of self-disclosure with their clients. Society and culture have changed drastically in recent decades concerning gender roles and expectations of therapeutic interventions. In light of these changes, there is a lack of information about whether a client’s willingness to self-disclose is related to the type of therapist self-disclosure and to the gender of the therapist. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore whether there is a current relationship between a therapist’s gender and the type of therapist self-disclosure (i.e., factual, empathetic, or no self-disclosure) and a client’s willingness to self-disclose. To test these hypotheses, this quantitative study was designed to determine whether there are any main and interaction effects between a therapist’s gender and type of therapist self-disclosure and a client’s willingness to self-disclose. Using Bandura’s social learning theory and Beck’s modeling theory as the foundation for this study, adults were surveyed across the United States who had been in therapy. The data were collected using the Counselor Self-Disclosure Scale and the Emotional Self-Disclosure Scale via SurveyMonkey. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the data. A significant connection was found concerning the gender and type of therapist self-disclosure and a client’s willingness to self-disclose. Consequently, psychologists can implement types of therapist self-disclosure in order to generate client willingness to talk, which may facilitate positive therapeutic outcomes for the patient.
Recommended Citation
Chorney, Robert P., "Self-Disclosure and Gender of a Therapist: Its Effect on Adult Client Willingness to Self-Disclose" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15100.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15100
