Experimental analogue study of White students' evaluations of psychotherapists of color

Abstract

The present study used an experimental analog design to assess White clients' reactions to providers of color. Specifically, the study examined (1) the preferences and perceptions of White college students toward analog East Asian counselors (vs. White counselors) and foreign counselors (vs. American counselors) and (2) whether negative implicit attitudes toward Asians moderated the relationships between counselor's out-group membership (Asian or foreign) and participants' perceptions and preferences of the counselor. Perceptions of counselors were evaluated using the Counselor Rating Form - Short (CRF-S), preferences were assessed directly through questions regarding likelihood of accessing services from the analog provider, and implicit attitudes were assessed using the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The results showed that foreignness significantly predicted perceptions of counselors (specifically, attractiveness and expertness) and preferences for service use, with foreign providers receiving less favorable evaluations and being preferred for services less. Implicit negative attitudes toward out-group members did not moderate the relationships between counselor cultural variables and outcomes. Future research directions and implications are discussed.