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Characteristics of therapist self-disclosure in the counseling process
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Theory and research have suggested that counselor self-disclosure can be an effective technique if used for purposes that benefit the client (Cosby, 1973; Doster & Nesbitt, 1979; Halpern, 1977; Hendrick, 1987; Rogers, 1961; Strickler & Fisher, 1990; Watkins, 1990; Weiner, 1983). Self-disclosure is defined as "verbalized personal revelations made by the counselor to the client" (Watkins, 1990, p. 478). This technique is distinguished from self-involving statements, which are comments made by the counselor regarding the counseling process.
The literature on Self-disclosure covers a wide range of factors that may predict how and when counselors use self-disclosure (Watkins, 1990), but most research has focused on how clients perceive disclosing counselors. Little is known about counselors' actual use of self-disclosure and whether counselors are following the guidelines for "appropriate" self-disclosure (i.e., disclosure that benefits the client) as outlined by clinical lore and theoretical factors. Our study attempted to fill this research gap. Variables known to influence clients' perceptions of disclosing counselors were included as possible predictors of self-disclosure (e.g., counselor demographic variables). We also surveyed counselors' reasons for disclosing and the content of typical disclosures. Although our sample was composed of doctoral-level psychologists, the terms therapist, practitioner, and counselor are used interchangeably because we believe our results would generalize across these groups.
Appropriate counselor self-disclosure is said to consist only of those disclosures that are in the client's (as opposed to the counselor's) best interest(Miller, 1983; Watkins, 1990). Miller(1983) argued that appropriate disclosures were those that promoted client self-disclosure, increased the client's trust in the counselor, and improved the therapeutic relationship. Perhaps a simpler approach to this issue would maintain that disclosures that facilitate therapeutic outcome would be helpful to the client and thus would be deemed appropriate.
Whether disclosure is viewed as facilitative varies according to theoretical schools. Yalom(1985) asserted, "More than...