Culture Sensitivity Training and Counselor's Race: Effects on Black Female Clients' Perceptions and Attrition

Effects of brief culture sensitivity training for counselors and effects of counselors' race on Black female clients' perceptions of counselor characteristics and the counseling relationship and clients' satisfaction with counseling were examined in an actual counseling situation. Client attrition across three sessions was also assessed. Clients assigned to experienced counselors who had received culture sensitivity training rated their counselor higher on credibility and relationship measures, returned for more follow-up sessions, and expressed greater satisfaction with counseling than did clients assigned to experienced counselors who had not received the additional training (control condition). Although same-race counseling dyads resulted in less client attrition, this factor did not influence client perceptions of counselors and the counseling process.