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STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD COUNSELORS AND THE COUNSELING
CENTER AT MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE

By

Arnold Lincoln Form

A THESIS

Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan
State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
in.partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Education

1952

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study would not have been possible without the c00peration of
the students and many of the staff at Michigan State College.

My primary indebtedness and gratitude is to Dr. Walter F. Johnson
for his constant supervision, his many suggestions, and the assistance
which he so generously provided throughout the study.

To Dr. Kenneth G. Nelson the writer wishes to express his sincere
appreciation for his ideas, advice, and assistance regarding the
methodology of this study. Dr. Duane L. Gibson generously assisted the
writer in the statistical problems. The writer is particularly indebted
to Dr. Cecil V. Millard, Head of Department of Education for mailing
material and a covering letter which accompanied the mailed questionnaire
used in this research.

The writer is deeply grateful to Dr. Clifford E. Erickson, Dean of
Basic College for the inepiration and the early guidance which initiated
thislstudy.

To the members of the Guidance Committee, Dr. Walter F. Johnson,
Dr. Clifford E. Erickson, Dr. Cecil V. Millard, Dr. Leonard J. Luker,
and Dr. Guy Hill, the writer expresses appreciation for their guidance
and care in appraising the study.

The writer is also indebted to Mr. Tom King, Dean of Students, and
to Dr. Paul L. Dressel, Director of Counseling and Chairman of the
Board of Examiners for their cooperation, aid and permission to carry
on this study. The writer is also grateful to Dr. William Mann, Assistant
Director of Counseling for much of the information regarding the Operation
of the Counseling Center.

To his wife, Theresa M. Form, sister-inelaw, Mildred M. Form, the
writer wishes to express his gratitude for their clerical assistance and
typing aid. To his brother, Dr.'William H. Form, the writer is deeply
grateful for continued inSpiration and for the reading of the manuscript.

VITA

Arnold Lincoln Form

Candidate for the Degree of

Doctor of PhiloSOphy

Final examination, May 2, 1952, 10:30 A.M., 11C:horri11 hall.

Dissertation: Student Attitudes Toward Counselors and the Counseling
Center at Michigan State College.

Outline of Studies

Najor subject: Education (Counseling and Guidance emphasis)
Minor subject: Psychology

Biographical Items
Born, February 25, 1915, Rochester, New York.

Undergraduate Studies, University of Rochester,
1933-1937, BA degree.

Graduate Studies, University of Rochester, 19ho-h7,
Ed. N.degroe. Michigan State
College, 19b9-l951.

Experience: Assistant Director of Public Relations, City
of Rochester, N. Y. 1937-19h0; High School
Teaching l9hO-l9h3; cont. l9h6-l9h9; Military
Service, United States Navy, 19t3—19ta;
Graduate Assistant, Michigan State College,
l9h9-Sl; Instructor in Social Science,
hichigan State College, 1951; Counselor,
Michigan State College Counseling Center, 1952.

Member of Pi Gamma Mu, Kappa Delta Pi, National Education
Association, National Vocational Guidance
Association.

 

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STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD COUNSELORS AND THE COUNSELING
m A! MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE

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37

Arnold Lincoln Form

Al ABSTRACT

Sublittcd to the School of Graduat- B'tudicc of Michigan
State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

Dacron (F PEILOSOIEI
Department of Education

You 1962

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Arnold Lincoln Form

ABSTRACT

This study is concerned with an analysis of student attitudes
toward consoling and the counseling center at Michigan State College.
It is based on the premise that the effectiveness of a consoling
organisation depends upon the deyee to which its services are evalu-
ated positively by those for when they are intended. Specifically,
the research is based upon four interrelated hypotheses:

l. Attitudes toward consoling and a guidance organisation
can be measured.

2. There is a climate of opinion among various groups of
students which predispose them to appraise the eonselors
and the Conscling Center as favorable or unfavorable.

3. The attitudes that students hold toward counselors and
the Counseling Center may be affected by cannon background
characteristics and experiences .

4. The predispOsing attitudes that students have toward consol-
ing may be changed by direct contact with the Center.

The hypctheses were tested by an instruaont which contained a
Counseling Attitude Scale, oonselor rating scales, stnent hokground
items, and a free response section. The respondents were 544 students
selected by a proportional stratified sampling technique.

Attitudes toward counselors and theIConseling Center were
means-edby the Counseling Attitude Scale specially devised for this
research. The technique-used was the Scale Discrimination lethod of
Edwards and Iilpatrick which isga synthesis of the Thurstone. Lihrt.
and Guttnan techniques of attitude scale construction. Beale analysis

by the Cornell Technique indicated the scale probably measured a single

 

 

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dimension. The scale had a coefficient of reproducibility of 0.87,
and its reliability of 0.94 was calculated by a lower bound technique.
To measure sttulont reaction toward the eonsolors' personal attributes
and services, sighted: different rating scales were constructed.

Michigan State College students generally held favorable attitudes
toward ccnsclors and the Canceling Center. Approximately 84 per cent
of the sample strongly endorsed the Center while 16 per cent hold mild,
indifferent, or negative attitudes toward it. not all of the students
based their attitulos from direct experience with the Center. lore
favorable attitudes toward the organisation were engendered by a greater
nunbor of contacts with it.

To test whether differences in student attitudes toward the Center
were associated with theinip‘background characteristics, the chi-square
test was used. lhere significant associations existed between any two
variables, the degree of correlation was found by the coefficient of
contingency. Sons of the important student background factors examined
for their association to, consoling attitudes were: son, ago, year in
college, school enrolled, grade point average, umber of extra-curricu-
lar activities, frequency of Center visits, nature of problem brought
to the Center, previous consoling experience, siso of community, and
father 's occupation. f

Generally older students, upper-classucn, veterans, and mried
students had slightly more unfavorable attitudes toward counselors and
the Center. 8:11 and shifting differences were found between Center
attitude and school enrolled, grade point average, activities, sise

 

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777

of enmity, previous counseling experience, and socio-econanic
level. the findings confirmed the proposition that student attittdes
toward counselors and the Center are affected by common backgrounds

and experiences.

 

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM: ITS NATURE AND IMPORTANCE... ....... . ..... . ...... 1
IntrOduCtiOn........ ......... O ....... .OOOOOOOOOOOO ...... .0. l
Statement of the Problem........ ...... ......... ........ .... 5
Importance of the Problem......... .......... . ..... ......... 7
Organization of the Study .......... . ......... . ............. 8

II. HISTORY, ORGANIZATION AND FNUNCTIONS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE
COLLEGE COUNSLLING CENTbh. ..... .... ....... ...... ............ 10
Introduction. ............................ . ................. 10
History of the Counseling Center.... ....................... 12
Furlotions Of thecentereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeee 17
Nature of Problems...... ..... ........................... 20
Referral Agencies ....................................... 20
Counseling Clinics .......... . ........................... 21
How the Center Operates.... .................... . ...... ..... 2h
Future Plans.... ......... .............. .................... 26
Researches by the Counseling Center Staff.... ..... . ...... l. 27

III. ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT TOWARD COUNSELING PROGNAMS: AN EVALU-
ATION ANJ SUhVfiY OF THE LITERATUnE............. ...... ....... 30
The Nature of Attitudes and Their Measurement .............. 30
The Thurstone Scale........... ...................... . 35
The Likert Technique (Summated Questionnaire)........... 38
Criticism of Thurstone and Likert.Scales..... ..... ...... to

The Guttman Technique (Scale and Intensity Analysis) 13

Attitudes Toward Counselors and Counseling................. h?

CHAPTER PAGE
IV. MLTHODOLOGY AND Puochms 55
Tile InStrlmlents... ..... .00..........OOOOOCOOOOOOOO0.00.0... 56
AttitudescaleOOOCOCOOOOC0.00.00.........O...’......O... 56

The Counselor hating£3cales..................... ...... .. 7h

Rating Scales for Counseling Services................... 77

Background Characteristics of Students (Control Data)... 78

The Unstructured Section..................... ....... .... 65

Tile sampleeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeee eeeee e eeeeeee eeeee 86

Analysis of Sample Returns.......... ........ . .......... .... 90

Statistical Treatment of Data ....... ............ ....... .... 91

V. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF USERS AND NON —USEn‘S OF THE COUNSELING
CEPJTmQQQOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ...... ...... ...... O 0000000000 O ..... ... 93

Student Knowledge of Center...... ..... .. ...... ............. 93
Indices of haturity........ ............... ... ....... ....... 100
Academic Interests and Achievement. .......... .............. lOS
Types of Student Problems............... ................... 109
Background Factors......................................... 117
Summary.................... ....... ......................... 130
VI . STUDENT ATTITUDBS TO u’LRD THE COUNSELING CENTER ....... . . . . . . . . . 133
Analysis of Attitude Scale Scores................ ..... ..... 133

Association of Student Background Characteristics to "
Attitudes toward the Center.............................. lhb

Maturity FactorS................. ............ .......... 1h?
Factors Related to Students College Status (Campus
Factors).............................................. 150
Center Related Experiences.............................. 155
Background Characteristics............ ..... ............. 102

Summary.................................................... 170

vi

CHAPTER PAGE

VII. STUDdNT APPRAISAL OF COUNSELOR ATTRISUTES..................... 173

Introduction............................... ...... .......... 173
The Control Items. ........ .... ........ ..................... 175
Counselor Attributes.......... ......... .. ................. . 181
Counselor's PhilOSOphy of Life. ...... . ........ .... ..... . 182
Counselor's Knowledge of.Social Forces... .............. . 18h
Counselor's Knowledge of the torld of hork.... ......... . 187
Understanding of Social and Cultural Differences ...... .. 191
Counselor's Interest in.Students........................ 19h
Counselor's Emotional Stability... ..... . ............. ... 195
Ability to See Client's VieWpoint.............. ..... .... 197
Counselor's Training and EXperience.... .......... ....... 201
Stimulating Clients to Have Insight............... ..... . 20h
Summary............. .......... .... ...... ................... 207
VIII . STUDENT ILPPMISAL OF COUNSELORS' SERVICES . ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Introduction.... ..... ....... ...... ... ...... ........ ....... . 211
Evaluation of Counselors' Services.......... .............. . 211

Interpretation of Psychological Tests................... 211
Time Given to Test Interpretation ....... .. ..... ......... 21L
Counselors' Approach to Problem.Solutions............... 216
Counseling Emotional and Personal Problems.............. 219
Understanding Classroom Conditions.............. ..... ... 222
Counselors' Knowledge of School Requirements............ 22h
Assisting No-Preference‘Students........................ 227
Assisting in Course Selection........................... 229
Pacing the Interview............ ........... . ......... ... 232

Summary....... ....... . ..... ........... ...... ............... 233

IX. COI‘JTENT ANALYSIS OF THE FREE RESPOIBES CONCERNING THE
COUNSELCNS AND THE COUNSELING CENTER........................ 238

Introduction.... ..... .... ..... .... ..... .......... .......... 238
Tile Free Responses..................0...... ..... ........... 2&0

Statements Expressing No Attitude............... ..... ...... 2&5

vii

CHAPTNR PAGE
Ix. N0 EXperience to Evaluate Center........................ 2&5
Remarks About the Questionnaire... ..... . ....... . ........ 2&6

Statements Expressing Favorable Attitudes...... ..... ....... 2h?

High hegard for Counseling Center ...... ...... ...... ..... 2&7

Advertise the Center....... ..... . ..................... 2h8

Counselors are Friendly and Helpful. . .. ..... . ..... . 2&9

Counselors Helpful in Educational-Vocational Planning... 250

Clients' "Suggestion BOX"....... ....... . ....... ......... 250

Non-Users Feel Center is an Important Campus Facility... 252

Statements Expressing Ambivalent Attitudes................. 253

Ambivalent Feelings About Counselors.............. ...... 253
Counselors' Help Depends on Problems ......... . ........ .. 25h
Counselors Interest in.Clients .......... . ........... .... 255

Statements Expressing Negative Attitudes................... 255

Counselors Lack Training. . ......................... .. 255
Need for Better Interpretations of Psychological Tests.. 257
Low Regard for Center. ........ ......................... 258
Counselors Lack Iniormation and are of Little Assistance 259
1mmwdImmmdmcn.n.u.u.H.H.H.H.H.H.H.H“H.2w
Counselors Don't Give Clients Opportunity To Express
Themselves............................................ 261
Counselors Inability to Handle Personal-Emotional
ProblemS............ ............... ........ ....... .... 261

Unclassified Free Responses........ ...... .... ..... . ..... ... 262

Pertaining to Enrollment Officers....................... 262

General Unclassified Comments.......... ..... ............ 263
Concluding‘Statement..... ..... ............................. 265

X. snowy AND CONCLUSIONS...” ...... ........ 2c?
The Problem............ ...... ...................... ...... .. 267

The Procedure, Sample, and Instrument...................... 267

Constructing thei30ale................... ..... .......... 269

viii

CHAPTER PAGE
X. The Findings ............. ..................... 270
Implications of the Study.. ...... . ...... ........ 27h
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............. ... ............................... . ......... 279

APPENDICESeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeee eeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeee e eeeee eeeeeeee 28h

TABLE

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII e

IX.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

ix

LIST OF TABLES

PAGE

Frequency Distribution of the Phi Coefficients Obtained From

Item.Ana1ysis of the LikertrScale........................... 59
Per Cent Error in Attitude Scale Items By Item Category ...... . 66
Sexg Class, and Curriculum of the College.Student Population,

The Selected.Sample, and the Sample Returns, In Percentages. 88

Frequency of Visits to the Counseling Center as Related to
How Nell.Students Know the Functions of the Center, In
Percentages...................... ........................... 9h

Frequency of Student Visits to the Center as Related to Their
Evaluation of its Services, In Percentages.... ............ .. 96

tillingness of Students to use the Counseling Center's
Facilities, By the Number of Times They Have Visited The _
Center, In Percentages............................ ...... .... 98

Frequency of Student Visits to the Counseling Center byiSex,
InPercentageSOOOOOOOO.00..........OOOOOOOOOO... 0000000000 O. 99

Age Distribution of Michigan State College Sample by Sex,
In PercentageSOOOO.0.0.00.0............OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.0I. 101'

Percentage Distribution of Michigan.State College Sample
According to Class Rank, by Sex............................. 101

Age Distribution of Michigan.State College Sample According
to Number of Times Visited The Counseling Center, In
Percentages.............. ..... ............... ....... . ...... ..103

Class Distribution of Students According to Number of Times
They Visited the Counseling Center, In Percentages. ...... ... 103

Number of Times MichiganmState College Sample Visited Counsel-
ing Center, By School Enrolled, In.Percentages.. ...... . ..... 106

Number of Times.Students Visited Counseling Center According
To Their Grade Point Averages, In.Percentages............... 108

Distribution of Types of Problems Students Brought To The
Center According to the Frequency of Their Visits, In
Percentages................................................. llO

TABLE PAGE

XV. Sources of Student Referral to Counseling Center by Number of
Center Contacts, In Percentages... ............ .... ........ .. 11h

XVI. Evaluation of Enrollment Officer in Terms of Frequency of
Visits to the Counseling Center, By Percentages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

XVII . Times Student Visited Counseling Center According to the
Number of Extra-Curricular Activities Reported , In
Percentages......0..0.0......OOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO .0116

XVIII. Type of High School Guidance Services that Michigan State
College Students Had by Frequency of Visits to Counseling
Center, In.Percentages...................................... 120

XIX. Evaluation of High School Guidance Facilities by Students
According to the Number of Visits to the Counseling Center,
In.Percentages ...... ............ ........... ........... ..... . 122

XX. Type of High School Guidance Service by Size of Community,
In.Percentages.............................................. 12h

XH . Frequency of Visits of Students to the Counseling Center as
Related to the Size of Their Home Communities, By Percent-

ageS.OOOO.OO.OOOOOOO.0... ..... O0..........OOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOO12S

XXII . FreQuency of Student Visits to the Counseling Center by Their
Fathers' Occupation, In Percentages........... .. 127

XXIII. Ranking of Counseling Resources by Rank Positions of Their

Modes and Number of Bankers... ......... ..... ......... ....... 129

XXIV . Distribution of Student Responses to Item Categories of the
Counseling Attitude Scale , In Percentages . . . . . . . . . . . ........ 137

XXV . Evaluation of the Counseling Center by Groups which Differ in
Attitwes {1.0wa'rd' It...OOOOOOOOOOO.0.00....0.0.00.0...00...I. 111'3

XXVI. willingness of Three Attitude Groups to Consult the Counseling
Center................... ........ ................ .......... . th

XXVII. Distribution of Attitude Groups by Sex... . .. . .. .......... .. .. . 1h?
XXVIII . Distribution of Attitude Groups by Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:8
XXIX. Distribution of Attitude Groups According to Year in College . . 119

XXX. Marital Status of the Three Attitude Groups............. ..... . 150

TABLE PAGE
XXJCI. Distribution of the Three Attitude Groups by Curriculum ..... .. 151
XXIII. Grade Point Averages of the Three Attitude Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

XXEII. Amount of Extra—Curricular Activities of the Three Attitude
Groupseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 155

XXXIV . Knowledge that Students Have of the Center According to the
Attitude Group to hhich They Belong . ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

XXXV. Frequency of Contacts thich the Three Attitude Groups Had Edith
T118coumelingCenter00.000000.0.0000.........OOOOOOOOOOOOOO157

XXXVI . Distribution of the Problems that Students in the Three
Attitude Groups Brought to the Center. . .. . 159

XXXVII. Source of Referral to the Counseling Center as Associated with
T118 Tllree Attitude GroupSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO lf)l

XXXVIII . How Students Evaluated Their Enrollment Officers for the Three
Attitude Groups....... ...... ..... .163

XXXIX. High School Services which here Available to Members of the
Three Attitude Groups. ..... ................................. 16h

XL. Evaluation of High School Guidance Services by the Three
Attitude GrOUps........ ...... ......... .......... ............ 165

XLI. Size of Communities From thich the Three Attitude Groups
Originate...... ...... ..................... ....... ........... 167

XLII. Distribution of the Father's Occupation of the Three Attitude
Groups...00000. ........ ......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOI....0.0.0.000... 169

XLIII. Corrections for Broad Grouping of Coefficients of Contingency
For14xh‘I‘ables......O.........O....O.....O.C.....O..OO.O.. 176

XIIV. The Probabilities of Chi Squares Between Counseling Attributes
and Control Items. ..... ........................ ....... ...... 178

XLV. Coefficients of Contingency Between Significant Counseling
Attributes and control Itms.’..................O0.00.0.0... 1m

XLVI . Student Responses Concerning Counselors' Outlook on Life and
Association of Students ' Characteristics to This Counselor
AttributeOOOO. ....... 00...... ..... O0.00.00.00.00...00.0.0...183

ABLE

ILVII.

XLVIII.

XLIX.

Lo

LI.

LII.

LIII.

LIV.

LV.

LVI.

LVII .

INIII.

PAGE
Counselors' Understanding of Society as Evaluated by Students
and Association of Students' Characteristics to This
counselor AttribUteOOOOOOO.....OOOOOOOOOOO 000000000000 0.00.0186
Knowledge that Counselors Have of work world as Evaluated by
Students and Association of Students' Characteristics to
this Counselor Attribute................ ..... ....... ..... ... 169

Students' Evaluation of Counselors' Ability to Understand
Clients of Different Backgrounds and Association of Students'
Characteristics to this Counselor Attribute................. 192

HovIStudents Evaluate Counselors' Interest in Their Jobs and
Association of Students' Characteristics to This Counselor
Attribute. ....... 000000000000... cccccccccccc 00.00 ........ on. 196

Evaluation of Counselors' Emotional Adjustment By Students and
Association of Students' Characteristics to This Counselor
AttributeOOCOC0.0.0000.........OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.00.0...198

Ability of Counselors to See Client's Point of View as Evalu-
ated.By Students and Association of Students' Characteris-
tics to this Counselor Attribute....................... ..... 200

How 8 tudents Evaluate Counselors ' Experience and Training to
Handle Problems and Association of Students' Characteristics
to tilis counselor Attribute O O O O 0 I O O O O O O O O ....... O O O O O O O O O O O O 20.3

Students' Evaluation of Counselors' Abilities to Help Clients
Understand Themselves and Association of Students'
Characteristics to this Counselor Attribute................. 206

Student Responses to How well Counselors Interpret Psycho-
logical Tests and Association of Students' Characteristics
tOTij-S Courlselor Attribute.......OOOOOOOOOCO ..... 0.0.00.0... 213

Amount of Time Counselors Give to Test Interpretation as
Judged by Students and Association.of Students' Character-
iStiCS to This counselor AttribUteo0.000000000000000...00000 215

Distribution of Student Responses Concerning Counselors Use of
Directive or Non-Directive Approach to Problem.Solving and
Association of Students' Characteristics to This Counselor
Attribute............................. ........ .............. 218

Ability of Counselors to Help Clients Lith Their Personal-
Emotional Problems as Evaluated by Students and Association
of Student Characteristics to This Counselor Attribute...... 221

xiii

TABLE PAGE

LIX; Student Evaluation of Counselors' Understanding of Pupil-
Teacher Relations and Associations of Students' Character-
istics to This Counselor Attribute.......................... 223

LX. Evaluation.By Students of Knowledge of School Requirements
which Counselors Have and Association of Students' Character-
istics to This Counselor Attribute.......................... 225

LXI. Judgments by Students of Counselors' Effectiveness in Helping
No-Preference Students and Association of’Students'
Characteristics to This Counselor Attribute................. 228

LXII. Permissiveness of Counselors TowardEStudents in Advising on
Course Selection and Association of Students' Character-
istics to This Counselor Attribute.......................... 230

LXIII. HOHIStudents Feel About Counselors' Allocation of Interview
Time and Association of Students' Characteristics to This
Counselor Attribute......................................... 23h

LXIV. Classification.of Student Free Responses Regarding The
Counselors and the Michigan.3tate College Counseling Center. 2h2

LXV. Classification of Student Free Responses Regarding Counselors
and the Counseling Center According to the Three Attitude
Groups.......... ..... . ................. . ...... ...... ........ 2AA

LIST OF FIGUan

FIGURE

1 . Organization of the Office of the Dean of Students at
Michigan State College..... ........ ............

2. Intensity and Content Scores of the Counseling Attitude

308‘1900000000000000000000 oooooo coo ooooooo o. oooooo 000000.000.

xiv

PAGE

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM: ITS hATUdE AND IMPOR“ANCE

Introduction

During the last twenty years American college students were prob-
ably confronted with many more serious problems than were students of
previous generations. Young men and women born during or immediately
after World War I were reared in a society which was more specialized
and disorganized than the society of their parents. The post war
generation was educated during the world's worst economic depression.
After leaving school many young peOple faced unemployment for lengthy
periods, and still later many of them fought in horld War II. when
faced with educational, vocational, and adjustment problems, many had
asked their equally confused elders for assistance and guidance. The
help they received was all too often, informal, uninformed, and of a
make-shift character.

The younger students of today, especially those who entered college
recently and those who are about to enter college, are also confronted
‘with problems of considerable magnitude. The members of this generation
wmme born during the middle thirties. Although most of them are too
:young to remember the chaotic depression, they were, nonetheless, affect-
eed by the cynicism and pessimism of that period. Certainly all of them
remember tworld War II and the subsequent atomic-frightened era. These

ycrung people face an uncertain future. They will have to confront as

many problems as their older brothers and sisters. Already the armed
forces and a war in Korea are beckoning them.

Thus once again.young peOple are encountering disruption of their
education, vocational, and other life problems. They, too, will seek
assistance to the solution of their problems. Perhaps they will get
something more than bland assurance and informal advice, for out of the
economic depression and.Wbrld/War II our society began to learn that it
was imperative to meet the problems of youth in a more systematic way.
Slowly this country became aware of an urgent need to establish a.youth
program, and provide professional counseling to assist its youth in
making adjustments to the complex society.

This program began to take form during the middle thirties. At that
time financial assistance was given to young peOple which enabled many
to remain in school. This help came through the National'Youth Adminis-
tration and other government-aid programs. Beginning in 1933 assistance
in finding jobs was offered young people by the newly created United
States Employment Service.

About this time, some educators who sensed the need for more
counselors in the nation's schools began to initiate counselor training
Isrograms in the colleges and universities. That a deSperate need for
czounselors existed was shown in a study conducted by the United States
(lffice of Education in 1938. This investigation revealed that the
7fl;163,919 students in the 23,032 public high schools of the nation were

Serrved.by only 2,286 counselors or guidance officers who devoted half

or more of their time to counseling.1 A few more colleges followed the
early leaders by introducing personnel courses to give teachers more
Specialized training for guiding students.

DeSpite these efforts the colleges were not able to train enough
counselors to meet the nation's needs. ‘Worldear II gave further impetus
to counselor training programs because qualified personnel were needed
to classify the millions of young men entering the armed forces. Since
the colleges were not able to supply sufficient counselors, the Army,
Navy, and Air Forces established their own training programs. Even with
the expanded pool of trained and partially trained counselors, a shortage
faced the post-war demands of America's schools. Apparently many school
administrators were becoming ”guidance conscious." They were convinced
that the personnel services offered by schools, the armed forces, and
business had helped thousands to make better personal adjustments.

Among the first to sense the need for permanent counseling organi-
zations were the larger colleges and universities of the country.
Several which had planned to establish guidance programs prior to Worhi
War II proceeded to establish them after the war. Other institutions,
particularly those with large veteran enrollments, were urged by the
Veterans' Administration to provide counseling for the many returning
veterans. Some institutions reSponded quickly by improving their nacent

services or by establishing fulléblown counseling programs.

 

l” Halter J. Greenleaf and.Royce E. Brewster, Public High Schpols Having
Counselors and Guidance Officer, Washington, D. 0.: Federal Security
Agency, U. S. Office of Education, 1939, pp. 2-5.

 

The sizes and types of programs actually created in the colleges
no doubt varied widely. Doubtless many of the programs are still under-
going change. About five or six years have elapsed since the post-war
counseling agencies were instituted. This period may be regarded a
period of exploration, trial, and shake—down. Organizational procedures
had to be evolved, students had to be educated as to the purposes of
counseling agencies, faculties had to be educated to become part of the
referral process, ineffective counselors had to be replaced, and so on.

Administrators should now begin to be concerned with the problem
of appraising their efforts in the field of personnel services. The post
war boom of college enrollments has leveled Off. Now, with a slight
slack in the pace of duty, officials may ask whether their objectives of
furnishing students adequate counseling services has been and is now being
met. Probably only a few institutions have evaluated systematically the
value and effectiveness of their guidance programs. It is doubtful, as
will be shown later, that the few attempts at self appraisal have bothered
to include student Opinions as a primary source to be consulted.

Like any Other part of the university its counseling agency is cone
stantly being evaluated by the student body and by the other departments.
The prevailing climate of student Opinion toward counseling service is
even more important to its Operation than is the case with academic de-
partments. The effectiveness Of counseling, by its very nature, depends
upon a willingness on the part of students to seek it. This in turn is
dependent on the attitudes that students have of the value of counseling

services. If the prevailing Opinion on campus is that the counseling

services are good, students will voluntarily seek guidance when they need
it. If, on the other hand, the counseling services are in disrepute,
students will avoid consulting them. It is therefore important for such
agencies to know the prevailing attitudes, sentiments, and prejudices

that students have toward them to do effective work. A counseling organi-
zation is effective to the degree that it is considered useful and efficient
by the student body. This study is concerned with an analysis of student
attitudes toward counselors and the counseling organization at Michigan

State College .

Statement of the Problem

The general problem of this study is to ascertain the attitudes of
students at Michigan State College toward the counselors and the Counsel-
ing Center; and to determine, if possible, the factors associated with
these attitudes. This research is founded on the premise that one of the
factors which is responsible for the effectiveness or ineffectiveness Of
counselors and their organization is the prevailing climate of student
opinion concerning them.

It is not the purpose of this research to analyze the attitudes that
students have toward the counseling that is done by faculty advisors,
enrollment officers, deans, and dormitory resident advisors. Neither is
it concerned with those agencies on campus to which the students are

referred by the Counseling;Center.2

 

2. The relation of the Counseling<3enter to other counseling services
and referral agencies is described in.Chapter II.

This research is based on four interrelated hypotheses. They are:

1. There is a climate of Opinion.among various groups Of students
on campus which prediSpose them to regard the counselors and the Center
as favorably or unfavorably.

2. Attitudes toward counseling and toward a Guidance Center can be
measured.

3. The attitudes that students hold toward counselors and the Center
may be affected by common background characteristics and experiences.

h. The prediSposing attitudes of students toward counseling are not
so set that they remain unchanged by direct contact with the Center.

In order to test the hypotheses listed above certain related ques-
tions must be investigated. The Specific questions which this study is
designed to answer include the following:

1. Is it possible to construct a reliable and valid instrument
that will measure student attitudes toward counseling?

2. Is there a dominant set of attitudes concerning counselors
and the Counseling Center at Michigan State College?

3. If no dominant attitude exists, what are the different attitudes
that students hold toward the counselors at the Center?

b. What factors are associated with the attitudes toward counselors
and the Counseling Center?

a. Do men and women have similar or different attitudes
toward counselors and the Center?

b. Is age a factor in the attitudes held?
c. Are there differences between single or married students?‘

d. DO under-classmen and upper-classmen have similar or
different attitudes toward counselors and the Center?

9. Is subject matter major and grade-point average related
to the attitudes held?

f. Is the social-economic background of the student
associated with his attitudes?

g. IS there a relationship between the size of the community
from which.Michigan.State College students come and the
attitudes toward the counselors on campus?

h. IS there a relation between the quality and the amount of
high school counseling students had and their attitudes
toward the college guidance program?

i. How is direct experience with counselors on.campus associ-
ated with attitudes toward counseling and counseling
services?

5. Do students from different backgrounds use the counseling services
to varying degrees?

a. Do young students and freshmen consult the Center more
frequently than Older students and seniors?

b. Do those who have lower- academic averages use the
Center more?

c. Other background characteristics.

6. What is the Specific content of the attitude held by various
groups of students?

7. What are the sources of their knowledge and attitudes toward the
Center?

8. Does the prevailing Opinion on campus concerning counselors and
the Counseling Center influence students to consult or not to
consult the Center?

9. How useful do students think the counseling services are?

Importance of the Problem
lfiany studies have been devoted to the problems Of organizing guidance
SSIGWixses in educational institutions. Once such services are established,
thefiil‘ evaluation has usually been in terms of the quality and quantity Of
p‘E’I‘Sonnel, the adequacy of equipment, the nature and amount of problems

hanfitled, changes resulting from counseling individuals, and the acceptance

of counseling by administrators and teachers. Very little research has
been done on the question of how counseling services are accepted by
those for whom.they are intended, namely the student. Neither has there
been sufficient research on determining the felt needs of students for
such services.

This study is based on the premise that it is just as important for
counselors, as it is for teachers, to know how their services are being
evaluated_by students. As in the case of teaching, counseling departments
should know what the dominant attitudes are toward them. In addition,
they should know which groups have the most favorable or unfavorable
attitudes as well as the reasons for such attitudes. It is also im-
portant to know what kinds of stereotypes students have Of counselors.
Armed with answers to these questions, counseling departments can embark
on a program of getting their area of acceptance widened in the student
body. They can also change their services to respond to the felt needs
and attitudes of their potential users.

This study is not concerned with suggestions as to how to get greater
acceptance of the counseling services or how to remove unfavorable stereo-
types. It is primarily concerned with the problem of finding the range L”

of attitudes that students have toward counselors and their organization.

Organization of the Study
In.Chapter II a summary Of the history and organization Of the
Michigan.State College Center is sketched to provide the reader with a
background necessary for understanding (a) the Operation Of the agency, and

(b) the reasons why certain items were included in the instruments.

In the third chapter a review of the literature on attitudes and
attitude scale construction is found, as well as a summary Of the
relevant studies on attitudes toward counseling.

Chapter IV is devoted to the methodology of this research. It con-
tains a detailed description Of the techniques used in constructing the
instruments for this study, a description of the sampling technique, and
an analysis of the sample returns. It is followed by a chapter dealing
with a comparative analysis Of the users and non-users of the Counseling
Center .

In.Chapter VI statistical analysis is presented of the results
Obtained from the attitude scales concerning student attitudes toward the
Counseling Center. Then these results are analyzed by background char-
acteristics of the students. Chapters VII and VIII concern themselves
with student appraisal of specific counselor attributes and practices.
Again these data are subjected to analysis according to the student back-
ground characteristics.

Chapter IX contains a content analysis of free responses made by
students toward the counselors and the Counseling Center. This provided
an Opportunity to get at specific attitudes and Opinions Of counseling
not anticipated in the instruments. The final chapter includes a summary

and conclusions of this research as well as some of its implications.

CHAPTER II

 

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CHAPTER II

HISTORY, ORGANIZATION, AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE
COLLEGE COUNSELINGrCENTER

The purposes of this chapter are to: (a) review briefly the history
of the Michigan State College Counseling Center, (b) examine its primary
purposes and functions, and (c) describe its Operational procedures.
This information is included for several reasons. The history of the
agency is provided to help those not acquainted with the Center to know
something of its purposes and functions. In addition, it is necessary to
be aware of the functions and the Operational procedures of the Center to
be able to place student remarks and opinions on particular services of
the Center in prOper perSpective. Since students are asked to reveal
their attitudes toward Specific features of the Center, these features
must be detailed as background material. Finally, it is hoped that this
chapter may help the reader to see the origin of the problem of this

research study.

Introduction
Beginning in l9h6 the heavy enrollment of’World‘War II veterans in
the colleges and universities of the nation, brought these institutions
of higher learning many new problems. The problems Of student housing,
services for married veterans, insufficient teaching staff, lack of class-
rooms, increased administrative costs, and need for better personnel

services were among the many issues confronting college administrators.

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11

Among the more perplexing problems was that of counseling the veteran.
Prior to their entrance into the armed forces thousands Of high school
students did not hope or plan to attend college. Consequently many of
them had not enrolled in college preparatory curricula. However, the
passage of the G. I. Bill of Rights (Public Laws No. 16 and 3246) gave
financial aid to all veterans desiring additional education. Veterans
who could only dream of attending college now found it possible. A large
number Of them, however, could not meet the existing college entrance re-
quirements. Some institutions altered their entrance requirements, others
established special programs for veterans, a few gave credit for Armed
Forces Institute Courses, and many more devised ways to facilitate the
admittance of these "educationally unprepared" students. COOperative
programs between high schools and colleges enabled veterans who had not
completed their secondary education to gain admittance to the universities.

Such.programs called for giving the veterans much counseling. Most
of the colleges and high schools were not equipped to render adequate
guidance because they lacked trained personnel or an organized personnel
program. The policy of the Veterans' Administration urging colleges to
establish VA Guidance Centers induced many to make hurried plans for
general student personnel services. Administrators began to search for
professionally trained counselors who were difficult to find in the tight
labor market. Fortunately some colleges and universities already had
guidance services in Operation, and others had sufficient foresight to
plan and organize such services during the war. Michigan.State College

was not totally unprepared for the onrush Of veterans. Plans had long

 

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12

been under way to establish personnel services for both veteran and non-

veteran students in the post-war period.

History of the Counseling Center

The Michigan State College Counseling Center is one of several
personnel agencies under the jurisdiction of the Dean of Students. Because
of the manifold duties of his Office, the Dean has delegated supervision
of the various counseling agencies on campus to peOple Specially trained
for their work. The Counseling Center is under the direction Of Dr. Paul
Dressel, whose title is Director of Board of Examiners and Basic College
Counseling. Dr. Dressel was largely responsible for the planning and
organization of the presenm Center. Most of the information presented in
this chapter was Obtained from.interviews with Dr. Dressel and from
Dr. William.A. Mann, Assistant Director Of Counseling.

Michigan.State College, like many other educational institutions,
experienced very rapid growth immediately after WOrld.war II. The need
for professional counseling and for student guidance services became
apparent when enrollment tripled the pre-war figures. Though the college
Offered some “guidance" services before the war, it was only segmental
compared to the services offered later. In 1936, the only kind of
"counseling” present on campus was a faculty advisory system. A selected
number of faculty members were each given the task Of helping 30 to 50
students with their enrollment problems. NO doubt, some Of the staff
members helped students with problems other than enrollment. However,

general counseling on campus was performed at this time by a few interested

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13

faculty members, or by the Offices Of the Dean Of Men and the Dean of
Women, Doubtless the latter were somewhat restricted in the amount and
quality of their counseling services because of the disciplinary func-
tions associated with their offices.

This “counseling prOgram" persisted to l9hh except for one change.
Approximately two years earlier, in l9h2, the Dean of Men appointed a
half-time assistant to do counseling and to administer a general testing
program. In a sense, this was the first formal step toward the establish-
ment Of professional counseling services on campus. Shortly after admin-
istrators became concerned with the problems of the small group of
returning veterans who had been separated from the armed forces prior to
the conclusion of hostilities. Upon becoming acquainted with the nature
and the extent of their problems a need was felt to supplement the exist-
ing guidance services. The administration also recognized that the number
and kinds of problems would increase rapidly when a larger number of
veterans enrolled at the college at the conclusion of the war.

The inability of the existing advisory system to help these veterans
was a leading factor in the decision to change the structure Of the
personnel program” The first step in this direction was the establishment
of an in-service training program in counseling and testing for a small
group of faculty members, so that they would be better equipped to handle
the veterans' problems.

Upon the recommendation of the faculty and the State Board of Agri-
culture a two year Basic College program was instituted in l9hh as a
required curriculum for all freshmen and SOphomore students. The school

and the divisions of the college were also reorganized at this time.

 

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Part of this general reorganization involved the Office of the Dean Of
Students. An important agency established under this office was the
"Board Of Examiners and Basic College Counseling." This organization was
staffed by faculty members on a half-time teaching and counseling basis.

The decision to institute the counseling services in this manner
came as a result of the establishment of the Basic College. One of the
main.features of the college reorganization is the dual enrollment of
the student while still a lower classman. Thus, the student indicates a
preference for one of the six Schools even though he is still in the Basic
College. There was recognition of the fact that under this system many
students would actually change their school or subject preference, and
that the enrollment Officers would not be adequately trained or have suf-
ficient time to assist the confused student. The creation of the Board Of
Examiners and Basic College Counseling, with a "semi-trained" staff of
part-time counselors who would also serve as enrollment officers, was con-
sidered a way out of this dilemma.

In September l9hh the school year Opened with twenty faculty members
acting as part-time counselors. Each counselor was assigned 100 students
to enroll and help them with other problems. Regular meetings for the
staff were held and the in-service training program was continued. By
19h6 it was recognized that twice the number of "counselors" was needed
to COpe with the increased enrollment. If the existing counselor-client
ratio Of one counselor to every 100 students was to be maintained, many

more counselors would be needed for the larger anticipated enrollment Of

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15

the years ahead. An.examination of the future course of action relative
to personnel services seemed imperative at this time.

Several other factors influenced the decision to change the counsel-
ing organization described above. By l9h6, the enrollment in the Basic
College reached 9,000-l0,000 students. If a half-time faculty member were
used for every 100 students, 90 to 100 peOple would be needed to enroll
students and help them with their problems. Such a large "guidance" staff
would require a larger budget for salaries. There was little chance of
locating enough counselors and no chance for obtaining a larger budget for
salaries. Furthermore, the increase in student enrollment caused a short-
age in the teaching staff. Deans and department heads were asking for the
return of staff members who had been released previously for half-time
counseling. The need for more teaching staff was so great that some half-
time counselors resumed a full teaching load and volunteered to do counsel-
ing in their ”Spare” time.

An important factor in the decision to change the counseling organiza-
tion was the unwillingness of a £33 part-time counselors to continue to
do ”personnel" work. They lacked interest for the work and were only doing
it on a temporary basis. The teaching services of many staff members were
not needed during the war because of the smaller student enrollment.
Rather than be released, some accepted jobs as half-time teachers and half-
time counselors. Their 1ack of interest in counseling was, no doubt,
reflected in the type of counseling they gave students.

Perhaps the decisive factor reSponsible for the creation of a new

counseling organization was the Veterans Administration's desire to

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16

establish a VA Guidance Center on the Michigan.State College campus. The
VA strongly urged the administration to organize such an agency, and
staff it with trained counselors. In return for counseling services to
veterans, the Veterans' Administration would help to defray part of the
cost for Operating the VA Center.

After considering all of these factors, the committee studying the
problem of student personnel services urged the administration to revise
completely the existing guidance structure. The decision to restore en-
rollment duties to faculty members and to employ trained counselors was
made. Figure 1 illustrates the organizational pattern of the Dean of
Student's Office and the Counseling Center. In January l9h6 the first
full-time counselor was hired for the newly created VA Center.

This new agency was not directly modeled after any single college
Center. Dr. Dressel, who was instrumental in restablishing better
personnel services athichigan State College, maintained that the structure,
purposes and organization of the present Counseling Center were probably
influenced by visits to Centers at the University of Chicago, University
of Minnesota, and other universities. The VA Center as established at
Michigan State College grew out of the particular needs of the college
and its students.

By February 1, l9h6 four full-time counselors were employed and they

used an empty c1assroom.to begin VA counseling.1 Counseling booths were

 

lw‘When these counselors were hired, they were appointed with academic
rank. As staff members they were and still are on the same tenure
basis as other members of the faculty and enjoy the same faculty
privileges. It is uncommon in.Counseling Centers for all of the
. counseling staff to hold academic rank.

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soon provided them in.Demonstration.Hall. The first four full-time
counselors were veterans of werld'War II. The Administration was inter-
ested in.employing counselors with war experience, particularly those

who had some counseling and teaching experience. The four counselors met
these requirements. Obviously, the reasons for establishing such require-
ments was that the enrollment would be heavily veteran, and that students
would "click" with counselors who were like them. Other factors were the
college's intention of handling the VA Guidance program and that the armed
forces separation centers was the best single source for hiring high
quality personnel.

The reaction of the staff to the new Counseling Center was mixed.
Part of the staff had high praise for the new agency, but the majority
probably had a neutral attitude. A few former part-time counselors were
somewhat hostile, but this gradually decreased. On the other hand,
student acceptance of the Center met with high approval. A selling job
was not needed for veterans for many of them were so bewildered that they
wanted counseling services. Other veterans had used Army and Navy
personnel services and were trained to look for such services where avail-
able. The “civilian” students who were on campus at the time the shift
was made were not startled by the new departure. They probably did not

recognize an immediate change in the type or quality of the service.

Functions of the Center
During the Spring and summer of l9h6 the number of counselors was
increased to twelve. Although they were mainly working with veterans,

'UK20enter staff was also enrolling all No-Preference students, assisting

 

 

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19

all new incoming students who sought help, and giving out general informa-
tion.

After September l9h6, the purposes and functions of the Center were
geared to meet the needs of all students and no longer those of the
veteran alone. Counseling the veteran, however, remained the dominant
function of the organization. Eventually the purposes and functions of
the newly reorganized Center were generalized to assist the individual
student in developing to the maximum of his potentialities. The functions
and activities of the Center were outlined as follows:2

1. Conduct counseling interviews to help student analyze all

factors of his problem and to aid him.plan a suitable course

of action.

2. Administer aptitude and interest tests to evaluate strong
and weak points of students.

3. Assist students in developing better study habits and skills.

h, Maintain an up-to-date file of educational and occupational
information.

5. Make referrals to appropriate service clinics (reading, writ-
ing, Speech, arithmetic, visual, etc.) where indicated.

6. Serve as enrollment officers for No-Preference students.

7. Consult with Basic College students who change subject majors
except for those made within the school of Science and Arts.

8. Consult and help students who have excessive absences or who
have been placed on scholastic probation.

9. Veterans' advisement.

10. Provide internship training for a limited number of doctoral
candidates requiring clinical training and experience.

11. Research and evaluation.

 

2. Adapted from, Services of the Counseling Center, a brochure issued by
the Michigan State College Counseling Center, 1951.

 

 

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Nature of Problems. Very early in its brief history, the Counseling

 

Center began to keep records of the kinds of problems students brought

there. It was decided to group these problems under four levels of

counseling: (1) incidental, (2) educational-vocational, (3) personality-

emotional, and (LL) psychiatric. The last type of problem was never handled

at the Center but when cases were rec0gnized, students were referred im-

mediately to pSychiatric services offered by the Health Center. During

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two, or the incidental and educational-vocational type of problems. Later

more were creeping into group three (personality-emotional) . At the

present time category two and three appear to include the majority of the
problems.
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educational and vocational problems. With more experience and better

training more counselors felt adequate to help students with their personal

and emotional problems.

Referral Agencies. Auxilliary personnel services were instituted at

Michigan State College during the post-war period to meet better the

needs of students with Special problems. The heterogeneity of the 15,000

Students established the need for Special agencies. The Department of
Written and Spoken English established reading, writing, arithmetic, and
Speech clinics. The College Health Center offered pSychiatric service
when it employed a full-time pSychiatric social worker and contracted for

pSyfihiatric consulting Services. Although there is no co-ordinating

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organizational structure to supervise and administer all of these
services, the Counseling Center staff has invited the heads of these
agencies to visit the Center and develOp more effective relationships.

The COOperation of the Center's staff with these agencies further

assures students adequate personnel services. All of the counselors are

urged to make referrals to other agencies when the latter are better

eqmlpped to handle the student's problem. Tentative future plans en-

vision a coordinating committee, with representatives from each of these

agencies to create machinery to expedite referrals among the agencies on

campus.

Counseling Clinics. By 1919 the Counseling Center had reached its

fullest development and was housed in a building at the South Campus. The

staff consisted of thirteen counselors-might men and five women. In
addition to the counselors, two full-time psychometrists were employed.
Some of the original counselors are still with the Center, but when re-
placements were necessary, peOple with better training and experience were
appointed.

During the winter of 19149 the Counseling Center staff felt ready to
improve its services to prospective students of Michigan State College and

to Other high school graduates of the State of Michigan. They were aware

of the lack of guidance programs in many schools and of their need for
educational-vocational counseling services. Students were given the
°Pp0rtunity to obtain counseling at the college during the summer at very

low cost. The first Counseling Clinics were instituted during the summer

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22

quarter of l9h9. The purpose of these clinics was to help high school
graduates in their occupational and educational plans. The Center
(a) offered students help and information on selecting a career, a trade,
or a technical or business school, (b) gave information on opportunities
in the vocational fields; and (c) conducted a testing program to help
students better understand themselves.

Briefly, the staff intended that the summer counseling clinics would
give high school juniors, seniors, and graduates:3

1. Assistance in determining aptitude for college.

2. Help on deciding whether or not to attend college.

3. Help to consider suitable vocations and the methods of
obtaining vocational training.

11,. Information on course requirements.
5. Opportunities to confer with the college faculty.

6. Help to prOSpective Michigan State College students to
select fall term courses.

7. Orientation to prOSpective students.

8. Testing and counseling.

Several three day counseling clinics were held in the summers of
l91¢9 and 1950. For the summer quarter of 1951 ten of these day clinics
were planned. Fees of $5.00 were charged for clinic services and minimum
rates for room and board. The summer Counseling Clinics have been ex-
tremely valuable to students and have been favorably received by high
SchOOl principals of the State of Michigan.

x

3' C‘Ounseling Clinics for High School Graduates, Department of Special
Courses and Conferences, Michigan State College, Summer, 1950.

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23

During the Spring quarter, 1951, the Counseling Center with the co-
operation of the Institute of Counseling Guidance and Testing tried a
further experiment in extending its services to the high schools of
Michigan. The Counseling Clinics were brought to the home community.

The high schools of Saginaw, Michigan were first to receive this new

service. Tests were administered and interpreted to 200 Saginaw seniors.

In addition, vocational counseling interviews for all of these students

were held. The “extension" clinics proved so pOpular that four additional

ones were planned for 1951-52.

Perhaps the most outstanding achievement of the Counseling Center in

its five year history is that it helped to reduce the mortality rate

(drOp-outs) of Michigan State College students. There is some evidence

to indicate that the Center played an important role in "salvaging“ some

students who would ordinarily not have remained in college. Support for

this contention is provided in a study made of the first freshman class
which entered the Basic College in l9hh."‘ This survey indicated that he

Per cent of the entering class had graduated or were still in college with

every prOSpect of graduating. This compared with a pre-war norm of 35

per cent. The differences in percentages are probably not due to a lower-
ing of academic standards by the Basic College for the basic courses are

somewhat more critical of low scholarship than the average of the non-
basic college courses.

\

)4. Joseph w. Sheedy, Academic Survey of the First Basic College Class;
Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan, January 1939.

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The study further showed that h? per cent of those who graduated
did so in a curriculum different from that in which they started.
Evidently students used the Basic College and the Counseling Center to
help them discover their interests. Although fifty-four per cent of the
entering freshmen did not graduate, 73% of these were doing acceptable
work when they left college. Most of the latter left for financial
reasons. Other students with less than C average required for admission
to the upper schools were provided guidance to enter other fields of work
more in keeping with their interests. All of the above trends were found
to hold for the second class entering the Basic College.5
Important service has been rendered by the Counseling Center to the
youth of Michigan through the summer counseling and "extension" clinics.
The summer Counseling Clinics have attracted more high school students in
each succeeding year. In 19119 , three clinics served 225 students while
eight clinics in the summer of 1950 helped 388 students. In 1951 the
clinics were attended by 635 counselees.6 Plans for 1952 include "extension
clinics" for four different Michigan communities where several hundred

more students will receive educational-vocational counseling.

How The Center Operates
Procedures at the Center vary with the different student problems

brought, there. Other than counseling No-Preference students, change of

k

 

5- Joseph W. Sheedy, Academic Survey of the Second Basic College Class,
Michigan State College, EaSt Lansing, 195?).
6° Data obtained from Thomas A. Goodrich, counselor at Michigan State
College Counseling Center. Tentative title of his doctoral disserta-
tion now being conducted: Study of the Michigan State College Counsel-
.ialg Clinics, Summer 1951.

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25

majors, and dealing with students on scholastic probation, most of the

counseling is on a voluntary basis. Occasionally students are referred

to the Center by College deans or instructors. Usually a client seeking

help from the Center arranges an appointment in order to avoid an un-

necessary trip or a long wait. However, if the student's needs appear

to be urgent and require immediate attention, no appointment is necessary.
New clients are assigned to individual counselors by alphabetical groups
and the student remains with the same counselor until his problem is

If the student desires a particular counselor, that counselor is

solved.

assigned to him. Sometimes it is difficult, administratively, to allow

counselors to keep the same clients throughout their college careers, and

so the client may be assigned to a different counselor. However, clients

are granted their requests to keep the same counselor throughout the four
years, and it is estimated that over 50 per cent of them have seen only

one counselor .

Because many problems brought to the Center are vocational in nature,

the procedures used in the Center will be further illustrated by a vo-

cational problem case. The student with such a problem will discuss his

situation with a counselor during the first interview. The student may

also want to discuss the help or the assistance he hOpes to receive from
the counseling interviews. During the first interview various items of
information may be brought out which might have a bearing on the problem,
and a plan of attack is formulated by the counselors and his client.

If testing is indicated, a battery of tests is administered by one

of the two psychometrists employed by the Center. Upon the completion of

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26

this step, and when other items of information are assembled, the

counselor and client will meet again as many times as is necessary, to

talk over the problem in the light of the accumulated data. The number

of interviews depends upon the seriousness of the problem and difficulty

of reaching a solution.

Often in connection with the counseling process it is necessary for
the student to do some intensive reading of available occupational

material. Referrals to campus and off-campus individuals are suggested

where desirable. In most cases dealing with vocational problems, the

student is later invited to return to the Center to evaluate the course

of action upon which he has decided.

Future Plans

At present no large scale reorganization of the Counseling Center

appears imminent. It is the aspiration of the Center personnel that future

plans might include housing most of the campus counseling services in a

Single buildincr. Such a plan would mean better coordination between the

counseling agencies. Future plans also include improving and extending

Present services to more students. Already steps in this direction have

taken place. A counselor from the Center has been assigned an office in

the Same building as the Dean of the Basic College. This counselor assists
Strudents on scholastic probation to determine the reasons for their diffi-

culties. Often the student is referred to the Counseling Center for

additional help. Actually the counselor coordinates the services of the

Dean's Office with those of the Center. It is hoped that during 1952 the

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27

Counseling Center may be moved to the Basic College Building. Obviously

this would result in closer cooperation between the Center and the Dean
of the Basic College.

Researches by the Counseling Center Staff
In its five year history the Counseling Center has geared its efforts

to improving its services to students. The staff was appointed mainly in

terms of students' needs. The necessary funds to improve counseling

services have been available. However, it has been difficult to obtain

additional funds for research purposes. Consequently, the research
The Center's

activities of the staff have been limited to a few studies.
staff, however, has recognized the need for and value. of research, particu-

larly evaluation research. Whenever time and "extra" funds were available,

research studies have been conducted by the staff. Although many small

studies have been initiated, they have not been intensive. Most of them

have been .concerned with classifying cases, determining the nature and

extent of follow-ups, and so on. Studies of this type have helped the

Center staff to examine the kind of work it performed during the last five

Years. Occasionally, the counselors have conducted small studies for the

Dean of Students to ascertain the effects of counseling students who were

on Scholastic probation.
Two extensive and significant studies have been performed by members

0f the staff. These have received wide attention. The first study was

deVOted to finding the relation between the kinds of counseling performed

by the Center and the outcomes in the student's understanding of his prob-

lems and improvement in self-understanding. This research study received

 

28

favorable comment in many sources.7 The second major investigation deals

with the vocational preference problems of students. The data have been

compiled and analyzed, and the findings are about to be published in book‘
form. Questions relative to the number of vocational problems, changes
in preferences, extent to which students remain in their originally chosen

fields, their efforts afterwds, whether improvements were made after
preferences were changed, and many other related problems are answered in
this research study.

It is hOped by those in charge of the Counseling Center that other
more extensive investigations can be conducted in the future and that
additional time and research funds will be made available for this purpose.
The Center staff appears reasonably satisfied with the kind and amount of
its counseling service, but desires to improve in its research functions.
Ideas and plans are constantly being made for other studies, but this
investigator does not know of any research plan that will necessitate the
cooperation of a large part of the student body or one that will help to
determine the kinds of attitudes students hold toward counselors and the

C ounseling C enter .

It is the purpose of this investigator to survey a segment of the

Student body to ascertain their prevailing attitudes toward this campus

agency. Another purpose is to discover the relationship between the atti-

tudes held and social background characteristics of the students. The

first task, then, is to make an instrument which will accurately measure

‘

7 0 Paul L. Dressel and Ross W. Matteson, "The Effect of Client Partici-
pation in Test Interpretation," Educational and Psychological Measure-

319.132. 1950, Vol. 10, pp. 85-89.

29

attitudes toward the Center. As preparation for this, the nature of
attitudes and the techniques of attitude measurement are reviewed in the

next chapter .

CHAPTER III

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CHAPTER III

ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT TWARD COUNSELING PROGRAMS: AN EVALUATION
AND SURVEY OF THE LITERATURE

Since the main problem of this study is to obtain an adequate
picture of the attitudes of Michigan State College students toward the
counselors and the Center, similar researches on attitude measurement
should be reviewed. It would scarcely be feasible to examine all of the
literature on attitudes in social psychologr, for most attitude studies
lack Specific relevance to the problem considered in this research. Thus
this review will be limited to pertinent researches that have direct

bearing on (1) the methodology of constructing attitude scales suitable

to our purposes, and (2) attitudes toward counselors and counseling

services.
The Nature of Attitudes and Their Measurement

The problem of defining the concept ''attitude" has proved a diffi-
cult. one to many social scientists. There have been numerous attempts to
CLevi-3e general and yet usable definitions. However, so many objections
have been raised against specific definitions that there is wideSpread
Skepticism concerning the validity and even the desirability of formulat-
ing generally satisfactory verbal definitions of the concept. This is

u
0t really a surprising condition, for many students have arrived at

e
Ssentially the same conclusion in attempting to define other concepts to

9v
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In psychology even the familiar concept "intelligence" has never

been verbally defined to meet universal acceptance for theoretical or

The literature dealing with intelligence contains as

research purposes .
The

many definitions of the term as there are writers in the area.

attempt in 1921 by a score of psychologists to define intelligence led
only to a greater variety of definitions, which were generally not too

useful to guide future research.l Any similar endeavor today would
However, the concept of intelligence

likely lead to the same confusion.
The progress made m’th the concept is largely

has not been abandoned.

the work of psychologists and psychometrists who have tried to measure
mental ability and predict future behavior on the basis of measurement.

The conclusion seems to follow that concepts such as mental ability and

intelligence are better defined in terms of the Operations or instruments
The definition that

used in measuring them, rather than by verbal means.

"intelligence" is what the intelligence test measure, illustrates the

recognition that the concept may be more effectively defined, through
2

operations, than through formal definitions.
Social scientists have had the same difficulty in defining ”attitude"

as they have had in defining intelligence. Perhaps the same solution
eflsts . The person who seeks to understand the meaning of this concept
may have less difficulty understanding it by dealing with the methods to

me aSUre attitudes rather than by learning the many formal definitions.

 

\
J.
‘ S257‘mposium, “Intelligence and Its Measurement ," Journal of Educational

WAWL Vol- 12, pp. 123-1147. 116-216, 211-275’.
2
- Frank N. Freeman, Mental Tests, Revised edition, Boston: Houghton

Mifflin Company, 1939, Po 17-

 

32

It becomes necessary, therefore, to examine the latter only briefly, and
pay more attention to the Operations devised to measure them. Yet some
attention must be given to the general characteristics of attitudes be-

fore an attempt is made to measure them.

Of the many formal definitions of attitudes, that of Allport is most
widely quoted. Allport arrived at his definition after he had examined

and studied a large number of preceding usages of the term. His definition

is as followsx

An attitude is a mental and neutral state of readiness organized
through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence
upon the individual's reSponse to all Objects and situations with

which it is related.3

The New Dictionary of Psycholog provides the following definition

of attitude :

A mental set to respond to a situation with a prepared reaction.

Whereas sets may be temporary matters, attitudes are more or
less stable.......(Techniques for measurements of attitudes were
devised by Thurstone and Chave ,1928) . Attitudes denote bias,
preconceptions, convictions, feelings, and emotions, hOpes and h
fears; opinions are the verbal formal formulations of attitudes.

In 1947, Kimball Young discussed attitudes in relation to the foun-
dation and mechanisms of personality adjustment. He stated:

We shall use the term (attitude) in the narrower and stricter
sense to mean a tendency to action. An attitude is essentially
a form of anticipatory resgonse, beginning of action which is
not necessarily completed.

\
3 ‘ G. W. Allport, Chapter 17 in Murchison, C., A Handbook 0f 500181
..Pszcholog, Worchester: Clark University Press, 193;.

It .
'_ Phllip L. Harriman, The New Dictionary of Psychology, New York:
Philosophical Library, 19W, p. 38.

gimball Young, Social Psychology, second edition, New York: F. S.
I'Ofts and Company, Inc., 19M, p. 181.

33

E. Nelson made an extensive survey of attitude definitions in 1939.

His attempt to combine the common elements led to the following:

An attitude may be considered as a felt diSposition arising from
the integration of experience and innate tendencies, which dis-
position modifies in a general way the responses to a psychologi-

cal Object.6

The one common element that may be seen in all these definitions is

that attitudes are to be considered as the precondition to response

rather than the reSponse itself. Behavioral psychologists have labeled

attitudes as I'intervening variables." The latter represent entities or

processes which, if present, explain observable behavior. Since inter-

vening variables are not directly observable in themselves, their presence

and amounts must be determined indirectly.

Attitudes, then, must necessarily also be measured indirectly. It
is obvious that there are many different ways to make these measurements.

Attitudes may be reflected either in the behavior of the individual or

in his psychological organization. Therefore, both behavioral analysis

and intrOSpective analysis can be used for measurement. In the case Of
the former, measurements can be made by quantifying relevant aSpects of
the individual's behavior toward the attitude object itself. On the intro-

SPECtive level, the individual himself may provide the necessary infome-

tion for the measurement of his attitudes. Concerning the latter technique

Allport advises :

If we want to know how people feel: what they experience and what
they remember, what their emotions and motives are like, and the
I‘easons for acting the way they do--why not ask them? This is the

\

6. Erland Nelson, "Attitudes: I. Their Nature and DeveIOpment,"
Journal of Genetic Psycholog, 1939, Vol. 21, p. 398.

 

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simple logic of the intrOSpectionist's position that commends
itself to many in Spite of the scorching diSpleasure of behavior-

ists and objectivists.7

There has been a tendency in the past to believe that only common
beliefs and attitudes, i. e., those held in common by numbers of people,

were susceptible to measurement, whereas individual attitudes and beliefs,

~ i. e., those held by individuals were not. This view has been debated

and rejected by many social psychologists. They believe that many aspects

of an attitude, such as direction, intensity, and importance, are capable
of being characterized in an absolute manner for a single individual and

are not necessarily dependent upon their relation to the norms established

by the attitudes of other peOple. Kretch and Crutchfield represent psy-

ch010gists who hold the latter viewpoint. They wrote:
The essence of an attitude's sign, for instance, is in psychological
approach to or withdrawal from the object of the attitude, and in no
conceivable sense can the determination of whether or not there is
such an approach or withdrawal be said to depend upon norms of other
peOple's attitudes toward the object. Unless this were the case,
it would be impossible for all peOple to have a negative attitude
toward an object (since negativity and positivity would have to be
relatively determined), and this is manifestly absurd. Intensity of
our own attitudes, as manifested, for example, in the degree of
emotionality with which an object is charged for us, Obviously need
not be measured by comparison with other peOple's feelings.8

AS previously mentioned the indirection involved in attitude measure-

ment indicates that there are several ways in which attitudes can be

measured, One principal type of measuring instrument is the attitude or

\\
7° 3- W. Allport, The Use of Personal Documents in PsychOIOgical Science,
e"? York: Social Science Research Council, No. 9, p. 37.

 

8 -
1138"?“ Krech and Richard S. Crutchfield, Theory: and Problems of Social
W, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 17938, p. 209,

35

gpinion scale. Different types of scales have been developed, but those

created by L. L. Thurstone, Rensis Likert, and Louis Guttman have been
used.most widely.9 Each of these will be described and briefly analyzed

in this chapter for the purpose of comparing them to the method used in

this study .

The Thurstone Scale. Of all the methods that are used to measure

beliefs and attitudes, Thurstone's technique was the first to quantify

attitudes. Thurstone and his co-workers (Thurstone, 1929 and 1931,

Thurstone and Chave, 1929) have developed certain widely used methods of
attitude scale construction.10 They have published a number of Specific
sc ales for the measurement'of Opinions toward war, the church, and capital
punishmsnt, birth control, the Negro, and other social objects.

The method as used by Thurstone to devise an attitude scale requires
the construction and collection of many statements concerning a particular
psychological object.11 The original set of items are collected from
many Sources. The principal criteria in choosing them are: (1) they
should be phrased in simple, unambiguous terms, and (2) they should refer
directly to the problem in question. The latter criterion is extremely

impol‘tant, for the more simply the item is phrased, the more agreement

the]? e will probably be among judges in placing the item along a scale or

c outinuum

 

\
9- Ibid., p. 210.

TC) ,
‘ Ibld., p. 21h.
1;L I;
‘ - L. Thurstone and E. J. Chave, The Measurement of Attitude, Chicago:
IJrriversity of Chicago Press, 1929.

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36

The second step in the Thurstone technique is the judging of each
item by a sizeable group of judges to determine its proper position on

an attitude continuum between one extreme and the other, and the re-

jection of those items on which there is little or no agreement as to its

position on the scale. The judges are asked to place each item in one of

eleven piles which appear to be equally Spaced from one extreme of the

scale to the other. The group Of judges must be large, usually in the
neighborhood of one hundred. The task of these judges is really to deter-

mine whether the individual items indicate an extremely favorable attitude,

a neutral attitude, an extremely unfavorable attitude, or some intermediate

position between these extreme and central positions.

Out of the original set of items only those in which there is con-
siderable agreement among judges as to scale position are retained. An

item that is assigned with almost equal frequency to each of the eleven
piles indicates that it lacks uniform meaning to the judges, or that it is

ambiguous. This item would lead to similar ambiguity in its discrimination
On the other hand, an item that falls consistently

0f People's attitudes.
in a File or in an adjacent one, might be expected to carry a fairly

uniform meaning to people reSponding to it. Of course, there is never
per f Get agreement among judges as to item placement, but those items having
the highest amount of agreement are selected for further consideration.
The median position assigned the item by the various judges is taken
as the scale value (S) of that item. The scale value indicates the posi-
tion of the item along a continuum from zero through ten. The inter-
qua‘r‘tile deviation is also calculated for each item to obtain the degree

of
E31“biguity or (Q, value) for the item. Finally, the scale is made of

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37

a limited number of items (usually twenty) with low Q-values, so chosen
as to have scale values that fall along equal intervals on the continuum.

The person reSponding to the attitude scale is instructed to check
each of the items (randomly presented) with which he agrees. His attitude
score is then computed as the median of the scale values of the items
checked.

Complete internal consistency Of the scale items would require that
the individual check only items contiguous in scale values. Usually this
is not the case. Though many of the items a person checks do cluster
about a point on the scale, there is usually some scatter on other items.
This phenomenon is a reflection of the unreliability of the items. Lack
Of reliability is common with Thurstone-type scales, for it is virtually
impossible to construct a set of items with identical scale values for
eafi1person.measured. The difficulty is in part remedied by avoiding a
large number of items on the final scale.

Another limitation of a Thurstone type scale is the tedious and
laborious process needed for its construction. This has motivated students
to nmdify the technique. Remmers and his co-workers have develOped
generalized attitude scales that can be used to measure attitudes toward
any one of a class of attitude Objects, such as any prOposed social action
or any social institution.l2

A further limitation of the Thurstone technique is the unsatisfactory
determination of the zero point or the neutral position of the attitude

lZoIL.H..Remmers and others, ”Studies in Attitudes," Purdue University
thfies in Higher Education, 193k, Vol. 26, pp. l-ll2.

 

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38

on the scale. The Thurstone scale does, to be sure, make an attempt to
locate the zero point by asking judges to assign scale items expressing
neutral opinions to the middle of the continuum. It can be argued,
therefore, that the middle scores in the Thurstone-type scale are approxi-
mations of zero points. However, certain psychologists state that these
middle scores may not be psychologically meaningful.

In this regard B. L. Riker questioned whether middle scores on a
Thurstone scale correSpond to a point of psychological neutrality as
perceived by the individual himself. In his study that attempted to
answer the question, the scores of college students on siszhurstone
scales were compared with their scores on an 11-point self-rating scale.13
The scores from the two types of scales showed sufficiently large differ-
ences to imply the neutral, or zero point in the two might not be identi-
cal. That is, a.group with an average scale position defined as neutral
on thefThurstone scale might not rate themselves as neutral in the
attitude. Regardless of the unsatisfactory determination of the zero
point, the Thurstone type scale does have some rationale for the location
Of the point, whereas other scales designate the neutral point arbitrarily

as the mid-point of the possible scoring range.

The Likert Technique (Summated Questionnaire). A different approach
to measuring attitudes was devised by Likert in 1923. His method differs

from.Thurstone's in several reSpects. First, a number of items are

_

13.13.1u Ricker, “A Comparison of Methods used in.Attitude Research,"
JOurnal of Abnormal Social Psychology, l9bh, Vol. 5, pp. 2h-h2.

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39

collected which refer directly to, or are considered related to, the
Object in question. These statements are administered to a group of sub-
jects who indicate for each statement their reaction of strong agreement,
agreement, undecided, disagreement, or strong disagreement. A score or
summation for each individual who takes the test is made for all the
reSponses. This is done by scoring the above reSponse five, four, three,
two, one, reSpectively. On the basis of trial scores the trial subjects
are divided into goups, a favorable group and unfavorable group, in order
to examine the amount of correlation between each item and the total
scores for both groups. In other words, an item analysis of the items is
made. Items that fail to correlate to a substantial degree with the total
score are discarded, that is, they are rejected if they do not hang
together or measure the same thing as the other items in the test. Usually
from twenty to twenty-two of the more discriminating items are chosen for
inclusion in the final scale .1h

The question of ambiguity of an item is not considered important in
the Likert technique. Even if the content of an item does not refer di-
rectly to the attitude Object in question, it can by its correlation with
the total score of the other items, be proved diagnostic and includable
in the scale.

In the Likert scale, the interpretation of a zero point becomes
highly ambiguous. The middle point of the possible scoring range is

E

1h. For a more detailed description of this technique see, Rensis Likert,
flechnique for the Measurement of Attitudes, Archives of PSychOlogy,
Columbia University Press, No. lhO, 1932.

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arbitrarily determined as a function of the assignment of scores of

5, h, 3, 2 and l to the five alternative responses of each item, and as
a function of the weighting of the various items. The score of a given
individual, who falls at the middle point of the scoring range, can be

found in two different ways: (1) by taking a neutral position in each
item, or (2) by taking a strong favorable position in some items and a
strongly unfavorable position on other items. As can be seen the neutral

point, here, is difficult to interpret psychologically.

The Likert technique is somewhat more pragmatic than the Thurstone

scale. The latter method seeks to develOp a rational scale, whereas the

former selects items in terms of how well they work.
Criticism of Thurstone and Likert Scales. Many modifications of the

Thurstone and Likert techniques have been develOped and used in studies
of different attitude objects. Research has indicated that when either
of these methods has been carefully applied, the resultant attitude

Scales are Quite reliable. Their correlations of validity as related to

Overt commitments, other types of verbal behavior, and to non-verbal

bell-aVior have been relatively high. At least this has been the case when

t11ere is sufficient basis to assume that the measured attitude could

leLi‘luence behavior without the interference by other attitudes or aspects

of “the total behavioral situations .15
Optimum method

Some experts on attitude measurement feel that the
Thurstone and

r a”(Etitude scale construction is a combination of the

\\

l - -
S ‘ 1‘4 . 1.. Gage, "Scaling and Factorial Design in Opinion Poll AnalysiS,"
Me University Studies in Higher Education, 19M, Vol. hl, p. 10.

 

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The Likert technique yields a higher reliability as

Likert technique.
The Thurstone method, on the other hand,

far as the scoring is concerned.
guarantees that there will be items along the entire favorable-unfavorable

continuum and particularly in the middle range .16 However, neither of

these two techniques when used alone will insure that a single attitude
In other words, there is

object is being measured by the attitude scale.
no guarantee that the scale will be unidimensional. The problem of

unidimensionality is considered in greater detail below, but first the
question of internal consistency of attitude scales is discussed.

Most attitude scales have used some method of item analysis to insure

(Internal consistency as used here connotes the

internal consistency.
correlation between items in the test against the total score on the test.)

These item analysis methods usually proceed as follows. Each alternative
reSpouse in each scale item is given a weight or score. The reSponse
ELiternative indicative of a polar attitude is assigned a weight of four,
(if there are five possible reSponses to an item) while alternatives less
indie ative of extreme attitudes are assigned values down to zero. A total

sCOI‘e is obtained for the scale from the sum of the values of the alter-
Then each item is correlated to the total

I1a-tives in each scale item.
Items are considered to be valid or discriminatory in prOportion

Seore .
to their correlation with the total score.

 

\
‘16 - Allen L. Edwards and Kathryn Kenny, "A Comparison of the Thurstone

and Likert Techniques of Attitude Scale Construction," Journal of
éggiied PSychology, 19146, Vol. 30, pp. 72-83.

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112

Actually these methods are attempts to predict total scores from the
But Guttman states that in order to have a

reaponse to single items.
scale the reverse kind of prediction is needed; prediction of the reSponses

to individual items from the total score .17
Unidimensionality is highly desirable in the measurement of attitudes,

for only when unidimensionality exists can an obtained score be inter-
In a scale that is not unidimensional it is possible

preted accurately.
for two different people to obtain the same total score as a result of

different combinations of two or more scales prevalent in the single
For example, suppose that a scale on tolerance toward

measuring device.
Minority groups deals on the one hand with Negroes and on the other hand

If a single total score is obtained for this scale, and the

W311‘ch Jews.
attitude toward the Negroes and the Jews are not on the same continuum,

tWO peOple with different attitudes might obtain the same total score.

One of them might be very tolerant toward Negroes but intolerant toward

JeWS , while the other person might be intolerant toward Negroes and
In this case the total score would be subject to

tolerant toward Jews .

question.
However attitudes can be measured even though scales may be multi-

Clinlensional. Complex attitudes can be measured as easily as simple

a“3‘l‘al’l.tudes provided each component of the complex attitude is measured by

 

\
l? . LOuis Guttman, "A Basis for Scaling Qualitative Data," American
SociolOgical Review, 19%, V01. 9, pp. 139-150.

 

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143

Specific evidence of this type of scale can be

a unidimensional scale.
18

seen in the Army's research on morale.

Unidimensionality on a Thurstone-type scale is not guaranteed by

eliminating from the instrument either "irrevelant" items, or items with

high Q-values. Actually, Ferguson showed through factor analysis that

one Thurstone-type scale he examined was multidimensional .19

Subjecting a Likert-type scale to item analysis does not guarantee

unidimensionality. McNemar states:

It can be demonstrated algebraically that the internal consistency
criterion is not a sufficient condition for selecting items which

belong to a single dimension.

On the other hand McNemar believes that the Guttman's scale and

intensity analysis is one of the best methods yet devised to measure any

type of psychological trait.21

The Guttman Technigue (Scale and Intensity Analysis) . It is not

pOSSible to give in this chapter a detailed description of Guttman's
labOrious procedure of scale analysis. Essentially it is a test to see
to what extent any given set of attitude items are scalable. Scalability
indicates the degree with which items lie along a continuum rather than

falling off to one side or another. In a perfect unidimensional scale it

 

\

18 - Stouffer, Guttman, Suchman, et. al., Measurement and Prediction,
Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, Vol.71, 1W0.

 

l9 - Leonard W. Ferguson, "An Analysis of Peterson's War Scale,"
Egychology Bulletin, 1938, Vol. 38, p. 521.

 

2c) .
’ Quinn McNemar, "Opinion-Attitude Methodology," Psycholggy Bulletin,
191.46, Vol. 143, p. 308.

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would be possible to produce perfectly or predict a person's reaponses
to every item on the scale from his total score. Approach to a perfect
scale is a matter of degree, and the closeness of approach is evaluated
numerically by calculating what is called the coefficient of reproduc-
ibility. A coefficient of one hundred per cent is perfect reproducibility,
but coefficients of 0.85 or above are considered good in practice. Test-
ing and retesting of items is necessary before a final set of questions is
obtained to produce a coefficient of 0.85 or better. The Cornell technique
of scalogram analyses described in the next chapter will present the
reader with more details of reproducibility. Because scale analysis
appears to be a relatively new technique in attitude scale construction,
Studies are being conducted to compare this technique with older and more
farniliar methods to determine the merits of each type. Kreidt and Clark
have already compared Guttman's scale analysis with item analysis and
cOncluded that:
Guttman's new scale analysis technique can prove to be very useful
in problems of psychological measurement. Considerable discretion
must be exercised, however, both in the selection of suitable prob—
lems to which these methods may be applied and in the way the
methods themselves are handled.22
It appears that the greatest usefulness of scale analysis is in the
cheeking of suitable items already chosen by other procedures.

Mildred Parten in a discussion of scales stated that:

The most promising recent develOpment in attitude scale construc-
tion is the technique of Edwards and Kilpatrick which combines

\

2
2 - P . H, Kreidt and K. E. Clark, "Item Analysis vs. Scale Analysis ,"
Jo\m~nai of Applied Psychology, 191.9, Vol. 33, p. 121.

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145

essential advantages of the techniques of Thurstone, Likert, and
Guttman and possesses advantages of its own not present in the

others taken separately.23
The method of scale construction used in this dissertation is one

devised by Edwards and Kilpatrick. This new technique is called the
Since the investigator will describe in the

Scale-Discrimination Method .
next chapter the construction of a scale to measure student attitudes

toward counselors and the Counseling Center at Michigan State Collece by

this technique, an abbreviated description of this method will suffice

here.
Briefly the method is a Synthesis of the Thurstone, Likert and

Guttman techniquesfib It derived its name (Scale Discrimination) from

the fact that it makes use of Thurstone's scaling procedure and retains

Ioil-cert's procedure for evaluating the discriminatory power of the in-

dj—Viciual items. Scale items are constructed and then sorted by a group
of judges to determine their scale values using the procedure as outlined

Items of low Q value are then selected to construct a

by Thurstone.
The reSpondents are asked to react to each item along

Likert type scale.
This new Likert-type scale is administered to a group

a five point scale.
Scoring proceeds in the usual Likert manner

of peOple and then scored.
An item analysis for

by weighting alternative reSponses to each item
Items with the highest phi-

each of the scale questions is then made

c"’C)e-f‘f.'icients (degree of relationship existing between the reSponses of

 

\

23 ~ Mildred Parton, Surveys Polls, and Samples, New York: Harper and
Brothers, 1950, pp. 197-1973.
"A Technique for the Con-

2 2 I
‘ Allen L. Edwards and F. P. Kilpatrick,
Sinfliction of Attitude Scales, " Journal of Applied Psychology, l9h8,

V01. 32, pp. 37h- 38h.

116

individuals to the categories of an item and their related positions on
the criterion performance) are retained for the final scale. The latter
instrument is administered to a new group of subjects and scale analysis
is carried out by the Cornell technique.2S Coefficients of reproducibility
are usually improved by the item analysis involved in this method.25

One advantage of the scale discrimination method is its effective-
ness in eliminating the least discriminating items in a large sample
which the Thurstone technique by itself fails to do. Furthermore, this
new method provides a more objective way of selecting items of comparable

S and H3, values by using some measure of discriminatory power of items.27

Edwards and Kilpatrick stated:

The advantage of the Scale-Discrimination method over the Guttman
Procedure lies essentially in the fact that we have provided an
objective basis for the selection of a set of items which are then
tested for scalability. It may happen that not always will the
Scale Discrimination method yield a set of items with a satisfactory
Coefficient of reproducibility. But this is not an objection to the
technique any more than the fact that not always will a set of
intuitively selected items scale. Rather, it seems that the Scale-
Discrimination method offers greater assurance of scalability than
any intuitive technique such as applied by Guttman. Furthermore,
the set of items selected by the Scale-Discrimination technique
Provides a wider range of content than do the intuitive Guttman items.
In the Scale-Discrimination method, we obtain items which are not
essentially multiple phrasings of the same question as is often true
When the selection of a set of items to be tested for scalability is
left to the experience of the investigator.28

Having outlined the intended methodology of the attitude scale,

at .
tentlon will now be directed to other studies in this area.

\

2
5° LOLL‘LS Guttman, ”The Cornell Technique for Scale and Intensity Analysis,"

Ed&etionel and PSyc_hological Measurement, 19b7, Vol. 7, pp. 2h7-279.

26
‘ EdWards and Kilpatrick, pp. 933., p. 382.

27. .
fig” p. 383.
28

 

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Attitudes Toward Counselors and Counseling
Only a few evaluative studies of attitudes toward counselors and
counseling services have been made. In fact, there has not been an
overproduction Of studies evaluating on-going guidance programs. C. P.
Froehlich, a guidance Specialist in the United States Office of Education,
reviewed the evaluation literature and found less than 200 studies had
been made. Only a few of these were systematic in their methodology.
Many of them were concerned with only one aSpect of the total guidance
prOgram and very few dealt with client Opinions of counseling services.
He classified the methods used in these studies under seven headings:29
l . External criteria, the do-you-do-this? method.
2 . Follow-up, the what-happened then? method.
3 . Client Opinion, the what do you think? method.
1L. Expert Opinion, the information please method.
5. Specific techniques, the little-by-little method.
6. Within group changes, the before-and-after method.
7 . Between group changes, the what's-the difference? method.
Evaluation of guidance programs has been difficult because suitable
criteria to measure the success Of counseling have been lacking. Froehlich
concluded that it is virtually impossible to single out one simple method
or combination of methods as the beSt.
Robert Travers, however, pointed to the need for more objective
evidenCe in evaluating guidance. He stated that up to the present time

\

29
‘ (In: P . Froehlinh, Evaluating Guidance Procedures: A Review of the
alterature, Washington: U. 8. Office of Education, Miscellaneous
3310, January 1919, p. 2.

 

 

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148

the chief evidence Of the effectiveness Of guidance has been subjective
evidence which counselors have accumulated as a result of their experi-

ences with clients. He stated that this type of evidence has only

limited value since it is influenced by wishful thinking and other ir-

revelent factors. He wrote:

Progress will be slow until guidance workers come to recognize
guidance as a learning situation which can be investigated by the
methods developed for investigating other learning situations.
These methods involve the Specifications Of the Objective of
learning that are to be achieved, the Specification Of the means
of whether the learning Objectives have been achieved and provision
for the control of relevant variables. Until more studies Of
guidance are undertaken following these steps, there will be very
little certain knowledge of what guidance is actually accomplish-

ing.30
Most of the criteria listed in Froehlich's survey are external to
the guidance consumer, the counselee himself. Only item three in the

list concerns itself with what the student thinks and feels. TOO little

research has been conducted with this method. TO be Sure, many follow-up
sttidies have been made, but these have usually been too hastily con-
stI'llc‘ted and analyzed to be Of great value. Nevertheless, follow-up
Studies do secure student reaction to counseling services, and these
Opinions may be valuable to the administrator in reorganizing guidance
pro grams .

WOrld War II gave impetus to the personnel movement and many schools
establiShed counseling services. Some institutions have already evaluated
their pregame primarily by the method of external criteria. However,
there is some indication that administrators are becoming more concerned

\

3O
- Rokfert M. w. TraverS, ”A Critical Review of Techniques for Evaluating
Guidance,” Educational and Paychological Measurement, 1919, Vol. 9,

 

. . .. leggings... ....

it‘ll-Ill.

 

ll.

149

With the feelings, attitudes, and reactions of students toward counseling

Services. Kenneth Davenport Of Purdue University in addressing a con-

vention Of assembled guidance counselors in 19%, said:

I suSpect it is a truism that any guidance which does not take
into account the attitude, feelings, and Opinions Of the guided
person or groups is bound to be weak, and perhaps false guidance.3

Davenport advocated the use of student public Opinion polls as

developed by the H. H. Hammers at Purdue University not only to enrich

the guidance programs, but to improve all areas of education. He said

further that:

If it be true that it is wise to find out how pupils stand with
regard to a question affecting the school, then it is equally wise
to explore the opinion of parents and teachers - for upon them
does the actual completion Of a projected educational venture de-

pend in large part.32
G. Paterson and K. E. Clark advocated use Of the questionnaire

D.
technique to secure an over-all picture of student Opinion regarding the
effectiveness of a counseling service. They further advocated annual use
of the instrument in order to get the changing pattern in student Opinions
of the counseling program as a whole, and Of the work of individual coun-
Selors .33 This would hardly be a profitable course Of action inasmuch as

their Questionnaire was not subjected to rigorous statistical analysis.

U .
nless the questionnaire constitutes a scale it is not pOSSible to ascer-

t o
aln the attitudinal shifts Of students over the years. However, the

\
31
‘ genneth Davenport, "High School Opinion Polls as a Guide to Guidance,"
‘ui‘gue Universityjitudies in Higher Education, 1911;, Vol. 52, p. 56.

 

32. .
ESQ” p. 60.

3
3- D. G. Paterson and K, E. Clark, "Student Judgments Of Counseling,"

JOwal of Higher Education, 191;}, Vol. 1h, p. 1111.

50

authors admitted that their technique of attitude evaluation had limita-
tions. They felt that gross changes in student attitudes could be
Obtained by the questionnaire method.

C . Gilbert Wrenn and Robert Kamm, of Minnesota and Drake Universities
reSpectively, have made several revisions of a student evaluation form
for personnel services. The final form of 60 questions is advocated for
use at any institution.3h There is a danger in using "made to fit" forms
to evaluate services Of all institutions. Though these have been care-
fully prepared, they Often need alteration to meet the Special needs Of a
5011001. Evaluative studies are more valuable if the "evaluative tools"
have been Specially designed for the local organization. However,

Dr. Kamm's main point is well taken:

In order to ascertain the worth Of a product it is well to question

the consumer Of the product. Such is true with regard to student

personnel services. Accordingly, a student reaction form..........
has been devised. Through study of the prOportions of favorable
and unfavorable reSponSes to the questions asked, one can determine

Certain prOgram strengths and weaknesses, insofar as students are

cOncerned. Use of the present form also permits one to secure data
relative to the institution's success in actually making known to

Students the personnel program it Offers.

William N. Gilbert described an adaptation of Kamm's technique in
evaluating counseling services at the University of Illinois. The di-
reCtOl" of the University Counseling Bureau at this institution suggested:

The way to go about the process of evaluating student personnel
Services is to take account of what we know about people in
general and to make full use Of good democratic procedures at

\

3
’4’ gobert B. Kamm, "An Inventory of Student Reactions to Student
e3'5‘Sonnel Services," Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1950,

V01 . 10, p. S30.

35, .
It’\l<i., p. Shh.

51

every step in the process. If the process Of evaluating student
personnel services can not be carried on in this fashion a very
critical examination Of the whole basic structure and functioning
of the gollege or university itself needs to be accomplished
first.3

Edgar C. Friedenburg of the University of Chicago devised an exten-

Sive questionnaire to measure four things concerning the Faculty Advisory

System at that institution: (1) student Opinion Of the SOOpe desirable

illtke College Advisory system, (2) student information about the System

as it actually exists, to permit an estimate Of the degree to which
Criticism and Opinion might be regarded as informed, (3) Student evalu-
atixin of the effectiveness of the System in solving certain problems, and
(A) an indication Of the kind Of role students believe an advisor should
lilagr in assisting in the solution of certain complex problems. This
questionnaire was devised because Friedenberg believed:

No administrator can build an advisory service in reSponse to

student demand, which is always partially conflicting and made in
partial ignorance of the administrative limitations of the parti;
cular situation. If, however, a certain kind Of service is

believed by students to be a reSponsibility Of the Advisory Sys-

tem, although no administrative provision is made for it, a situation
which will engender hostility, and which is dangerous if the service
is important, exists. On the other hand, if students are convinced
that a particular kind of service is not the reSponsibility Of the
Advisory System, and would not seek it_there even if it were Offered,
that service can probably not be Offered to students effectively
‘within the System, particularly if it is a counseling service which
mmst, ultimately, always be voluntarily received.37

\

36- William M. Gilbert, "How to GO About the Process of Evaluating Student
ffiersonnel Work," Educational and Psyghological Measurement, 1950,
Vol. 10, p. 530.

37 . Edgar Z. Friedenberg, "The Measurement of Student Conceptions of the
lixale Of A College Advisory System," Educational and Psychological
I"leasurement, 1950, V01. 10, p. 5h.

 

52

Most of the studies cited here make use Of a questionnaire which

usually involves a yes or no reSponse from the counselee. Few of these

Questionnaires differ radically in their basic structure. Furthermore,

they have avoided the problem of scaling and measuring attitudes.

Only a few investigators have made use Of the personal interview to

measure student attitudes. The use of a permissive, confidential inter-

View to evaluate student reaction to counseling has generally been

neglected.
Clifford P. Froehlich reported on the evaluation Of the State Con-

SUltation Service Of Richmond, Virginia. This study was conducted by
interviewing 279 former clients Of the agency. The interviewers used a

Prepared interview schedule to ascertain the clients' attitudes toward
the Consultation Service and the Service's effect on their personal and
Occupational adjustment.38 The chief limitation of this technique, aside

from its high requirements on time and money, is its reliance on the pre-

pared interview schedule. Spontaneous feelings and attitudes Of clients

are not readily ascertainable by this technique.

Barahal and Brammer have employed a permissive interview technique

with freshmen at Stanford University to get an evaluation of counseling

They wrote:

Services students Obtained in high school.
An advantage of the permissive interview technique is that it
expressed by

allows auditory and visual Observation Of feelings
the student. These "feeling tone" cues make it possible to

 

\
38 . C . P. Froehlich, "Toward More Adequate Criteria of Counseling
Evaluation," Educational and Psycl‘iglggical Measurement, l9h9, Vol. 9,

pp . 225-267.

53

distinguish between degrees of satisfaction ranging from enthu-
siasms to complete dissatisfaction. Deep feelings are obscured
in questionnaires or "highly structural" Opinion interviews.39

Barahal and Brammer have used the permissive evaluation interview

with success. The merits of this method are not questioned, but the

writer feels that the time and money it necessitates would discourage

many schools to assess student attitudes of counseling. The length of

time required to interview a sufficiently large sample of students, the
need for skilled non-directive interviewers, the cost of recording equip-

ment, the time Spent in interpreting the interviews and the subjectivity

of the interpretations are all serious limitations of this technique.

It seems clear that a compromise between the highly structured

queStionnaire and the permissive evaluation interview is in order. A

carefully constructed and reliable attitude scale used in conjunction with

an unstructured questionnaire might be a more practical solution for

general use.
This investigator searched the literature quite extensively but was

not able to find a Counseling Attitude Scale that could be used to probe

the problems outlined in this dissertation.

A counseling "scale", devised by Jean Masterton of the State College
of Washington, is intended only for naive counselees in order to determine

the relation between measured anxiety and measured attitudes toward
counseling methodsfio A scale produced by William McKay Littell of the
__________

39‘ G- D. Barahal and L. M. Brammer, "What Do College Freshman Think of
T‘heir High School Counseling," California Journal of Secondary

u Education, 1950, Vol. 25, p. 328.
O
' Jean Mason Masterton, "The Relation Between Measured Anxiety and

Ceasured Attitude Toward Counseling," Unpublished MA thesis, State
Ollege of Washington, Pullman, 1951.

 

Sh

same institution is quite Specific in that it is designed to measure the
client's attitude toward the counselor's assumption of "reSponsibility"
in the counseling interviewfll Neither of these scales was suitable to
answer the questions posed in this study. It was decided to construct an
instrument that would not only do this but one that could perhaps be used
at other institutions with similar counseling services.

The following chapter describes in detail the construction of the
instruments used in this study, the selection and nature of the sample, .
the analysis of sample returns, as well as the methods to be used in the

analysis of the data.

 

ul. William McKay Littel, "A Scale for Measuring a Client's Attitude
Toward Counseling," Unpublished MA thesis, State College of Washington,
Pullman, 1951.

CIflLPTER IV

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CHAPTER IV
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES

The purpose of this section is to demonstrate how the questionnaire
was devised to realize the purposes set forth in.Chapter I. There it
was reported that the aims of this study were to measure the general
attitude of the student body toward the counselors and the Center and
to find student reactions toward Specific counselor attributes and
practices. It was also thought desirable to give the student opportunity
to express his individual Opinions of the counselors and the Center. To
realize these ends a questionnaire consisting of four parts was con-
structed. The first section consists of a self-administered attitude
scale; the second, a series of rating scales to get Specific counselor
attributes and Specific parts of the counseling program; the third part
is devoted to obtaining free reSponses of students toward the Center;
and the fourth section secures the necessary control data on students
for the detailed analysis of their reSponses. Before proceeding to the
interpretation of the data a review of the methodology and procedures
used in the construction of the instruments will be presented. This
chapter also contains a description of the Sampling technique, an analy-
sis of the sample returns, and a discussion concerning the statistical

procedures to be used in analyzing the collected data.

 

 

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56

The Instruments

The Attitude Scale. The Scale Discrimination.Method reviewed in
the preceding chapter was used to derive an attitude scale to measure
student attitudes toward counseling services at Michigan State College.
This method, which is essentially a Synthesis of the methods Of item
evaluation of Thurstone, Likert, and Guttman is described in greater de-
tail here. In the first step, statements of opinion toward.Michigan
State College counselors and the Center were collected from students in
classes in.Effective Living, Social Science, Economics, Engineering,
Agriculture, and Sociology. Students were asked to write on four by six
cards how they felt about counselors and the services offered by the
Center. To insure free reSponses, students were asked not to Sign their
names. Three hundred and forty-seven cards containing a variety of
statements about the Center were collected. In editing these statements,
so that they could be made into items for a scale, particular attention
was given to brevity, clarity, relevance to the issue, and frequency of
the expressed Opinions. One hundred and twenty items were selected from
the original statements, and these were to be arranged by judges using
the Thurstone sorting technique.l

Sorting of the items by judges was necessary to Obtain the scale
value (S) and the degree of ambiguity (Q) for each of the items.
Envelopes numbered from one through eighty were prepared. Each envelOpe

contained (a) the shuffled items typed on separate sheets of paper,

 

la Appendix A.

57

(b) eleven three by five cards numbered from one through eleven for the
piles, and (c) instructions for judging items according to the Thurstone
technique.2 The envelOpes were given to members Of a class in Guidance
and another in Sociology for judging.

Frequencies of judgment in each of the eleven categories were then
tabulated for each item. The frequencies were then changed to cumulative
frequencies and finally into cumulative percentages. The median scale
value for each item was determined to get its value Of (S). The (Q)
value for each item was obtained by subtracting the first quartile de-
viation from the third quartile deviation. Finally, the median of all
the g values was found (1.71). All items having Q values larger than
1.71 were eliminated. Sixty-two items, or roughly one-half of the
original one hundred and twenty items remained.3 A large percentage of
the items retained were located at either end of the continuum with only
a few clustering about the middle.

The Sixty-two items, along with fifteen additional items having
Q-values higher than 1.71 (ranging from 1.73 to 2.22), were prepared in
a Likert-type scale. The latter items were included for experimental
purposes in order to see whether they would Survive later tests. Each
item was followed by a five point forcing scale (strongly agree, agree,
uncertain, disagree, and strongly disagree).l‘l The new Likert scale was

administered to 250 students from classes in Labor Economics, Plant

¥

2. Appendix B.

3. The Likert type scale included all of the items which had Q values
less than 1.71, Appendix C.

11. Appendix C .

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58

Ecology, Engineering, PSychology, Effective Living, and Social Science.
Careful consideration was given to the selection Of these classes in
order to obtain students from various schools of the college and from
each of the four undergraduate classes. Unlike the final sample, this
group is probably not representative of the universe. Because this pre-
test sample was not chosen arbitrarily but with a definite plan in mind,
the writer believes the latter group somewhat approximates that of the
final sample .

Two hundred of these scales were selected randomly for scoring.
Scoring was done in the usual Likert fashion. Weights from zero through
four were assigned for the five categories (strongly agree, agree, un-
certain, disagree, and strongly disagree). The weight of zero was given
to strongly agree reSponses in the case of items expressing a favorable
Opinion toward counseling, and to the strongly disagree reSponse to items

expressing unfavorable Opinion toward counseling and so on. A total

g),

 

score was then obtained for each subject.

Two criterion groups, the upper and lower fifty per cent in terms
Of the total scores, were chosen. The range of scores for the "positive"
group was from 109 to 183 and the range for the "negative" group was
from 18h to 303. An item analysis of the 77 items was then made. For
each item, frequencies in each reSponse category for the positive and
negative groups were tabulated. To determine the discriminatory value
of the items the five reSponse categories were reduced to two. This was
done by adding the number Of uncertain reSponses to either combined group

one and two, or to combined group four and five, always in the direction

S9

of the combined group with the smaller number of frequencies. This
dichotomization was necessary to reduce the amount of error in determining
the phi coefficients (discriminatory values) and because most of the
students gave predominately favorable reSponses to the items.5 From the
resulting two by two tables the phi coefficients for each item were found
by reading directly from the abac developed by Guilford,6 A frequency
distribution of these coefficients are found in Table I. These ranged
from 0.01 to 0.59, with the mean coefficient in the group 0.20 to 0.2h.

A significant phi coefficient at the five per cent level for the number

Of cases (200) in this sample is 0.139.7

TABLE I

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF THE PHI COEFFICIENTS OBTAINED FHOM
ITEM.ANALYSIS OF THE LIKERT SCALE

- v_-

 

 

Group Frequency Group Frequency
.00 - .0h 6 .30 -'.3b 7
.05 - .09 10 .35 - .39 9
.lo - .1h 11 .110 - .bh 8
.15 - .19 6 .b5 - .b9 7
.20 - .2b h .50 - .5t 1
.25 - .29 2 .55 - .59 l

 

S. Allen.L. Edwards and F. R. Kilpatrick, "A Technique for the Cone
struction of Attitude Scales," Journal of Applied Psyghology, 19h8,
Vol. 32, pp. 37h-38h.

6. J. P. Guilford, Fundamental Statistips in Psychologygand Education,
New York: McGraw—Hill Book Company, Inc., 1950, p. 50.

7. Ibid., p. 505.

 

Had an item analysis been made with the upper and lower twenty-five
per cent of the scores instead of the upper and lower fifty per cent,
the discriminatory values (phi-coefficients) might have been larger.8
Those items which had a phi coefficient of less than 0.3h were rejected,
leaving only 33 items from which to construct the final scale.9 The
cutting point (0.3h) was arbitrarily chosen to insure a sufficient pool
of items for the final scale.

Five of the fifteen "experimental items" included in the Likert
scale survived all tests and three of these were included in the instru-
ment. Finally, twenty-two items possessing the highest phi coefficients
were selected for the attitude scale from approximately each half scale
interval of the Thurstone continuum.10 However, there was a noticeable
lack of items in the middle of the continuum.

The questionnaires that the students returned in the final sample
were subjected to a reliability test by a Split-half method. The first
eleven items were compared with the second eleven items. The first half
of the attitude scale contained six positive items and five negative ones,
while the reverse was true of the second half. The Spearman-Brown formula
usually designated to estimate the reliability coefficient ofia lengthened

test was not considered apprOpriate in this instance. When the Spearman-

Brown formula is used, comparability of the halves must be assumed.

 

8. Norman(3. Perry and William B. Michael, "The Estimation Of a Phi CO-
efficient for an Entire Criterion Group From a Phi Coefficient
Calculated From Use of the Extreme Tails of a Normal Distribution,"
Educational and Psycholggical Measurement, 1952, Vol. 11, pp. 629-638.

7:, ,3

 

9. Appendix D.

10. The twenty-two items in Part I of Appendix E.

61

Comparability is indicated, to some degree, by Similarity of both halves
of the scales for means, standard deviations, and skewness Of distribu-
tions.11 The two halves Of the attitude scale devised for this study
were not comparable, for the difference between the two means (8.h3 and
9.16) was significant. The difference between their standard deviations
(2.72 and 2.53 reSpectively), on the other hand, was ngt significant.
Where comparability of two halves of a scale is lacking, the reliability
of the total test is usually underestimated. Since comparability is
probably never perfect, an estimate of reliability obtained by the
Spearman-Brown formula is usually conservative.l2 To estimate the re-
liability Of the attitude scale more accurately, a more appropriate means
was selected. For unidimensional scales Guttman advocates the application
of a lower bound reliability test, for he maintains that there is a limi-
tation to the Spearman-Brown formula when applied to scalable universes.
He states:

It would not be safe to employ anything like the Spearman-Brown

prOphecy formula often used by the pSychOlOgists in this con-

nection, because we know that the assumptions behind such a

formula in general can not be fulfilled by samples even for an

approximate scale. Even if there were no scale error, sample

ranks will in general not be perfectly correlated with each

other. They would be simple functions of the universe scale

scores, but that is quite different from being the perfect func-

tions of each other which is required by the Spearman-Brown
formula.13

 

11. Guilford, pp, £33., p. hh2.
12. Ibid., p. A93.

13. Stauffer, Guttman, Suchman, gt 21,, Measurement and Prediction,
Volume h, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1950, p. 300.

 

62

To overcome this deficiency the split-half lower bound technique
is recommended. On this subject Guttman states:

0n the basis of only a single trial it is possible to set a lower
bound to the reliability coefficient, Ptz ...Perhaps the formula
which will give the highest lower bound for scalOgram analysis is
the split-half lower bound, designated by L4...To compute L4 it

is required that the sample be divided into two halves so that
there are two half scores available, as well as the whole score
which is the sum of the two half scores. All that is needed, then,
is to compute the variances among peOple of these three sets of
scores on a single trial. Let Sa2 be the variance of the scores
in the first half of the test; let sz be the variance of the scores
in the second half of the test; and let Sta be the variance of the
total score. Then the formula for L4 is: '

 

7.Al + geek
2 <3 ‘ 25.77

L. = 0.9b

The L4 was computed for the Shh questionnaires of the last sample,
and it was found to be 0.9h. “This means that the reliability coefficient
fbr the total score on the 22 items of the attitude scale is not less
'Uun10.9h. It may be anywhere between 0.9h and unity.

Explaining the significance of the lower bound technique Guttman

wrote:

The lower bound assumes only that the two half sample scores are
experimentally independent of each other and that the computations
are based on a large pOpulation of individuals. It does not

 

 

l'u. Ibid., pp. 309-310.

63

assume that the two halves belong to the same scale or anything

else of the kind. If the two halves happen tO be parts of the

same scale, then L4 will prove to be high. If the two parts do
not happen to be Scalable together, then L4 may be low. A low

L4 does not imply that the two halves--or their sum, the total

score--have low test-~retest reliability. The test-retest rc-

liability of the scores may be perfect, yet L4 can be zero.

Unreliability is but one possible reason why variables are un-

correlated. They may be uncorrelated even though they are per-

fectly reliable. 5

Having determined the reliability of the scale the next problem was
to determine whether the items, on the basis of the final sample data,
formed a scale for the entire population. The universe is said to be
scalable for the population if it is possible to rank the people from
high to low in such a fashion that from a person's rank alone one can
reproduce his reSponses to each of his items in a simple fashion.
Actually such perfect scales are rarely found. Data are considered suf-
ficiently scalable if they are 85 per cent reproducible and if certain
other criteria are satisfied. The latter will be discussed in another
section of this chapter.

Scale analysis based upon the performance of the final Sample sub-
jects (Shh students) was carried out by the Cornell technique with
certain adaptions necessitated by the use Of the Scale Discrimination
method.16 The important function of the Cornell technique is to deter-

mine the coefficient of reproducibility (amount Of error in reproducing

item reSponses from total score). In reality this procedure tests the

 

15. Ibid., p. 311

lfu Louis Guttman, "The Cornell Technique for Scale and Intensity
Analysis," Educational and Psyghological Measurement, 19h7, Vol. 7,
pp. 2b7-279.

 

6h

hypothesis that a universe of qualitative data is a scale for a given
population. The coefficient of reproducibility by itself is not a suf-
ficient test of scalability. It is the more important test, but there
are four other factors that should be considered: (a) range of marginal
distributions, (b) pattern of error, (c) number of items in the scale,
and (d) number of reSponse categories in each item. Each of these tests
were applied to the attitude scale devised for this study and the results
are discussed below.

The coefficient of reproducibility obtained for the Counseling
Attitude Scale was 0.87. To Obtain this coefficient all papers were
scored. ReSponse categories were dichotomized in each item with the
same dichotomization plan used in the test sample of 250 students. For
each positively stated item, a score of one was given to a "strongly
agree" or "agree" reSponse and a score of zero was given to an "uncertain,"
“disagree," and nstrongly disagree" response. In negatively stated items
a score of zero was given to a "strongly agree,“ "agree," and "uncertain"
reSponse while a score of one was given to a "disagree" and "strongly dis-
agree" reSponse. The theoretical range of scores was zero through twenty-
two. The actual scores also had the same range. Total scores were
grouped into twenty-two categories and a frequency table of the reSponses
for each item was made to carry.out the scale analysis technique.

In a Scale that has a reproducibility of one hundred per cent, scale
analysis will enable one to predict the reSponses of peOple from their
total scores with one hundred per cent accuracy. In such a scale people
With identical scores have identical reSponses. In scales with reproduc-

ibility of one hundred per cent or less, it becomes increasingly difficult

 

 

 

 

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65

to reproduce the responses of individuals. The number of errors increases
as the reproducibility decreases.

The number of errors are counted by establishing cutting points in
the rank order of the peOple, thus separating them according to the
categories in which they would fall if the scale were perfect. Cutting
points for all of the items were established by following Guttman's rule
that "no category should contain more error than non-error."l7 Table II
indicates that all items met this basic requirement. However, in ten of
them the ratio of non-error to error was about equal. Seven item exceed—
ed the fifteen per cent error in reproducibility, but the entire scale
had a coefficient of reproducibility of 87 per cent. The observed value
of the coefficient is mOderately high, but within bounds, suggesting
that only a single variable is present in the scale. Since this figure
is somewhat higher than the minimum of 85 per cent stipulated by
Guttman, there is evidence to indicate that, on the basis of reproduci-
bility alone, the scale tends to be unidimensional.

The second test of scalability is that of marginal distributions.
Guttman maintains that the reproducibility of any individual item can
never be less than the percentage Of respondents falling into a single
category of that item, regardless of whether or not a scale exists.

For example, if a dichotomous item has eighty per cent of the peOple in

 

17. Ibid., p. 2ol.

 

 

 

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TABLE II

PER CENT ERROR IN ATTITUDE SCALE ITEMS BY ITEM CATEGORY

be

 

 

 

Item Non-Error Non-Error Per cent Error Per cent
NO. Error Error in Item Marginal
1 h51/1h L2/37 9.3 17
2 t07/u2 u9/to 16.2 17
3 u71/23 25/22 8.3 9
u Lea/lb 51/37 9.3 1o
5 A72/6 35/31 6.8 13
6 316/u6 91/91 25.u 33
7 too/o 31/19 h.6 9
8 h9l/15 22/16 5.? 7
9 380/21 70/67 16.2 25

10 h00/20 32/32 9.7 12

11 nus/2o h9/2h 9.1 13

12 BSé/hl 7h/73 21.0 27

13 231/o1 159/90 27.8 to

1b 112/12 h7/h3 10.1 17

15 huh?21 u3/3o 10.5 17

16 ABA/23 hu/u3 12.1 1o

' 17 A22/20 Sh/ud 12.5 19

18 331/50 du/79 23.o 30

19 hYl/BZ 2h/l7 9.0 8

20 hll/9 62/o2 13.0 23

21 120/33 u7/ut 1h.2 17

22 300/56 119/69 23.0 35

 

one category and twenty per cent in the other, there can not be less
than eighty per cent reproducibility in reproducing that item from a
rank order Obtained from all the items, regardless of the scalability of
the set of items a whole.18 In samples with extreme kinds of dichotomi-
zation, reproducibility is usually high. Therefore, in testing a

universe for scalability, caution should be exercised to include in the

 

18. Stauffer, Guttman, Suchman, gt §l°2 3p. cit., p. 78.

67

sample as wide a range of marginal distributions as possible. Some
items with marginals around 50-50 are desirable. Inspection of
Table II reveals that although a wide range in marginal distribution
is present only four items have marginals over 30 per cent. The pre-
dominance of smaller marginals may perhaps point to a spuriously high
coefficient of reproducibility. However, the Scale Discrimination
Method with its dichotomization process tends to produce smaller
marginals than the standard Guttman technique. For this reason it is
felt that the minimum requirements of marginality is present.

In the third test for scalability, that of pattern of error, scale
items must be examined to check that there are no substantial non-scale
types of persons. Guttman wrote:

Solid segments in a column that fall outside the cutting points

indicate the presence of definite additional major factors in

the responses, so that more than one appreciable dimension is

present. Non-scale types can be recognized from the occurrence

of the same kind or error for a large (i.e., five or more)

number of respondents.19

The writer examined the pattern of error in the response categories
of the scale and found no substantial non-scale types Of persons. Thus
another criteria for scale analysis had been satisfied.

An important criterion to be satisfied in scale analysis is the
number of items in the scale. Guttman states:

The more items included in a scale the greater is the assurance

that the entire universe of which these items are a sample is

scalable. If the items are dichotomous (or dichotomized from

more than two categories as a result of scale analysis), it is

probably desirable that at least ten items, with perhaps a

lesser number being satisfactory if the marginal frequencies of
several items are in a range of 30 per cent to 70 per cent.20

 

19. Ibid., p. 119.
20. Ibid., p. 80.

68

Because the attitude scale described here contained twenty-two
items this criterion of scale analysis was more than satisfied.

A final criterion to be met in scale analysis is the number of re—
Sponse categories. It is maintained that the more response categories
for items in a scale, the greater is the assurance that the entire uni~
verse is scalable. When reSponse categories are combined to reduce
error, caution must be exercised to make sure that the reduction in
error is not just a consequence of Obtaining new extreme marginal fre-
quencies (for example, 90-10) that do not permit much error. Guttman
states that the more categories that can remain uncombined, the more
reliable is the inference that the universe from which they come is
scalable.21 Because the attitude scale constructed for this study was
derived by the Scale Discrimination.Method, this criterion could not be
completely satisfied. All the reSponse categories were dichotomized
during scale analysis because dichotomization had previously been used
in item analysis. The small number of errors in some of the twenty-two
items were probably due to extreme marginals obtained, but most reductions
in error resulted in properly locating the cutting points.

In addition to meeting all of the tests for the construction of a
unidimensional attitude scale, another important question arises. Granted
that the individuals in the sample can be ranked according to their de-
gree of favorableness toward the Center, is there a cutting point in this

rank order where all people to the left of a point are "favorable toward"

 

21. Ibid., p. 79.

69

the Center and all people to the right are "unfavorable"? One person
may be more favorable than another, yet both may be favorable. A rank
order score does not distinguish between being favorable and unfavorable;
it merely reflects being more favorable and less favorable. It does not
tell if a point is reached beyond which "less favorable" really means
"unfavorable".22 An objective answer to this problem is provided by the
use of intensity function.

Several techniques exist to measure intensity in a scale, but the
writer chose the fold-over technique described by Guttman because of its
simplicity.23 To obtain the zero point of the scale all of the Shh
questionnaires were rescored according to the following plan: all
"strongly agree" and "strongly disagree" reSponses were given a weight of
two; "agree" and "disagree" reSponses received a weight of one; and
"uncertain" a weight of zero. Thus the more intense responses received
higher weights, and the less intense reSponses received lower weights,
regardless of whether the reSponses appeared to be favorable or unfavor-
able. Guttman states:

Weighting the reSponses in this way means that in order to obtain

an intensity score, we are in fact combining Opposite ends of the

check list, so that there are but three (combined) intensity cate-
gories per question. Intensity, as obtained in this fashion, is

not in general scalable. Instead, it forms what is called a quasi-
scale. In a quasi-scale, there is no perfect relationship between

a person's reSponse to each question and his score on all the ques-

tions; instead, there is a gradient. The higher a person's score,

the more likely he is to give a high reSponse to each item, but
there is not the high certainty that exists in the case of a scale.2h

 

22. Louis Guttman, 22, 222., p. 262.
23. Ibid., p. 263.

2b. Ibid.

70

According to the basic theory of intensity analysis, intensity should
be a perfectly scalable variable. Guttman wrote:

The equations of scale analysis show that there is a second com-

ponent in every scale of content which is a U-or-J shaped function

of the scale scores. This component has been identified as the

intensity function of the content scale. What we are trying to

do is to obtain this intensity by direct empirical methods....No

perfect way has yet been found for obtaining intensity, but satisL

factory results are obtainable even with imperfect intensity

techniques. Instead of a perfect intensity function, we will get

one that can have considerable error in its relationship to the

content scale scores.25

The empirical intensity function is obtained by plotting the intensity
scores against the previously obtained content scores. The scattergram
for the scale is shown in Figure 2. Because there were so few scores in:
the lower end of the content scale, it was decided to combine the score
groups in pairs in order to produce more stable medians. This process
reduced the group categories from twenty-two to twelve. The zero group
remained alone because there was no other group to which it could be com-
bined. The median of the zero group is probably unstable for there are
only two cases in the category. The check in each column of Figure 2
correSpond to the position of median intensity for the reSpective columns.
Guttman stated that if the pure intrinsic intensity were being measured
by his technique there would be no scatter about the median and that in-
26

tensity would be a perfect U or J shaped function of the content scores.

This ideal is rarely achieved in actual scales.

 

25. Ibid., pp. 263-266.

26. Ibid., p. 266.

h3
12

hot
39,
38,
37.
36
35
3h
33

 

Figure 2

INTENSITY AND CONTENT SCOhES OF THE COUNSELING ATTITUDE SCALE

 

 

71

 

72

Some error is usually present. Regardless of this error, however,
the shape of the true intensity function in this scale is clear from the
shape of the curve along which the columnar medians lie. The U curve
descends from the left, or the more favorable content scores, reaches its
lowest point in content group (8-7) and then rises to the right or the
unfavorable end, to its maximum point for group zero. The content scores
(8-7), then, must be the interval which contains the zero point of the
attitude. It can be said that students to the left of this point have
positive attitudes toward counselors and counseling services at Michigan
State College and students to the right of the zero point have a negative
attitude toward the same services.

Only twenty-one students of the Shh cases have strong negative feel-
ings toward counseling services on this campus. However, scrutiny of the
positive group indicates that many have only mildly positive attitudes
toward these services. It may be that a large number of students who were
not certain or intense about their feelings toward the Counseling Center
reSponded somewhat positively rather than negatively on the scale items.
Perhaps this is somewhat related to what Guttman had to say about the prob-
lem of error in intensity analysis. He believes that some of the error is,
in part, due to the out-of-context reSponses people make to attitude
questionnaires.27 He states, furthermore, that some of the error is due

to verbal habits of people.

 

27. L. Guttman and E. A. Suchman, "Intensity and A Zero Point For
Attitude Analysis," American Sociological Review, l9h7, Vol. 12,

p. 65.

 

73

Even if all the reSponses were in context, there is still a con-
tribution to error from the fact that the degrees of meaning of
the words vary from sub-group to sub-group of the population.
Verbal habits of people are considerably different. Some peOple
will say "strongly agree" to almost anything when they are in
favor of it, where other people would say "agree" under the same
circumstances. ESpecially with reSpect to the intensity questions,
there are peOple who say "very strongly" to every question. This
tendency to use or not to use strong adjectives, we shall call
"generalized verbal intensity."2'O
Some evidence that this generalized verbal intensity occured with
the final sample can be seen from the shape of the curve in Figure 2.
The slope of the curve on the left side is almost a straight line until
it nears score group (lb-13) where it bends sharply toward the zero point.
Students with a score of 15 or more are strongly positive in their atti-
tudes, while those with scores between 9 and 1h have a mildly positive or
uncertain attitude, perhaps even a negative attitude. Of course, those
who have a content score of eight or lower are critical of counseling
services on this campus.
In view of this, perhaps it may be more revealing to analyze the dis-
tribution of scores in three groups rather than by a simple dichotomy.
As revealed above, the slope of the curve bends rather sharply in two
places; in the content score class of 15-16 and in the content score class
of eight and seven. Thus three groups seem to emerge. It is patently
clear that students whose scores are fifteen or above hold strong positive
attitudes toward the Center. Those with scores between eight and fourteen

manifest low-favorable, or perhaps midly negative attitudes. The lower

limit of this low-favorable group is unclear, since the zero-point of the

 

28. Ibid., p. 65.

scale is somewhere between the content scores of five and ten. The de-
cision to have two favorable groups instead of one is reinforced by the
fact that most of the students are concentrated in the higher content
scores. This may mean that those whose attitudes are mildly positive
may deviate from the majority in some other ways. Obviously the group
with scores below seven can be considered as negatively diSposed toward
the Center. For purposes of analysis these three groups; the favorable,
the low-favorable, and the unfavorable will be examined separately.
During and after World War II, Guttman and his associates worked to
refine the intensity analysis technique better to find the zero point of
attitude scales. Guttman believes his method, the one used here, is far
from.perfect, but it does provide an objective zero point. It also gives

a picture of the relative strength with which an attitude is held.

The Counselor;Hating Scales. Part II of the instrument is an attempt

 

to discern the nature of student images toward counselors. In addition,
it endeavors to discover the Specific content of the attitudes measured
by the scale discussed above.

The attitude of the student toward counseling is generally obtained
from his contact with a counselor in a counseling situation. How the
client reacts to the counselor as a person, the amount and nature of the
help the client receives, and the success or failure of the interview are
important factors in the formation of attitudes toward counseling services.
However, attitudes are not always formed by direct experience with objects
or peOple. They may be obtained second hand, usually, by listening to the

experiences of others.

75

Since this study is concerned with measuring student attitudes
toward counselors, it was necessary to discover the required personal
qualities of successful counselors. The decision concerning what im-
portant ideal characteristics of counselors should be included in a rating
scale was decided after a careful combing of the literature. It is not
possible to review here all of the ideas that many guidance experts have
on the subject of counselors' personal attributes. The opinions of three
well known authorities are presented and summarized.

R. J. Bailey devised a long list of counselor qualities in his
doctoral thesis. He included the following traits:

l. Fairness.
2. Sincerity.
3. Good character and wholesome philOSOphv.
h. Health. ,
S. Emotional stability.

6. Approachability, friendliness.

7. Sympathetic understanding of youth.
8. Social culture.

9. Broad knowledge and interest.29

Rachael Cox listed eighteen different attributes necessary for the
successful counselor. Her list includes the following qualities:

1. Fairness.

Sincerity.

Personality.

. Good character and wholesome philosophy.
Common sense.

Health .

Emotional stability.

Friendly.

Ability to get along with people.
Sympathetic understanding of youth.

\OCIJNOUIE’WM

H
O

 

29. Richard J. Bailey, The Prepgration, Certification, and Selection of
Personnel werkers for th§_Secondary_Schools of the United States,
unpublished doctoral thesis, New York University, New York, N. Y.,
19th.

 

 

11.
12.
13.
1h.
15.
16.
17.
18.

76

Interest in people.

.Flexibility and adaptability.
Intelligence, mental alertness.

Social culture .

Leadership.

Awareness of one's limitations.
Professional attitude.

Interest in guidance and personnel work.30

A committee appointed by the National Vocational Guidance Associ-

ation prepared the following list of personal qualities needed by

vocational counselors:

1.
2
3
h
S

In

A stable and well-adjusted personality.

A high degree of intellectual capacity.

A fundamental liking for persons.

A sympathetic and objective understanding of people.

Facility in establishing wholesome, effective, personal, and
social relations, including ability to work COOperatively with
other people.

Ability to stimulate students and colleagues and to challenge
their best efforts in working for ends that they come to

accept as desirable.

PerSpective--ability to see and understand the total situation
and the separated parts in relation to the whole.

An understanding of classroom conditions, teaching reSponsibili-
ties, and pupil-teacher relationships.

Broad general knowledge and wide interests.

An understanding of social and economic conditions and influences--
general and local.31

surveying the above list of counselor qualities and several more

not included here a compilation was made of the attributes in which there

seemed to be greatest agreement. These and others devised by the investi-

gator were used to construct the items in the counselor rating scales

employed in this study. Several revisions in the wording of these items

 

30. Rachael D. 00x5 Counselors and Their Work, New York: McGraw-Hill
Book.Company, Inc., l9h§j pp. llSLIlb.

 

31. Arthur J. Jones, Principles of Guidance, New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Company, Inc., 19L5C pp. 5083310.

 

77

were necessary in order to make them brief and clear. Items twenty-
three through thirty in.Part II of the questionnaire were pre-tested in
a PsychOIOgy class where students were asked to make comments about
wordage, clarity, vagueness, and the like. The final revision in-

corporated these suggestions.32

Rating Scales for Counseling Services. To determine what students

 

like or disliked about the services of the Counseling Center, it was
decided to construct rating scales similar in form to those used in
measuring counselors' personal attributes. It was felt that the reSponse
given to these items would give some of the Specific content of the atti-
tude measured by the attitude scale in Part I of the questionnaire. The
items chosen had to center about the Specific services of the Center, for
it would be unwise and invalid to measure the kinds of services students
obtained elsewhere. To secure a clearer picture of the services being
performed by the Counseling Center upon which to base scale items, the
writer had several interviews with Dr. William Mann,.Assistant Director
of Basic College Counseling. Since the statements in the open-ended
question originally used to construct the Thurstone scale were rich in
content material, they were also examined as sources of ideas for the con-
struction of these scales.

The writer separated student reSponses which were very Specific about
the Counseling Center's services from those that were general in nature.

With the information from these cards and that obtained from Dr. Mann, a

 

32 . Appendix E, Part II.

78

rating scale was devised. The Specific items selected for the final

scale were those which appeared most frequently in the pre-test student
reSponses, as well as items which counselors thought were important in

the Operation of the Center. Again, the items were revised several times
for greater clarity and brevity. The final revision included items thirty-
one through forty. These were pre-tested along with items twenty-three
through thirty. The pre-test proved fruitful, for students offered some

suggestions for clarifying the meanings in several items.33

Background Characteristics of Students (Control Data). One of the
problems stated in.Chapter I was to determine the factors associated
with the dominant set of attitudes students have toward counselors and
the Counseling Center. It is difficult to determine these factors
a-priori. They can be found empirically with less difficulty.

Many sociologists and social psychologists assert that numerous im-
portant attitudes of peOple are sex linked. Selective cultural condition-
ing is probably reSponsible for the two sexes perceiving attitude objects
differently. Counselors also suggest that men and women bring different
kinds of problems to the Center. Therefore, it would be important to
know whether sex differences reflect, in the present investigation, dif—
ferent kinds of attitudes. For this reason the matter of sex was included
in the control section of the questionnaire.

It is often asserted that as normal peeple grow older and mature,

they become more capable of solving their own problems. Older people are

 

33. Appendix B, Part II.

79

thought to be more self-reliant and require less assistance from others
in solving their problems. Frequently changes in attitude arise as
people mature. It is not known whether or not student attitudes toward
the Counseling Center change during a period of four years. t may be
expected that the longer a student remains in college the greater would
be the Opportunity for him to use counseling services. Yet, at the same
time, the longer he remains in school, the more mature he becomes and
the less he should need counseling. Which hypothesis is correct is not
known. These hypotheses need to be tested, and therefore the question
relative to the age of the student appears among the control items in
the questionnaire.

It has been asserted many times that married people often discuss
their problems, and through these discussions, solve them. It would be
interesting to know whether married students at Michigan State College
take their educational, vocational, and personal problems to the Counsel-
ing Center or discuss and attempt to solve them largely at home.
Certainly, married students must have gone to the Center and it would be
important to know how their attitudes toward it compare with that of
single students. Therefore, the question bearing on marital status ap-
pears as a control item in the instrument.

Counselors at the Center state that a larger proportion of freshmen
and sophomores use the Center than do juniors and seniors. Because of
their greater experience with the agency, freshmen and sophomores should
have more definite attitudes toward it than do upper classmen. Whether
this condition actually exists needed to be determined. Furthermore, it

would be interesting to ascertain whether the attitudes toward counselors

and the Center change as the student advances through the college classes.
To obtain this important information, the question of year in college is
included in.Part III of the questionnaire.

Students are asked to state their grade point average in this part
of the instrument to determine whether or not an increase in grade point
average is related to an increasingly more positive attitude toward the
Center. In addition, the item was inserted to ascertain the attitudes
of students of different degrees of scholastic achievement. Since data
that will be obtained from this item may be revealing, it was included in
the control section of the instrument.

Each of the seven schools of the college attracts students of some-
what similar interests to the extent that they have enrolled for courses
in the same general area. The homogeneity of these students is increased
when they are required to take prescribed courses. To test whether such
resultant uniformity would be reflected in counselor attitudes the item
was included in Part III of the questionnaire. In addition it was added
to test whether certain curricula prediSpose students to regard counsel-
ing more favorably.

A modern guidance program is concerned among other things, with
helping each student to become more effective in his personal, social,
and group relationships.3h Many school administrators feel that the
extracurricular program offered by the school contributes to the social

and personal adjustment of the student. Some guidance peOple would even

 

 

3h. J. B. Munson, Chapter II, in Erickson, C., A Basic Text For Guidance
Eggkggg, New York: chGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1939, p. 267.

state that the general adjustment of the student is reflected in the
amount and degree of organizational participation in campus activities.
They argue that well-adjusted students participate to a significantly
greater degree in more activities than those who have personal and other
kinds of problems. If the above reasoning is correct, students who have
greater participation should use the Counseling Center less, at least
for personal problems. In addition, they might have more positive atti-
tudes toward the agency since their general superior adjustment would
tend to express itself in positive attitudes toward campus organizations
and facilities in general. In order to test these assertions an item on
extracurricular participation was included in the control section.3S
Another important control item of this study is that of father's
occupation. Social scientists have long sought a simple and general index
to the social, economic, .cultural background of peOple. It is now fairly
well established that the father's occupation is the best single index
of the family's social, economic, and cultural background.36 In a society
that shows an increasing tendency toward the formation of classes and
stratified groups, it becomes increasingly necessary for the researcher
to examine whatever phenomenon he is studying in terms of this fact. It
is conceivable that students who are recruited from different social,
economic, and cultural backgrounds might be predisposed to perceive the

Counseling Center differently. In addition, since the staff of the

 

3S. Appendix.E, Part II.

36. Paul B. Gillan, The Distribution of Occupations as a Citngardstick,
New York: Kings Crown Press, Columbia University Press, 1951.

62

Counseling Center probably represents a narrow stratum of the society,
(middle class) it is possible that its members might react selectively
to students of different backgrounds. One of the problems of this study
is to determine the relationship between the student's background and
his attitude toward counseling.

The size of towns usually affects the size of schools its citizens
build. VIn addition, the size of the community reflects the financial
structure of the school and the amount and kind of services the school
can offer. Smaller institutions are not able to offer a complete guidance
program to their students because of financial limitations. However, lack
of counseling services is not confined to small schools. Many larger
institutions do not provide such services and the reasons are not always
financial. This investigator included the item of community size in the
control section not only to ascertain the size of community from which
Michigan.State College students come, but also the type of guidance serv-
ices offered by their high schools.

These items were included for several other reasons. The size of
communities usually reflect the typical occupational and economic levels
of their pOpulation. Citizens of larger cities tend to be more hetero-
geneous in their social, economic, and cultural backgrounds than are
peOple of smaller communities. One of the problems of this research is
to examine the attitudes toward counseling held by students from widely
separated backgrounds. It is possible for students coming from different-
ly size‘communities to have different kinds of problems. It also might

be contended that students graduating from small rural schools might have

more difficulty in adjusting to a large college campus than would students
from large urban areas. Several items in Part III of the questionnaire
were designed to furnish data to test these questions.

One of the problems of this study is to determine whether the atti-
tudes of MichiganéState College students toward the Counseling Center
are influenced or affected by the counseling experiences they had else-
where. The information given by students who have not had direct experi-
ence with the Center at Michigan.State College will be analyzed carefully
in an attempt to find the origin of the attitudes held. The item asking
students to rate their high school guidance program was designed to answer
these questions. It was felt that the item might also provide data that
would indicate whether changes in attitude occur while students are in
college.

A very important problem in this research is to find the number of
times students have visited the Counseling Center. This item is intended
to test whether there is an association between the number of visits and
the attitudes held. The information Obtained may help to test whether the
attitudes are based on direct experience with the Center or through some
other indirect sources. The question may also help to ascertain whether
attitudes change with increased use of the Center.

Questions in the control section dealing with the knowledge of the
location of the Center; knowledge of its purposes; source of the student's
referral to the Center; and their feelings toward enrollment officers were
included for informational purposes. They were added also to check the
consistency of the attitude scale results as revealed in Part I of the

questionnaire.

8b

Some counselors are particularly effective in helping students with
a special kind of problem. Their ability may derive from the possession
of certain personal attributes, special training, or some other factor.
Because of the success of the interviews, a client being assisted by such
a counselor would probably hold a favorable attitude toward him and the
Center. The Opposite condition, or the inability of a counselor to help
a client with his problem may induce a negative attitude toward the
counselor and the Center. It is important to ascertain whether student
attitudes toward counselors and the Center change with different types of
problems brought to the agency. To obtain data to answer this question,
students were asked to check the kinds of problems they brought to the
Center. It does not make any difference whether the counselor's diagnosis
of the problem is different from the client's. what is important is the
client's own perception of his problem and this is the reason why he is
asked to check the nature of the problem in which he needed helo.

Students who have had direct experience with the Counseling Center
are asked to evaluate the services rendered by the agency. They are asked
simply to check the services as excellent, good, fair, poor, or definitely
harmful. The data obtained here may serve two functions. First, it may
help to determine whether student attitudes toward counseling are due to
successful or unsuccessful therapy or to some other unknown factor. The
data may also serve as another measure of reliability of the attitude
scale. Related to this item is another in which students are asked whether
or not they would use the Center again, or if they had not used it before,

would they attend it if they were confronted with a problem. The items

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85

are included in the control section in the hope that they will reveal
the sources of any prevailing negative attitude toward the Center. The
data obtained here will be associated with the item asking students
whether they had visited the Center.

Items sixty-one through seventy in the questionnaire require students
to rank in order of preference the use they would make of other personnel
agencies on, or off, the campus.37 Students are asked simply to rank the
agency they would first solicit if they had problems in which assistance
was needed. The ranking of these service agencies will help to determine
which campus or off-campus facilities are deemed important by the student
body. The data obtained from these questions may help to answer several

of the questions raised by this research study.

The Unstructured Section. Because most attitude and opinion question-

 

naires are highly structured in nature, the anticipated or hoped-for
reSponses are often times not elicited by those responding to the question-
naire. To overcome this limitation, the investigator included an item in
the instrument that would give students an Opportunity to express them-
selves. An open-ended question at the end of the questionnaire asks
students to state their reactions and feelings not only to the counselors
and the Center, but to the questionnaire itself. A content analysis of

the statements will be made to find the specifics of the prevailing climate

of Opinion toward counseling services at Michigan State College.

 

37, Appendix E., Part II.

to

The Sample

The problems involved in selecting and drawing the sample are re-
viewed in this section. In selection of small samples considerable care
must be exercised to insure representativeness. For this study consider-
able thought was given to the size of sample and it was decided that five
per cent of the undergraduate students on campus would be polled. This
per cent would allow the investigator to reach approximately 600 from
ll;p58 students in the universe. Eith a reasonaole return expected from
those polled, enough cases would be available in each strata to permit
statistical manipulation of the sub-groups in the sample.

A prOportional stratified sampling technique was used for selecting
the sample cases needed to conduct this study. Three strata were decided
upon; sex, year in school, and curriculum. In prOportional stratified
sampling the cases are drawn from each stratum in the same ratio as they
occur in the universe. If the strata have different totals, prOportion-
ality for each stratum is achieved by drawing its quota ratio of cases
from each stratum. This procedure resembles a random sample. The only
difference is that proportional sampling offers the investigator assurance
that he is obtaining the right prOportion of cases from each stratum.
Another advantage of the method is that it assures prOper representation
of at least some of the variables considered important in the study. For
these reasons the writer preferred to use prOportional stratified sampling
as the method for this study.

In preparation for the selection of the sample latest information on

the composition of the student body (universe) was obtained from the

87

college registrar. Since the sample was drawn from the College18tudent
Directory, those students who entered college after the publication of
the directory were added to the universe. Before the sample was selected
those who had left school or had graduated by the end of the Fall or
hinter quarter were crossed out from the directory. All necessary pre-
cautions were observed in making the Student Directory (or estimating the
number in the universe) as accurate as possible.

Having established the parameters of the three strata (sex, year in
college, and curriculum) from the information obtained from the registrar,
the sample was ready for selection“ Students for the final sample were
selected randomly by following the table of random numbers which gave the
page number in the Student Directory and the number of the student listed
on the page.38 When the student drawn was a graduate student, a special
student, a recent graduate, or a drOp-out, the name immediately below or
above that person was selected alternately. hhen the parameters for any
one of the three stata were filled, any student whose name was drawn or who
failed to meet the qualities needed for the unfilled strata was rejected.
Still making use of the table of random numbers in selecting cases, names
were drawn until the parameters for all three strata were filled. Six
hundred and eight students composed the final sample. Table III provides
data on the composition of the student body, the parameters of the sample
selected, and the composition of the returned sample.

These 608 students were mailed: (l) a printed copy of the questione

naire, (2) a covering letter containing instructions for answering the

 

38. Ronald A. Fisher and Frank Yates, Statistical Tables, New'York:
Hafner Publishing Company, Inc., 19E8, Table 32, pp. th-IO9.

 

88

TABLE III

SEX, CLASS , AND CURRICULUM OF THE COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATION, THE}
SELECTED SAMPLE, AND THE SIMPLE RbTURKb‘ , IN PERCENTAGflB

 

 

Strata Per cent Per cent Per cent of
In College In Saanle Sample Return

 

Male* 69.1 69.2 67.3
Female 30 .8 30 .8 32 .7
Freshmen 23.7 2h.2 21.1
SOphomores 22.9 22.5 21.3
Juniors 2h.5 2b.? 25.h
Seniors 28.8 29.1 32.1
Basic College 10 .9 10 .9 9 .0
Agriculture 10.2 10.7 11.9
Business & Public Service 26.9 26.8 25.6
Engineering 9.h 9.5 10.1
Home Economics 5.3 h.9 5.?
Science and.Arts 32.7 32.7 33.5
Veterinary Medicine h.6 h.h h.2

 

* There were 11,658 full-time, undergraduate students at Michigan
State College in.April, 1951.
instrument and information explaining the purposes of the study, and (3)

a self-addressed, stamped, return envelOpe.39 All were mailed on April

7, 1951.

 

39. Appendix E and G.

In the next week 356 or 59 per cent of the questionnaires were re-
turned. These were called the first-wave of the returns. A follow-up
postal card was sent out on April 15, 1951 to those who had not completed

to

and returned the questionnaire. It urges them to answer and return the
instruments as soon as possible. In the following week, the second wave
comprising 108 additional forms was returned to make a cumulative return
of 72 per cent. On April 2h, 1951 a second postal card was sent out,
urging the return of questionnaires.Ll Thirty-four students complied
with this request to make a cumulative sample return of 83 per cent.
A week later another questionnaire; the original instructions, a self-
addressed, stamped return-envelOpe; and a new letter stressing the urgency
of complete returns was sent to the remaining students who had not returned
the original questionnaire.h2 Over the following weeks ho additional stu-
dents completed and returned the instrument to make a total of Shh returns,
or 91 per cent of the original sample.

A return of 92 per cent is unusual in mail questionnaire studies.)43
The writer can only Speculate on the reasons for this large return. One

possible explanation is that the students might have been interested in

the study. As will be shown later, some even feared there was a movement

 

LLO . Appendix H .
bl. Appendix I.
L2. Appendix J.

h3. Mildred B. Parten, Survey, Polls,_and Samples, New York: harper and
Brothers, 1950, p. 95:

90

to remove some of the services of the Center. Further evidence of
interest is reflected in the fairly high proportion (56 per cent) of the
students who took the time to comment in the Open-ended question in

Part III of the instrument. In addition, the fact that it was easy to
contact non-respondents, most of whom lived in campus dormatories, helped
augment the return. Other important factors probably inducing the high
return were the attractive format of the instrument, the ease with which
it could be answered, and the presige of Dr. C. V. Millard who signed

the covering letter.

Analysis of Sample Returns

To test the representativeness of the sample return, a comparison
was made between it and the original sample for sex, class, and curricu-
lum. Table III presents data for the total college pOpulation, sample
sent out, and the sample returned. A brief inspection of the table re-‘
veals that any differences between the percentages of the three populations
may be considered due to chance. To assure that this was the case, a
critical ratio was calculated for the largest deviation between sample
sent out and sample returned. This existed with the case of seniors where
a difference of 3.1 per cent prevailed. The critical ratio of 0.63 indi-
cates that the chances are seventy-three in one hundred that the true
difference is greater than zero. This is well below the customary cutting

of 2.5. Thus the other smaller percentage differences between the samples

also reflect chance differences.

 

 

 

91

Responses to all items on the questionnaire were punched on standard
International Business Machine cards from a pre-coded schedule.Ml A care-
ful and systematic spot check was made of the cards to determine the

accuracy with which they were punched.

Statistical Treatment of the Data
host of the data in this research are concerned with the background
characteristics of students as related to their attitudes toward the
Center. The first problem is to analyze the characteristics of the student
body and the distribution of their responses. These data will be pre-
sented in tabular form by percentages, and then described. The next

problem is to ascertain how differences in student attitudes toward the

 

Center are associated with their background characteristics. The statisti-
cal device to examine such types of relationships is the chi-square, which
shall be generally applied to the findings. The Chi—square test is de-
signed to determine whether the frequencies of two or more distributions
differ from "chance" expectations, or whether the obtained results agree
or disagree with findings expected from some other hypothesis. The prob-
ability of association between two or more frequencies may be due to chance
does not describe how these distributions are correlated. Thus, after
testing the degree of association between the variables of the data, the
latter are then examined for their degree of correlation.

In order to obtain a measure of the degree of relationship between

two variables the coefficient of contingency (C) has been used. The choice

 

hh , Appendix K .

of this measure Of correlation rather than some other derives from the
fact that C is based upon the chi-square. It is a relatively simple
process to convert the chi-square into a coefficient of contingency.
Although the latter is comparable to the product moment r, the coefficient
Of contingency tends to be somewhat smaller.

After the over-all distributions are tested for the probability Of
association and the degree Of relationship, the internal distribution Of
the data have been inspected. hhere there seem to be large differences
between the percentages of two sub-groups in the tables the differences
have been examined to ascertain whether they arise from chance or the
Operation of other factors. The standard error of the difference between
two percentages (critical ratio) is the statistical technique employed in
this connection.

This chapter described the methOdOIOgy and the procedure of this
research. It also examined the sample selected for the study. The next
problem is to describe the results Obtained from the instrument. Perhaps
the most important question to be answered first is: hhat are the char-
acteristics of those students who use or do not use the facilities Of the

Counseling Center? This will be the focus of attention in the next chapter.

IL

CHAPTER V

. \‘mé fl 4»; 9&13? .av .

l! Dov}!

‘l’ll

 

L 1..

CHAPTER V

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UShRS AND NON-USERS
OF The COUNSELING CENTER

In the last chapter some of the characteristics Of the student
population were ascertained to draw a representative sample for the
study. The basic data on sex, class, and curriculum obtained there will
be useful in this chapter to determine whether the students who visit
the Counseling Center are a select group. It is regrettable that addi-
tional information about the universe was not available so that further
comparisons could be made between it and the sample of students who used
and did not use counseling services. In the absence of additional
universe data one may only proceed on the assumption that the representa-
tiveness Of the sample for the three basic student characteristics may
hold for other characteristics as well. If this is true this chapter
may provide data on other characteristics Of the student population,
especially concerning their use Of counseling services. Simultaneously,
the Opposite purpose is achieved, namely, that Of finding the attributes

of those who do not avail themselves of counseling services.

Student Knowledge Of Center
The fundamental variable of this chapter is the number of contacts
that students had with the Counseling Center. From Table IV which is
based on items 55 and 56 of the questionnaire, it may be seen that almost

two-fifths (39.7 per cent) Of the students have never been to the‘

\

98

Center. Almost three-tenths went one or two times, almost one-fifth
visited the Center three to five times, and one-seventh went five or more
times. The fact that two-fifths have not used the Center apparently is

not due to their ignorance Of its location on the south campus. Less

than five per cent of the students in the sample indicated that they either

did not know or were uncertain of the location of the Center.1

TABLE IV

FREQUENCY OF VISITS TO THE COUNSELING CENTBR.AS RELATDD TC HOW hELL
STUDENTS KNOW The FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTLR, IN PERCENTafiES

-- ———— --

 

 

 

 

Knowledge of Center's Times Visited Center
Functions _~_ _ ,#_
None Once and Three and Five and Total
Twice EEEH‘ More
Good idea 21.9 he.7 77.7 81.3 h7.3
Some idea e9.7 51.3 22.2 19.7 h8.8
NO idea 8.h 2.0 -— -- 3.9
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of Cases* 215 152 99 75 5h1
Per cent of Total 39.7 28.1 18.3 13.9 100.0
12 = 13am; P = 4.01 C = 0.1m

* Three no-responses were omitted from this table.

It is possible that some students have not visited the Center because

they are uninformed of its functions or purposes. This is not a probable

 

l. Appendix.F, item 5h.

 

95

explanation because less than five per cent felt they had no idea whatever
Of the Center's functions. However, that some uncertainty in this area
exists among students is evidenced by the fact that almost one-half ad-
mitted they had only "some idea" Of its purposes. An equal prOportion
thought they had a "good idea."2

It may be hypothesized that the amount of Center usage increases the
knowledge that students think they have Of the functions Of the agency.
The data in Table IV substantiate this prOposition. That is, the more
students visit the Center the greater is their understanding Of its func—
tions. This is confirmed by a coefficient of contingency Of O.hh between
the two variables. The chi-square reveals that the differences in the
table are probably not due to chance. Thus one-fifth of those who did
not go to the Center signified they had a good idea Of its functions,
while over four-fifths Of those who went five or more times indicated
they had a good idea Of its purposes. These data suggest that an effective
way to increase student knowledge of the Center is to encourage its greater
use.

Table V presents data on the relation between the student's evaluation
Of the Center and the number of times they visited it. As expected, their
evaluation of the Center was high. Seven-tenths rated the Center
"excellent" and "good," about one-quarter rated it "fair," and only six
per cent believed it to be "poor" or "definitely harmful."

It may well be that with increased contact with the Center, students

may develOp hostility toward the organization. Items 56 and 59 of the

 

2. Appendix F, item 55.

 

a .1. r5195)?!

 

 

96

instrument were used to test this hypothesis. The data from these items
in Table V suggest, that the hypothesis must be rejected. There is no
statistically significant difference in the rating of the Center accord-
ing to the number of times students have visited it. The P of the chi-
square it about seventy per cent, which suggests that the differences

in the table are due to chance. There is only a slight indication that
among those who rate the services as "excellent," a slightly larger prO-

portion than expected has contacted the Center five or more times.

TABLE V

FREQUENCY OF STUDeNT VISITS To an ChNThh.AS RdLATsD T0 Tesla
EVALUATION OF ITS SERVICES, IN PERCENT Gas

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluation of Center I Times Visited Center
Once and Three and Five and Total
Twice Four More
Excellent l7.h 19.6 2b.? 19.5
Good h9.7 5h.6 h7.9 50.8
Fair 27.5 19.6 19.2 23.5
Poor and definitely
harmful S.h 6.2 8.2 6.2
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number Of Cases* 189 97 73 319
1.2 = 1:57 P = .70

* Ten no-responses are omitted from this table.

97

It is important to stress here that this study is not concerned with
whether the students have accurate knowledge Of the functions and purposes
of the Center. It is important, however, from the subjective point Of
view, to know whether the student feels he knows something about the
functions Of this organization, if he is going to avail himself Of its
services.

One index of the confidence that students have in the Center is
their willingness to use its services (item.60). Table VI provides the
data to answer this question for both users and non—users. Both groups
are inclined to use the counseling service if and when needed. Almost
four-fifths Of the students signified they would consult the organization
if they needed its help. Only one-seventh were either uncertain or un-
willing to contact the agency. About seven per cent indicated a reserva-
tion concerning use Of the Center, suggesting they would use it only for
certain kinds of problems. The general endorsement of the Center as
revealed in this table tends to add to the validity Of the attitude scale
discussed in the previous chapter.

Table VI shows some small but consistent differences in the willing-
ness Of students to use the Center's facilities according to the number
of visits to the agency. The chi-square Of this table is 8.79, indicating
the differences between groups may be due to chance factors. Supporting
the tendency reported, however, those who have used the Center more,
appear slightly more willing to patronize it again. Among those who were
unwilling or uncertain about using the organization's facilities, the

largest proportions had not visited the Center. For those who specify

98

patronage for certain problems there appears to be no consistent trends

according to number of visits to the Center.

TABLE VI

VIILINGI‘ILSS OF STUDILNTS TO USE The COUDbELINC CLNTlih'S F-LCILITILS , BY
THE NUT-Bah OF TITLES TILJY HINTS VISITIL‘D THIS CEITIL'R, IN PERChN’l‘AGbB

 

 

 

 

 

'Willingness to Use Times Visited Center
Center Again
None Once and Three and Five and Total
Twice Four More
Yes 73.8 81.2 78.h 8h.8 78.h
No and Uncertain 19.7 13.3 11.3 11.0 15.0
For Certain prob-
lems only 6.5 5.5 10.3 h.2 6.6
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 187 1h9 97 72 » 505
x2 = 8.79 P = .20

* Thirty—seven people did not respond to the question and two
did not indicate number of visits to the Center.

There has been some speculation as to whether women or men are more
favorably disposed toward using counseling services. The data in Table VII
indicate that strong sex differences in use of the Center are not present.
The P of the chi-square of less than 0.30 signifies that chance factors
may be Operating. The small sex differences that are apparent tend to
suggest that the men visit the Center somewhat less frequently than the

women. Approximately thirty-seven per cent Of the women visited the Center

99

TABLE VII

FsseUiNOI 0F STUbeNT VISITS To THE COUNSELING CENTER
BY SEX, IN PthCENTAGBS

 

 

 

 

— “--.—‘mnm C- _ — -—

 

 

 

 

 

Sex Times Visited Center
None ofiEE“EfiE""‘ffiFe§ and FiVe and ITOtaII_
Twice __ Four __ hope _4
wales (3st) h1.5 29.0 17.5 12.0 100.0
Females (176) 36.0 27.0 19.6 17.b 100.0
Total (SL2)* 39.7 25.1 18.3 13.9 100.0
x2 = 3.80 ' P = .30

Two men did not respond to this question.

three or more times in contrast to thirty per cent of the men. An analy-
sis Of the nature of the problems the two sexes brought to the Center
reveals that the women are more concerned with problems of enrollment and

3

change of major. It is not surprising to find, then, that the greater
prOportion of women are NO-Preference students who must register with the
Counseling Center. The men, on the other hand, are more concerned with
problems relating to educational and vocational planning. Since men must

look forward to a life-time within an occupation, their greater concern

with this area is understandable.

 

3. The problems reported for the men are as follows: change Of school or
major, 26.0; enrollment, 19.1 per cent; vocational planning, 19.1 per
cent; educational planning, 17.h per cent; personal problems, 9.? per
cent; other problems 8.7 per cent. The problems for the women were
reported as follows: change Of school, 30.0 per cent; enrollment, 2h.0
per cent; vocational planning, 16.3 per cent; educational planning, 12.9
per cent; personal problems, 8.0 per cent; and other problems 8.2 per
cent.

100

Indices of Maturity

One of the problems raised in Chapter I was the relationship between
"maturity" of the student and his use of counseling services. It is a
moot Question whether increased age automatically produces greater self-
reliance and greater emotional maturity. Although the need for counseling
is found among all age groups, nonetheless the assertion persists that
older peOple are more mature and have less need for guidance. This Ques—
tion was investigated for the students included in this study. Three
crude indices of "maturity" were used: age, class in college, and marital
status. A description of the p0pulation for these indices will be pre-
sented first and then these will be exmnined for their relationship to the
number of times the Counseling Center was contacted.

Table VIII presents the age distribution of the sample by sex. The
most striking fact revealed is that the women are considerably younger
than the men, Slightly over two-thirds of the women are under 21 years
of age in contrast to almost two-fifths of the men. The age differences
are greatest in the 23 years and older group, for 35.9 per cent of the
men are in that age category as contrasted to h.5 per cent of the women.
That these age differences are real is evidenced by the P of the chi-square
which is less than 0.01.

Table IX demonstrates that the differences in sexual age distribution
reflect themselves in the distribution of students in the different college
classes. Slightly over two-fifths of the sample are underclassmen. hhere-
as over one-half of the women are in this group, the men constitute less

than two-fifths. Among the seniors, on the other hand, the men exceed the

 

. . ...wJ_{4.Ifl.Niin'p-.I{ : JTI: -.

 

 

TABLE VIII

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF MICHIGfiN STATE COLLEGE SAMPLE

BY SEX, IN PSKCENTAGES

lOl

_.__

 

 

 

Age Groups Men homen Totals
18 years and under ' 8.7 19.6 12.3
19 to 20 years 28.7 h8.b 35.1
21 to 22 years 26.7 27.5 27.0
23 years and older 35.9 h.5 25.6

Total. 100 .O 100 .O 100 .0
x2 = 71.5 P = (.01 C = 0.31;
TABLE -IX

PhnCENTAGE DESTRIBUTION OF MICHIGflN STATE COLLEGE SAMPLE

ACCORDING TO CLASS RANK, BY SEX

 

' Year in College Men

 

 

Eomen Totals
Freshmen 18.9 211.1; 21.1
SOphomore 18.3 27.9 21.3
Junior 25.11 25.5 25.11
Senior 37.11 22.2 32.2
Total 100 .0 100 .O 100 .0

12 = 111.11 P = (.01 c = 0.16

102

women by 15 per cent. The large chi-square and the P of less than 0.01
indicates that these differences did not occur by chance. The larger
proportion of men in the higher age groups and in the upper classes arise
from the large number of horld har II veterans in the college population.

From the age and class distributions one would expect a larger per-
centage of men to be married. This is the case, for 18.5 per cent of the
men are married, as contrasted to U.S per cent of the women.

Turning to the problem of the relation of student "maturity" to use
of the counseling service, (items h2 and 56), the expected pattern is
found with respect to age. A plurality of non-users, as seen from
Table X, is found in the oldest age group of 23 years and older. Whereas
those over 23 years old constitute one-quarter of the p0pulation, they
comprise one-third of those who have never visited the Center. On the
other hand, students twenty years and under use counseling facilities
somewhat more. Although they are about h? per cent of the sample, they
make up 5h per cent of those who visited the Center three to five times,
and 61 per cent of those who went to the Center five or more times. The
chi-square indicates that these differences in the table are ngt due to
chance. I

The second index of maturity is the student's class rank in college.
The close relationship between this index and age was noted above.

Table XI portrays the class rank of the sample according to the number of
times the Center was visited (items hh and 56). The data point to a
tendency for upper-classmen to visit the Center somewhat less than the

under-classmen. Thus, although seniors constitute about one-third of the

103

TASLE X

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF MICHIGAN STATS COLLEGE SAMPLE ACCORDING TO NUhBEh
OF TIMES VISITAD THE; COUNSELING CANTLR, IN Pdi’LCer‘AGES

 

 

 

 

 

Age Groups Times Visited Center
None Once and Three and Five and Total
Twice Four More

Under 18 years 10.7 10.5 19.2 12.0 12.3
19 to 20 years 29.8 36.6 35.h h9.3 35.1
21 to 22 years 26.5 28.1 27.3 26.7 27.0
23 years and older 33.0 2h.8 18.1 12.0 25.6
Totals 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 215 153 99 75 5u2

X-2 = 23.21 P = (.01 C = 0.20

 

* Two did not respond to this question.

TABLE XI

CIfiSS DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF T Mas THEY
VLSIThD The COUNSELING GENTLE, IN PEhChNTAGMS

 

 

 

 

Class Rank Times Visited Center
None Once and Three and Five and Total
Twice Four More __

Freshmen 21.9 15.6 23.1 2h.3 20.7
Sophomores 13.0 25.5 2h.5 33.9 21.5
Juniors 25.8 26.2 25.5 22.9 25.h
Seniors 39.3 32.7 26.6 18.9 32.h
Totals 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 21h 153 98 7b 539

3L2 = 25.20 P = (.01 C = 0.21

 

* Five students did not respond to item.

1011

students, about two-fifths of them have never visited the Center. Fresh-
men, on the other hand, seem to go to the Center three or more times, in
somewhat larger prOportion than their representation in the pOpulation.
These class differences in use of the Center are probably real differences,
for the P of the chi-square is less than .01.

The trends in the table are contrary to expectations. One would
assume that since seniors have been on the campus longest, they should
have had most Opportunity to visit the Center. Actually, the SOphomores
have visited the Center most. The tendency of SOphomores to use the
Center more may be due to the inability of many to make final educational
and vocational plans. They would be expected to frequent the Center more
to enlist the aid of counselors in deciding future life goals. By the
same token one may reason that the seniors, once having been SOphomores
with typical sophomoric problems, should at least have had the same number
of counseling contacts as the present sophomores.

Four possible reasons for their apparent deviation are offered here.
As suggested above, the greater prOportion of the seniors are veterans
and therefore somewhat older than seniors would ordinarily be. Thus, they
have had greater Opportunities to be independent longer and to make de-
cisions concerning their own welfare. A more probable explanation is that
since many veterans have been counseled by Army Separation Centers and by
the Veterans' Administration they have not needed the services of the
Center. Yet another factor to take into consideration is the greater pro-
portion of older veterans who are married. Their marriage may reflect

greater stability or certainty in their life plans. Lastly, the fact that

105

the Counseling Center was less known and less well organized when the
present seniors were underclassmen may account for their fewer Center

contacts.

Academic Interests and Achievement

One of the main problems that students face when they enroll in
college is the selection of curriculum or a subject major. Upon arrival
on campus some students have fairly fixed ideas concerning their educa-
tional programs, while others are rather uncertain of their plans. Once
enrolled, it is not uncommon for those with fixed educational goals to
alter their plans in the face of new experiences, Unanticipated failures,
and so on. Likewise, those with amorphous ideas may, with new experiences,
suddenly focus on their educational plans. One of the primary functions
of the Counseling Center is to help students plan their educational pro-
grams. There is considerable speculation whether students in certain
curricula have greater need for counseling than students in other curricula.

Table XII presents the distribution for frequency of visits to the
Counseling Center by the school in which students are enrolled (items h7
and 56). Since the numbers in many of the categories are small, generali-
zations must be made cautiously. Yet the chi-square reveals that the
differences in the table are probably not due to chance, for the P is less
than 0.01. The data in Table XII indicate that there are no large and
obvious variations in the number of visits that students make to the
Counseling Center by school of enrollment. Understandably, the outstand-
ing exception to this observation is the No-Preference group in the Basic

College who go to the Center three or more times much more than expected.

 

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106

According to college regulation counselors at the Center serve as their

enrollment officers until their educational aims are Specified.

TABLE XII

NUMBER OF TIMES MICHIGAN S”ATd COLLEGE SAMPLE VISITED COUNSELING
CBNTLR, BY SCHOOL ENnOLLED, IN PthhNTAGES

 

 

- .—- - ' —~—-’ .-

School Times Visited Center

 

 

-u—CD-

None Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

 

Tydce Four More
Basic: No-Preference -- 5.8 15.5 26.8 8.2
Agriculture 15.0 13.0 10.3 h.2 12.1
Business and Public
Service 25.8 26.0 2h.8 31.0 26.h
Engineering 11.3 9.7 10.3 2.8 9.5
Home Economics 7.1 5.2 h.1 l.b 5.2
Science and Arts 35.0 3h.5 33.0 32.h 3h.3
Veterinary Medicine 5.2 5.8 2.0 l.h h.3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 213 15b 97 71 535
x2 = 73.56“. P = (.01 c = 0.311

 

* -. o e o o o o c
Seven students were uncertain or Shifting their school claSSIfi-

cation, and two did not respond to the item.

. ‘18?

hhen No-preference students were compared with all students in

the other schools of the college (2 x h table) the

P = .01 and C = 0.32.

2

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107

The students of the two largest schools of the college, Science and
Arts, and Business and Public Service, visit the Center in prOportions
roughly equal to their enrollment. Among those who have gone to the
Center five or more times students in the School of Business and Public
Service are represented in a slightly larger prOportion than their contribu-
tion to the student population. Those in other schools, especially
Agriculture and Engineering, have a smaller representation among the fre-
Quent visitors to the Center. Students who enroll in these two schools
have already stated their occupational preferences and thus the college
presents them with rather fixed curricula. Possibly they may have less need
for educational or vocational counseling. This is also somewhat the case
for those who are enrolled in Home Economics and Veterinary Medicine.

One of the greatest concerns which students have is their grades.

For many, academic performance determines whether or not they will con-
tinue in college. Those who perform below their expectations or below
those of the college may seek help. One of the purposes for establishing
the Counseling Center was to provide assistance to those experiencing
academic difficulties. College administrators often advise students on
scholastic probation to contact the Center for help.

Table XIII portrays data on the frequency of visits according to the
grade point average of the student (items 56 against hé-h7). A grade point
average from one to two is (D), and regarded as a generally unsatisfactory
mark. Points from two to three are in the middle range or (C), while
averages three points and above are regarded as superior and excellent

achievement. The data in Table XIII show a small relation existing between

108

TABLE XIII

NUMBER OF TIMES STUDENTS VISITED COUNSELING CENTER ACCOhDING
TO THEIR GRADE POINT AVBhAGES, IN PthENTAGES

 

 

 

 

Grade Point Average Times Visited Center

None Once and Three and Five and Total
Twice Four More
1.0 to 1.9 11.3 11.6 13.7 22.5 10.5
2.0 to 2.h h3.8 51.5 52.6 b2.3 N7.3
2.5 to 2.9 3h.2 23.3 23.2 28.2 28.3
3.0 to 11.0 17.7 13.6 10.6 7.0 13.9
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases." 208 1116 95 71 520
12 = 30.57 ' P = (.01 c =O.2L1

 

Twenty-two did not provide data on grades, and two omitted

data on.Center visits.
lowness of grades and frequency of visits to the Center. This is confirmed
by a coefficient of contingency of 0.2h (uncorrected) and a P of the chi-
square which reveals that the differences in the table are not due to
chance. In general students with lower grades visit the Center more fre-
quently. Thus, those with grade-point averages below 2.0 constitute one-
tenth of the pOpulation. Yet this group comprises over two-tenths of
those attending the Center five or more times. Those with grade-point
averages of thrge and above are found to be represented by One-half of
their proportion in the total pOpulation among those who have visited the

Center five or more times. Variations in the two middle grade-point groups

109

are not as large as with the extreme. From these data one may conclude
that the Center is apparently functioning according to its stated goal of

helping students who have difficulties in educational achievement.

Types of Student Problems

Since the Center was designed to help students with problems in
addition to those involving educational achievement, they were asked to
signify the nature of the problems they took to the agency. On the aver-
age, students brought 1.7 problems to the agency. It is important to
stress again that these problems are "self-defined" and may not conform
to the diagnosis of the counselor. This fact must be kept in mind in the
interpretation of Table XIV.

When the freQuency of problems brought to the Center were ranked,
the problem of change of school or major was highest in freQuency.u No
doubt this partially results from the administrative regulation that
students must contact the Center when contemplating a change in curriculum.
Enrollment was second highest among the reasons for visiting the agency.
This was followed by vocational planning, educational planning, personal
problems, and financial problems in that order. If enrollment were omitted
from the Table, the majority of the problems brought to the Center would

involve curriculum changing and planning. Vocational planning, which is

 

h. Table XIV is computed by taking the number of problems and dividing
them by the number of students associated with them. The total must
add to over 100 per cent. The proportion that each problem is to the
total number of problems brought to the Center are as follows: change
of school or major, 27.5 per cent; enrollment, 20.9 per cent; voca-
tional planning, 18.1 per cent; educational planning, 15.8 per cent;
personal problem, 9.3 per cent; other problems, 6.8 per cent; and
financial problems, 1.6 per cent.

110

closely related to curriculum, would rank third, followed by personal
problems. Although the latter ranks fourth in the table, this may be in
underestimation. As any counselor knows personal problems, or those of
emotional adjustment, are brought to him under the guise of educational,

vocational, or other Questions. Significantly, less than two per cent of

TABLE XIV

DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES OF PBOBLEZU'S STUDENTS BROUGHT To THE ChNThh
ACCORDING TO THE Fume-1m OF THBIB VISITS, IN PaecquAGIS

 

Nature of Problem Times Visited Center

 

 

 

Once and Three and Five and T3€e1
Twice Four More
Enrollment 20.2 113.5 50.6 36.1
Change of School or h3.0 52.5 52.0 L8.0
major
Educational Planning 17.6 29.3 h5.2 26.3
Vocatidhal Planning 20.9 32.h 52.0 31.5
Personal Problem 12.8 16.2 2h.0 16.2
Financial 2.0 1.0 6.7 2.7
Other 15.7 9.1 5.3 11-9__
Total 131.8 1811.0 2113.8 172.7
Problems per person 1.3 1.8 2.h 1.7
Number of cases* 153 99 75 327
x2 = 30.01. P = (.01 C =O.22

* 215 students never visited the Center and two did not respond
on visiting.

111

,4

all problems are classified as financial.D Apparently, other agencies of
the college, such as the office of the Dean of Students and the Placement
Bureau, function to meet these financial needs. The freguency and nature
of student problems at MichiganEState College are probably like those of
other students attending similar institutions.

In a research study conducted at the General College of the University
of Minnesota, almost two-thirds of the school population was counseled by
two clinically trained counselors. Because the counselors had gone out to
reach as many students as possible, rather than wait for them to come to
the clinic, their finding represented a fair cross—Section of the student
population. They found that vocational problems occurred most frequently,
with educational, social-personal, financial, family adjustment, and
health problems following a decreasing order. John D; Darley stated this
order of frequency would likely exist at other institutions if the students
sampled were representative groups.6 Though the method used in this re-
search differed from that used at Minnesota, the order of problems found
at MichiganéState College approximated the order of Minnesota. If enroll-
ment and change of school problems were omitted from the ranking at
Michigan.State College, the order of student problems would be similar to
that found at.Minnesota.

Attention will now be directed to the relationship between the nature

of the problems and freQuency of visits to the Center (items 56 and 58).

 

5. See footnote h for order of student problems.

6. John G. Darley, Testing and Counseling In The High.School Guidance
Program, Chicago: Science hesearch Associates, 19h7, pp. 1h0~1hl.

 

 

 

 

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112

Clearly, the kinds of self-defined problems that students bring to the
Center increase with the number of contacts. The differences between
the percentages in Table XIV probably did not occur by chance, for the
chi-SQuare is large and the P is less than 0.01. Those who went to the
Center once or twice averaged 1.3 problems while those who went five or
more times averaged 2.8.

Two possible explanations may be made for this increase. First,
with increased knowledge of the services offered by the Center, students
may feel more inclined to present the staff with additional problems that
confront them. Another explanation is that the student‘s major problem
manifests itself in other areas of personal adjustment with increased
Center contacts. The first explanation seems to corroborate the previous
finding that increased contact with the Center acquaints the student with
its many services.

The question arises whether different kinds of problems assume a
different rank as contact with the Center increases. Reference to Table
XIV indicates that this is partially the case. Thus, enrollment rises in
rank from third to first in importance with increased contact with the
Center; Similarly, personal problems rise in rank from sixth to fourth
place. The latter shift lends some support to the contention that with
increasing Center contacts, students gain greater insight into themselves
by redefining their problems more realistically. Financial problems rise
from seventh to fifth in rank while smaller changes in rank order occur
in the remaining categories. It is difficult to explain the shifts in

rank position of these problems as contacts with the Center increases.

113

One may surmize that the student's stated problem may be redefined after
initial interviews. This redefinition may encourage the thought that

he may need help in resolving geygagl problems. Consequently he may visit
the Center more often.

Interpretation of the data can also be made in terms of prOportionate
increasing or decreasing need for guidance services. Apparently, enroll-
ment problems call for many contact with the Center; Similarly, the need
for guidance in educational and vocational planning increases the number
of visits. Smaller increases are found associated with personal prOblems,
change of school or major, and financial problems.

It may be hypothesized that if students are well-informed of the
counseling services offered by the college they will be motivated to engage
the facilities of the Center whenever they need guidance. On the other
hand, if students are lacking information or knowledge concerning personnel
services offered by the college then the instructors and college officials
are responsible for the large number referrals to the Center. Item 57
of the questionnaire was devised to furnish cues to this prOposition.

It is clear from data in Table XV that those students who go to the
Center, largely go on their own initiative. Over two-fifths of the
"referrals" have arisen from the students' own initiative.7 About one-

fifth of the "referrals" are No-Preference students who are obliged to

 

7. Table XV is computed by taking the number of problems and dividing
them by the number of students associated with them. Thus, the total
must add to over 100 per cent. The total of each referral source to
the total number of referral sources are as follows: own initiative
h2.7 per cent; No-Preference 20.9 per cent; enrollment officers 12.1
per cent; advice of a friend 11.2 per cent; instructors 3.3 per cent;
and other sources 9.7 per cent.

 

 

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111;

TABLE XV

SOURCES OF STUDENT hLFthAL TO COUNSELING CENTBB BY NUMBER OF
CENTSR CONTACTS, IN PShCENTAGES

 

Source of Referral Times Visited Center

 

 

 

Once and Three and Five and Tota1__
Twice Four More __
Own initiative 5h.0 68.7 52.0 58.0
Friend 13.0 20.2 13.3 15.3
Instructor h.6 3.0 8.0 h.6
Enrollment Officer 20.1 11.1 ‘16.0 16.5
Other 13.7 1h.2 10.7 13.1
Because I am a No- 10.5 37.h 53.3 28.h
Preference student ,_
Total 115.9 158.6 157.3 135.9
Number of cases* 153 99 75 327
Average number of 1.2 1.6 1.5 1.8
referrals
:12 = 38.76 P = (.01 C = 0.28

 

* 215 students never visited the Center and two did not respond
to the item.
contact the Center and slightly over one-tenth of the referrals each come
through the mediation of a friend or enrollment officer. Of course,
several sources of referral may operate simultaneously, and there is slight
evidence to suggest that more than one referral source is associated with
increasing number of visits to the Center. The sources of referral does

not change much as contacts with the Center increases. Although self

115

initiative emains on top as the most frequent "referral" source, the
second source changes slightly with.Center contacts. Thus, the enrollment
officer plays a slightly more dominant role for those who go to the Center
once or twice, friends rise in importance as a referral source for those
who go three or four times, and both sources tie for second place for
those who go five or more times. The chi-square for the table is large
and the P is less than 0.01, indicating that the differences in the table
are probably real.

The fact that No-Preference students must go to the Center distorts
the picture of the other referral sources. If the data were recomputed
with the No-Preference students omitted, some changes would probably be
found in the relative prOportion of referrals from other sources. If
this were done, the dominance of the "own initiative" category would be
even more conspicuous. Also the role of the enrollment officer in the
referral process would also be more outstanding.

All students have enrollment officers excepting those who lack a
school preference. In educational planning, the enrollment officers and
counselors have analagous tasks. Not infrequently the enrollment officer
may refer to the Counseling Center a student who has problems which need
Specialized attention. It is important in this connection, then, to
examine the student's evaluation of his enrollment officer in terms of his
experience with the Center (items 56 and 71) . From Table XVI it is
apparent that the evaluation of enrollment officers for those who have not
visited the Center is similar to the evaluation of the total sample.

About three-tenths of the students rate their enrollment officers "good"

116

TABLE XVI

EVALUATION OF anOLLMaNT OFFICER IN TEnMS OF FREQUENCY OF VISITS
TO THE COUNSELING CENTBN, BY PenCtNTNGaS

—_ -.___._

 

Evaluation of Enroll-
ment Officer

Times Visited Center

 

None Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

Twice Four hore

Excellent 18.5 15.9 13.7 16.2 16.6
Good 31.7 33.1 29.5 25.0 30.8
Fair 23.0 33.1 33.7 26.8 30.h
Poor 1h.7 liixi 1h.7 17.6) 15.0
Harmful 3.3 .7 8.2 7.h 3.2
Uncertain 3.8 2.6 h.2 7.h h.O

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Number of oases* 211 151 95 68 525

2&2 = 10.9“ P = (.70

* hineteen peOple did not reSpond to this item.

** . . . .
Chi—square was calculated without the uncertain group.

and_an.equal proportion rate them as "fair." On the other hand, approxi-
Imrtely one-seventh of the students rank their enrollment officer as
"excellent" and an equal prOportion rank them as "poor." Only three per
Cent feel that their enrollment officers have handled their educational
problems in a definitely harmful manner.

The relation between frequency of visits to the Center and evaluation

Of enrollment officer is slight. It is likely that the distribution in

117

Table XVI occurred by chance, for the chi-square is small and the P is

less than 0.70. However there is very slight evidence that the evalu-
ation of enrollment officers is more negative among those who have visited
the Center most frequently. This is shown by the slight increase in per—
centage among those who ranked their enrollment officers' work as "harmful"
and ”poor". It is impossible to determine whether this slightly negative
evaluation of enrollment officers by Center visitors results from in-
vidious comparisons of performance between enrollment officers and
counselors.

Thus far in this chapter a discussion has been presented of the associ-
ation of certain factors with frequency of visits to the Center. Among
these were some crude indices of maturity, academic interests, educational
ackdevement, and types of student problems. Attention.sha11 now be di-
Iwected to t.e relationship of certain "background" factors to the number
0f visits to the Counseling Center. These factors are the number of extra-
curricular activities in which the student participates, his previous
experiences with counseling services, the size of community from which he

(runes, and socio-cconomic level of his father's occupation.

Background Factors
Clinicians and counselors sometimes assert that those who need guid-
ance are Often the social isolates; or that participators in formal and
informal groups are well-adjusted people who are able to solve their own
problems. For this reason the relationship between the number of extra-
curricular activities and number of Center contacts (items L9 and 56) has

been examined.

118

No strong evidence is found in Table XVII to support the idea that
non-participators in college activities use counseling services more
than those who participate. The relationship between the two variables
is small as seen by the coefficient of only 0.12. Furthermore the dis-
tributions in Table XVII may be due to chance for the chi—square is
small and the P is less than 0.50. About three-tenths of the students
belong to no campus organization. This ratio holds constant for those

who have visited the Center none or five or more times. To be sure,

TABLE XVII

I‘D/LES STUDENT VISITED COUNSELING CENTER ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES REPORTED, IN PERCENTAGE

 

 

Number of Activities Times Visited Center

 

None Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

 

Twice Four More
None 30.6 33.9 28.3 30.7 31.2
One 17.6 22.3 26.3 25.3 21.6
Two 23.6 18.3 114.1 21.3 20.0
Three and more 28.2 25.5 31.3 22.7 27.2
Total 100 .0 100 .0 1CD .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases* 215 153 99 75 5’42
x2 = 8.62 P = (.50

 

* Two people did not answer this Question.

there is some evidence to suggest a slight but inconsistent tendency for

high participators to employ counseling facilities less. For example,

 

.. 1... end-...! Emuflrnfifiuaihl.
. .

 

 

119

among those who have never visited the Center, forty-one per cent belong
to one or two organization; as contrasted to forty-six per cent of those ‘
who have visited the Center five or more times. The standard error of
the difference between these two percentages was found to be 0.82, indi-
cating the chances are seventy-two in one hundred that the true difference
is greater than zero. This is well below the cutting point of 2.5,
indicative of significant difference. Other standard errors of the dif-
ferences between extreme percentages in the table were calculated and all
were below 2.5. However, since they pointed in the same direction, there
seems to be a small negative relationship between number of Center con-
tacts and extra-curricular activities.

It may be assumed that an association should exist between the stu-
dent's past experience with the counseling services in his high school and
frequency of contacts with the Michigané3tate College Counseling Center.
At least three possibilities may be projected. First, with adequate and
complete guidance in high school, the student might not need to utilize
the college organization, Second, with incomplete or poor guidance in
high school the student might seek help from the Center. Still a third
alternative is that the lack of previous experiences with a guidance center
might condition the student to avoid such services when they arrive on
campus. Unfortunately these hypotheses could not be fully tested here.
However, the data in Table XVIII presents the association between type of
high school guidance services and the number of visits to the Michigan
State College Counseling Center.

An examination of Table XVIII reveals that Michigan.State College

students have been exposed to widely different kinds of high school

l1.

120

TABLE XVIII

TYPE OF HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE;SflkVICES THAT MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE
STUDENTS HAD BY FREQUBNCY 0F VISITS T0 COUNSELING CENTLH,
IN PbRChNTAGES

 

 

.— ...—

 

Type of High School Times Visited Center
Guidance Program

 

hone Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

Twice Four More
Complete services 20.h 27.6 27.6 28.7 2h.3
Tests and inter- 1h.5 15.2 15.3 17.8 15.3
Views
Tests alone 25.? 20.7 31.6 20.5 2b.?
Occasional group h8.5 b0.7 h6.9 39.7 hh.7
advice
None 19.h 20.7 12.2 2b.? 19.1
Other u.9 h.1 h.1 h.1 113.2
Total 133.8 129.0 137.7 131.5 132.3
Number of cases* 206 lh5 98 73 522
x? = 8.53“. P = ~20

* Twenty-two students did not answer the item.

** Chi-square for this table was computed from a 3 x h table:
complete services, some services, and n3 services against
the number of visits to Center.

guidance services. Almost one-fifth of those in the sample signified

that their high school had no guidance services whatever or that only

occasional group advice was given in the classroom.8 At the other extreme

 

8. Table XVIII is computed by taking the number of guidance services and
dividing them by the number of students associated with them. Thus,
the total must add to over 100 per cent. The ratio of particular types
of high school services to the total number of services reported are as
follows: complete services 18.3 per cent; tests and personal interviews
11.5 per cent; test but no interviews 18.6 per cent; occasional class
advice 38.8 er cent; other types of services 3.3 per cent; and no
services lb. per cent.

almost one-quarter reported being exposed to complete guidance services.
An equal percentage indicated that their high schools administered tests,
but that test results were not explained to them in personal interviews.
The latter was done, however, with about fifteen per cent of the students.

Table XVIII suggests a slightly positive but inconsistent association
between past experience with guidance services and freQuency of contact
with the Center. Apparently, those who had complete high school guidance
services tended to have slightly higher representation among those who
frequented the Center. Conversely, those who had only occasional group
advice in high school tended to frequent the Center somewhat less. This
also held for those who had taken tests but did not receive test interpreta-
tion. An.over-all interpretation of the table suggests that those who had
been exposed to some counseling services showed a greater tendency to use
them again while others had slight avoidance tendencies. The relatively
high P of 0.20 of the chi-sguare however shows that this conclusion must
be accepted with great reservation.

Perhaps more important than the number of guidance services offered
by the high school, is the student evaluation of those services. It is
possible for meager services to be highly appreciated and for thorough
services to be depricated. Table XIX portrays the student's evaluation
of Inigh school services as associated with number of contacts with the
collxege Center. The data was collected from items 53 and 56 of the ques-
tdornaaire. One-third of the students evaluated the guidance program of
their high school as either "good" or "excellent," slightly over one-

quarter rate them "fair" and almost two-fifths rate them "poor" or

122

TABLE XIX

EVALUATION OF HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE FACILITIES BY STUDENTS ACCORDING
TO THE NUMBER OF VISITS TO THE COUNSELING CENTER,
IN PERCENTAGES

 

 

Evaluation of High Times Visited Center
School Guidance

 

None Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

Twice Four More
Excellent and Good 33.2 35.0 28.7 36.2 33.1
Fair 31.h 2h.8 28.7 17.2 27.0
Poor and Harmful 35 .h to .2 h2.6 to .6 39 .9
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of oases* 1o9 117 87 58 L31
2.3 = S .92 P = .50

 

* Those 10h students who reported no high school guidance service
were omitted from this total, as well as seven who did not rate
the items, and two who did not visit the Center.

"harmful." The dominant rating is quite negative. Since these data are
probably related to the data in Table XVIII, it is not surprising to find
that no statistically significant association exists between evaluation
of high school services and visits to the Center. This is confirmed by a
small.chi-square value. Thus in the rating of "excellent" and "good,"
small fluctuations in percentages exist by number of Center contacts.
However, there is a slight trend for those who rated their high school
services as "poorn or "harmful" to patronize the Center more. Inasmuch as
this group constituted two—fifths of the sample, their increased contact

with the Center is all the more interesting. Apparently, the campus

L

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counseling staff is devoting somewhat more time on those who feel they
had inadequate guidance in their high schools.

In this connection it is noteworthy to find a close association
between size of community from which the student comes and the type and
quality of guidance and counseling service he encountered. As seen in
Table XX, the prOportion of "complete" guidance services reported rises
steadily with the size of the community, but drops for communities having
over 100,000 peOple. Conversely, the reporting of no services falls with
increasing size of community, but increases for those cities containing
over 100,000 people. Apparently, irrespective of the size of the com-
munity, classroom guidance (group advice) is the main-stay in counseling
services of high schools. However, according to the data in this study
the best over-all counseling prOgrams are found in medium size cities of
25,000 to 100,000 peOple.

It is difficult to explain the apparent drOp in complete guidance
prOgrams in cities over 100,000 peOple. A possible explanation might
be the diversity of programs existing in these cities, ranging from little
or no service to complete programs. In addition the cost for instituting
complete guidance services may be prohibitive in large communities, and
therefOre makeshift programs are instituted. It is possible for these
students not to recognize the "completeness" of the programs because many
of the special guidance services (placement, and so on) might be vested
in different individuals.

One of the problems stated in Chapter I was to test whether students

who come from different sized communities varied in their patronage of the

 

...]..rss. .131. it"?!

 

12b

TABLE XX

TYPE OF HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCEiSERVICE BY SIZE OF COMMUNITY,
IN PERCENTAGES

 

Type of High.School Size of Community
Guidance Program

 

Under 5,000- 10,000- 23:000- 100,000 Total
5,000 __l0,ooo 25,000 100,003 and over

__.__

 

Complete services 7.8 18.6 21.0 28.7 20.0 18.3

Tests and interview 12.7 15.7 18.0 8.8 8.5 11.5

Tests alone 20.5 16.7 10.0 20.3 18.2 18.7

Group advice 35.0 28.8 32.0 38.8 37.0 33.8

None 19.8 16.7 18.0 9.5 12.7 1U.h

Other L.2 3.9 3.0 1.9 3.6 3.3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of services 166 102 100 158 165 691
12 = 29.87 P = 0.05 C = 0.20

 

Center. Table XXI, obtained from items 51 and 56, presents the data
associated with size of community and frequency of visits to the Center.
From it we note that almost one—quarter of the students in this sample

come from communities numbering less than 5,000 peOple. An equal percentage
originate from metr0politan communities whose populations are over 100,000.
Roughly one-quarter each come from communities between five to twenty-five
thousand and from cities of twenty-five to one hundred thousand. The dif-
ferences between the percentages in the table are probably not due to

chance for the chi-square is large and the P is less than 0.05.

125

TABLE XXI

FREQUENCY OF VISITS OF STUDENTS TO THE COUNSELING CENTER AS RELATED
TO THE SIZE OF THEIR HOME COMMUNIles, BY PERCENTAGBS

 

 

Size of Community Times Visited Center

 

None Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

Twice Four More
Under 5,000 21:1; 211.5 19.2 25.7 23.6
5,000 to 10,000 9.11 19.2 13.1 16.2 13.8
10,000 to 25,000 11.7 15.9 111.1 20.3 11.5
25,000 to 100 ,000 26.3 21.2 19.2 21.6 22.9
100,000 and over 28.2 19.2 311.21 16.2 25.2
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .o 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases* 213 151. 99 7b 537
x2 = 21.11; P = (.05 C = 0.19

 

* . .
There were seven "no-responses" to this item.

The over-all pattern of Table XXI is somewhat fluctuating. Students
coming from communities of 5,000 to 25,000 tended to visit the Center some—
what more than their proportions in the population. Those from cities
over 25,000 tended to be represented in slightly greater prOportions among
those who have not been to the Center. A possible explanation for this
fluctuating pattern may be hazarded. As may be seen in Table XX, students
WK) come from smaller communities have been exposed to poorer guidance

. services. They probably want to know something about their abilities and
i interests, and go to the Center for test and test interpretation. Having

obtained these, they no longer seek additional help. The rise in

1., ' - A

percentage of those who have gone to the Center five or more times are
probably the No-Preference students in this group.

The pattern for students from larger communities is almost the re-
verse of that seen for students coming from smaller communities. hetro-
politan students are more evident among non-visitors to the Center and
especially among those who go three and four times. The predominance of
peOple in the latter category appears to be significant statistically,
when compared to those who visited the Center once or twice. The standard
error of the difference between the two percentages is 2.7. A special
analysis of the metropolitan students who went to the Center three and
four times revealed that they were largely young underclassmen who were
concerned with enrollment problems and changes of school or major. They
generally rated their enrollment officers as "fair" and their high school
counseling as "fair" and "poor." As explained in Table XX, guidance
services in metrOpolitan areas were reported to be generally inferior to
that in medium sized cities. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say
there is a larger range of quality of services in metr0politan schools.
Thus the group which has been exposed to poor guidance services in larger
cities might seek them when arriving on campus.

The last background factor to be compared with the frequency of
Center contacts is the occupation of fathers (items 50 and 56). Perhaps
Students reared in different socio-economic strata may have different
need for counseling services. It is sometimes assumed that families in
upper'levels furnish children more adequate guidance than families in

lower socio-economic levels. From Table XXII the selective occupational

127

character of the college population can be noted. Over 70 per cent of
the students have fathers who are “white-collar" workers. Of these 23
per cent are professional and 32 per cent are businessmen and 15 per cent
are clerical workers. Children of manual workers comprise one-fifth of
the student body represented in the study while children of farmers con-

stitute but eight per cent of the student body.

TABLE XXII

FREQUENCY OF'STUDENT VISITS TO THE COUNSELING CENTER BY THEIR
FATHnmS' OCCUPATION, IN PERCENTAGES

Father's Occupation Times Visited Center

 

None Once and Three and Five and Total

 

 

Twice Four More
Professionals, PrOprie- 56.9 55.3 58.6 56.2 56.6
tors, and Managerial
Clerical and Sales 1h.3 12.1 111.1 21.9 11m
Farmers 9.0 10.7 up 8.2 8.1;
Manual horkers 19.8 21.9 23.3 13.7 20.3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 211 150 99 73 533
x2 = 9.01 P = 0.50

* Eleven peOple did not answer this question.

Table XXII reveals no strong and statistically significant associ-
athbn.between socio-economic level of family and number of Center contacts.

The differences in the table are due to chance--the P of the chi-square

128

being 0.50. The significance of small variations in the table must be
approached with extreme caution. Thus, there is a slight tendency for

the children of clerical workers to be over-re resented.among those who
visit the Center five or more times. If they are typical of the lower
middle class from which they are derived, they probably have occupational
aspirations higher than their fathers' occupations. Their greater motiva-
tion to succeed might inspire them to seek more help in planning their
careers.

Children of manual workers reveal a very slight trend to freQuent
the Center more than average for those who frequented the Center three or
four times. They have a somewhat smaller prOportion among those who have
visited the Center five or more times. The same explanation applied to
children of clerical workers may apply to manual workers' children with
the important exception that there is a smaller tendency for the latter
to use the Center heavily. Perhaps their dr0p-out rate is greater, thus
reducing their percentage among the most frequent visitors. However,
this is pure speculation.

By way of conclusion an examination of the students' comparative
evaluation of the Counseling Center with other counseling resources (item
72) will be made. Although this study focuses on the Counseling Center,
students obviously contact other sources in seeking solutions to their
PrOblems. In Table XXIII some of the more common agencies and sources
for counseling found on the campus and elsewhere are listed. The students
were asked to rank the priority of sources they would consult when con-
fronted with problems. By locating the rank position of the Counseling

centersomething may be learned of its importance in the lives of the student.

129

The data in Table XXIII are difficult to analyze since all of the
students did not rank all of the sources. In order to overcome this
difficulty the investigator ranked the sources in terms of the number of

students who ranked them. Then the rank position of the mode for each

TABLE XXIII

RANKING OF COUISRLING RLSOUItCnS BY Mu‘uK PCB ITIOI‘S OF THRIH IVIODBS
AND NUI'LBRR OF ImNKRIS

 

Resource Number of Cases in the hank Position of

 

Bankers Mode Position Mode
Family 126 267 1
Friends LL05 15h 2
Counseling Center 396 101, 99 3 and 2*
Instructor 321 51:, 53 ‘u and 3*
Close relatives 267 5h 5
Church officials 266 L2 6
Dean of Men or homen 253 5c 8
Psychology Clinic 228 70 9
Dormitory Counselor 202 39 7
Other ' 59 3c 10

¥

* This appears to be a bi-modal distribution.

counseling resource was computed. Thus the relative strength of the mode
could be judged by the number of cases in it. That this procedure is

somewhat justified is borne out by the fact that the ranking of counseling

130

resources by the number who ranked that resource corresponds generally
with the mode rank of that resource. The primary methodological reserva-
tion of the results obtained derives from the fact that the students

were perhaps somewhat "over-focused" on the Counseling Center when they
compared it with other counseling resources. However, the direction of
this "over-focus" can not be ascertained clearly. The general positive
attitude toward the Center may have distorted the ranking toward the
positive pole.

In Table XXIII it is evident that students generally turn to their
families first to seek counsel and secondly to their friends. The
Counseling Center clearly ranks in third place. Although close relatives
and instructors follow immediately, these resources appear to be relatively
less important to the student, for fewer students ranked them. Also fewer
cases were found in their modes. Church officials do not appear to be an
important counseling resource, for they ranked sixth and only forty-two
students were found in the mode. Relatively rare sources of guidance are

the Deans, the Psychology Clinic, and Dormitory counselors.

Summary
This chapter has been devoted to an analysis of the characteristics
0f students who have and have not used the counseling facilities at
Michigan.State College.
In eleven out of nineteen tables in this chapter the distributions
probabky'did not occur by chance, for the chi-square values were large
and the probabilities (P's) that such distributions would occur by chance

were;un¢. In the remaining tables distributions were probably due to

131

chance and extreme caution was exercised in interpreting the data. In
the latter tables large deviations in particular cells were noted for
what they could tell about particular sub-groups.

Some of the more important results of this chapter may be summarized.
Sixty per cent of the students who returned their Questionnaires had
used the facilities of the Counseling Center on one or more occasion. Of
this group, those who had three or more contacts with the agency had
better knowledge of its functions. They were also more willing to use
the Center again. Among these frequent visitors to the Center the women
and students under twenty-+hree years of age were represented somewhat
greater than their prOportions in the student body. In line with this
trend, SOphomores made greatest use of the counseling facilities. In
addition, there was a slight tendency for students majoring in.the School
of Business and Public Service and iIIScience and Arts to visit the
Center more than students enrolled in the other schools. As was expected,
those with lower grade point averages contacted the Center more than did
those with higher scholastic grades.

The frequency of student-stated problems brought to the Center were
in this order: change of school or major, enrollment, vocational,
educational, personal, and financial problems. The data generally sug-
gested that students who used the Center on different occasions went
therelaecause they had more than one problem. These students usually
WEnt'U) the Center on their own initiative.

A‘small negative relationship existed between the number of times

the smxient visited the Center and the number of his extra-curricular

L1

132

activities. A large majority of students stated their high schools
offered them little or no assistance with their problems. Apparently,
the best high school guidance programs were found in medium size cities.
The data also revealed a tendency for students who had some high school
counseling to make greater use of the guidance facilities on this campus.
However, those who rated their high school counseling lowest also tended
to use campus facilities more. Thus those who came from larger cities
tended to make greater use of the Counseling Center.

There were no significant associations between the students' socio-
economic levels and the number of visits they made to the Center. hhen
asked where they would first go if they were confronted with a problem
while on campus, students preferred the assistance of their families
first, their friends, next; and the Counseling Center, third. Other
campus agencies were farther down the list of students' preferences.

The next chapter is devoted to a discussion of the prevailing climate
of student opinion toward the Counseling Center, and the associations
that may exist between their background characteristics and their atti-

tudes toward the Center.

CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VI

STUDENT ATTITUDIS Tom THE COUNSELING CENTER

The previous chapter was concerned with the characteristics of those
who used and did not use the counseling facilities at MichiganEState
College. This chapter has two purposes. The first is to describe the
dominant attitudes that students have toward the Center. The second is
to discover the distinguishing characteristics, if any, of students who
differ in their attitudes toward the Center. To realize the first purpose
an examination of the over-all results of the attitude scale will be pre-

sented followed by an analysis of its segments.

Analysis of Attitude Scale Scores

Unlike the Thurstone scale, the method in deriving the scale used in
this study permits analysis of over-all scores and examination of the
results of individual items. Turning attention to the over-all results of
the scale, it is clear from Chapter IV that the students at Michigan:3tate
College have a highly positive attitude toward the Counseling Center. The
positive evaluation is so pervasive that it is found in all major segments
of the student body. The highest possible score on the scale which re-
flects the most positive Opinion of the Center is twenty-two and the
lowest possible score is zero. The mean score for the MichiganiState
0011ege student body was 18.hh with a standard deviation of h.36.

Obviously, the distribution has negative skewness.

13h

Due to the distribution of the attitude scale scores, it was decided
to divide the students holding positive attitudes into two groups, favor-
able and low favorable (Figure 2, Chapter IV). This was done because the
intensity curve evidenced a break in the scores of students who held posi-
tive attitudes toward the Center.

The group scoring fifteen and above, comprising 8h per cent of the
sample was called the strongly favorable group. Only a minority of six-
teen per cent of the students exhibited a low positive, ambivalent, or
somewhat negative attitude toward the Center. Those who scored below
fifteen were considered a single group because they lacked strong approval
of the Center characteristic of the large majority. Wherever feasible
this group was divided into two sub-groups. Students who scored from zero
through eight were identified as having unfavorable (negative) attitudes
toward the Center. They constituted only six per cent of the total pOpu-
lation. The second sub-group, those who had scores of nine through
fourteen, were called the low favorable or ambivalent group. Their chief
attribute seemed to be a lack of real confidence in the Center or a doubt
of its usefulness. They comprised almost ten per cent of the student body.
Thus the over-all picture of student attitudes toward the Center is as
follows: over four-fifths exhibited strong positive attitudes, one-tenth
exhibited low-favorable attitudes, and six per cent had definitely negative
attitudes. Later in the chapter an attempt will be made to isolate the
social characteristics of the favorable, low-favorable, and unfavorable

gPOUPs .

135

The responses of students to particular items of the attitude scale
will now'be examined. A word of caution is necessary before attempting

to do this. The methodology utilized in deriving the scale ig pat prim -

 

 

rily concerned with the content 3f the attitudes found in specific scale

 

 

 

itemg. Thus an elaborate analysis of the content of scale items is not
in order. Items were selected for what they contributed toward a total
attitudinal score and not for their content. Nonetheless, this research
is interested in a particular student body and a specific organization.
Any available cues of the organization's evaluation should be considered.
AdmittedLy, the cues are few in variety and must be supplemented by analy-
sis of qualitative materials. This will be systematically done in a later
chapter.1
Several attempts were made to arrange the items of the scale in a
"meaningful" way. Since no single method seemed entirely satisfactory,
positive and negative items were grouped in order of the magnitude of
their scale (S) values. Then the per cent responses in the ”strongly
agree” and “agree" choices of the positive items were totaled, and the
same was done for the "strongly disagree" and ”disagree” alternatives for
the negative items. Interestingly enough, it was found that the more
negatively phrased items (items with increasing£3 values) engendered pro-
portionately greater disagreement responses. Students tended to reject
strong negative items in somewhat larger proportion than they accepted
strong positive items. Thus, while h? per cent strongly disagreed with

item number seven which had the largest S value (most negative item), only

#

 

1. See Chapter IX.

136

twenty per cent strongly agreed with item number nine which had the small-
est.S value (most positive item). The same trend was found for other
items. Mild endorsement of positive items and strong rejection.of nega-
tive items seemed to be the pattern.

The percentage distributions of responses made by students in the
sample to each scale item are found in.Table XXIV. Items nine and one
constitute clear endorsement of the Center in general. Three-quarters and
seven-eights of the students, respectively, agreed with these items.

A typical comment taken from Part III of the questionnaire represents this
endorsement:

The Counseling Center at Michigan State College is a most ex-

cellent service. I know great numbers of students who have been

helped, comforted, and saved by the Center. The impersonality

of our mass educational system of today is somewhat alleviated

by the counselors who sincerely;care what happens to the individ-

ual student. In my Opinion the Counseling Center is a very
efficient and necessary part of the college structure.

 

Items twenty and eleven focus specifically on the functions of the
Center to meet student needs and problems of adjustment. The 'agree"
responses of the two items were averaged and it was found that they came
to over eighty per cent of the total responses. Items five, seventeen,
fifteen, and eighteen also focus on the services that the Center meet.

The percentage of agreement responses to those items range from seventy to
eighty-eight per cent. The higher percentage of approval is maintained
when students are asked to react to statements concerning the service func-
tions of the Center, rather than to the Center in general. A typical com-

ment made by a male who was a Junior and majoring in:Social Service was:

137

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1&0

It's a purposeful organization that is serving those individuals

with problems of adjustment, whether they are in social, personal,

or vocational areas. A service that more students could benefit

from if they would only use the facilities offered. Most schools

should be eQuipped with Counseling Centers .

Turning to items on the scale that are less positive (those which
have higher scale values), it is seen that they tend to put qualification
on the services performed the Center. Items six, eight, twenty-one, and
three fall in this category. There is a higher average agreement among
these items than on those already discussed. The average approval percent-
age of these qualifying items is 83.h per cent. As a SOphomore Home
Economics major commented:

I have had some contact with the Counseling Center in the form of

taking tests and discussions with one of the counselors. Perhaps

the tests are helpful, but I think they are usually as you would

have them answered, whether this is intentional or not. The talks

with the counselor are tension-relaxing if nothing else.

Another student who used the Counseling Center's facilities on
several occasions stated:

In my contacts I have found satisfaction in what was done in the

way of tests and interviews. There seems to be main stress on

vocational guidance and not quite enough on the complete adjust-

ment of the person. It also seems that one obtains better guid-

ance if he is recommended by one of the faculty.

The negative items of the attitude scale will now be examined in the
same manner as above. Items twelve and thirteen have the lowest scale
values among the negative items. They are concerned with the inability of
the organization.to meet the needs of No-Preference students and interpret-
ing tests prOperly. In general, students disagreed with these criticisms.

The average of the disagreement responses of the two items is almost sixty-

four per cent. The lowness of this figure is in part due to the rather

1141

large per cent of those who were not certain or ignorant of the Center's
effectiveness in dealing with these tasks. A senior in the School of
Business and Public Service complained:

I was in NoéPreference for two years and I don't feel I was helped

at all. I finally asked to take some tests, but they didn't show

much, nor did the counselor bother with them much either. In my

Opinion the Counseling Center failed as far as vocational help was

concerned. The only thing that it did was to enroll me every term

while I was a NagPreference student.

A similar reaction was elicited from a SOphisticated freshman major-
ing in Home Economics:

I don't have too high an opinion of the Center. The counselor I

was assigned to, apparently was unfamiliar with the objectives

of problem-solving other than the routine process of giving a

series of tests. Even then he gave poor interpretation of the

test results.

The remainder of the negative items (L, 16, 1h, 22, 19, 2, 7, and 10,
in order of increasing scale values, were more directly critical of the
organization. £3tudents responded by a greater amount of disagreement to
them. The percentage disagreement ranged from 65.h to 92.5 per cent, with
an average of 83.8 per cent. Apparently, the small group of students who

agreed or strongly_agreed with these negative items may be the source of

 

some of the audible, negative Opinions heard about the Center. On the
basis of informal interviews with students, and from a cursory inspection
of the free responses gathered for the Thurstone scale, negative comments
concerning the Center appeared with greater freQuency than the present re-
sults indicate. On the basis of this, one may venture to suggest that
students with critical attitudes may be somewhat more vocal than those
satisfied with the Center's services. It appears, however, that most stu-

dents do not support these negative but more vocal opinions. They may

1&2

tolerate them, but really do not endorse themn Such statements as the
following, then, are to be regarded as atypical, or at most, representa-
tive of a small minority. Expressive of this is the diatribe of a

Psychology major:

From experience the Center ”stinks.“ It is highly inadequate
and I believe that most of the counselors are very inadequately
trained. I seriously doubt and know for a fact that many of
the counselors have had no background in Psychology. It is
necessary for a.Counseling;Center or Clinic to have at least a
few'Ph, D.'s who are clinical psychologists--this Center has
none.

Still another student who is majoring in.Agricultural Engineering
wrote:

I do not think much of the Counseling Center as a direct help to

students. It's just a waste of time. When a student goes for

advice and help he doesn't find out anything he didn't already

known The Center tells the student what to do but not how to

apply these methods; which I believe, is most important. I don't

think that the peOple over there are really interested in students.

The distribution of the students' responses to specific positive and
negative items is less meaningful than an analysis of which students
respond positively or negatively to the Center. The second purpose of
this chapter is to discover what kinds of students hold these varying
attitudes. Before this is done, student responses to two questions will
be analyzed for their association with scores on the attitude scale. The
response to these questions serve as crude indices of the reliability of

the'Counseling Attitude Scale. The questions are:

1. What kind of rating would you give the Michigan State College
Counseling Center for the service you received? (Item.59).

2. fibuld you use the Counseling Center (again) if you needed its
services? (Item 60).

1h3

Table XIV presents the data in response to question 59 in the scale. It
is clear that there is a close association between the general rating of

the Center and the scores on the attitude scale. Four-fifths of those

TABLE XIV

EVALUATION OF THE COURSELING CENTER BY GROUPS M‘IICH DIFFER
IN ATTITUDES TOWARD IT

 

 

Evaluation of Center Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total

 

 

Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Excellent 6 .3 -- 22 .5 19 .1;
Good 6.3 18.2 57.2 50.?
Fair 25 .0 60.6 18.9 23.1:
Poor and Harmful 62 .1: 21 .2 l .h 6.5
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases* 16 33 275 32h
xaaéah P-<oo1 caola

 

* Three peOple did not answer this question and are added to the
no-response group.

who scored fifteen to twenty-two (favorable) on the scale evaluated the
Center as ”good" or "excellent! Seven-sights of the students whose atti-
tude scores reflected unfavorable attitudes toward the Center evaluated
the Center as ”fair,“ “poor,“ or "hamful." The low favorable group in
terms of attitude scores generally ranked the Center as "fair." That the
results in Table m are not chance ones is reflected in the P of the chi-

square which is significant at less than the one per cent level. men the

1m.

chi-square is converted into a coefficient of contingenqy, the correla-
tion of O.hl is obtained. Coefficients of contingency usually under-
estimate the correlation as reflected by the Pearsonian r (see Table
XLIII Chapter 7). For example in a h x h table, C cannot exceed 0.866.2
The coefficient of contingency of 0.hl in Table XXV when corrected be-
comes O.h9, indicating a substantial relationship between the two evalu-
ations of the Center.

Another test of the consistency of the counseling scale is the pro-
fessed willingness of students to patronize the Center for needed
services. The data for this ”action” index are displayed in Table XLIV.
Here again a marked correlation of 0.51 (uncorrected) is found between
attitude toward the Center as reflected by the scale and inclination.to
patronize the institution. 0f the favorable group seven-eights would use
the Center, while less than one-fifth of the unfavorable group would do
so. The general favorable attitude of the student body as a whole is
indicated by the relatively lowrpercentage of the unfavorable group who
flatly indicate a refusal to patronize the Center if in need. Over two-
fifths of this group state an "uncertain“ response.

Further general approval of the Center is evidenced by the fact that
over one-half of those in the low-favorable group said they would use
the Center again. Their reservation toward the Center is exhibited in
the larger percentage who would visit the Center only for certain kinds of
problems. The most adequate index of differences among the three groups

—‘

2. Allen L. Edwards, Statistical Analysis for Students in Psychology,
New York: Rhinehart and Company, Inc., 1916,— pp. 122-123.

 

1145

is the rising percentage of "uncertain" responses as one moves from the
favorable to unfavorable groups.

The distribution of these data is statistically significant, for
the P of the chi-square is less than one per cent. The coefficient of
contingency, when corrected, becomes 0.60. Actually the general results
of Table XXVI are not surprising in view of the findings of the previous
chapter. There it was found that those inclined to use the Center's
facilities have actually done so more frequently than those disinclined.
Apparently knowing something about the agency's functions and finding
them useful would predispose this group to have a favorable attitude

toward the Center.

TABLE XXVI

WILLINGNhss OF THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS TO COINSULT
THE COUNSELING CENTER

._‘—_.

 

Inclination to Use Unfavorable LowrFavorable Favorable Total

 

 

Center (again) . Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Yes 19.3 ’ 52.0 86.1 78.3
No -29.0 1.8 - ' -- 2.2
Uncertain h2.0 3l.h 8.3 12.8
For certain.problems

only 9.7 lh.8 5.6 6.7

Total 100 .O 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0

*
Number of cases

7&2 -l?5.h P =(0.0l C =O.Sl

* Thirty-nine students did not respond to the question.

1&6

Association of Student Background Characteristics To
Attitudes Toward The Center

Attention is now directed to the relation of student background
characteristics to their score on the Counseling Attitude Scale. It will
be remembered that students were divided into three distinct attitude
groups: unfavorable, low-favorable, and favorable. Unfortunately, the ,
number of cases in the unfavorable and low-favorable groups is so small
that observations of the differences between these two groups and the
favorable group must be made with caution. Where feasible and necessary
the two lower groups have been combined. The first task is to ascertain
whether there are sex differences in attitudes toward the Center. In
Chapter V it was found that in prOportion women tended to visit the Center
somewhat more often than the men. Table XXVII furnishes evidence on which
sex is more favorably disposed toward the Counseling Center. The data
reveal that there are no apparent differences in the two attitude groups.
The women have a larger representation than their prOportion in the popu-
lation among those having a low-favorable attitude toward the Center and
the men.have a larger relative prOportion in the unfavorable group. The
chi-square value for the table as a whole suggests that differences among
the groups may be due to chance (P = 0.10). The standard error of the
difference between two percentages were computed for the unfavorable and
low-favorable group, and they were found to be 2.1 and 1.5 respectively.
These are somewhat lower than 2.5, the customary index of significance.
They are large enough, however, to support the contention that women are

somewhat less critical than men in their attitudes toward the Center.

1h?

TABLE XXVII

DISTRIBUTION OF ATTITUDE GROUPS BY SEX

Sex Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total

 

 

Per Cent Per Cent Per’Cent Per Cent
Male 75 .7 S7 .0 68 .0 ‘ 67 .6
Female 21: .3 1:3 .0 32 .0 32 .u_
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases 37 51 h56 Shh
«.2 -= 3.5 P = 0.10

Maturity_Factors. Following the pattern set in Chapter V, the indices

 

of maturity (age, year in college, and marital status) are examined for
their association to scores on the attitude scale. Table XXVIII presents
the data for age. The P derived from the chi-square of the table is less
than.O.SO. This indicates that the differences between the distribution
are due to chance and that the association between age and favorableness
toward the Center is not significant. Critical ratios (standard error of
the differences between two percentages) were then computed between the
attitude groups for those twenty-three years and older. The critical ratio
between the unfavorable and favorable groups was 2.2, which means that in
98.6 cases out of one hundred the true difference is greater than zero.
Some support, therefore, is present in the statement that the older students
are more inclined to hold unfavorable attitudes toward the Center. .Such
evidence also suggests that younger students are inclined to be more favor-

ably disposed toward the Center's services.

TABLE XXVIII

DISTRIBUTION OF ATTITUDE GROUPS BY AGE

Age

Unfavorable Low'Favorable Favorable Total

1&8

 

 

Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

18 years and under 10 .8 15 .7 12 .l 1.2 .3

l9 and 20 years 27 .0 111.2 35 .2 35.3

21 and 22 years 21 .6 23 .S 27 .9 27 .O

23 years and over &O.6 19.6 2h.8 2S.&
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100.0 100 .0
Number of cases 37 51 &56 5&&
7C2 8 6.8 P = (0 .50

 

Other indices of maturity used in this research are class in college
and.marital status. The percentage distribution of the attitude groups
by class in college and marital status are found in Table XXIX and XXX.
Apparently, the relationship between class in college and attitude toward
the agency is somewhat stronger than is the case with age. In general,
the freshmen and sephomores had somewhat smaller relative proportions of
students in the unfavorable group whereas the upper classmen had a some-
what larger relative representation. For example, twenty-seven per cent
of the favorable group were also underclassmen. Apparently, the differ-
ences in this table approach the one per cent level of statistical signifi-

cance, for the P of the chi-square is less than 0.05.

1&9

TABLE XXIX

DISTRIBUTION OF ATTITUDE GROUPS ACCORDING TO YEAR IN COLLEGE

 

 

 

College Class Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

Freshman 16.2 20.0 21.1 20.6

Sophomore 10.8 26.0 21.9 21.6

Junior 35.1 22.0 28.3 25.6

Senior 37.9 32.0 31.7 32.2
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 37 50 &5& 5&1
x3 - 12.2 P =<o.os 0 =o.15

*
Three students did not give their class status.

The evidence that married and presumably older students are slightly
more antagonistic toward the Center is not strongly corroborated in
Table XXX. The P of the chi-square of the table is less than twenty per
cent; which points to differences in the table as due to chance. While no
apparent difference is found between the lowafavorable and favorable
groups, the unfavorable group has a somewhat larger percentage of married
peOple. By itself this fact has little significance. However the data
from'Tables XXVIII, XXIX, and XXX all point in the same direction; older
students, upperclassmen, veterans, and married students have slightly more
Inflavorable attitudes toward the Center. This may be accounted for in

part'hy the fact that these groups have used the Center less. Perhaps they

150

have accepted the attitudes of the more audible, disgruntled students.
Perhaps, too, the cynicism attributed to many veterans of world War II

may have been directed toward the Counseling Center.

TABLE XXX

MARITAL.STATUS OF THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS

 

 

 

 

Marital Status Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per’Cent Per Cent
Single 75 .6 86.2 87 .2 86.3
Married* 2&.& 13.8 12.8 13.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases 37 51 ASA 5&2
7L2 - 3.99 P =(o.2o

* Two divorced students were excluded.

Factors Related to Students' College Status (Campus Factors). In the
following section the association between school in which the student is
enrolled, his grade point average, and the number of his extra-curricular
activities will be examined for their relationship to the scores on the
counseling attitude scale. These three factors are presented as a group
because they are cues to the students' college status.

First of these to be examined is the association between the School
in which the student is enrolled and his attitude score. The P of the
chi-square of this association is less than ten per cent indicating that

the distribution may have occurred by chance. An examination of Table.XXXI,

151

however, reveals a few small differences. Thus the prOportion.of students
from.the Basic College have a somewhat smaller relative representation in
the unfavorable group. They comprise 21.6 per cent of the unfavorable

group as compared with 32.5 per cent of the total pOpulation.

TABLE xm

DISTRIBUTION OF THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS BY CURRICULUM

 

 

School Unfavorable LowrFavorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Basic College 21.6 3&.0 33.2 32.5
Agriculture 10.8 &.0 9.1 8.7
Business and Public 16.2 2&.O 19.9 20.0
Service
Engineering 10.8 &.0 8.2 8.0
Home Economics 2 .7 &.0 3.3 3.3
Science and Arts 2&.& 28.0 2&.1 2&5
Veterinary Medicine 13.5 2.0 2.2 3.0
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases} 37 50 &50 537
1.2 =- 20.3 P =<0 .10

 

* Seven were uncertain or changing their school classification.

Another apparent difference is found among students in the School of
Veterinary Medicine. Although they contribute only three per cent of the

total population they constitute thirteen per cent of the unfavorable

152

group. The students in the schools of'Science and Arts and Business and
Public Service contribute somewhat more than their proportion to the lowb
favorable group. The higher proportions of Business and.Science and
Arts in the lowaavorable group may reflect the more loosely organized
curricula in those schools, and the pressure on the students to make their
own decisions. This independence may tend to generate a general antagon-
ism toward college agencies. In addition, both of these schools are in
the upper division and have more advanced students enrolled in them. This
fact may account for some of the lowaavorable attitude. Since the ob-
served differences are small their explanation must be considered pure
speculation.

As reported above students who perform poorly in the academic sense,
visit the Center more often. Failing students are urged by the college
to contact the agency. It is important, therefore, to know whether those
who have a low grade-point average hold positive or negative attitudes
toward the Center. Table.XXXII displays the pertinent data. As in all
other tables the favorable group is so large that its characteristics
approximate those of the total population very closely. Therefore, it
makes no difference whether the lower attitude groups are compared to the
favorable group or the total distribution. For purposes of convenience
no reference is made to the total figures.

The data in Table XXIII suggest that the grade point distributions
of the three attitude groups are not chance differences, for the probability
of the chi-square is at the one per cent level. The greatest fluctuation

is found in the group with the lowest academic averages.

153

TABLE XXXII

GRADE POINT AVERAGES OF THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS

 

 

Grade Point Average Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
1.0 to 1.9 2.7 22.0 9.8 10.5
2.0 to 2.& 5&.0 &6.0 &6.6 &7.1
2.5 to 2.9 29.8 22.0 29.3 28.7
3.0 to A.0 13.5 10.0 l&.3 13.7 4_
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 37 50 A35 522
x2 - 16.2 P 0.01 C =0.l7

 

* Twenty-two did not provide data on grades.

Those with grade point averages under 2.0 are found in a smaller relative
percentage in the unfavorable group, but in a larger prOportion in the low-
favorable group. The unfavorable disposition of the lower academic classes
is emphasized in the group with averages ranging from 2.0 to 2.&. These
comprise fifty-four per cent of the unfavorable group as contrasted to the
forty-sinper cent of the favorable group. Support to this trend is
underlined by the fact that the favorable group tends to have a larger
representation in the higher grade-point classes of 2.5 to &.0. While

none of these percentages is supported by critical ratios of 2.5 or above,
the fact that they point in the same direction supports the general con-
tention.that those with the lower grade-point averages have generally less

favorable attitudes toward the Center.

ISA

Although it is not the primary purpose to explain the reasons for
these associations, some explanations may be attempted. The fact that
failing students are urged to go to the Center, sometimes against their
wishes, may promote the develOpment of negative attitudes toward the
agency. Once they contact the Center they may find that the exposure to
a battery of tests plus the focalizing on their emotional or other related
problems may produce a feeling of anxiety which may be generalized into
hostility to the agency.

The third "campus factor" to be considered is the relation of the
amount of extra curricular participation to attitude toward the Center.
IIIChapter V it was found that no strong relationship existed between
extra-curricular activity and frequency of visits to the Counseling Center.
In Table XXXIII, however, some association between.participation in campus
functions and attitude toward the Center is found. It is clear that those
who do not engage in any campus function tend to have a larger prOportion
in the lowaavorable and unfavorable group. While almost thirty per cent
of the favorable group engage in no organization.participation, forty-six
per cent of the unfavorable have no participation. The critical ratio of
the difference between these two percentages is 1.7 which means that the
chances are ninety-six in one hundred that the true difference is greater
than zero. ‘While no important variations between the attitude groups are
apparent for those who participate in one or two extra—curricular activi-
ties, those who engage in three or more campus activities have smaller

representation in the two lower attitude groups.

155

TABLE XXXIII

AMOUNT OF EXTRA-CURRICUIAR ACTIVITII‘B OF THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS

 

 

 

 

 

ea: s2===:==============================================g: :::==
Extra-curricular Unfavorable LowfiFavorable Favorable Total
Activities Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
None &6.0 39.8 29.3 31.5
One 21.6 21.5 21.& 21.5
Two 2&.3 23.6 19.2 20.0
Three and more 8.1 15.6 30.1 27.0
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases 37 51 &56 5&&
x3 -13.& P =0.01 c =O.16

 

The over all picture of the table is clear, non-participators in
campus organizations are somewhat more antagonistic toward the Center than
those who belong to one or two organizations. Those who are heavy partici-
pators, tend to have more positive attitudes toward the agency under study.
Such a result supports the contention that participators tend to be more

adjusted and take a positive attitude toward most things.

Center Related Experiences. The third group of factors to be analyzed
for their association with attitudes toward the Center revolves around di-
rect and indirect experiences with the agency. In a sense these factors
are somewhat more important than those which have been examined because
they are concerned directly with student experiences rather than their back-

ground characteristics. The Center-related indices to be used are: the

156

amount of knowledge the student believes he has of the Center's purposes,
the number of times he went to the Center, the kind of self-defined
problems he brought to the agency, the source of referral to the Center,
his evaluation of his enrollment officer. Each of these shall be examined
in order.

It may be prOposed that a positive relationship exists between the
student's knowledge of an agency and his general attitude toward it.
Knowledge was defined here not as absolute knowledge of the Center's
functions, but as self-estimation of such knowledge. In Table XXXIV the
data concerning the student's knowledge and attitude toward the Center are
presented. It is clear that statistically significant relationships are
present, for the P of the chi-square of the table is at less than the one
per cent level. The coefficient of contingency (uncorrected) of 0.35 is
among the highest obtained. Clearly, the more knowledge the student
believes he has of the Center, the more favorably disposed he it toward it.

Whereas one-half of the favorable students felt they had a good idea
of the Center's functions and purposes, slightly over one-quarter of the
two lower groups responded the same. It is also noteworthy that the low-
favorable group had a significantly higher representation in the "some
idea“ category, while the unfavorable group also had a larger relative
prOportion in the "no idea” category. Even when the two lower groups were
combined into one, the same tendencies were maintained.

Whether these attitudes toward the Center are in part a function of
actual contacts or first-hand experience with the agency is a salient

question here. The data in Table XXXV provide a partial answer to this

157

TABLE XXXIV

KNOWLEDGE THAT STUDENTS HAVE OF THE CENTER ACCORDING TO
THE ATTITUDE GROUP TO WHICH THEY BELONG

A_— ——

 

Knowledge of Center's Unfavorable LowrFavorable Favorable Total

 

 

Purposes Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Good idea 27.0 26.0 51.5 &7.5
Some idea 13.3 70.0 &6.7 &8.6
No idea 29.7 &.0 1.8 3.9 _
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases* 37 50 &56 5&3
12 . 86.0 P =<o.01 C -- 0.35

 

* One student did not respond to question.

TABLE XXXV

FREQUENCY OF CONTACTS MHICH THE THREE ATTITUDE GROURS HAD
EITH THE COUNSELING CENTER

 

 

 

Frequency of Visits Unfavorable LowfiFavorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

None 5A.1 Al.2 38.5 39.7

Once and twice 29.7 21.6 28.9 28.3

Three and four 5.& 23.5 18.5 18.1

Five and more 10.8 13.7 1&.1 13.9
Total 100‘ .0 100 .0 100 .o 100 .0
Number of cases* 37 51 &5& 5&2
7;: =7.6 P =<0.05 0 =0.11

 

* Two students did not respond to question.

158

question. .Although the evidence is not overwhelming it points to the
conclusion that a more favorable attitude is fostered by more firsthand
contacts with the Center. Conversely, unfavorable attitudes are more
prevalent among those who have not gone to the Center. Thur thirty-eight
per cent of those having favorable attitudes had no contact with the
Center as Opposed to fifty-four per cent of the unfavorable. When students
who have visited the Center three or more times are examined for their
attitudes, it is found that the unfavorable ones have a smaller representa-
tion in this category while those with favorable attitudes are about equal
to their representation in the total population.

There is a small group Of students who hold unfavorable attitudes
toward the Center but who have not had any contacts with it. It may be
assumed that this group obtained their Opinions from the small unfavorable
group who had visited the Center. That these general results are probably
not random in nature is reflected in the rather small P of the chi-square
which is below the five per cent level.

Data on the relation of the nature of problems brought to the Center
and degree of favorableness toward it are revealed in Table XXXVI. It is
apparent at once that those who have low-favorable and unfavorable atti-
tudes toward the agency also have relatively more problems defined as
personal, enrollment, and change of school or major. Although less than
one-tenth of the problems brought to the Center are defined as enrollment,
actually one-quarter of the problems in the lowhfavorable group are so
defined. In one sense the problem confronting these students is not one

of enrollment, but of finding an area in which to major. Perhaps their

159 '

TABLE XXXVI

DISTRIBUTION OF THE PROBLEZVB THAT STUDENTS IN THE THREE
ATTITUDE GROUPS BROUGHT TO THE CENTER

 

 

 

Nature Of Problems Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Enrollment 6.7 2&.l 6.3 8.6
Change of school 26.6 13.8 15.2 16.0
Educational planning 6.7 -- 6.3 6.0
Vocational planning -- -- 6.7 6.0
Personal problem 13.3 -- 3.9 &.1
Financial problem -- -- 0.3 0.3
Others 6.7 10.3 8.1 8.5
Combination of problems A0.0 51.8 53.2 50.9
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases* 15 29 283 327
752 8 20.7 P = (0.10 C = 0.214

 

* Nine cases were added to "favorable" in the combination problems.

temporary lack of success generates in them feelings of uncertainty and
inadequacy which are projected to the Counseling Center.

Over a quarter of the unfavorable group have brought problems to the
Center revolving about a change of school. Their problems are in some
ways similar to those who go to the Center to enroll. Probably the former
have greater problems, for once having made up their minds on an area of

academic concentration they have had to redefine it. The students in the

160

unfavorable group also have larger representation among those who bring

personal problems to the Center. Although the numbers in the two lower

attitude grOUps are small, the P of less than ten per cent for the table
suggests a relatively small amount of random variation in the data. In

addition, the coefficient of contingency of 0.2h suggests an association
between the variables under discussion.

Table XXXVII displays the evidence on the association of attitudes
toward the Center and the source of student referral to it. There it may
be seen that two-fifths of the students go to the Center on their own
initiative. About one-fifth are No-Preference students who are required
to enroll at the Center. Other sources of referral in order of size are
enrollment officers, friends, others, and instructors. In general, the
differences in the table are small and largely due to the influence of
random factors. The P of the chi-square of the distribution is 0.h0. The
internal differences found above are noted again. For example, students
in the lowaavorable group are less inclined to go to the Center on their
own initiative. Only twenty—six per cent have gone on their own initiative
as compared to forty-one per cent for the total. Obviously, the reason
for this is that the lowaavorable group has a larger representation of
NoéPreference students who are compelled by college regulation to enroll
at the Center. The somewhat higher percentage of the unfavorable group
which was referred by enrollment officers might represent students who
have changed their school affiliation. They, too, are required by college

regulations to contact the Center. Although not statistically significant,

TABLE XXXVII

SOURCE OF REFERHAL TO THE COUNSELING-CENTER AS ASSOCIATED

WITH THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS

161

 

Source of Referral

Unfavorable Low*Favorable Favorable Total

 

 

Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

Own initiative L7 .3 26.2 h2.2 1.1.0
Friend -- 9.5 12.1 11.3
Instructor -- 2.6 b.0 3.§
Enrollment officer 21.1 lh.3 11.6 12.3
Other 15.8 11.9 10.0 10.h
No-Preference 15.8 35.6 20.0 21.3

Total 100.0 100.1 99.9 99.9

Number of referrals l9 h2 9 379 th

:2 =10.3 P =0.ho

 

it is noteworthy that fewer prOportions of the two lower attitude groups
were referred to the agency by friends or instructors.

The last "campus" factor to be considered is the association of evalu-
ation of enrollment officers and attitudes toward the Center. This factor
is not as closely related to the Counseling Center as the others that have
been discussed in this section. There are several reasons, however, for
including it here. First, the enrollment officer provides the same services
that some students get at the Center. Students will inevitably make com-
parisons between the services from the two sources. Secondly, since many

enrollment officers, no doubt, engage in informal counseling, some students

162

may take their personal problems to them. Lastly, all students are sup-
posed to get academic counseling from their enrollment officers. This
means that even those who have never been to the Center have been exposed
to some kind of counseling, which they may use as a basis of comparison.
The Table XXXVIII data on evaluation of enrollment officers and
attitude toward the Counseling Center are displayed. That real differences
exist among the groups is revealed by the P of the chi-square which is
less than one per cent. As might be expected, students in the unfavorable
category tend to rank their enrollment officers "excellent" to a higher
degree than those in the favorable groups. Strangely enough, the two
lower attitude groups when combined have a smaller relative representation
among those who evaluated their enrollment officers as "good." They also
had a larger relative prOportion among those who evaluated enrollment
officers as "poor" and "harmful." It appears that the unfavorable group
may be composed of two sub-groups which split on the evaluation of their
enrollment officer. The lowaavorable group on the other hand tends to
have negative attitudes toward all counseling, and the favorable tend to
have positive attitude on all counseling on campus. Probably personality
factor as well as experiences with counseling are involved in the skeptical

and Optimistic phi1030phies of these groups.

Background Characteristics. The last group of items to be examined

 

are concerned with broad and general background characteristics of the
students. Two of these background control items relate to the students'

contacts with previous counseling and guidance facilities offered by

163

TABLE XXXVIII

HOh'STUDENTS EVALUATED THEIR ENROLLMENT OFFICERS FOR THE
THHEE ATTITUDE GROUPS

 

 

 

 

Evaluation of the Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Enrollment Officer Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Excellent 25.0 8.0 16.6 16.h
Good l9.b 15.0 33.2 30.9
Fair 30.? 30.0 30.5 30.3
Poor 16.6 28.0 l3.h 15.0
Harmful S .S 10 .0 2 .5 3 .h
Uncertain 2.8 6.0 3.8 A h.0
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases* 36 50 h39 525
x." . 214.0 P =<o.01 c = 0.21

 

*
Nineteen students did not respond to this item.

their high school, and two other items concern the non-academic background
characteristics such as size of the community from which students came and
their fathers' occupations.

An hypothesis has been suggested that previous experiences with guid-
ance services might affect attitudes toward such services encountered at
a later date, in this instance the MichiganéState College Counseling Center.
If effective work had been done by earlier agencies, a more favorable atti-
tude might be expected toward other agencies. A glance at Table XXXIX

shows that there is no strong and consistent association between the amount

16h

TABLE ‘XXXIX

HIGH SCHOOL.SERVICES EHICH WERE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS
OF THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS

 

 

HithSchool Guidance Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total

 

 

Service Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Complete 17.? 13.2 19.1 18.3
Tests plus interview 22.2 8.8 11.2 11.6
Test alone 13.3 22.0 18.2 18.6
Group Advice 31.2 32.5 3h.O 33.8
None 8.9 20.6 1h.1 lh.h
Other 6.7 2.9 3.h 3.3

Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 1(1) .0
Number of services AS 68 581 69h
x2 . 11.314 P - 0.30

 

of guidance services to which the student was exposed in high school and
his present attitude toward the Center. The P 0f the chi-sQuare of 0.30
means that the differences in the table are likely due to chance. Again,
it is important to stress that the student's recall of his high school
services, real or imagined, is being examined for relationship.

There is slight evidence to suggest that the lowaavorable group has
been exposed least to high school guidance services. That is, this group
contains the lowest percentage reporting complete services and the high-
est percentage reporting no services. Other differences in the table are

not large enough to be statistically reliable. The hypothesis that

165

earlier experiences with guidance services affect attitude toward serv-
ices encountered later must be rejected for lack of evidence.

As suggested earlier, a more important variable might be the stu-
dent's evaluation of his high school guidance services rather than the
actual repertoire of services he reports. That is, the feeling that
students have toward the services, no matter how meager, may be more
important than the amount of services they were given. In Table XL the
data exploring the association between evaluations of high school and

MichiganiState College guidance services are displayed.

TABLE XL

EVALUATION OF HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE SERVICES BY THE
THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS

 

 

Rating of High:School Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total

 

 

Guidance Services ' Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Excellent and good h6.6 321. 32.3 33.3
Fair 23.3 27.0 27.3 27.1
Poor and harmful 30 .1 10.6 ‘ 1.0.1; 39.6

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

*
Number of cases

as” . 8.9 P =<0.10

* Seven students did not respond to the item and 10h students had
no high school guidance services and could not rate them. Thus
111 students are omitted from this total.

The differences among the attitude groups in this table are somewhat larger

than those in.Table XXXIX, but not large enough to eliminate chance factors.

166

The P of the chi-square between the evaluations of the two agencies is
between five and ten per cent.

The actual differences in Table XL are few but revealing. A larger
percentage of students in the unfavorable category report their high
school services as "excellent and good.“ Thus h6.6 per cent of the un-
favorable group indicate this high estimate as opposed to 32.3 per cent
of the favorable group. Conversely, the unfavorable group, when compared
to the favorable groups, reports a smaller percentage ranking their high
school services as “poor and harmful.“ -

Reason for these differences must be speculative. Students in the
unfavorable group may have a real basis for their negative evaluations.
Perhaps inadequate counseling, an inability to resolve their own problems,
or some other unfortunate experience with the Center, may have produced
this feeling. Thus, when asked to compare services received elsewhere,
they respond by praising their high school agencies to the deprecation of
the Counseling Center. It may be concluded very tentatively that the
attitudes toward counseling services are more important than the repertoire
of services the clients receive.

Two student background characteristics which are not directly related
to their counseling experience are the size of the community from which
the students come and their fathers' occupations. The former is a cue to
the amount of counseling which might be sustained in high school and the
latter a cue to social-economic background. In Table XLI the association
between size of community and attitude toward the Center is revealed. The

hypothesis that a relationship might exist between these variables is

167

rejected for the P of the chi-square is 0.90. Evidently the differences
found in the table are due to chance. The prOposition that students from
small communities who have not been exposed to counseling facilities find
adjustment problems deriving from the impersonality of a large college
which in turn affects their attitudes toward counseling, must be rejected.
This conclusion is reinforced in part by an earlier finding that larger
communities may not support the most extensive guidance services in the

high schools.

TABLE XLI

SIZE OF COMMUNITIES FROM WHICH THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUPS OHIGINATE

 

 

 

Size of Community Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Under 1,000 8.1 9.8 5.5 6.1
1,000 to 5,000 10.8 13.7 18.h l7.h
5,000 to 10,000 10.8 13.7 13.9 13.7
10,000 to 25,000 16.2 13.7 lb.h 11.5
25,000 to 100 ,000 2h.3 25.6 22.6 23.0
100,000 and over 29.8 23.5 25.2 25.3
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases 36 51 hh9 537
7:2 - 14.1 P 0.90

 

Occupation of father is an influencing factor in the social and

economic life of the family. For this reason it was deemed important to

168

examine the associations of this variable with attitude toward the Center.
Several hypotheses concerning this relationship are possible. One of
them is that the career patterns of children of professionals and business-
men are so predetermined as to make educational and vocational guidance a
relatively unneeded service.3 On the other hand children from families of
clerical and manual workers do not have such established patterns. Since
they face greater difficulties in attaining higher occupational goals
they may be in greater need Of counseling and guidance. A contradictory
set of hypotheses may be derived on the basis of their predicament.
Because of their need for such services they may be favorably impressed
by them. On the other hand, their smaller chances to attain their goals
and the unsympathetic reception which they may receive in guidance agencies,
may predispose them to have hostile attitudes toward such agencies.

The data in Table XLII do not provide a clear answer to any of these
hypotheses. The P of the chi-sguare of less than 0.20 is not low enough
to permit certitude of interpretation. Inspecting the data with this in
mind it is found that the reverse of expectations is suggested. A some-
what larger prOportion of children of professionals and proprietors is
found in the unfavorable category than in the favorable; sixty-five per
cent as Opposed to fifty-six per cent. Although the difference between the
two percentages is not significant, it develops a new hypothesis for study.

It may be that a significant prOportion of the children of professionals

 

3. Percy E. Davidson and H. Dewey Anderson, Occupational Mobility in an
American.Community, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1937,
Chapters two to seven.

 

169

and businessmen either can not achieve the goals set for them by their
parents or are not sympathetic toward these goals. Perhaps both situa-
tions are Operating. Pursuing this problem would certainly be an

interesting research project .

TABLE XLII

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FATHER'S OCCUPATION OF THE THREE ATTITUDE GHJUPS

_¥
__

Occupations of Unfavorable Low Favorable Favorable Total
Fathers Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

_

Professional, prOprie-

 

tors and managers 611.9 53 .0 56.1 55.5
Farmers 5.14 5.9 9.0 8J4
Clerical and sales 10.8 25.1; 13.8 11;.6
Manual workers 18.9 15.7 21 .1 20.5
Total 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0 100 .0
Number of cases} 37 51 M45 533
X3 " 9.2 P “(0.20 C =0.13

‘

* Eleven students did not respond to this item.

Returning to Table XLII it is found that children whose fathers are
clerical and sales workers have a larger representation in the low-
favorable group. Although they comprise less than fifteen per cent of
the pOpulation, they make up one-quarter of the low-favorable group.
SPeculation on this near significant difference is of interest. As rep-

resentatives of the lower middle class these students are expected to

170

achieve individual success despite all odds. That is, achievement and

personal success weigh more heavily on this group than on those above or
below them} Apprehension on their part is a normal reaction which could
reflect itself in reservations toward the agencies dedicated to helping
them.

Differences in attitudes toward the Center are not great among the

children of manual workers. Since they are college students they probably

do not differ very much in their aspirations and problems from lower middle
class students. This, of course, would not be the case if this research
were concerned with high school students, for in that group one would find

a larger representation of manual workers' children who do not especially

aspire to the way of life of the middle class.

Summary

This chapter was devoted to finding the dominant student attitudes
toward the Center and how differences in their attitudes were associated
With their social characteristics.

The responses to the attitude scale revealed that a large majority
0f students (814 per cent) strongly endorsed the Center while only a minority
(16 per cent) held mild, indifferent, or negative attitudes toward it.
Analysis of the item responses in the scale indicated that students rejected
negatively phrased items in somewhat larger prOportion than they accepted
the Positively phrased items. The overwhelming favorable opinion toward

“

)4- W. Lloyd learner and Paul S . Lunt, The Social Life Of A Modern Community,
New Haven: Yale University Press, 1931, Chapter 21.

171

the Center suggested that students with critical attitudes may be some-

what more vocal than those satisfied with the agency.
The consistency of the scale was again tested in this chapter. A

positive association was found to exist between a favorable attitude

toward the Center and the willingness to use it again. In addition, there

was a rather high relation between a favorable Opinion of the Center and
a high attitude score.
No significant sex differences were related to favorable Center atti-

tudes , but men revealed a slight tendency to be somewhat more critical

of the agency. Data from the "maturity" items all pointed in the same

direction, namely, that older students, upperclassmen, veterans, and
married students held slightly more unfavorable attitudes toward the
Center.

Some associations between "campus" factors and attitudes toward the

Center were found. No strong relationship was found between school

enrOlled and the attitudes held, but a tendency existed for Veterinary
Medicine students to have somewhat more unfavorable attitudes, and for
Basic College students to have more m_i_1£1_ly favorable attitudes toward the
Center than the college population as a whole. Students with low grade
Point averages were more critical Of the Center as were those who partici-
pated in £12 extra-curricular campus activities.

Students who knew the purposes and functions of the Center generally
had a favorable attitude toward it. Similar attitudes were engendered
by those having more firsthand contact with the agency. There definitely

was a tendency for those not having direct Center contacts to be critical

 

172

of it. Obviously, they must have obtained their negative attitudes from

some other source. Students who had problems revolving around enrollment,

change of school or major, or personal problems of adjustment seemed to

have more low-favorable attitudes toward the Center.

Little or no relation was evident between amount and rating of high

school guidance services and attitudes toward the Counseling Center at

Michigan State College. Apparently, the attitudes toward the Center were

formulated on campus and not influenced by previous counseling experi-
ences . Little association was present between father's occupation and
the student's attitude toward the Center. However, a larger prOportion

of children of professionals and prOprietors were found in the unfavorable

category. Children of clerical workers had greater representation among

those with low-favorable attitudes toward the Center.
It must be re-emphasized that in only one-half of the tables in the
chapters were the probabilities of the chi-sQuares less than five per

cent. The caution exercised in interpreting the tables extends to these

concluding remarks .

The next chapter is concerned with student appraisal of counselor

attributes and specific counseling services.

 

CHAPTER VII

CHAPTER VII
STUDENT APPRAISAL OF COUI\BELOR ATTRIBUTES

Introduction
In the previous chapter the intensity of attitudes toward the
Counseling Center was measured and then related to various student charac-

teristics. An attempt was also made to examine scale items with similar

content. Although this provided some notion of the attitudes held by

students, scale items were not intended primarily to give answers in this

For this reason additional sources were tapped in this research

These

area .

to provide more specific data on the content of student attitudes.
are found in Part II of the Questionnaire where students were asked to

rate (a) the counselors on various qualities and (b) various specific

services offered by the Center. It is the purpose of this chapter to

describe the relevant data for the counselor attributes. The next chapter

will do the same for the Center's services.

In Chapter IV the rationale was presented for selecting the.counselor
attributes and the Center services to which students were to respond.
It was decided to choose for student appraisal counselor attributes which
writers in the field of counseling considered important. The problem here
is to summarize the respondents' judgments on these counselor attributes,

and to relate the latter to the background characteristics of the

I“BSpondents ,

 

17h

Some difficulties are involved in summarizing the data on the rela-
tions of the control factors to student judgments. There are actually
eighteen counselor attributes and Center services to which the student was
asked to respond. Fourteen control items were examined for their statis-
tical association to these attributes and services. Chi-square values
were computed for the fourteen control items associated with each of the
eighteen items in.Part II of the questionnaire. Thus, 252 chi-square
values were calculated to determine the degree of association between the
control items and the counseling attributes. The probabilities (P's) 0f
the chi-squares were also found.

In order to simplify the task of interpreting the data, only P's of
the chi-sQuare's of five per cent or less are discussed. It may be
assumed that a,P of a chi-square of five per cent or less indicates that
some factors other than chance are present in the association between
the control item and the counseling attributes. Although some statisti-
cians are more cautious and suggest a P of one or two per cent it was
decided for this study to select the five per cent level as the cutting
point. One reason for this decision was the fact that students were asked
to react to the questionnaire items whether or not they had any experience
with the Center. With such a diversified group reacting, it was con—
sidered apprOpriate to reduce the limits of statistical rigor to discern
general trends.

It may be pointed out that the lack of association between variables
may be just as important for this research as those variables for which

association exist. However, because of the limitations of time and space,

175

discussion or speculation concerning these non-significant associations
will generally be omitted. In discussing the associations of the sig-
nificant variables, reference will be made to the basic data found in
Appendix L .

As indicated previously the chi-square may easily be converted into
a measure of correlation by the use of an apprOpriate formula. Such a
correlation is referred to as a coefficient of contingency or "C".1 The
latter was calculated for all "significant" chi-squares, and resulting val-
ues are presented in the tables of this chapter. In general, these co-
efficients of contingency are rather small. They are significant, however,
when accompanied by small P's. As mentioned earlier the coefficient of
contingency can never reach unity; thus, a correction factor needs to be
applied to make them comparable to Pearsonian r's. Peters and Van Voorhis
have evolved a formula for correcting coefficients of contingency for
tables of varying rows and columns.2 A summarized table is reproduced
(Table XLIII) to give an impression of the relation between these two

statistics for h x h tables only.

The Control Items
Before examining in detail the association between the students' re-

actions to specific counseling attributes and the control items, a general

 

1. Allen L. Edwards, Statistical Analysis for'Students in Psychology and
Education, New York: Rhinehard and.Company Inc., l9h6, pp. 122-123.

I X?
c .. ...—....
N + I?

2. The highest possible value for C for a symmetrical h x A table can not
exceed about 0.85. See C. C. Peters and W. R. VanVoorhis, Statistical
Procedures and Their Mathematical Basis, New'York: McGraw Hill Book
Company, Inc., l9h0, p. 398.

 

 

CORRECTIONS FOR BROAD GROUPING OF COEFFICIENTS 0F CONTINGENCY

TABLE XLIII

FOR A x h TABLES

176

 

 

Coefficient of Contingency

Corrected Coefficient*

 

0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.b0
0.h5
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
0.80
0.8h

0 .06
0.12
0.18
0.2h
0.30
0.36
0.u2
0.68
0.5h
0.60
0.66
0.72
0.77
0.83
0.90
0.95
1.00

 

* Obtained by applying the correction factor in the following

formula:

no
C

 

0
(.915)(.915)

17?

discussion concerning the relative association of the control items to
all of the counseling attributes will be presented. Table XLIV displays
the P's of the chi-squares for these data, and Table XLV presents the
apprOpriate coefficients of contingency for the significant P's.

An examination of Table XLIV reveals that there is a large variation
in the P's of the chi-sQuares for each control factor associated with all
of the counseling attributes. The P's themselves range from less than
one per cent to over ninety-nine per cent. The maze of figures in Table
XLIV may be simplified somewhat by determining the number of P's of chi-
squares under five per cent for each control item. If score on the
Counseling Attitude Scale is considered a control item, it may be seen
that sixteen out of eighteen P's for the counseling attributes are well
below the five per cent level. This means that the three attitude groups
(favorable, low-favorable, and unfavorable) reacted significantly differ-
ent to almost all of the counseling attributes. In a sense the latter
may be considered an index of validity, an indication that the first and
second parts of the instrument are measuring the same thing. Thus, as
will be shown later, those who have a positive general attitude toward
the Counseling Center also have a positive attitude toward specific attri-
butes of the Counselors and the services they perform.

Returning to the number of significant associations found between
each control item and specific attributes, it is found that ten of the
associations between year in college and counselor attributes are fit or
231g! the five per cent level, while nine of the P's for age are also

at this level. These "maturity" items of year in college and age were

178

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>Hd~ name;

179

found in.Chapter VI to be significantly related to attitude scores toward
the Center. Their reappearance here with statistical significance further
establishes them as important control items. Next in order of numbers of
significant associations is the knowledge the student has of the purposes
of the Center and the number of times he has visited it. It will be
interesting to examine at a later point which particular control items

are of significance.

Approximately one-third of the counseling attributes are significantly
associated with sex and school in which the students is enrolled. Only
three significant associations are found between extra-curricular activities
and grades on the one hand, and counseling attributes on the other. Even
fewer significant associations are present between background factors as
father's occupation, rating of high school guidance services, size of com-
munity from which the student came, and his marital status. Only one
significant association is related to the nature of the problem brought
to the Center. An explanation of the specific associations or lack of
associations will be provided later.

Since the coefficients of contingency are calculated from the chi-
square values, Table XLV is very similar to Table XLIV. In general, those
associations having the highest chi-square values have the most statisti-
cal significance (lowest P's) and highest coefficients of contingency.
Thus, the most significant associations in Table XLIV are between scores
on the attitude scale and evaluation of counseling attributes. The high-

est coefficients of contingency are also found between these two variables.

180

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181

Coefficients of contingency in Table XLV range from 0.07 to 0.h0,
uncorrected. Variation is found within each control item for the range
of counseling attributes. Thus, the range for the control factors of
"grade point average" and “high school guidance rating" is 0.02, while
the range for "attitude score" is 0.2h. The papgg in the size of the co-
efficients does not, however, parallel the average gig: of the coefficients.
khile it is true that attitude score is most highly correlated with the
counseling attributes, this relation does not hold for other control items.
For example, while the range in contingency coefficients between number of
extra-curricular activities and counseling attributes is very small, the
average coefficients are rather large and rank only lower than those
associated with attitude score. The next largest coefficients are related
to "school enrolled” followed by the maturity indices of age and class.
Coefficients in the middle range are associated with such factors as the
number of times the Center is visited, the student's knowledge of the
Center, and high school guidance rating. The lowest coefficients are
found with such background factors as sex and marital status. Thus, the

same general trends fOund in the previous chapter are verified here.

Counselor Attributes
The student evaluation of specific counselor attributes are in this
section. Roughly the first half of the items in Part II of the question-
naire(23-31) pertain to personal characteristics of the counselor, while
the second half of the items (32-h0) relate to the kinds of services he
performs at the Counseling Center. Generally the correlations referring

to counselor attributes are lower than those referring to his services.

182

This fact lends support to an earlier contention that a broad, uncrystal-
lized, positive climate of Opinion exists toward the Center. Students
tended to react with less certainty to occupational characteristics with
which they were not familiar. When confronted with specific items on
services however, they tended to be more certain Of their responses.
Highest currelations were generally found with items 31 and 37 which
deal respectively with how well counselors help students achieve under-
standing of themselves and their problems, and the counselors' information
regarding school and department requirements. Next highest correlations
were associated with counselors' understanding Of society's problems
(item 2b) and their understanding Of student-teacher relationships (item
36). Lowest correlations dealt with the counselors' interpretation of

psychological tests (item 32) and his outlook on life (item 23).

Counselor's Philosophy Of Life. The student's evaluation Of the

 

counselor's outlook on life will be discussed first. hriters have stressed
that Optimism should be an important personality trait Of the counselor.
His Optimism should derive from a wholesome philOSOphy of life which will
pervade all his relations with others. As a natural consequence Of his
personality the counselor should generate in the client a feeling of
confidence and hope.3 As seen in Table XLVI, MichiganfiState College stu-
dents generally felt that the counselors at the Center possess this per-

sonality attribute. Over half Of the students indicated that counselors

 

3. Rachel Dunway 60x5 Counselors and Their tbrk: New York: McGrawbHill
Book Company, Inc., l9th—pp. ll-ll2.

 

TABLE XLVI

183

STUDENT RESPONSES CONCERNING COUNSELORS' OUTLOOK ON LIFE AND ASSOCIATION
OF STUDENTS' CHMCTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

 

Per Cent
In basic philOSOphy and outlook on life the counselors
at the Center:
are always Optimistic 5.3
tend to see the brighter side of life 52.0
are sometimes Optimistic and sometimes pessimistic hl.5
are usually sour and pessimistic 0.6
Total 100.0
”'*‘ Coefficientfiaffld—
Control Items X2 Value P Of x2 Contingency
Sex 3.0 ‘<O.SO ---
Age 30.1 (0.05 0.07
Marital Status h.2 ( o .30 ..--
Year in College 2.6 (0,98 ---
School enrolled 9.0 (0.95 ---
Number Of activities 8.7 (0.90 ---
Grade-point average 9,0 0.70 ---
Father's occupation 18.2 < 0.30 ---
Size of community 1h.3 0.50 ---
High.School guidance rating 8.3 ((0.80 ---
Knowledge Of Center 7.? (0,30 ---
Times visited Center 15.8 (0.10 ---
Nature of Problem 111; (0.50 ———
. Attitude Scale Group 8.5 (0.10 ---

18h

tend to see the brighter side of life. However, over two-fifths believed
that conselors fluctuate in Optimistic and pessimistic moods. Although
very few'placed the counselors at either extreme, a larger prOportion
endorsed the extreme Optimistic response.

Most Of the control items are not significantly related to students‘
evaluation of the counselor‘s philOSOphy of life. As explained above,
comment will be made for only those control items which have P's of chi-
squares at the five per cent level or less. The original chi-square
tables will need to be inspected to determine the direction Of the associ-
ation of the contingency coefficients which are based on the chi-squares.
This must also be done to ascertain whether the contribution.of the total
chi-sguares came from one, a few, or all Of the cells.

Returning to Table XLVI it is seen that only age has a probability
Of less than five per cent for the chi-sguare value. Examination of the
original data reveals a slight tendency for older students to have a
smaller representation in the two Optimistic responses.h That this
association is small is reflected by the relatively low coefficient Of

contingency.

Counselor's Knowledge Of Social Forces. A committee appointed by
the National Vocational Guidance Association to study qualifications Of
counselors recommended that counselors need to have an understanding Of
prevailing social and economic conditions. In order to be effective
counselors should also be aware of changing occupational demands that

__¥

h. Appendix.L, item l-h2.

185

arise from the rise and fall of industries. They should also be aware

of government regulations effecting work, of new occupations that women
may enter, of the changing prestige level of occupations, and other social
forces.5

In Table XLVII the judgments that students have Of this important
counselor attribute are summarized. A preponderant majority felt that
the counselor's understanding of the social and economic forces in our
society is usually adequate and realistic. Over four-fifths indicated
this reaction, and about seven per cent felt the counselor's knowledge to
be very extensive and realistic. Only one-tenth felt that counselors
have limited, inaccurate, vague, or unrealistic understanding of social
and economic forces in our society.

One of the problems is to find which groups in the student body
endorse the extreme judgments. As might be anticipated, those who had
high attitude scale scores rated counselors high in this attribute. SO
consistent are the relationships between attitude scale score and evalu-
ation Of specific counseling attributes that no further mention will be
made of them. Returning to Table XLVII it is found that significant
associations are found between seven other control items and the appraisal
of the counselor's knowledge of society. These are: age, year in college,
school enrolled, number Of extra-curricular activities, evaluation of high
school guidance services, and knowledge Of the Counseling Center.

A summary of the direction of these associations may be made. The

younger age group was inclined to believe that counselors have an adequate

 

5. Arthur J. Jones, Principles Of Guidance, New York: McGraw hill Book
Company, Inc., l9hS, pp. 508-510.

186

TABLE XLVII

COUNSELORS' UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIETY AS EVALUATED BY STUDENTS AND
ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

Per Cent

The understanding that counselors have of the social and
economic forces prevalent in our society today is:

very limited and inaccurate 0.6

vague and somewhat unrealistic 9.2

usually adequate and realistic 83.0

very extensive and realistic 7.3

Total 100.0
Coefficient of“‘

Control Items 432 Value P of x? Contingencyp
Sex .1 < O .8) -..-
Age 31.7 (0.01 0.23
Marital Status 7.h (0,10 ---
Year in college 17.3 (0.05 0.18
School enrolled b6.6 (0.01 0.28
Number of activities mm) (0.01 0.27
Grade point average 12.8 (0.20 ---
Father's occupation 8.2 (0.90 ---
Size Of community 1h.1 . 0.50 ---
High school guidance rating 20.9 (0.01 0.19
Knowledge of Center 13.8 ' (0.05 0.15
Times visited Center 11.8 " (0.30 ---
Nature Of Problem 16.2 ‘ (0.20 ---

Attitude S cale Group 149 . 6 " < 0 .01 O .29

 

187

and realistic understanding Of the social and economic forces Operative
in society. This is substantiated by a coefficient of contingency Of
0.23 between age and the item under consideration. Corroboration of this
relationship is also furnished by the fact that freshmen had a larger
prOportion, and seniors a smaller proportion, among those who believed
the counselors knowledge to be "very extensive and realistic."

Significant associations and highest correlations are found with the
control factors of school enrolled and the number of extra-curricular
activities in which the student participates. Specifically, students in
the Basic College and in the School Of Agriculture had a somewhat higher
representation among those who evaluated highly the counselor attribute
under discussion. £3tudents in the school Of Business and Public Service,
on the other hand, tended to be more critical of this counselor attribute.
.Among students who participated in no extra-curricular activity, a smaller
proportion than expected was found among those who evaluated the counselor's
knowledge as somewhat unrealistic. Students who felt they had a good idea
Of the Center's functions had a larger prOportion among those who felt
that counselors understand the social and economic forces prevalent in
the society, while those who had some idea Of the Center's functions had

a smaller representation in this category.6

Counselor's Knowledge Of the WOrld of NOrk. Many college students

 

who are concerned with problems of choosing a vocation Often seek guidance

in making a choice. In order to function effectively the counselor must

 

6. Appendix L, items 2-h2, 1m, Ln, A9, 53, 55, 56.

188

have more than an academic understanding Of many occupational levels.
Preferably he should have firsthand experience Of different jobs. With
this background he can counsel with confidence concerning the actual
working conditions on various jobs. He should have insight into the
social demands Of different occupations, the work atmosphere that commonly
prevails, and the social demands related to off-the-job life. Often it
is these things the student wants to know rather than the knowledge or
information about the requisite skills of a job. Since some students have
had actual work experience, they may be in a position to detect lack of
understanding in this area on the part Of the counselor. The New York
State Counselors' Association handbook contained this statement:

Occupational life is so diverse that one person can not possibly

have had successful work experiences in all areas. However,

counselors should seek rich and varied occupational experiences,

especially since many Of them come from the ranks of the teache

ing profession and lack recent and firsthand contacts with the

employment conditions in the outside world.7

Students in the sample were asked to evaluate the counselor's under-
standing of the world Of work. As seen in Table XLVIII seventy per cent
of the respondents thought that counselors were either somewhat better
than average or excellent in this attribute. Slightly over one-quarter
thought counselors had only average or limited knowledge of life on the
job. The latter group may be considered critical of this counselor attri-
bute.

Analysis Of the data upon which the lower half Of Table XLVIII was

'based indicated which kind of student endorsed or did not endorse this

—\

vi

 

T . New York State Counselors Associations, Practical Handbook For
Couflselors, Chicago: Science Research Association, 1936, p. 118.
V——

TABLE XLVIII

189

KNOWLEDGE THAT COUNSELORS HAVE OF MDRK WORLD AS EVALUATED BY STUDENTS AND

ASSCEIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUBBELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

Per Cent
The knowledge and understanding that counselors
have Of the world of work is:
quite limited 2.5
about average 26.5
somewhat better than average 57.1
excellent 13.9
Total 100 .0
Coefficient Of
Control Items K2 Value P Of x2 Contingency
Sex A .h < 0 .30 ..-—
Age 22.9 0.10
Marital Status 81: (0.05 0.12
Year in college 17.14 < 0.05 0.18
School 9 .8 < O .90 ---
Number of activities 8.5 (0.80 ---
Grade point average 5.3 (0.80 ---
Father's occupation 10.8 0.80 —--
Size Of community 5.5 0.95 --..
High school guidance rating 13.1: (0.20 ---
Knowledge Of Center 17.3 (0.01 0.18
Times visited Center 17.5 <0.05 0.18
Nature of Problem h.6 (0.98 ---
Attitude Scale Group 52.7 (0.01 0.30

 

190

trait in counselors. Only five control items were found to be signifi-
cantly associated with the attribute. They were: marital status, year
in college, knowledge Of the Center, and times student visited the Center.
The data in.Chapter VI emphasized that Older students were more critical
of the Center and the counselors. This fact is corroborated again.for
the attribute under discussion. For example, married students had a
larger prOportion than expected among those who believed that counselors
have only a average knowledge Of the world Of work.8 Seniors, who are on
the whole Older students, had a smaller representation among those who
judged the counselor's knowledge to be excellent, while freshmen had a
larger representation in this category.

Probably part of the critical attitude Of the Older group derives
from their lack of actual contact with the organization and a lack of
understanding of the Center's purposes. This is borne out by the fact
that significant associations exist between this counselor attribute and
the students‘ knowledge of the Center and their contacts with it. Those
who had a good idea of the agency's purposes and functions had a larger
representation among those who rated counselors' knowledge of the work
world as excellent, while those who had only some idea were less inclined
to agree with this rating. In addition, it is found that those who had
been to the Center three or more times had a larger prOportion among
those who judged counselors to have an excellent understanding Of the

world of work.

 

8. Appendix L, items 3-h3, AA, 55, 56, 7h, 75.

191

Understanding_of Social and Cultural Differences. If the counselor
has had firsthand experience on many occupational levels he will probably
come into contact with workers who represent many classes, races, and
other groups. It does not follow automatically that contact with such
groups brings understanding Of the way of life and problems of different
people. Yet the counselor is expected to deal with the problems of people
who represent many different parts of society. Teachers and counselors
generally represent only a segment Of American society, the middle class.9
Unless the counselor submerges the'Values" derived from class during the
counseling process, he will be unable to Operate effectively with clients
who come from other parts Of the society. This problem is not as great
if the counselor has clients who come from the same social level which he
represents. This tends to be the case on the college campus where students
and counselors both derive from the middle class.

One Of the problems of this chapter is to determine how students on
this campus feel about the counselors' abilities to understand and help
students who differ in race, religion, economic, and social background.

In Table XLIX it is found that one-third of the students felt that counselors

have an excellent understanding Of background differences. Almost twa-

thirds indicated that counselors have ggmg understanding Of students who

differ from themselves in background, and less than three per cent felt

that counselors have little or no understanding of background differences.
The control items which are indices of background differences are

father's occupation and size Of community from which the students come.

 

9. Warner, Havighurst, and Loch, who Shall Be Educated, New York: Harper
and Brothers, l9hh, p. 101.

192

TABLE XLIX

STUDENTS' EVALUATION OF COUNSELORS' ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND CLIENTS OF
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS
TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

.1 ...“-

Per Cent

 

 

How do you feel about the counselors' ability to
understand and help students who differ from
themselves in background, race, religion, social,
or economic status?
They have an excellent understanding of background
differences. 32.8
They have some understanding Of students different
from themselves. 6h.9
They have little or no understanding of background
differences. 2.3
Total 100.0
Coefficient of
Control Items :(2 Value P Of x? Contingency
Sex 1 .8 g 0 .20 ---
Age 13 .2 0 .20 ---
Marital Status 6.2 ( 0.05 0.10
Year in College 12.6 0.05 0.15
School 26.2 0.01 0.22
Number of Activities 3.0 < 0.95 ---
Grade point average 7.7 '(0.30 --—
Father's occupation 8.h (0.70 ---
Size of community 16.h 0.05 0.17
High school guidance rating 7.8 ‘(O.50 ---
Knowledge of Center 6.1; ( 0.20 -—-
Times Visited Center 15.8 0.02 0.17
Nature of Problem 5.8 0.95 ---
Attitude Scale Group 51; .0 ( 0 .01 0 .30

 

193

Since father's occupation does not show a significant association with
this counselor attribute, it may be concluded that either (a) a homogen-
eous pOpulation exists, (b) counselors effectively handle students Of
different backgrounds, or (c) the instrument does not measure the hetero-
geneity that may exist in the population. Perhaps other controls such as
race, religion, nationality, and father's income should have been in-
cluded in the instrument. One student background characteristic which
seems to have some influence on the student's judgment Of the counselor's
understanding of background differences is size Of community. Probably
larger cities have peOple Of more divergent backgrounds. From data in
Table XLIX it is noted that students from cities over 100,000 were some-
what more critical, for they had a smaller relative prOportion among those
who rated counselors as excellent in this attribute, while those from

smaller cities tended to have a larger relative proportion in the same

category.10

Other significant associations (P's Of chi-squares of five per cent
or less) are found between the counselor attribute under discussion and
control items. They are: marital status, year in college, school en-
rolled, and number Of Center visits. Students who were single and freshmen
had a larger representation among those who felt that counselors' under-
standing Of background differences was excellent, while seniors had a
smaller representation. Since the background differences Of the younger

and Older students are probably not very great, the differences may

 

10. Appendix L, item h-Sl.

19h

reflect general attitudes toward the Center. This reasoning is not con-
clusive, however, since a greater proportion Of seniors are veterans who
probably come from more varied backgrounds than non-veterans.

Some association is found between school enrolled and evaluation Of
this item, Students in the Basic College generally rate counselors higher
in this attribute while Veterinary Medicine students rated them lower.

It is possible that the background Of the latter is more rural than that
Of the counselors, or that Veterinary students are generally critical Of
the counselors and the Center. Those who have visited the Center most
felt more confident in the counselors' ability to understand all kinds Of
students, for those who contacted the Center five or more times had a

higher prOportion who rated the counselors "excellent."ll

Counselor's Interest inmStudents. There is practically unanimous

 

agreement among writers that counselors should be interested in working
with people and their problems. While this may also be a requisite for
any job dealing with peOple, it is doubly important for counselors. The
latter should not only have an interest in peOple and their problems, they
should communicate this fact to their clients. While it may be true that
most counselors have interest in their jobs, it does not follow that they
communicate their interest to their clients. An attempt was made to

find how students felt about this attribute for the counselors at the

Center .

 

11. Appendix L, items h4h3, Db, A7, 56, 7h, 75.

195

Table L displays the data under consideration. hhile one-third Of
the student body asserted that the counselors have a great deal of interest
in their job of counseling students, almost sixty per cent felt that
counselors peep to be interested. Only eight per cent indicated that
counselors either do not show their interest or definitely lack interest.

A few differences are noted in responses to this item. Responses
differ somewhat according to: sex, father's occupation, knowledge of the
Center, and the number Of agency contacts.12 A relatively larger percent-
age Of women felt that either the counselors do not reveal their interest
during the counseling process or that they show a great deal Of interest.
This split is not present among the men. Turning to occupation Of fathers,
children Of clerical workers were somewhat more critical of this counselor
attribute, while children Of skilled workers were less critical than
others. It is difficult to explain this situation. It may be an artifact
Of the sampling.

As revealed in the other traits studied, students who had a good idea
of the Center's functions and those who contacted the agency more, had
more positive attitudes. Both groups had a larger representation.among

those who felt that counselors have a great deal of interest in clients.

Counselor's Emotional Stability. In Chapter IV the literature dealing
with the relative importance Of particular counselor attributes was reviewed.
Without exception, every authority insisted that the counselor, himself,

should be emotionally mature. The writers agreed that the counselor with

 

12. Appendix L, items S-bl, AS, 55, 56, 7h, 75.

TABLE L

196

HOW STUDENTS EVALUATE COUI‘BELORS' INTEREST IN THEIR JOBS AND ASSOCIATION
OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTHIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent
How much interest do counselors show in their
job Of counseling with students?
They definitely lack interest. 1.7
They do not show their interest. 6.3
They seem to be interested. 57.)_;
They have a great deal Of interest. 3b.?
Total 103 .0
Coefficient Of
Control Items x2 Value P Of x2 Contingency
Sex 10.5 < 0.02 0.13
Age 19.9 < 0.20 ---
Marital Status 2 .8 ( 0.30 ---
Year in College 8.3 < 0.50 ---
School 1h .8 0 .50 ---
Number of Activities 17.0 0.50 --—
Grade point average 7.0 < 0.70 —--
Father's occupation 16.2 0.05 0.17
Size Of community 22.11 0.10 ---
High school guidance rating 3.6 < 0.95 ---
Knowledge of Center 214.0 { 0.01 O .21
Times Visited Center 20.1 ( 0.02 0.19
Nature of Problem 10.2 (0.95 ---
Attitude Scale Group. 82.8 (0.01 0 .36

 

197

an unstable personality would not be able to counsel effectively.
Emotionally immature counselors may derive satisfaction from the counsel-
process, but they do not necessarily help the client.

Students were asked to judge the emotional adjustment Of the
counselors. It is not suggested that students are able to do this ef-
fectively or accurately. This is not important. It is important, how-
ever, for students to feel that counselors are normal, or at least that
they are not "queer" or unbalanced personalities. As may be concluded
from Table LI there is no doubt that the students overwhelmingly judged
counselors to be average or above average in emotional adjustment. Three-
fifths felt that counselors were like most people in their emotional ad-
justment and four-tenths judged them to be very stable and well-adjusted.

SO general is this endorsement that only four control factors were
significantly associated with the trait under discussion. As in the case
with other attributes Older students and seniors had greater reservations
about the counselors' emotional adjustment, and freshmen had fewer reserva-
tions.l3 Students in the school Of’Science and.Arts had a smaller pro-
portion than expected among those who felt the counselors to be very well
adjusted. One may only hazard a guess for this. Students in£30ience and
Arts are generally exposed to more:Social Science courses. This exposure
may induce some Of them to be somewhat more critical Of the personality

adjustment Of most people.

Ability to See Client's Viewpoint. One Of the most important contribur

 

tions in.the last fewaears is the change in the definition Of the counselor's

 

13. Appendix 1., items 6-L2, nu, A7, 7h, 75.

TABLE LI

198

EVALUATION OF COUIBELORS ‘ EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT BY STUDENTS AND
ASSCEIATION OF STUDENTS' CWTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent

Counselors at the Center are:

Lacking in emotional adjustment. 0.6

Like most peOple in their emotional adjustment. 61.5

Very stable and well-adjusted emotionally. 37.9

Total 100 .0
Coefficient of

Control Items x3 Value P Of 7&2 Contigncy
S ex 2 .1 0 .30 ......
Age 22 .3 ( 0.02 0.20
Marital Status 1.5 < O .20 --..
Year in College 16.9 ( 0.01 0.17
School 22.3 < 0.05 0.20
Number Of Activities 12 .6 < 0 .30 ---
Grade point average 10.1 0.10 --..
Father's Occupation hf] ( o .80 --..
Size Of Community 5.9 (0.70 ......
High School Guidance rating 7 .9 0 .30 --..
Knowledge Of Center 8.3 (0.10 -..-
Times Visited Center 3 .24 0 .70 -..-
Nature of Problem 6.1 40 .50 ...-..
Attitude Scale Group 141 .9 <0 .01 0.27

199

role. Rogers and others have stressed that the counseling relationship
and the authority relationship may be incompatible.1b Increasingly

the emphasis in counselor training has been to teach the client the im-
portance of self-understanding. More and more the counselor is urged

to be tolerant of the unique attributes of the individual. Conversely,

he is urged to refrain from forcing his ideas on the client. The latter
is encouraged to deveIOp by making the atmosphere of the interview one

of permissiveness. In view Of this, students were asked to evaluate local
counselors in their ability to develop a permissive atmosphere.

From Table LII it may be noted that only ten per cent of the sample
felt that the counselors may be overbearing or trying to enforce their
pet ideas on students. One-quarter suggested that counselors are very
tolerant and almost two-thirds indicated that counselors try to be "fair-
minded" in their dealings with the student. The overwhelming approval Of
this basic counselor attribute should be encouraging to the personnel of
the Center.

An inspection of the lower portion Of Table LII suggests that students
of different backgrounds responded similarly in reference to this attri-
bute. The exceptions are by year in college, number Of extra-curricular
activities, grade-point average, and knowledge Of the Center.15 As ex-

pected freshmen and sophomores had a larger relative prOportion among

 

1h. Carl R. ROgers, Counseling and Psychotherapy, Boston: Houghton
Nifflin.Company, l9h2, pp. 1081109.

 

15. Appendix L, items HA, A9, hS-Lé, SS, 7h-75.

200

TABLE LII

ABILITY 0F COUNSELORS TO SEE CLIENT 'S POINT OF VIEk AS EVALUATED BY
STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS
COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent

In trying to see the student's point of view,
counselors at the Center:

are very tolerant. 25.2

try to be fair-minded. 6h.8

are sometimes overbearing and talk down to students. 7i;

usually force their pet ideas on students. 2.7

Total 100 .0
Coefficient of

Control Items x2 Value P of x2 Continggncy
Sex 3.2 < 0 .20 ---
Age 30.5 < 0.20 ......
Marital Status .7 ( 0 .99 ""
Year in College 114.6 0 .02 0.16
School 22 .0 < O .20 ---
Number of Activities 31.6 0.01 0.25
Grade point average 21.5 ( 0.05 0 .19
Father's occupation 27 .5 < 0.30 ......
Size of Community 15.11 (0.50 ---
High School Guidance Rating 14.7 0.98 ---
Knowledge of Center 25.5 ( 0.01 0.21
Times Visited Center 114.2 0.10 ---
Nature Of Problem 9.9 ( 0 .70 ......
Attitude Scale Group 27.1 ( 0.01 0.22

 

201

those judging counselors to be very tolerant, while seniors had a larger
representation.among those who felt counselors to be somewhat overbearing
toward students. Those who participated in no extra-curricular activity
had a smaller representation than expected in the "very-tolerant" cate-
gory and a larger representation than expected in the ”try to be fair-
minded" category.

Again, as might be predicted from earlier data, those who felt they
had a good idea of the functions and purposes Of the Center firmly be-
lieved in the tolerance Of the counselors. Students with lowest grades
had a larger relative prOportion in the critical group. Although differ-
ences among students in the endorsement of this counselor attribute are
found, it is necessary to stress that they are small and minor in view Of
their general approval. This applied not only to this category but to

all others discussed thus far.

 

Counselor's Training and Experience. Although personality and

 

philOSOphy of life are the two greatest factors in successful counseling,
education and training are also important. Host writers believe that

there is no one best route for the prospective counselor to travel in
preparing for his job. It is probably desirable that his background in-
clude varied educational experiences so he can help students with different
needs and interests. The ideal training program for counselors should be
broad, including such courses as philOSOphy, psychology, sociology,
economics, labor problems, and specialized courses in counseling. Not only
does the counselor need a background Of factual knowledge to handle educa-

tional and vocational problems effectively, he must in addition have

202

adequate training in personality development tO handle problems Of per-
sonal and social adjustment.

Students in the sample were asked to appraise the counselors'
abilities to handle student problems. About forty-five per cent indicated
that the counselors at the Center had sufficient training and experience
to OOpe with all kinds Of student problems. Slightly more than one-half
of the respondents had some reservations; they felt that the counselors'
training and experience enabled them to handle only certain kinds Of
problems. In a later section, data on the nature of the problems which
students believe counselors can handle will be examined. Table LIII
merely gives the general feeling that the students have about the adequacy
Of the training and experience Of counselors. It is Obvious that their
evaluation is positive.

In the lower portion of Table LIII the data by the control items are
given for this question. Statistically significant chi-square values are
found for sex, age, year in college, school enrolled, and knowledge of
the Center. It is noteworthy that the sexes were split on the question
Of adequacy of counselor training. Generally speaking the women were less
critical, for a greater prOportion of them felt that counselors can handle
all kinds of student problems. The men, on the other hand, had a smaller
relative prOportion in this category and a larger relative prOportion
among those who believed that counselors can handle certain kinds of stu-
dent problems.16

E

16. Appendix L, items 8-h1, AZ, Ah, AT, 55, 7h-75.

TABLE LIII

203

HOW STUDENTS EVALUATE COUNSELORS' EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING TO HANDLE
PROBLH‘B AND ASSOCI.-’LTION OF STUDENTS' CHAI‘LJ‘LCTERISTICS TO THIS
COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

Per Cent

 

 

The training and experience of the counselors at
the Center enables them to handle:
all kinds Of student problems. h5.7
only certain kinds Of student problems. Slul
no student problems. 1.2
Total 100 .0
Coefficient Of
Control Items 7&3 Value P of x2 Contingency
Sex 10.2 ( 0.01 0.13
Age 22.1; «0.02 0.20
Marital Status 2 .0 4 0 .50 ---
Year in College 22.5 < 0.01 0.20
School 25.5 (0.02 0.21
Number of Activities )4.0 (0.95 -..-
Grade point average 9 .7 < O .20 ---
Father's occupation 8.1 (0.50 ---
Size of Community 9.8 (0.30 ---
High School Guidance Rating 6.9 (0.50 ---
Knowledge of Center 15.9 (0.01 0.17
Times Visited Center 3.7 (0 .70 ..--
Nature Of Problems 3.2 (0.80 --..
Attitude Scale Group 29.8 (0.01 0.23

20h

Differences in responses according to age and year in college which
appeared elsewhere also appeared here. Students eighteen years and under
and underclassmen in general were less critical of this counselor attri-
bute, while those twenty-one years and over and upperclassmen were more
certain that counselors could handle only certain types Of problems well.
Apparently, increasing criticalness which accompanies age and class rank
is a function Of "maturation" rather than experience with the Center.

This interpretation is strengthened because there are no statistically
significant differences in criticalness Of this counselor attribute ac-
cording tO number of times students visited the Center.

The largest coefficient Of contingency is found associated with school
in which the student is enrolled. Since students in the Basic COllege are
younger, it is not surprising to find that they had a larger representation
among those who indicated that counselors can handle all kinds of problems.
Those registered in the School Of Business and Public Service were most
critical for they felt more than others, that counselors can handle only
certain types Of problems. As might be expected students who had a good
idea of the Center's purposes had greater confidence in the counselors'
abilities to handle all kinds Of problems. Those who had only some idea
Of the Center's functions were more inclined to think that its counselors

were equipped to handle only certain kinds Of student problems.

Stimulating_§lients To Have Insight. The basic tenet Of the faith of

 

many counselors is the conviction that their main task is to make their
further services unnecessary to the client. That is, they believe they

are most successful when they have helped the client to achieve a greater

205

degree Of independence and self-understanding. Many counselors feel that
it is not their main function to solve problems that clients bring to
them, but to stimulate the client's problem-solving capacities so that
he may solve his own problems in the future. This philoSOphy is stated
as the basic hypothesis of the work of Carl Rogers:

Effective counseling consists Of a definitely structured per-

missive relationship which allows the client to gain an under-

standing Of himself to a degree whichennables him to take positive

steps in the light of his new orientation. This hypothesis has a

natural corollary, that all techniques aim toward developing this

free and permanent relationship, this understanding of self in

the counseling and other relationships, and this tendency toward

positive self-initiated action.17

In Table LIV is found the student's evaluation of the counselor's
ability to help him achieve insight into himself and his problem. Slightly
less than one-fifth Of the sample indicated an overwhelming endorsement of
this counselor attribute, and almost three-quarters felt that counselors
succeed "fairly well" in this Objective. The group which responded nega-
tively to this category comprise almost one-tenth Of the sample. At a
later point a more intensive examination of the characteristics of this
group is given.

Analysis of the control data reveals that the younger students and
the underclassmen have a relatively larger prOportion.among those who en-

18

dorsed this counselor attribute completely. Older students and upper-
classmen are more inclined to have a larger representation among those

who have reservations about the counselors' abilities tO help students

 

l7. ROgers, pp. 23., p. 18.

18. Appendix L, items 94.2, m, us-uc, so, 56, 58, 711-75.

TABLE LIV

206

STUDENTS' EVALUATION OF COUNSELORS' ABILITIES TO HELP CLIENTS UNDERSTAND
THEMSELVES AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS
COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent
How well do counselors help students achieve a
clear-cut and realistic understanding Of them-
selves and their problems?
Very well 17.7
Fairly well 73 .3
Not very well 7.8
Not well at all 1.1
Total 100 .0
Coefficient Of
Control Items Jag Value P of 12 Contingengy
Sex h.3 (0.70 ---
Age 27.h 0.02 0.22
Marital Status 1 .0 ( 0 .80 ---
Year in College 35.1; < 0 .01 0 .25
School 21 .1 ( 0 .30 ---
Number of Activities lh.5 0.50 ---
Grade point average 22.8 < 0 .01 0.21
Father's Occupation 214.0 0.02 0.21
Size or Community 15.7 0.20 ---
High School Guidance Rating 5.7 (0.80 ---
Knowledge of Center 11.0 (0.10 ---
Times Visited Center 20.8 0.01 0.19
Nature Of Problem 29.9 ( 0 .05 0.22
Attitude Scale Group 102.2 (0.01 0.140

 

207

gain insight into themselves and their problems. Students whose grade
point averages were less than 2.0 felt somewhat more than the average,
that counselors are able to help students achieve insight very well.
Children of professional and semi-professional parents were less inclined
to go all out in their endorsement of this important counselor trait,
while children of businessmen were more so inclined.

Few differences were found in the item by freQuency Of visits to the
Center. Apparently there is a small group of students who have visited
the Center five or more times who are divided in their evaluation Of the
counselors' abilities to help them achieve insight into their problems.
They have a somewhat larger representation among those who rated the
counselors "very well," a smaller representation in the "fairly well"
category, and a larger relative prOportion again in the "not very well"
category. It would be of interest to know why increased contact with
the Center generates approval in some and disapproval in others. .An analy-
sis of the nature Of problems brought to the Center does not shed conclu-

sive evidence on this score.

Summary
TO explore the specific content Of student attitudes toward counselors
at the Center, the sample was asked to evaluate nine counselor attributes.
The degree of association between these nine attributes and fourteen back-
ground characteristics was determined by the chi-square test. The signifi-
cant chi-squares were later converted into coefficients Of contingency to

determine degree Of association.

208

Certain control items were found to be more frequently associated
with the counselor attributes. In decreasing number Of significant
associations they were: attitude score, year in college, age, knowledge
and purposes of Center, number of visits to Center, school enrolled, sex,
extra-curricular activity, grade-point average, father's occupation,
high school guidance rating, size of community, marital status, and nature
of problem brought to the Center. As shall be seen in the next chapter,
the correlations referring to counselors' personal or occupational attri-
butes are in general lower than those referring to their services. This
fact supports an earlier contention that a broad, uncrystallized, positive
atmOSphere toward the Center exists on campus.

Apparently students at MichiganEState College think rather highly
Of their counselors. Their evaluation Of all the counselor attributes
were very favorable with only a small minority making negative evaluations.
then asked to appraise the counselors' outlook on life most agreed that
counselors saw the brighter side of life. However, Older students and
children Of clerical workers believed somewhat more than the others that
counselors were sour and pessimistic in basic philOSOphy.

A preponderance of students felt that the counselors' understanding
of social forces in our society was adequate and realistic. The younger
students tended to have an even more positive endorsement. However, those
in the school Of Business and Public Service had a tendency to be more
critical Of this counselor quality.

Five control items were significantly associated with the counselors'

understanding Of the world of work. Although seventy per cent of the

209

students thought counselors had an average or excellent understanding of
the world of work, Older students, seniors, and married students were
somewhat more critical.

Overwhelming favorable evaluations were made Of the counselors'
ability to understand clients of different social, racial, and economic
backgrounds. As with other items, students in Veterinary Medicine, seniors,
and those who came from larger communities were somewhat more critical Of
the counselors in this regard.

Only eight per cent Of the students believed counselors lacked inter-
est in their clients. The men and children Of clerical workers dominated
this small group. A few indices were significantly associated with the
counselors' interest in their clients. They were sex, father's occupation,
knowledge Of Center, and the number of visits to the agency.

Students overwhelmingly judged counselors to be average or above
average in emotional adjustment. SO general was this endorsement that
only four control factors were significantly associated with the trait.
Older students and seniors were somewhat more reluctant about endorsing
completely the counselors' emotional adjustment.

Only ten per cent Of the pOpulation felt counselors were overbearing
toward students or enforced their pet ideas on them. As expected, freshmen
and SOphomores as well as those who frequented the Center most believed
quite the reverse. Older students and those with low grade-point averages
tended to have somewhat more reservations.

Forty-five per cent of the students believed counselors had suffic-

ient training and experience to OOpe with all student problems, the

210

remainder making some reservations. Significant associations appeared
with sex, age, year in college, school enrolled, and knowledge of the
Center. homen, younger students, those in the Basic College, as well as
those who knew the Center's functions were less critical Of this counselor
attribute, while students in the school of Business and Public Service
tended to be more critical.

Almost ninety per cent of the students felt that counselors were
able to stimulate clients to obtain insight into themselves and their
problems. Younger students and underclassmen tended to feel this more
than the others. Oddly enough, those with low grade-point averages also
believed counselors aided them to achieve insight into their problems.

In the next chapter student appraisal of specific counselors' services

will be made in the same pattern as used in this chapter.

CI’UxPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII
STUDENT APPRAISAL 0F COUNSELORS' SERVICES

Introduction

In the preceding chapter nine attributes of counselors were examined
for student reaction. In this chapter an analysis of how students evalu-
ated counselors' services will be presented. It is, of course, artifical
and difficult to separate conceptually and practically the attributes of
the counselor and the way he performs his duties. However, certain
specific techniques of conducting interviews can be singled out for stu-
dent reaction. These include the way psychological tests are interpreted,
the amount Of time devoted to interpreting test scores, the use Of di-
rective or non-directive techniques, the length and pace of the interview,
the method of advising students on course selection, the treatment of No-
Preference students, knowledge of course requirements and classroom con-
ditions, and effectiveness in dealing with personal and emotional problems.

It is clear that some of these items overlap. They were selected
because students in the pre-test samples were concerned with these func-
tions. An analysis Of their concerns revealed that they were interested

most in these specific aspects Of their experiences with the Center.

Evaluation of Counselors' Services

Interpretation Of Psychological Tests. One of the main functions of

 

the Center is to help students clarify their personal and academic

potentialities. Quite Often counselors administer a battery of tests

212

such as vocational interest, academic aptitude and achievement, personality
inventories, and the like to understand the client better. NO doubt,

many students find these tests helpful and talk about them to their friends.
This stimulates others to go to the Center and take such tests. Since

WOrld Ear II, students have become so aware of psychological tests that
they have accepted them as part of the student culture.

In Table LV the students reactions to the counselors' abilities to
interpret tests is seen. The outstanding impression gained from the table
is that the student body has confidence in the way counselors interpret
psychological tests. Over seven-tenths found test interpretation to be
"usually clear and understandable." Almost one-fifth of the students had
some reservations on this score and indicated that test interpretation
was “too general to be of much help." Smaller ratios supported both the
extreme alternatives of the item.

Variation in the evaluation Of counselors' abilities to interpret
psychological tests is found for a number Of control factors. They are
sex, age, year in college, and knowledge Of the Center. The representation
of the men in the extreme positive category was significantly smaller than
that for the women.1 Likewise, those 19 years and younger, and students
in the Basic College had a larger representation among those who believed
the counselors' interpretations of psychological tests to be "always
clear and understandable." Those over 19 years of age, and students in
the Upper’School felt to a greater extent than the former groups that
interpretation was "too general to be of much help."

M

1. Appendix L, items 10-LL1, 112, AA, 55 , 724—75.

TABLE LV

213

STUDENT RESPONSES TO HOW WELL COUIBEIORS INTEI‘PI‘CET PSYCHOLOGICAL TnS'IS
AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent
The counselors' interpretation of psychological
tests to students is:
Always clear and very understandable. 8.0
Usually clear and understandable. 72.0
TOO general to be of much help. 19.1
Confusing and of no help. 0.9
Total 100.0
Coefficient of“
Control Items 7&3 Value P of x2 Contingency
Sex 7.9 (0.05 0.11
Age 25.2 (0.05 0.21
Marital S tatus 2 .9 ( 0 .50
Year in College 17.6 (0.05 0.18
School 21 .6 ( O .30
Number of Activities 11.0 < 0.90
Grade point average 11.9 (0.30
Father's Occupation 15.8 0 .20
Size Of Community 7.8 (0.80
High School Guidance Rating 3.6 (0.95
Knowledge of Center 13.14 (0.05 0.15
Times Visited Center 11.). (0.50 '
Nature of Problem 13.9 (0.50
Attitude Scale Group A214 (0.01 0.27

 

21h

As might be anticipated, students who felt they had a good idea Of
the purposes of the Center had a larger relative proportion in the extreme
positive response. The reverse situation existed for those who had only
"some idea“ Of the Center's purposes and functions. Although the P of
the chi-square for the control "times visited Center" indicated no signifi-
cant association with the item under discussion, those who had never been
to the Center were less inclined to register extreme approval Of this
counselor attribute. The group which had contacted the Center five or
more times was split on this item, for its members had larger proportions
bath among those who thought the counselors' test interpretation to be
always clear and those who thought it to be too general to be of much help.
This confirms the Observation made earlier that there is an attitudinal

split among the frequent visitors to the Center.

Time Given to Test Interpretation. In the pre-test several students

 

complained that the amount of time counselors devoted to test interpreta-
tion was either too much or too little. The amount of time consumed in
test interpretation is related to the previous item which dealt with the
adequacy of test interpretation. There is no agreement among writers as
to how much of the interview should be spent in discussing test scores.
Since this task is done for the client's welfare his judgment on the time
spent on test interpretation is critical.

The data on student judgments Of time spent in test interpretation
appear in Table LVI. Slightly over two-thirds feel that the amount of
time spent is about right. About one-seventh feel that the amount used

is "somewhat excessive" and an equal per cent feel it is "somewhat less

TABLE LVI

215

AMOUNT OF TIME COUNSEILES GIVE TO TEST INTERPRETATION AS JUDGED BY
STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS
COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

Per Cent

The amount of time that counselors spend in
talking about tests and test scores is:

much greater than it ought to be 1.2

somewhat excessive 114.1;

about right 67.6

somewhat less than it ought to be 15.0

much less than it ought to be 1.8

Total 100.0
Coefficient of

Control Items :x2 Value P of 12 Contingency
Sex 11.7 < 0.50 ---
Age 16.9 < 0.70 ---
Marital Status 11.6 ( 0 .02 0 .15
Year in College 9.7 < 0.70 ---
School 23.2 0.50 ---
Number of Activities 10.5 ( 0.90 ---
Grade point average 15. 3 0.20 --..
Father's Occupation 11.5 < 0.80 ---
Size of Community 7.8 0.95 -..-
High School Guidance Rating ' 11.1 0.50 --—
Knowledge Of Center 9.6 ( 0.70 ---
Times Visited Center 52 .9 ( 0 .01 0 .30
Nature Of Problem 32.2 0.10 ---
Attitude Scale Group 13.2 0.01 0.16

k

216

than it ought to be." Less than two per cent of the students endorse each
of the extremes.

The responses to this question approach a normal distribution. Only
two control items indicate other than a chance association with this
counselor attribute. They are marital status and number of times the
student has visited the Center. The married students have a larger rela-
tive prOportion among those who feel that the amount of time counselors
Spend in talking about tests is somewhat excessive, while single students
have a smaller relative prOportion among those who feel that not enough
time is spent in test interpretation.2 Apparently the latter, who have
to make curriculum decisions, feel that tests are more important.

Since those who visit the Center have direct experience with the
issue being considered, their reaction is important. Those who freQuented
the Center five or more times were less inclined to say that an excessive
amount of time was devoted to discussion of test scores. Those who went
to the agency three or more times had a larger representation among those
who felt that somewhat more time should be given to test interpretation.
Students who did not go to the Center also felt more time should be de-
voted to test interpretation. It is clear that both users and non—users
do not object to giving plenty of time to talking about tests and test
scores. Apparently students have faith in tests and like to talk about

them.

Counselors' Approach to Problem Solutions. In referring to several

 

items above, a central issue in the counseling process was discussed.

_.~

2. Appendix L, items ll-Lul, 1:2, M4, 55, 7h-7S.

217

This issue is the extent of the counselor's control of the interview.

One of the important controversies in the field is the extent to which

the counselor provides solutions to client problems. Some feel the
counselor should provide solutions while others feel that solutions

should come from the client himself. Most would agree, however, that dur-
ing some stage of the interview the client should be made aware of alterna-
tive solutions or directions to his problems.

Probably no two counselors proceed exactly the same way. Certainly
there is no unanimity among the counselors at the Center on the approach
to be used on most problems. Some feel that the interview technique
should vary with the problem and the client, and this is probably their
standard Operating procedure.

In the questionnaire students were asked to indicate what techniques
the counselor used in handling general problems. Of course there is no
assurance that students know the different counseling techniques. However,
the pre-test showed that some students felt that counselors never helped
them directly with their prbblems. As one student said, "You get the run-
around down there. You just sit down and pass the time of day and then
go back some more and kill some time talking about nothing." Other
students indicated an approval of such a permissive technigue.

The student responses to the counselors' use of the directive or
semi-directive techniques are found in Table LVII. Here again the data
conform to a normal distribution, ‘Somewhat over three-fifths of the stu-
dents suggested that "more often than not they (counselors) present

students with alternatives" to their problems. Almost one-fifth endorsed

218

TABLE LVII

DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENT RESPONSES CONCERNING COUBBELORS USE OF DIRECTIVE
OR NON-DIRECTIVE APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS'
CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent-—
How do counselors at the Center deal with the
students' problems?
They usually dictate the solutions. 0.9
They are likely to give solutions to problems. 18.3
More often than not they present students with
alternatives. 53.b
They always offer alternatives from which
students may choose. l7.h
Total 100 .0
Coefficient of
Control Items 12 Value P of x? Contingency
Sex A .7 < 0 .20 -..-
Age 7 .3 <0 .70 ---
Marital S tatus 2 .6 ( O .50 ......
Year in college 11.9 ( 0.20 ---
School 19.1 (0.90 ---
Number of Activities 27 .O (O .02 O .22
Grade point average 10.0 0.30 ---
Father's Occupation MD.S 0.70 ---
Size of Community 19.8 ( 0.10 ......
High School Guidance Rating 2.1 0.99 ---
Knowledge of Center 8.5 0.20 ---
Times Visited Center 7.5 ( 0 .70 ---
Nature of Problem lh.3 0.70 ---
Attitude Scale Group 5.1 ( 0.30 -..-

 

219

each side of this middle response by suggesting that counselors either
give solutions to problems, or conversely, they always offer the student
alternatives from which to choose.

Apparently when student responses approximate the normal curve, fewer
control items are found to be significantly associated with the question.
It is noteworthy that this is the only item in Part II of the instrument
which is not significantly related to the score on the Counseling Attitude
Scale. Only one significant association was found and it was related to
number of extra-curricular activities. Students not participating in any
activity had a smaller relative prOportion among those who felt that
counselors usually present students with alternatives to their problems
and a larger relative proportion among those suggesting that counselors
always presented alternatives. It is difficult to account for this ap-

parent contradiction.3

Counseling_Emotional and Personal Problems. Students and counselors
sometimes make distinction between problems that are largely emotional
in nature and problems that are not. For example, a student may want to
know what the course reguirements are for a certain curriculum. This
question can be answered readily and dismissed. However, it may be that
the answer may induce great emotional problems on the part of the student.
He may have to take a course from an instructor whom he dislikes. He may
be insecure of his abilities in certain areas. Therefore, problems of
curriculum reguirements may become emotional ones. Despite this possibil-

ity, some problems are self-defined as more personal than others. It is

 

3. Appendix:L, item l2-h9.

the intent here to ascertain the students' appraisal of the help obtained
on these self-defined problems. The latter, as any counselor knows, are
often vaguely understood by the client and may be a source of constant
anxiety. Since they are not amenable to rapid solution, the client may
channelize his anxieties into hostility against the counselor. For this
reason it was decided to ascertain student evaluation of the counselors'
ability to help him in this area.

In Table LVIII are found the student responses to this item. The
great majority, seven-tenths of the total, admitted that counselors were
of some help in solving their personal and emotional problems. One-fifth
of the students felt that they were greatly helped and only one-tenth
indicated they received no help.

It is apparent by inspecting the lower half of Table LVIII that only
two control items are significantly associated with responses on this
counselor attribute. They are: the rating that students gave their high
school guidance services and the knowledge they have of the Center's
functions. Surprisingly enough no significant association was found
between the nature of the problem brought to the Center or the number of
times they frequented the agency. Those who rated their high school
guidance services as poor or harmful tended to feel, more than others,
that they received "practically no help with their personal problems" at

h

the<3enter. Having had little contact with guidance services earlier,

their expectations of high might have been too high. Students who felt

 

h. Appendix L, items 13-53, 55, 7h-75.

221

TABLE LVIII

ABILITY OF COUNSELORS TO HELP CLIENTS MITH THEIR PERSONAL-EMOTIONAL
PROBLEMS AS EVALUATED BY STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT
CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

.—

 

 

 

Per Cent
In helping students with their personal and emotional
problems, the counselors at the Center are:
of great help 19.1—L
of some help 59.7
practically of no help 10.1
do more harm than good 0.8
Total 100.0
Coefficient oi“=
Control Items 7.2 Value P of 12 Contingency
Sex 1.1 0.70 ---
Age 16.7 ( 0.20 ---
Marital Status 5.3 (0.20 ---
Year in.College 10.0 (0.50 ---
School 19.1 ( 0 .50 ---
Number of Activities 8.? (0.90 ---
Grade point average 11.2 (0.30 ..--
Father's Occupation 5.7 (0.95 ---
Size of Community 11.11 0.50 -..-
High School Guidance Rating 16.11 0.05 0.17
Knowledge of Center 23.1 (0.01 0.21
Times Visited Center 10.6 0.30 ---
Nature of Problem 7.3 0.80 --..

Attitude Scale Group 32 .8 ( O .01 O .211

 

222

they had a good idea of the Center's functions endorsed the response that
counselors helped them greatly with their emotional problems. This con-
sistent association between knowledge of the Center's functions and
approval of its activities points to the necessity of educating students

on the proper functions and purposes of the agency.

Understanding Classroom Conditions. Many of the problems that students
bring to the Center arise from pupil-teacher relationships and situations
arising in the classroom. Such problems may revolve around taking exami-
nations, performing in front of the class, grades, attendance, and the like.
It is clearly necessary for the counselor to have fundamental understanding
of these classroom conditions, both from the point of view of the student
and the professor.

From Table LIX it is clear that students judge counselors' understand-
ing of the social situation on the classroom to be sufficient. Three-
fifths of the sample felt that the counselors' understanding was "adequate"
and over one-third felt that it was "clear and realistic." Only five per
cent appraised this counselor attribute negatively. Such a general ap-
proval is objectively understandable, for many counselors at the Center
have had teaching experience. As ex-teachers they are fully aware of class-
room situations and problems.

In view of this it is not surprising to find chance variation in

Zeasponse to this item by different characteristics. Only age is signifi-
.;aJIt1y-associated with student evaluation of this counselor attribute.

Younger students had a larger representation among those who felt that

223

TABLE LIX

STUDENT EVALUATION OF COUNSELORS' UNDERSTANDING OF PUPIL-TEACHER
RELATIOi‘lS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS
TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent

The understanding that counselors have of
classroom conditions, problems, and pupil-
teacher relationships is:

clear and realistic 311.5

adeumate 60.2

lacking and confused 5.3

Total 1(1) .0
Coefficient of
Control Items 1.2 Value P of x2 Contingency
Sex 1.5 0.50 ---
A39 19.8 0.05 0.19
Marital Status 1.8 ( 0.50 -..-
Year in College .7 .0 0.30 --..
School 8.0 < o .80 ..--
Number of Activities 7.8 0.70 -..-
Grade point average 2.8 < 0.90 --..
Father's Occupation 9.2 0.30 ..--
Size of Community 11.5 0.20 -..-
High School Guidance Rating 2.5 ( 0.90 V ---
Knowledge of Center 5.6 0.20 ......
Times Visited Center 1.9 ( 0.95 ..--
Nature of Problem 9.5 0.95 ..--

Attitude Scale Group 112 .8 (O .01 O .27

 

22h

counselors had a "clear and realistic" understanding of classroom condi-
tions.5 Older students predominated very slightly among those who felt
that counselors were "lacking and confused" in this quality. The Optimism
of youth and the sobriety of older students has revealed itself so many
times that we may consider the responses to this item as largely an exten-

sion of this phenomenon.

Counselors' Knowledge of School Requirements. One of the main func-

 

tions of the Counseling Center is to assist certain students in arranging
their curricula. No-Preference students and those who change school
preference are required to clear their curricula through the Counseling
Center. Therefore, it is important for the counselor to know what the re-
quirements are of the various schools and departments. This is expecially
the case for No-Preference students who want to become acquainted with a
wide variety of majors. Of course, counselors may and do refer students
to particular departments for advice. Departmental advisors, who are
well acquainted with their departmental requirements, sometimes complain
that counselors are not sufficiently acquainted with the latest details
of their curricula. Thus, students may be in a position to make compari-
sons between their future advisors and counselors. Several students did
so in the preliminary pre-test of the questionnaire.

In Table LX student judgments of the counselors' knowledge of school

zeflauirements are summarized. Unlike the case for other counselor attributes

 

,—

5. Appendix L, items 114-112, 7h-75.

225

TABLE LX

EVALUATION BY STUDENTS OF KNOWLEDGE OF SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS VHICH
COUNSELORS HAVE AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTCRISTICS
TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

Per Cent
The information possessed by counselors concerning require-
ments of the various schools and departments of the college is:

 

 

very limited and inaccurate 2.l

somewhat limited and varying in accuracy 25.2

usually comprehensive and quite accurate 61.7

always comprehensive and accurate 11.0

Total 100.0

Coefficient of

Control Items x3 Value P of 7L2 Contingency

Sex 6.11 0.10 ---
Age 23.7 0.02 0.20
Marital Status h.9 ( 0.20 ---
Year in College 2h.3 0.05 0.23
School 28.6 ( 0.01 0.21
Number of Activities 16.? ( 0.50 ---
Grade point average 7.6 (0.70 --..
Father's Occupation 6.9 ( O .90 -..-
Size of Community 6.2 0.90 ..--
High School Guidance Rating 10.0 0.30 ---
Knowledge of Center 11.7 ( 0.10 ...-..
Times Visited Center 13.8 4 0.20 ......
Nature of Problem 9.1 O .95 --..

Attitude Scale Group 60.8 < 0 .01 0.32

 

226

a somewhat larger percentage are critical of the attribute under dis-
cussion, for over one-quarter of the students felt that the counselors'
data on curriculum requirements "were somewhat limited" and varying in
accuracy. The majority of sixty-two per cent, however, judged their
information to be usually comprehensive and accurate. Slightly over one-
tenth spoke of it as being always comprehensive and accurate.

It may be suggested that students who had contact with both counselors
and advisors should have adequate basis for judgment here. Although the
P of the chi-square for those who visited the Center is less than twenty
per cent, an analysis of the data reveals that students who visited the
center are somewhat more critical than non-visitors. Significant associ-
ations are found for age, year in college, and school enrolled. Support-
ing the trends found for other counselor attributes, it is seen that the
younger students and underclassmen have a large relative prOportion among
those who believe counselors have a comprehensive and accurate knowledge
of school requirements.6 Conversely, older students and upperclassmen
have smaller representation in this category. The largest coefficient of
contingency of 0.23 is associated with year in college.

.An analysis made by school enrolled is revealing. Students in the
Basic College are perhaps most concerned with problems of curriculum
planning because they have not yet decided on an academic major. They
.have a somewhat smaller representation.among those who feel the counselors'

lcrmawledge to be "somewhat limited and varying in accuracy" and a larger

 

*—

6. Appendix L, items 15-142, M4, 117, 711-75.

22?

prOportion in the extreme positive response. The endorsement of this
counselor attribute by this group of students should be a source of
gratification to the Center; Students enrolled in the schools of
Veterinary Medicine and Science and Arts are not as enthusiastic. Both
groups feel, somewhat more than the average, that counselors are somewhat
lacking in knowledge of school requirements. In the case of Veterinary
Medicine the "obstacles" in the form of aptitude tests given to its stu—
dents by the Center may provide a source of antagonism. Perhaps the in-
decision which characterize many students in the School of Science and

Arts is responsible for their slightly negative attitudes in this item.

Assisting No-Preference Students. Probably the majority of contacts

 

the Center has is with the No-Preference student. Although this group
may constitute a minority of the student pOpulation, it is nonetheless an
important and vocal minority. The pre-test showed that students other
than No-Preference had ideas on relative success of counselors in helping
those who were undecided about a curriculum.

Table LXI displays the data on the effectiveness of counselors in
helping No-Preference students to select a curriculum. About three-tenths
feel that the counselors are of great help while over six-tenths indicate
they are of some help. Only a small minority of five per cent have com-
pletely negative attitudes toward this counselor attribute.

Only two control items are significantly associated with reSponse on

truis item. They are sex and size of community. However, the differences

anitdiin.these groups are rather small. Analysis of the original data show

228

TABLE LXI

JUDGMENTS BY STUDENTS OF COUNSELORS' EFFSETIVENSSS IN HELPING
TIC-PREFERENCE STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATION ‘F STUDENTS"
CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR AT‘I‘RIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent

In assisting No-Preference students in selecting
a school in which to major, counselors:

are of great help. 31.6

are of some help. 63.1;

are practically of no help. hi;

do more harm than good. 0.6

Total 100 .O
Coefficient of
Control Items 1L2 Value P of x2 Contingency
Sex 11.2 0.01 0.11:
Age 17.14 (0.20 ...—-
Marital Status 1.9 ( 0 .20 ......
Year in College 3.2 0.95 ......
School 13 .5 ( 0.60 -..-
Number of Activities 5.8 (0.98. ---
Grade point average 12 .0 0.20 --..
Father's Occupation 14.6 0.95 -.....
Size of Community 27.5 (0.01 0.22
High School Guidance Rating 5.5 (0.80 ..-—
Knowledge of Center 7.3 0.30 ..--
Times Visited Center 12.2 ( 0.20 -..-
Nature of Problem 18.2 0.50 --..

Attitude Scale Group 3b.? ( 0.01 0.211

 

 

229

that there is a small group of "No-Preference" women who evaluate the
counselors' curriculum advising as poor.7 In addition, there is a slight
tendency for students from smaller communities not to endorse the extreme
positive choice and students from larger communities to hold slightly
more negative attitudes. Among those who have gone to the Center for
problems not covered in this classification, a stronger endorsement of
this counselor attribute is also found. Reasons for these findings are

obscure and need to be explored further.

Assisting in Course Selection. Closely associated with curriculum

 

selection is the permissiveness of counselors in allowing students to
select their own courses. The usual procedure is for the counselor to give
the students a battery of tests, help them to understand their results,
and later attempt to fit the curriculum in line with the student's apti-
tudes and interests. This last step is vital, for here is the place where
greatest resistance may arise. No doubt there is variation among the
counselors in their behavior when course selections must be made at the
beginning of each semester. Some students indicated in the pre-test that
they were pressured in taking courses.

Table LXII reveals how students generally felt about the counselor's
role in course selection. Over one-half of them felt that counselors
allowed the student complete freedom in selecting their courses and over

tiKD-fifths indicated that students were sometimes allowed to make their

 

f—

7. Appendix L, items 16-111, 51, 711-75.

230

TABLE LXII

PM-iISSIVENESS OF COUNSELORS TO-«ARD S‘I'UDEN’l’S IN ADVISING ON COURSE
SELECTION AND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS
TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

Per-Cent
when advising students in course selection,
the counselors:

disregard student wishes. 0.6
try to dissuade students from their choices. 5.8
sometimes allow students to make their own choices. hl.8

allow students complete freedom in choosing their courses. 51.8

 

 

Total 100.0
Coefficient of

Control Items X? Value P of I? Contingency,
Sex h.1 < o .30 ---
Age 29.7 (0.01 0.23
Marital Status 1 .2 ( O .80 ---
Year in.College 31.5 ‘(0.0l 0.2h
School 59.7 0.01 o .311
Number of Activities 13.3 < 0.50 ---
Grade point average 18.8 < O .05 O .19
Father's Occupation 111.14 < O .30 ---
Size of Community 10.5 (0.70 ---
High School Guidance Rating 8.2 ( O.7O ---
Knowledge of Center 111.1 ( O .05 O .16
Times Visited Center 16.5 0.05 0.18
Nature of Problem 3 .7 > O .99 ---
Attitude Scale Group 15 .7 < 0 .0l 0.17

 

23l

own choices. Only 6.h per cent felt that counselors actively tried to
dissuade students from choosing their courses or they disregarded student
wishes entirely.

There was enough differences among students, however, to indicate
that Opinions were in.part a function of their backgrounds. Significant
associations were found for age, year in college, school, grade-point
average, knowledge of the Center's purposes, and number of times students
contacted the Center. As was the case with many of the above items, the
younger students and the underclassmen held significantly more positive
attitudes toward this counselor attribute than older students and upper-
classmen.8 Other explanations may be ventured in this connection.

A large number of older students who were veterans received counsel-
ing in different Guidance Centers Operated by the Veterans' Administra-
tion. If this group had occasion to use the campus facility a comparison
of the counseling Obtained was inevitably made. Many of the younger non-
veteran students enrolled in the Effective Living course. A section of
the course content is devoted to explaining the function and purposes of
the Counseling Center. The information may stimulate a more positive
attitude toward the Center and its functions. Further evidence for this
conjecture lies in the fact that No-Preference students in the Basic
College consistently have more positive attitudes than students in other
schools. In this instance they had a larger percentage among those who

felt the counselors allowed students complete freedom in choosing their

 

8. Appendix L, items 18-h2, 1111, 1:7, 115-116, SS, 56, 7h-7S.

232

courses. Students in the School of Business and Public Service were less
inclined to endorse this counselor quality, for they had a larger repre-
sentation among those who felt that student wishes were sometimes heeded
by the counselors. 2

Students who have low grades are often referred to the Center for
help and counseling. As most counselors are aware, students with a low
grade-point average are prone to blame many situations for their predica-
ment. Their Opinion on this item is therefore important. Apparently,
the group is split, for it has a larger relative prOportion among those
who felt counselors tried to dissuade them from selecting courses and a
large relative prOportion among those who felt they had complete freedom
in course selection.

As in the case for other items, students who had a good idea of the
Center's functions had the highest regard for the counselor attribute
under diScussion. Likewise those who visited the Center most largely
endorsed the counselor's permissiveness in allowing students to choose

their courses.

Pacing the Interview. The length and pace of the interview is vitally

 

important for the success of the therapeutic process. Many writers stress
that the interview should not be hurried, that the client should feel the
counselor has given him all the time that he needs. This is done by
structuring the interview at the beginning SO that the client builds up
reasonable expectations of it.

Counselors of the Center have cases in which the pacing and length of

the interview becomes an important factor. Since each counselor of the

233

Center has a heavy case load, a certain amount of "processing" is in-
evitable. This is true especially during each registration period. At
such times the counselor can not spend sufficient time with the student,
for the pressure of registration is relentless.

In spite of the fact that counselors have a heavy case load and are
often rushed, the data in Table LXIII reveal that students generally felt
that the pace and length of the interview was apprOpriate. Over one-half
indicated that the amount of time given to the interview was reasonable.
One-quarter felt that the length of the interview was set by the student,
while an equal proportion stated that interviews were somewhat hurried.

It may be noted which students held the extreme positions. Signifi-
cant associations were found to exist between sex and times the Center
was visited.9 meen more than men felt that length of the interview is
set by the student. The attitude held by those who frequented the Center
most is especially vital for this item. Those who went to the Center five
or more times gave greater support, than did others to the Opinion that
the length of the interview is set by the student himself. Those who
never used the Center had a larger proportion among those who felt that
the interview time was reasonable. It is revealing that the Center's

strongest boosters are those who had most experience and contact with it.

Summary

In this chapter an attempt was made to determine how students evalu-

ated the services rendered by counselors. Some of these services

 

9. Appendix.L, items l7-hl, 56, 7h-75.

2314

TABLE LXIII

HOh?STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT COUNSELORS' ALLOCATION OF INTERVIEN'TIME AND
ASSOCIATION OF STUDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS TO THIS COUNSELOR ATTRIBUTE

 

 

 

 

Per Cent I
How do you feel about the amount of time
given for interviews by the counselors?
Interview is quick, impersonal, and rushed. 2.l
Interview feels somewhat hurried. 25.3
Interview time is reasonable 51.2
Length of interview is set by the student. 23.14
Total I 100 .0
Coefficient of
Control Items L2 Value P of L2 Contingency
Sex 21.6 (0.01 0.20
Age lbs (0.30 ---
Marital Status h .8 ( 0 .20 ..--
Year in College 10 .7 ( O .30 ---
School 12 .8 O .80 ---
Number of Activities 12 .2 ( 0.50 -—-
Grade point average 15.5 0.10 ---
Father's Occupation l2 .6 ( O .50 ---
Size of Community 11.2 0.50 ---
High School Guidance Rating 11.9 < O .30 ---
Knowledge of Center 10.11 0.10 ---
Times Visited Center 56.11 < 0.01 O .31
Nature of Problem 23.2 (0.20 ---
Attitude Scale Group 18.9 ( 0.01 0.19

 

235

overlapped with the counselors' attributes discussed in the previous
chapter. As was the case with the counselors' personal qualities, students
had very favorable attitudes toward counseling services.

when asked to judge how well counselors interpreted psychological
tests a large majority of students expressed satisfaction with this service,
for only twenty per cent felt the interpretations were too general to be
of help. Variations occured for sex, age, year in college, and knowledge
of the Center's functions. women and younger students and those who knew
the Center's functions well endorsed the extreme positive evaluations.

Neither users nor non-users of the Center objected to the time given
to test interpretations. However, the married students tended to feel
that the amount of time given to test interpretation was excessive.

In evaluating the counselors' approach to problem solutions most
students approved the permissive technique. While only a few clients ens
dorsed both extremes of this attribute, the majority stated that counselors
usually presented them with alternative solutions. There was a tendency
for non-users to believe counselors were more directive in dealing with
student problems. Only number of extra-curricular activities was signifi-
cantly associated with this counselor quality.

Ninety per cent of the students felt that counselors were of some
help or of great help in solving personal-emotional problems. A tendency
existed for those who rated their high school guidance as poor to be more
critical of the counselors' ability to help in the area of personal-
emotional problems. However, those who had knowledge of the Center's

functions expressed favorable attitudes.

236

when asked to evaluate how much help counselors were to No-Preference
students nine-tenths stated that counselors were of some or great help.
Only five per cent expressed a lack of confidence in this area. Only two
control items were significantly associated with this attribute: sex and
size of community. hbmen NOéPreference students and clients coming from
larger communities tended to be more critical of the help counselors gave
them.

Over one-half of the students felt that counselors allowed them
complete freedom in selecting courses, while forty per cent stated that
only sometimes were they allowed to make their own choice. There was
enough difference among students to suggest that the Opinion expressed here
were in part a function of their backgrounds. Significant associations
were found for age, year in school, school enrolled, grade point average,
knowledge of the Center's functions and the number of visits to the agency.
As was the case with many other items, younger students and under-classmen
held significantly more positive attitudes toward this attribute than
Older students and upper-classmen. Those who used the Center often held
the more positive Opinions of the counselors' permissiveness.

In spite of the heavy case load that counselors have at the Center
one-half of the students felt that the counselors gave them sufficient
interview time. One-quarter felt the interviews were somewhat hurried.
Significant associations were found to exist between sex and the number of
times the Center was visited. homen tended to feel that length of the
interview was set by the students as did those who attended the Center five

or more times.

237

In the next chapter a content analysis of the free responses con-
cerning counselors and the Counseling Center will be made to supplement

the material presented in Chapters VI, VII, and VIII.

CHAPTER IX

CHAPTER IX

CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE FREE RESPONSES CONCERNING
THE COUNSELORS AND THE COUNSELING CENTER
Introduction

The data analyzed and interpreted in the three preceding chapters
were obtained from student responses to the structured sections of the
questionnaire, namely Part I, II, and portions of Part III. These data
were used to provide both a general and specific picture of student
attitudes toward counseling on campus, as well as the relation of atti-
tudes to the students' background characteristics. A limitation of
Parts I and II is that they afforded the students little Opportunity to
express their individual or unique feelings concerning the counselors
and the Center. The last item in Part III of the instrument (question 72)
was designed to eliminate this inadequacy. It not only furnished the
respondents with an Opportunity to express their feelings they gained
from their unique experiences with the Center, it also gave them the
Opportunity to react to the Questionnaire.

It is the purpose of this chapter to tabulate some of the typical
and most recurrent feelings that students expressed about the counselors
and the Center. Verbatim comments of students in different content cate-
gories will be reproduced to give the reader an idea of the specific
feelings of the students, as well as clues to the areas where the Counsel-

ing Center might improve its present facilities.

239

The procedure for making the content analysis of responses was
Esimple and direct. Each questionnaire was first sorted to segregate
those who made free response comments from those who did not. There
were 303 students, or 55.5 per cent of the sample who expressed some of
their feelings in writing; Such a large percentage of responses suggests
that students manifested considerable interest in the Counseling Center
and its future. Although the amount of writing ranged from a single
sentence to three typewritten pages, the average comment was between one
to two paragraphs. The majority of the responses were rather sophisti-
cated and well phrased. A minority of the responses evidenced poor
grammatical knowledge and naivete of ideas.

In order to determine whether students who had free response com-
ments differed from those who did not, both groups were compared for such
background characteristics as sex, age, class, school enrolled, size of
community, high school guidance rating, number of Center visits, rating
of the Center, and future use of the agency. No statistically signifi-
cant differences between the percentages were found between these two
groups for any of the background characteristics. Apparently, neither
the experience of visiting the Center nor the evaluation of its services
were important factors in evoking free responses. Possibly personality
factors rather than background characteristics were not instrumental in
eliciting the large number of free responses. A statistical comparison

of the characteristics of respondents and non-respondents may be found in

Appendix M .

2ND

The investigator read all of the free responses twice in order to
Cietermine the number of categories needed to group the student reactions.
It appeared that the responses could be coded into twenty distinct groups.
Each questionnaire was reread and classified according to this established
code. hhen a response contained two or more different ideas, it was ex-
amined closely to determine which idea was more central and which occupied
more Space. hith these decisions made, the questionnaire was placed in
one of the twenty categories. A fourth reading was made to make sure
that the responses were properly coded and placed in their proper classes.

Table LXIV reveals the different categories and the number of student
responses in each. The percentages in column three were Obtained by re-
computing the responses with the 109 non-substantive statements in cate-
gories one and two subtracted from the total responses in column one.
This was done because these 109 statements did not contain attitudinal
materials. After a brief description of categories one and two of column
one, the percentages in column three will be used to describe the content

Of the free responses.

The Free Responses
Analysis of the free responses will deal in turn with: (a) comments
on the questionnaire and experience with the Center; (b) statements indi-
cative of favorable attitudes; (c) statements expressing ambivalent feel-
ings; (d) comments relating to negative opinions; and (e) responses which

are unclassified.

2111

An over-all analysis of columns one and two of Table LXIV reveals
that slightly over one-fifth of the statements were concerned with their
inability to make responses for lack of direct contact with the Center.
In addition slightly over one-eighth of them made some statements about
the questionnaire. The remaining two-thirds of the students commented
directly on their attitudes toward the Center and its counselors. An
examination of those who made substantive responses shows that a greater
proportion of them had negative attitudes than the total population. Only
three-tenths of the students who made free responses evidenced positive
attitudes toward counseling, about five per cent had a neutral or ambiva-
lent attitudes, and approximately one-fifth displayed negative attitudes.
These results indicate that a smaller prOportion of the students who had
positive Opinions toward the Center took time to make free responses.

A slightly different picture is obtained if the responses of those
who had no experience with the Center and those who remarked only on the
questionnaire are omitted in the computation, as is done in column three
of Table LXIV. Among those who actually expressed attitudes almost one-
half display positive ones. About three-tenths revealed negative attitudes,
and the remaining fifth had either ambivalent, neutral, or unclassified
attitudes. Despite this recalculation, it is still plain that more of the
students who had antagonistic attitudes toward the Center and the counselors
took time to indicate their feelings. This is to be expected, for the
satisfied would have less reason to elaborate their feelings. The antagon-
istic probably hoped their comments would have an effect on the policy of

the Center or merely wanted "to get something off their chests." Before

TABLE LXIV

2h2

CLASS IFICATION OF STUDENT FREE RrBPONSEB REGARDING THE COUNSELORS

AND THE MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE COUNSELING CENTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category Number Per Cent Per Cent
Minus 1 & 2
Expressing no attitudg
1. No experience to evaluate Center 68 22.5 ---
2. Remarks about questionnaire hl 13.5 ---
Positive comments
3. High regard for Counseling Center 27 8.9 13.9
A. Center must advertise its services 25 9.2 12.8
5. Counselors are friendly and helpful 19 6.3 9.8
6. Counselors are helpful in educational
and vocational planning 9 3.0 h.7
7. Client suggestions for.improving the
Center 6 1.9 3.1
8. Non-users feel Center is an important
campus agency 6 1.9 3.1
Sub-total 92 31 .2 h? .h
Ambivalent comments
9. Ambivalent feelings toward counselors 7 2.3 3.6
10. Counselors' help depends on problem 5 1.7 2.5
11. Counselors' interest in clients A 1.3 2.1
Sub-total 1:3 5 .3 8.2
Negative comments
12. Counselors lack professional training 15 h.9 7.7
13. Need for better interpretation of
psychological tests 12 h.0 6.1
lb. Low regard for Center 10 3.3 5.2
15. Counselors lack information and are
of little assistance 10 3.3 5.2
16. Interviews are too rushed 8 2.7 h.1
17. Counselors' attitudes toward client's
views are poor h 1.3 2.1
18. Counselors are unable to handle
personal-emotional problem 3 1.0 1.5
Sub-total 62 20.5 31.9
Unclassified comments
19. Pertaining to enrollment officers 7 2.3 3.1
20. Unclassified comments 17 5.6 8.8
Sub-total 2h 7.9 11.9
Grand total 303 99.9 99.9

 

2h3

presenting representative statements for each of the four content cate-
gories, attention will be diverted to the analysis of the free response
comments made by the three attitude groups of the Counseling Attitude
Scale.

At first the plan of this chapter was to analyze in detail the free
responses of the three attitude groups. However, the number of statements
made by the unfavorable and low favorable groups were too few to make
this kind of analysis meaningful. The broad content categories used in
Table LXIV were substituted for the originally conceived analysis.
Although Table LIV presents the data in the detailed content categories,
only a general analysis of the three attitude groups is provided.

Inspection of Table LXV reveals that the unfavorable and low favor-
able groups were less inclined to evaluate the Center because a greater
prOportion had less experience with the agency. The favorable group, on
the other hand, was more interested in making comments about the instru-
ment rather than giving their reactions to the Center. As could be
expected there were no students in the unfavorable group, as measured by
the scale, who had favorable things to say about the Center. On the other
hand those in the low favorable group and favorable group, 12.5 per cent
and 35.8 per cent respectively, gave six different kinds of positive com-
ments. This is another indication that the Counseling Attitude Scale
measured the attitude toward the Counseling Center adeguately.

In the three categories listed under "ambivalent comments" there
appears to be little difference between the three attitude groups. There

are differences, however, between the three groups in the seven responses

TABLE LXV

CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENT FREE RESPONSES REGARDING COUNSELORS AND
THE COUNSELING CENTER ACCORDING TO THE THREE ATTITUDE GROUES

214A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfavor- Loijavor- .Favor-
Category able able able
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Expressing No Attitude
1. No experience to evaluate Center. 35.0 3 .5 19.7
2. Remarks about Questionnaire. 5.0 7.5 15.2
s ub-total to .0 to .0 3L. .9
Positive Comments
3. High regard for Counseling Center. 0.0 2.5 10.7
A. Center must advertise its services. 0.0 7.5 9.0
5. Counselors are friendly and helpful. 0.0 0.0 7.8
6. Counselors are helpful in educational-
vocational planning. 0.0 0.0 3.7
7. Clients' suggestions for improvement. 0.0 2.5 2.1
8. Non-users regard Center as necessary. 0.0 0.0 2.5
Sub-total 0.0 12 .5 35 .8
Ambivalent Comments
9. Ambivalent feelings toward counselors. 0.0 2.5 2.5
10. Counselors' help depends on problem. 5.0 0.0 1.6
11. Counselors' interest in clients. 0.0 0.0 1.6
Sub-total 5 .0 2 .5 5 .7
Negative Comments
12. Counselors lack professional training. 10.0 12.5 3.3
13. Want better interpretation of tests. 5.0 5.0 3.7
1h. General low regard for Center. 10.0 10.0 1.6
15. Counselors lack information and are of
little assistance. 10.0 7.5 2.1
16. Interviews are too rushed. 0.0 7.5 2.1
17. Counselors' attitudes toward clients'
views are poor. 5.0 2.5 .8
18. Counselors are unable to handle
personal-emotional problems. 5.0 0.0 .8
Sub-total 145 .0 h; .0 1); ,1.
Unclassified Comments
19. Pertaining to enrollment officers. 0.0 0.0 2.9
20. Unclassified comments. 10.0 0.0 6.3
Sub-total 10.0 0.0 9.2
Grand total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Number of cases 20 to 2h3

 

listed under "negative comments." Again as expected, the unfavorable

and low favorable groups had a larger prOportion of negative comments
about the Center than students in the favorable group. Over two-fifths

of the comments of the two lower attitude groups were classified as nega-
tive as contrasted to one-seventh of the comments of the favorable group.
The students in the favorable group who made negative comments were
probably: (a) in the lower range of the favorable scores, or (b) those
who had constructive ideas in improving the services of the Center. There
appeared to be little differences between the unfavorable and favorable
groups in the unclassified section of Table LXV. In the remaining section
of this chapter typical comments made by students in all of the content

categories will be reproduced.

Statements EXpressing No Attitude
As indicated earlier those who expressed no attitude comprised
slightly over one-third of the sample subjects who made free responses in

Part III of the instrument.

No Experience to Evaluate the Center. This group constituted slightly

 

over one-fifth of those responding. There is little to be said of this
group, excepting that they desired to explain why they could not make sub-
stantive comments.

As a SOphomore wrote:

Had little contact with the Center, but friends have had
good results.

A male freshman enrolled in the school of Science and Arts and

nmjoring in pre-Law said:

2A6

I have tried to answer these Questions to the best of my

ability but due to the fact that I have had only limited

experience with the Counseling Center I feel that possibly

some of these answers may be inadeQuate.

Remarks About The Questionnaire. Approximately fourteen per cent of
the students who made comments in the Open-ended question wanted to write
about the Questionnaire itself. Some of them praised the instrument, but
some of them objected to questions sixty-one through seventy. They felt
it was rather difficult to list in pr0per sequence the peOple or agencies
to whom they would take their personal problems. .A number of students in
this group appeared to be SOphisticated in tests and test construction and
offered suggestions in improving the Questionnaire. Of course, not knowing
the extent and purpose of this study, their comments often lacked validity.

A male senior who is majoring in Psychology pointed out:

Although I haven't had contact with this Counseling Center, I

have had some experience with the Veterans' Counseling Center

and on this basis have made my decisions to the items in this

Questionnaire. I am dubious of the value of this Questionnaire

completed by any individual never having had counseling service

which somewhat necessitates fabrication of answers which would

hardly add to the statistical significance of compiled data.

Another psychology student had the same thought when he remarked very

briefly:

I believe the validity of the first forty questions is very low.
The desired (correct) answer is too plain.

Not having had any experience with the Center, a freshman Art student
wanted to express his feelings about the Questionnaire. He was impressed
with the instrument, and wrote:

The Questionnaire is a good way to test student Opinion about
the Counseling Center.

2A?

A junior majoring in Home Economics who used the services of the
Center several times remarked:

The Center helped me to select my major and I have only praise
for it. The Questionnaire is excellent, I think, except for
Questions 61 through 70. It is difficult to place the items in
proper seQuence. The seQuence would depend upon the nature and
kind of personal problem.

Statements Expressing Favorable Attitudes

 

 

High Regard for Counseling Center. As has been discovered in the pre-
ceding chapters, students at Michigan.State College hold favorable atti-
tudes toward the counselors and the Counseling Center on this campus.

From Table LXIV, column three it was found that approximately fourteen per
cent of the free response comments showed that students had a high regard
for the Center and wanted to express their appreciation of the agency in
writing. A larger per cent of the students were also appreciative of the
personnel services, but they expressed their satisfaction for one specific
attribute of the Center as shall be noted in the comments that follow.
Included in this category are general or unclassified favorable remarks
about the Center. Four comments are quoted below.

A young man who was asked to leave school about the time he received
his questionnaire was very complimentary about the Center. His failure to
meet scholastic requirements brought him to the Center. Possessing no
bitterness he wrote:

The counselors at the Center, in my Opinion, are much needed

at MichiganéState College. Although I have failed to meet the

required standards at M18.C. scholastically, and am about to

leave this institution, I did take advantage of the Counseling

Center. I am almost certain that every student must have a

reason to visit the Center at least once in his college career.

It should be used by all students because they can get help on
any kind of problem.

2148

Another member of the Sophomore class stated:

I was advised by Vocational Rehabilitation to undergo certain
tests at the Center. There, I was surprised and delighted to
note the lack of red tape present, and the Center was not as
innocuous as other bureau on this campus. I realize this won't
help you in your study; my purpose is to heartily thank you for
services rendered.

A fearful, No-Preference freshman raised the following question:
Is there any danger of discontinuing the services of the Counsel-
ing Center? If there is, I personally feel it would be alto-
gether a very poor decision. I give it my strong vote of confi-
dence.
Praise of the Center is not confined to men, for a young woman
wrote:
The contacts that I had with the counselors at the Center gave
me much satisfaction. It is a wonderful place to go if you

have a problem. Shwuld I have another problem I would feel
free to go there for help again.

Advertise the Center. Even though the Counseling Center administers

 

tests to all freshmen during orientation week and explains the type of
services it offers them, a large number of students remember nothing of
the Center. Distributing brochures has helped but a little. Apparently
other methods need to be found to inform students about the prevailing
personnel services on campus. Almost thirteen percent of the free re-
sponse comments contained suggestions regarding better advertisement of
the Center. Typical comments were:

I believe the Counseling Center could be more advertised. I was

a SOphomore before I really heard of the Center and then it was

just learning of its existence. There are a lot of students who

could benefit with this type of help but few really know or

understand the purposes of the Center.

I did not know of the Counseling Center until I received this
Questionnaire and I am already a junior.

2A9

I have always been under the impression that the Counseling
Center was strictly for helping peOple to choose their major.
I did not know that it was also for helping students with
everyday problems of adjustment. Maybe freshmen could be
informed of this in a pamphlet of some sort.

Maybe the Center had not come into existance when I started
college in 19h7. At any rate, I did not hear about it at that
time. .As a matter of fact I know very little about it to this
day when I am practically through college. Of course, this is
paatly my fault, but I feel that a student entering college
should be urged to go over to the Center if only to take the
tests or to get acQuainted with it. A student gets very little
help from an enrollment officer, at least that is my Opinion
and observation. They could use further information on what
subjects to take for a specified field. I think the enrollment
Officers should tell them about the Center and its functions.

Counselors are Friendly and Helpful. Observation Of Table LXIV

 

indicates that more than nine per cent of the free response comments
centered about the friendliness and helpfulness Of counselors. This cate-
gory, as well as other classification that fOllow, are related to the high
esteem of the Counseling Center, but because students have expressed
specific points about the agency, these statements were grouped under this
category. Several students expressed satisfaction with the help gained
from one particular counselor and wrote complimentary things about him.

A very prominent senior athlete briefly remarked:

I feel the counselor from whOm I received help went out of the

'wxy to help me. I understand that others working there are

pretty much the same.

A woman who is a senior and a major in Journalism raised a Question
on the help she received, but wrote:

I don't have any kicks about the Counseling Center as they

always gave me a better feeling when I left. whether the prob-

lem was actually solved by them is uncertain, but at least they
helped .

250

A mechanical engineering student who had only one or two Center
contacts said:

I feel that I owe Mr. of the Center staff a great

deal for his efforts to help me at a time when I needed that

help. Another counselor whom I saw the year previously was
very friendly also.

Counselors Helpful in Educational-Vocational Planning. Almost five

 

per cent of the free responses contained information indicating that
students generally felt the assistance Obtained in education and vocational
planning at the Center was more than satisfactory. Coupled with the large
per cent of students who expressed satisfaction with this counselor attri—
bute in Part II of the Questionnaire, it appears that the Center does an
excellent job Of counseling in this area. Only two Quotations by No-
Preference students are cited to illustrate the satisfaction with this

type of counseling.

I am.a NOéPreference student and have taken several tests at the
Counseling Center to see in what direction my interests lie.
These tests and the interviews with the counselors were helpful
to me in.making a decision as to what my work would be. I still
haven't decided for sure but the Counseling Center helped to
narrow down my choice to two fields which I am.interested in.

I think the Counseling Center is a good thing especially for new
students who have no ideas as to their ultimate goal in life.

I will not be a No-Preference student after this term. I was en-
couraged through testing and just plain talking with a counselor

to enter the school Of’Science and Arts and major in elementary
education. I may or may not have entered the field without counsel-
ing. .At any rate, I feel very satisfied with their services and
with the field they helped me to choose. NO doubt, the Center will
have helped me to make my college life more meaningful by the guid-
ance I have received.

Clients' “Suggestion Box." while reading the free response comments

 

during the sorting process, It was noted that many students made suggestions

251

on how the Counseling Center could be improved. These suggestions were
recorded separately when they were hidden by other points under discussion.
Three suggestions appeared most freQuently. The largest group asked to
spend more time with counselors to plan a program of study particularly
during registration periods. Secondly, it was felt that a system could

be worked so that students could see their regular counselors during en-
rollment periods rather than seeing the first counselor who was available
at that time. Third, many thought the Counseling Center could better
advertise its purposes and services. A few thought the Center could be
better located and perhaps have more counselors to help students.

In grouping the free response comments only six students devoted
their entire space to making suggestions. The more constructive ones are
Quoted below:

A sophomore NO-Preference student expressed the feeling Of many
others when he mote:

It's sometimes hard to see the same (regular) counselor for an

appointment when you want it. I have wasted a lot of time at

the Center because I couldn't see my counselor and instead had

to see someone who didn't help me at all. The Counseling

Center should be improved in this respect. It is helping me

now, but it still can stand improvement.

An interesting and uniQue suggestion came from a senior mechanical
engineering student. He said:

Have a course in counseling, for example one hour per week for

the first two years of college. This in general would increase

its usuage by students and also benefits those who do not think

they need the service. I also think it would increase the

versatility of the counseling staff.

Coming from a very small community and trying to adjust to his new

environment, a freshman had this suggestion to make:

252

I feel there should be some provision whereby a student could
receive aid and counseling concerning religious matters.
Someone who can wear as much war paint as the next person is

not the right person to do counseling, nor is one who smokes
cigarettes or cigars or goes to beer parties able to be of help.
that is needed is a person who is a real Christian, about whom
students could feel to go to with their prOblems. It may be
that there is such a service, but who would know? I have been
here three terms and I haven't heard anything about such a
service. Shouldn't this be a matter for the Counseling Center?

Non-Users Feel Center is an Important Campus Facility. From Table

 

LXIV it is noted that six students felt that the Counseling Center was an
excellent and important agency to have on campus. These students did not
personally visit or use the agency, but were comforted to know that the
Center was available to them should they need it in the future. They also
felt that the Center was helping others with their problems. This feeling
was expressed by many students who were sampled while pre-testing the
questionnaire. The investigator feels that a large number of students
hold this same attitude toward the Center. Two typical comments of this
type are quoted below:

Although I have had no personal experience with the Center, I feel

that it is the best answer to student problems at a large college

such as Michigan State. It is assuring to know that such an insti-

tution will help me should I need it at a future date.

Although I have not personally attended the Counseling Center, I

have heard from others that it has been a help to them. Naturally,

it is definitely the individual who must work out his problems,

but Counseling Center has given many the Opportunity to talk about

the problems wisely. It is nice to know that the Center will help

if one is in need. I wouldn't be adverse to using it if I needed
its help.

Statements Expressing Ambivalent Attitudes

Ambivalent Feelings About Counselors. Some students have had contact
with different counselors. While a large majority of these stated that
all of the counselors helped them, some felt that the help they received
depended upon the counselor they saw. It appears that a majority Of those
who had ambivalent or mixed feelings were women.

A woman sophomore who had not yet chosen a field of interest in which
to major wrote:

I feel that Mr. at the Counseling Center is outstanding.
He seems to understand you and does everything he possibly can
to help you. However, one of the other counselors tried to

make me choose a field in which I have no interest. She seemed
to think that because I am a girl the field Of elementary edu-
cation is the only possible alternative Open to me. She was not
in the least bit helpful and I wouldn't go to her again.

Rather hesitant in making an evaluation regardless of her five visits
to the Center, a junior majoring in elementary education said:

To make a general conclusion about the services received at the
Center would be inadeQuate. I have had several experiences with
a variety Of counselors and find that while one may be very good,
another might be completely poor. It would hardly be fair to
judge the whole Center from one, or even several experiences.

Another young lady in her junior year in college commented:

Many students do not feel the counselors are doing as good a job
as they should be. TOO Often they are not patient enough to
explain situations, course reQuirements, course descriptions,

etc. . . . As a second term freshman I had a problem which at the
time was Quite important to me--in regard to a course. I would
have liked to have discussed it and weighed the advantages and
disadvantages of taking this course since it gave me 20 credits
for the term. However, a very impatient and gruff counselor
didn't see the need and signed me up for the course. Later, in
talking to friends, I decided to reverse "my" decision and the
counselor who drOpped the course evidently felt that I never
should have enrolled in it at all. He was much more sympathetic-—
which at the time impressed me and made me feel better. It also
made me feel that all Of the counselors at the Center were not all
bad.

25A

Counselors' Help Depends on Problem. There were five students who

 

believed that counselors were particularly effective in dealing with one
kind Of problem, but not in another. There was little or no agreement
among these students as to the kinds of problems counselors were best
fitted to handle.

A SOphomore in the school of Agriculture who had freQuented the
Center five or more times said:

I believe the Counseling Center is very essential for solving
certain problems arising in college life. It is not always
useful in solving personal problems, but I have a high regard
for the service the Center renders in regard to educational
problems.

A prospective music teacher now in her sophomore year in college
wrote:

Except for the tests and interpretations of same, I was dis-
appointed. Being a person who is not usually dependent and
uninitative, I asked for a minimum of help with study habits.
I received very little, but was much interested and glad for
I. Q. and other test interpretations. Perhaps a different
person would have been more helpful to me. I've heard good
reports from other sources.

Fearful that he may have concentrated in the wrong major field, a
senior male commented:

The counseling advice I've received has been great for educa-
tional planning, but lacks decidedly on helping with goals.

I feel (as we all do at times) that I may have gotten into
something now which I am not Qualified for.

Another senior student said:

The Center is a very worthwhile organization and should not be
abandoned. If people realize its presence and its functions,

it can be very useful, providing they don't carry any or all
grievances that they may have. Only problems dealing with apti-
tude and adjustment should be taken there and not a vent for

sob stories. In their field they can do a superlative job.

r\)
\J'L
\fL

Counselors' Interest in Clients. In.Chapter VIII it was noted that

 

57 per cent Of the sample population stated that counselors appeared to

be interested in helping students with their problems. when given the
Opportunity to express themselves in writing only four students made re-
marks about this counselor attribute. The comments of the four students
were eQually divided in the amount Of interest shown by counselors. Three
of the statements appear below:

I feel the counselors at the Center are too impersonal. It is
hard to know what is a problem, and when to go to the Counsel-
ing Center. It is hard to know when they are interested in
you. I have felt that they are really never serious about you
and your problem.

I have had only limited experience with the Center, but I have
found that the counselors are genuinely interested in.y0u.
However, in my talks with other students I understand that some
counselors are not particularly interested in your problems.
Some of my friends told me that the counselors appear to be
putting in their time. However, as I said before, I did not
find this to be the case with my experience.

Seeing that I've been to the Counseling Center only once it
seems a little unfair for me to answer this as impartial as
maybe I should. The time I went I was introduced to Mrs. .
She seemed to be very nice and very interested in helping me
out. She made me feel more sure of myself and gave me a feel-
ing of ease as we discussed my problem. Iowever, I hOpe every-
one gets the attention and the sincerity as I think I received.
This may be a bias but this is what I feel.

 

Statements Expressing Negative Attitudes

Counselors Lack Training. Almost eight per cent of the students who

 

wrote comments believed the counselors to be inadequately trained for
their jobs or for one particular aspect of their jobs. It appears that
most Of these students had some unfortunate experience with the Center and
'blamed the counselors' lack Of training for their difficulties. Most of

these students stated they would not visit the Center again.

256

A veterinary medicine student in his SOphomore year in college

wrote:

Counselors at the Center don't seem to accomplish much, in fact,
the one I saw I think I should have helped him. They don't get
down to the basic trouble. They seem just to mess around.
Frankly, I don't think they are trained enough to do that kind
of work.

Surprisingly, a SOphomore chemical engineering student, rather than
a psychology major, wrote the following:

I feel that one Of the most needed areas in which students need
help is in the psychological. I don't think that the counselors
at the Center are too well trained in that area. I didn't find
one counselor whom I felt was sufficiently trained in Psychology.
It would help considerably if there was one such person at the
Counseling Center.

Apparently the Questionnaire gave a very emotionally disturbed senior
girl the Opportunity to release some of her negative feelings toward the
Center. A three page letter accompanied the completed Questionnaire of
this young lady, portions Of which are Quoted below:

. . . Strongly negative, however, are my Opinions about advice
rendered in dealing with my emotional problem. It is my feeling
that the Psych Clinic and the social workers at the Health.Center
are the only ones capable of handling emotional problems on this
campus. NO counselor at the Counseling Center is prOperly
trained to handle emotional problems, yet they attempted to
handle my case.

I was sent to the Counseling Center under the reason of low
grades. This was true, but it seemed that it was only part of
the reason for receiving a letter to go there. Upon my arrival,
I was Questioned about grades first; and then, proceeded a dis-
sertation upon my emotional difficulties. I was invited back,
but my reply on the next visit was short, the effect of which was
to tell the interviewer that I was summoned under false pretenses
and that I would seek help when I felt it to be exigent and did
not appreciate the manner in which I was treated . . . conseQuently
I left the Center extremely bitter, a feeling that has not sub-
sided within three years. I felt I needed no such interference
with my problems. I felt my problems were my affairs and I highly
resented intervention. I would seek competent help elsewhere when

257

I felt I needed it . . . Perhaps it would be better for the
Counseling(3enter to deal with testing only, for it seems
the counselors there know only how to do that well. I feel
other agencies on campus can handle other problems better.
NO one institution can do everything well and if counselors
want to treat emotional problems, they should get better
training . . .

Need for Better Interpretation of ngchological Tests. As was

 

previously mentioned, much of the work Of the Center deals with educa-
tional and vocational counseling. The nature of this type of counseling
requires counselors to administer many kinds of psychological tests. In
addition counselors need to interpret these tests to their clients. The
data in an earlier chapter showed that clients were satisfied with test
interpretations. From Table LXIV,however, is seen that six per cent of
the free response comments contained statements of dissatisfaction with
the counselors' interpretation of test scores. Three of these comments
are cited.

A twenty-two year Old male student enrolled in the school Of Science
and Arts and who had visited the Center three to five times wrote:

I took the battery of tests offered at the Counseling Center

but was definitely not satisfied at the way they were inter-

preted. In fact, I don't consider that they were interpreted.

A very bitter senior student stated he would never attend the Center
again nor would he recommend it to anyone. He wrote:

It was through a misunderstanding that I made contact with the

Counseling Center while I was a first term freshman. while

there, the counselor looked over my pre-education tests and

told me he felt (in so many words) that I would find Forestry

extremely difficult. He said some sort of teaching would suit

me better. My gripe is this: he didn't take into consideration

that I was new at the college, tired, and didn't give a darn
while I was taking the tests. He did not seem to stop and

258

consider my determination and willingness to work. What he
said troubled me a good bit until I got over it. I wouldn't
recommend anyone going to the Center.

A junior girl who had gone to the Center to change her major and who
is now majoring in Speech said:

The counselors seem to be very friendly, but it seems just a
little bit false, because they couldn't possibly be that
friendly and interested to complete strangers. I have never
felt Quite satisfied that I have received satisfactory inter-
pretation of tests taken at the Center or that the tests were
the right kind. The counselors do not take enough time to
explain the results nor give suggestions on what you can do
about them.

Low'Regard For Center. In more than five per cent Of the free re-

 

sponse comments a strong negative attitude toward the Counseling Center
was expressed. About one-half of these students had contact with the
agency and formulated their attitudes on direct experience while the
other half either expressed the attitudes Of their dissatisfied friends
or Obtained their Opinions from some other source.

A SOphomore girl who was a No-Preference student rated the services
of the Center as "poor" and stated she would not use it again” She wrote
sharp 1y:

I don't see how they can and dare call it a Counseling Center.
It serves no useful purpose.

Holding the same kind Of attitude is a student in the School of
Business and Public Service. This student stated he used the Center more
than five times, but was positive he would not go there again. He wrote:

I wouldn't go to the Counseling Center again even if it meant

dropping out of school. What a confused mess that place is in.

thy not abolish it and start all over again? What we need is

an efficient, systematic, and interested organization to help
students with problems .

259

Not having used the Center at all, a juniot majoring in Business
Administration gave the following reasons for his low estimate of the

Center:

Personally, I have never used the Center, but I doubt that I
would go there were I in need of help. I have heard many of
my friends talk about it and not one has praised it. This is
one of the many fantastic things I have heard and it happened
to my room-mate.

He (my room-mate) is going to receive his Master's Degree
in June. He was undecided about his major and so went to the
Counseling Center during his sophomore year. After many tests
were given him, the counselor told him his vocabulany was very
poor and that he was definitely wasting his time trying to go
through school. This room-mate was a Navy veteran Of four
years. Since this fellow is very well liked and handles peOple
well, along with the fact that he will receive his Master's
degree shortly, I believe the Counseling Center missed the ship
completely in his case. I believe the motivation that a person
has is an important factor and should be encouraged at the
Center, rather than what is wrong and what is right about the
person. I sincerely believe that anything the tests at the
Center show about a person is already known by that person be-
fore he ever goes in.

Counselors Lack Information and are of Little Assistance. A very
small minority of students in the final sample felt that counselors lacked
information to handle many student problems. Those who had left the Center
without the information they had hOped to Obtain, or who had been referred
to some other source for the information, felt the Counseling Center was
Of little or no help to them. A few clients felt they had gotten the "run-
around." Two of the ten students expressed themselves in the following
fashion:

I feel they don't help the student to the best of their ability.

Instead of expressing their own Opinion, they seem to like to

refer you to someone else. If other students are like me, they

don't like to walk all over the campus for a little information.

If the counselor doesn't know the answer, o.k., but this "I am

sure Mr. SO and.SO could give you a much better answer than I
could," is as I see it, no good.

2C0

The idea behind the Counseling Center is a very good one, but
it is not carried out accurately, efficiently, or helpfully.
The counselors know tOO little about the information they ex-
tend, and also there is no one person in charge of any definite
purpose--the student must go through too much red tape to get
any definite information. I've used the Center at least seven
times and in most cases they made me go and see other people on
the campus. I felt I got the brush-Off.

Rushed Interviews. In the preceding chapter it was discovered that

 

a large majority Of students felt that the amount of time counselors gave
to interviews was sufficient. However, four per cent of the statements
in Part III of the Questionnaire mentioned that students were hurriedly
being processed by the Center.

A typical comment made by a member of the junior class went as
follows:

One gets the feeling of being rushed and unable to stay long

enough to straighten out problems at the Center. One gets the

impression Of an assembly line procedure due to the constant

flow and rush Of people. I feel this Questionnaire is one way

of solving this problem.

Uncertain as to whether he muld use the Counseling Center again a
male sophomore felt:

My counseling was just too general and too hurried to be bene-

ficial. Students must have more time with counselors to really

get any assistance. why can't counselors give us more time?

Questioning the existence of the Center under the present conditions,
a senior stated:

why bother to have a Counseling Center if you can't see a

counselor? Every time I went there, whether there was a mob

or not I was rushed through. I hardly got to see the

counselor. I wonder, too, whether the Center is capable of
advising on a divorce problem?

261

Counselors Don't Give Clients Opportunity To Express Themselves.
Two per cent of the free response comments were focused on the students'
dislike of the counselors' direct approach to their problems. These
students felt counselors did not give them sufficient Opportunity to ex-
press their views.

Uncertain as to whether he would use the Center again a Junior who
is a Divisional Social Science major wrote:

The counselors, here at.Michigan:3tate, could afford to give
the student more freedom in choosing their courses. To me
the counselors seem to be a little over-bearing in your
choice of courses.

Expressing the same point of view, a mechanical engineering student
who rated the Counseling Center's services as "poor" stated:

I feel that the Counseling Center could be very valuable.
But at the present time it is of little service. Those at
the Center don't give one the chance to talk about his or
her views in relation to choosing a major. I am very happy
to see the interest the college is taking to remedy this
matter.

Another Social Service major who also rated the services Of the
Center as poor wrote:

I had a somewhat unsuccessful trip to the Center since I felt

the counselor tried to discourage me from changing my major

rather than listening to my reasons for changing. I also
later learned that he gave me misguided information.

Counselors' Inability to Handle Personal-Emotional Pfoblems. Only
three students among those who made comments in the Open-ended Question
devoted all of their remarks toward the Counselors' inability to solve

personal-emotional problems. Actually these could have been grouped in

the category dealing with counselors' ability to handle only certain kinds

262

Of problems, but because there was no mention Of the word training they

0,

were classified in a separate group. Two of the three statements are
Quoted below:

I was only associated with one counselor at the Center, but she
was very helpful. I myself probably would go there only for
academic problems, not financial or personal because I think
they can not help me or others with that kind Of problem.

In matters of school problems I think the Counseling Center does

a commendable job. They are adequately informed on reQuirements,
honor points, etc. However, as to personal problems, I don't
think they have the facilities to handle them. Few people are
willing to walk in and talk over their inhibitions and frustrations
to a total stranger. Furthermore, the counselors there are not
able to do the work that prOperly belongs to a psychologist.

Unclassified Free Responses

Pertaining to Enrollment Officers. Seven peOple could not refrain

 

from giving their reactions to enrollment Officers or to the method used
at MichiganEState College in providing educational planning for a large
majority Of students. Though it was not the primary intention Of this
investigator to find out how students felt about enrollment Officers, the
questionnaire furnished material to suggest that a large per cent of
students did not like the enrollment officer system as the only method

for planning courses of study. All Of the seven comments in this category
were antagonistic. Only three of these are Quoted below.

The system Of Enrollment Officers as used at Michigan.State
College stinks! None that I had knew what the score was all

about.

Another wrote:

Can't there be some way to educate the Enrollment Officer in
your major field? They are, on the whole, not acQuainted with
the requirements and are very haphazard and uninterested in
your particular plans.

Still another person said:

I have a few comments that would reflect against this institu-
tion. I have been satisfied with my education and feel a deep
loyalty for MWS.C. However, perhaps I have been unusually
affected with lousy enrollment Officers. I have been in.Agri-
culture and in Business and Public Service and between the two
there is little to choose from. The chief complaint is that
all the enrollment Officers care about is getting you regis-
tered. They are worse than indifferent. Apparently they were
failures in their respective fields and decided they would
teach in order to live. Wouldn't it be possible to enroll
students by interested individuals?

General Unclassified Comments. It was difficult to code several of

 

the free response remarks. Rather than including these statements in
one of the already established classifications, it was decided to group
them under a separate "unclassified" category. Several of these are
interesting and illustrate the pressures being exerted on MichiganiState
College students from many different sources. Of the seventeen comments
Of this group a few typical ones will be quoted below. The case Of a
student in urgent need of help is illustrated first.

I have never been to the Counseling Center although I am on pro-

bation and flunking out. My parents are divorced which gives me

many problems to try to understand, but the weight is too great.

I shall leave this great institution to take my place in the

rotten factory system without ever consulting the Counseling

Center as to why I just couldn't adjust to college life. Certainly

if anyone needs counseling, I do, but it is too late now. thy

didn't I go to the Center beforee-who knows?

A freshman who visited the Center once or twice raised only a Ques-
tion in.Part III Of the instrument. He asked:

why do counselors give you what appears to be a rehearsed speech,

instead Of a revealing conversation from which the student will
benefit?

20b

Appearing to have a problem, a junior enrolled in the Basic College
made this comment:

Perhaps the Counseling Center could extend its services to the
faculty or do something to stabilize the world situation.

That would do more good than a hundred interviews or aptitude
tests.

The comment Of an inQuiring junior who desired a stage career is
noteworthy. She wrote:

My interest in the Center is intensified because of this survey.
I am sure I do not stand alone in appreciation Of services Of-
fered to the too often distraught student. A thought occured to
me while completing this questionnaire and it is this: Is there
the possibility of the results of tests to change over a two year
period? I intend visiting the Center to check whatever differ-
ences might appear in my freshman scores against those taken now.
I should also like to assist in anyway that would aid this study.

A world mar II veteran and father Of two children felt that the
Counseling Center would not be able to assist him with his problem.
However, he cited his case and asked.uhether the Center could help him.
Hesfld:

. . . Frankly, I don't know what the Counseling Center today
consists of. For instance, can a problem like my own be worked
out? I'm married with two children, one 7 years, the other
four months Old. I will have six months of my senior year to
finance myself and my family without G.I. aid. I can get full-
time work, but my class schedule nullifies the effort. Part-
time work is inadeQuate and Often not to be had during free
hours. I have next to no collateral for a loan and am about
$300 in debt. I have no relatives to help, know no politican
or influential peOple and hence it appears that five years of
study is to end fruitlessly without a degree. A few acQuaint-
ances in the same situations have had to drOp out of school.
Can the Center aid in adequate solutions of the many situations
crOpping up like mine?

One of the most interesting comments, at least to this investigator,
was made by a senior who was majoring in.Agricultural Education. He

wrote:

265

I believe that my answers to the Questionnaire show how I feel
about the Center very adequately. In short, I feel that it is
all very worthwhile. I'd like to close with a couple of Quota-
tions from a book titled, How TO Get Along In This world:

 

l. "The worst men Often give the best advice," -- Bailey.

2. I'No one can give you better advice than yourself" -- Cicero.

3. I'Advice is seldom welcome; and those who need it most

always like it the least" -- Chesterfield.
C onc lud ing S tateme nt

It was the purpose of this chapter to tabulate some of the more
typical and recurrent feelings expressed by students about the counselors
and the Counseling Center. It appears that the majority of the quoted
statements express negative attitudes toward the Center. Omission Of
more Of the positive statements was not intentional. Selection of the
Quoted items were made on two bases: first, an "interesting" evaluation
of the services rendered and secondly, that the item was typical Of its
group. The greater number of negative items over positive statements
occurred only by chance. It must be remembered, however, that a larger
proportion Of our sample population had a very favorable attitude toward
the Center as is indicated by the large number of high scores on the atti-
tude scale in Part I of the questionnaire. The larger number of negative
statements in this chapter is not an indication of the prevailing attitude
about the Center on this campus. Although many Of these negative comments
were written by students who had "very positive" feelings toward the
Center, some used this Opportunity to suggest ways for the agency to
improve.

It is very important to note that a large prOportion of the more

negative statements were written by students who rated the services Of

 

266

the Center as "fair." Apparently, even those with negative attitudes

 

are loyal to the institutions of the college regardless of their feelings
about them. Therefore, caution is indicated in interpreting the free
responses, especially since there are very few cases in each Of the
categories.

It must further be pointed out that these negative statements per-
form an important function. They point to the areas and to the specific
services in which the Center may focus its attention in finding better
ways to serve the student body. These remarks also point to the
"vulnerable" spots of this campus facility.

The next chapter will include a summary of the dissertation and its

implications for further research.

CWTER X

CHAPTER X
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The Problem

The purpose of this dissertation was (1) to ascertain the attitudes
of students at Michigan.State College toward the counselors and the
Counseling Center and (2) to find the student background characteristics
associated with their attitudes. The need for this study derived from
the paucity Of research done on the question of how counseling services
are accepted by those for whom they are intended, namely, the student.

This investigation was based on the premise that it is important for
counselors to know how their services are being evaluated by students.
Counseling departments should know not only what the dominant attitudes
toward them are, but which groups Of students have more favorable or un-
favorable attitudes, and what are the reasons for such attitudes. .Mith
this kind of information counseling departments can respond more effectively
to student needs and can embark on prOgrams of getting their area Of accept-
ance widened in the student body. thile this kind of study can be con-
ducted in several schools of an educational system, the more modest goal
for this study was to describe the student attitudes at MichiganiState

College.

The Procedure, Sample, and Instrument
Having the task of finding the prevailing climate of Opinion toward

the counselors and the Center, an apprOpriate procedure was necessary.

268

hith so large a student body it was considered too difficult, inconven-
ient, and time consuming to use the permissive, confidential-interview

to discover student attitudes toward counseling. The Opposite type of
highly structed "yes-no" type of questionnaire does not permit accurate
measuring of student attitudes toward counseling. Since neither of the
two methods were feasible for this study, a compromise had to be effected.
It was decided to construct a counseling attitude scale, a series of rat-
ing scales, and an Open-ended Question. The second task was to relate
the results of these scales to certain variables which reflected the
backgrounds of the students. The probability that such relationships or
differences as were found in the student body were statistically reliable
had to be determined. The chi-square test was chosen as the main statis-
tical device for this study.

In accord with this rationale, questionnaires containing a Counsel-
ing Attitude Scale, counselor rating scales, a section on personal data,
and an open-ended question were mailed to 608 students attending Michigan
State College. Specific items of the instrument were used to obtain
student reaction to both the counselors and the Counseling Center. Twenty-
two items constituted a Counseling.Attitude Scale, and eighteen different
items dealt with ratings of counselor attributes. A section of the ques—
tionnaire asked students to provide personal data relative to their back-
ground and counseling experience. The Open-ended question provided the
student the opportunity to express anything he desired about the Counseling

Center.

269

The students in the sample were selected by a prOportional strati-
fied sampling technique, using sex, year in school, and curriculum as
the strata. Ninety-one per cent of the original sample, returned their

completed questionnaires.

Constructing The Scale. As indicated above one of the main tasks

 

was to construct a quantitative, scorable, unidimensional scale of atti—
tudes toward counseling on campus. For this purpose the Scale Discrimi-
nation technique was used. This method is a synthesis of the techniques
of Thurstone, Likert, and Guttman. From the Thurstone technique seventy-
seven items possessing low Q-values were selected from one hundred twenty
items sorted by judges for their scale values. The seventy-seven items
were then prepared in a Likert type scale and administered to 250 students.
After an item analysis was made, twentyltwo items possessing the highest
phi coefficients were incorporated into a final scale. As a check upon
the previous two methods, the instrument was subjected to scale analysis
by Guttman's Cornell technique. Using the criterion of reproducibility,
scale analysis resulted in the identification of the same twenty-two
items as a unidimensional scale. A coefficient of reproducibility of
0.87 was obtained for the Counseling.Attitude Scale and the reliability
calculated by a split-half lower bound technique was found to be 0.9h.
Total scores and intensity scores on the scale were obtained for each
individual and the relation of these to the different personal data

factors were then investigated.

270

The Findings

The first hypothesis stated in Chapter I, that a climate of Opinion
toward the counselors and the Counseling Center predispose groups of
students to regard counselors and their agency as favorable, is confirmed
by this research. Analysis of data revealed there were no large differ-
ences in the attitudes of students who used or did not use the Center.
Approximately forty per cent of the students who returned their question-
naires indicated they had had no contact with the Center. The remaining
sixty per cent indicated from one to more than five contacts.

Analysis of the Counseling Attitude Scale and the counselor rating
scales indicated that users and non-users of the Center had favorable
attitudes toward counselors and the agency.' Actually only thirty-seven
students, or almost seven per cent of the sample, had negative scores
of eight or less on the Counseling Attitude Scale. Almost ten per cent
had low-favorable attitudes toward the Center. Analysis of the counselor
rating scales revealed that both users and non-users of the Center had
fairly similar evaluations of the personal attributes and services of the
counselors. In each of the eighteen attributes students responded to the
more positive qualities of counselors. In general students were inclined
to react more favorably toward the counselors' personal attributes than
toward their services.

Throughout the study the findings were much the same. There was a
dominant, positive, attitude toward counselors and the Center at Michigan
State College. The positive attitude permeated even to students who had

experienced no counseling on this campus. Apparently the mental images

C.)

271

of the counselors and the Center which were held by those who did not
visit the Center were obtained from the experiences Of others.

The second hypothesis that attitudes toward counseling services can
be measured, was also confirmed. Success was achieved in constructing a
reliable and valid Counseling Attitude Scale which measured attitudinal
differences. This scale met the minimum requirements of scale analysis
as established by Guttman. The coefficient of reproducibility of 0.87
for the Scale, though moderately high, tends to suggest the presence of
a single variable. Guttman believes that an attitude scale should not
have more than fifteen per cent error in the reproduction of item re-
Sponses from total scores but factor analysis of unidimensional scales
have indicated that errors amounting to more than fifteen per cent may be
allowed. Although several items on the Scale had excessively high error
in reproducibility these were offset by other items with small errors.
Marginal distributions for the items met only minimal requirements.
However, the scale adequately passed the tests for pattern of error,
number of items, and number of response categories. The reliability of
the Scale was 0.9h.

Most of the items in Part III of the questionnaire were used to test
the third hypothesis listed in Chapter I. The findings generally con-
firmed the prOposition that student attitudes toward counselors and the
Counseling Center are affected by common background experiences. The
following are a few of the more important findings:

1. Although he significant sex differences were related to favorable

attitudes, men revealed a tendency to be more critical of the Center.

[\3
\l
[\W

2. Older students, upperclassmen, veterans, and married students had
slightly more unfavorable attitudes toward counselors and the Center.

3. Although n3 significant differences were found between positive
attitudes and school in which students were enrolled, a tendency existed
fOr students in Veterinary Medicine to have somewhat more unfavorable
attitudes toward the Center than the college population as a whole.

Those with low-grade point averages were more critical of counseling as
were students who participated in.pg extra—curricular activities.

b. No consistent differences in attitudes toward counseling were
held by students from different socio-economic levels. However, a small
proportion of children of professional and proprietory workers had un-
favorable attitudes towards counselors and the Center. Children of
clerical workers tended to concentrate in the low favorable attitude
scores.

5. Students who knew the purposes and functions of the Center well,
generally held favorable attitudes toward it. Similar attitudes were
evident in students who obtained firsthand experience with the Center.
Those who had no direct contact with the agency had a tendency to be some-
what less favorably diSposed toward it. Students who brought problems
of enrollment, change of school or major, or personal adjustment to the
Center had only low-favorable attitudes toward the organization.

6. No significant differences were found between size of communities
from which students came and their attitudes. However, students from
large cities tended to be less favorably impressed with counseling serv—

ices on this campus.

273

7. The majority of students responded very favorably to the
counselor rating scales which attempted to evaluate the personal attri-
butes of counselors and their services. Although some significant
differences were found between student background characteristics and
counselor attributes, the pattern of tne differences varied for each
counselor attribute. Generally, age, sex, year in school, knowledge of
the Center, numoer of Center visits, school enrolled, and counseling
attitude score were more often associated with the separate counselor
attributes than were other background factors. hhere significant associ-
ations existed the women, younger students, underclassmen, frequent
visitors to the Center, and those who understood the purposes of the
Center well, held more favorable Opinions of the counselors' attributes.

The fourth and final hypothesis, that predisposing attitudes of
students toward counseling are not so set that they remain unchanged by
direct contact with the Center, is also confirmed. Thirty-three per
cent of the students in this study rated their high school counseling as
good or excellent, twenty-seven per cent rated it fair, while forty per
cent rated it poor or definitely harmful. The generally negative endorse-
ment of high school counseling did not permanently influence attitudes
toward college counseling. The data indicated that many students had
completely reversed their counseling attitudes with or without experience
with the Center.

Students who had frequented.the Center most were generally more will-
ing to use it again. Only two per cent of the sample stated they would
not use the Center, if confronted with a problem; twenty-six per cent

were uncertain or stated they would use the Center only for certain kinds

of problems; and seventy per cent would go if they had any problem.
Throughout the study there was no evidence that the prevailing Opinion
discouraged students from consulting the Center. In fact, the data sug-
gests that greater use of the Center does not depend upon the prevailing
Opinion, but on further enlightening the students of the purposes,

functions, and services Of the organization.

Implications of the Study

heretofore, attitudes toward counseling have been found either by
using a highly structured questionnaire or by interviewing former clients.
The results of this research indicate that attitudes toward counselors
and counseling could be Obtained and quantified through the use of a
scale. Counseling agencies can now measure objectively, accurately, and
economically client Opinion of services received by using a similar scale
to the one constructed for this study.

The counselor rating scales devised to obtain student attitudes
toward services and personal attributes of counselors proved to be a
validating device for the attitude scale. Students at Michigan State
College reacted just as favorably toward counselor attributes as they did
toward counseling. In view of this finding it is suggested that when a
homogeneous pOpulation exists a counselor rating scale could be sub-
stituted for a counseling attitude scale to obtain quickly client Opinion
of counseling services. The same general results are likely to be Ob-
tained from either instrument. It must be emphasized, however, that
the Counseling Attitude Scale is the better measuring instrument, for it

can depict small differences between sub-groups in a homogeneous

275

pOpulation. The use of a similar scale with a heterogeneous population
would show even greater differences.

hhile this study was not primarily designed as service research for
Michigan State College, it could be used for such a purpose. Although
the data revealed a large majority of students were impressed and satis-
fied with counseling services on this campus, a small, vociferous,
minority were antagonistic. To prevent the group from growing in size,
the services about which this group complained should be examined by the
Center. The following appear to be some of the future tasks of the agency.

1. To advertise more fully and more effectively the functions, pur-
poses, and services of the Center. A large per cent of the students felt
that the organization existed only for Basic College and NO-Preference
students. A large percentage felt that only educational and vocational
problems were handled by the agency. TOO many misconceptions about the
organization still exist and these should be clarified. New techniques
not used heretofore should be used to inform students about the Center.

2. To take greater time and care in counseling older students. The
study revealed that older students were more critical of the Center.
Perhaps better trained counselors at the Center could be assigned to
older clients in the attempt to improve services. It may also be possible
to screen new clients better so that they may be assigned to counselors
who are specially equipped to handle their problems.

3. To obtain data from students regarding previous counseling ex-
perience. Special attention may be necessary for students coming from
large cities, for they tended to be less favorably disposed toward

counseling.

276

h. To give somewhat more attention to students enrolled in the
School of Veterinary Medicine and the School Of Business and Public
Service. These groups also were more critical of the agency.

5. To devote more care to the educational-vocational planning of sons
and daughters of clerical workers. This group was less enthusiastic of
counseling services. The cause of their dissatisfaction was not ascertain-
able, but it may be due to unrealistically high occupational aspirations.

6. TO initiate in-service training for counselors, particularly for
improving the counselors' abilities to handle emotional adjustment prob-
lems. A number of students felt that counselors who were not adequately
trained in psychology and were least successful in helping students with
personal and emotional problems.

7. To give more and clearer interpretation of test results. Many
students stated in the Open-ended question that this task could be done
better.

8. To constantly remind counselors that students who use the Center
often do not necessarily hold positive attitudes toward the agency.
Though this study revealed greater use of the Center generally fostered
positive attitudes toward it, there existed a small group of frequent
users who held strong negative attitudes.

This research was not designed, or intended, to be an evaluation of
the Counseling Center. A comprehensive evaluation research would neces-
sarily be conducted with different techniques or methods than those used
here. This study did, however, attempt to evaluate the Center in one

narrow aspect, namely, student attitude toward it. The techniques used

277

to Obtain these attitudes, although untried, proved to be successful.
Additional experimentation with the techniques needs to be done. The
investigator would suggest that a similar counseling attitude scale be
constructed and administered to a high school population. Testing in
this setting, where the pOpulation is likely to be heterogeneous, might
reveal larger differences among the various sub-groups.

A combination of methods to measure attitudes should be tried.
Supplementing the attitude scale with an interview would be in order.
Short interviews held after the attitude scale was completed would prob-
ably reveal additional data on the specific elements of the counseling
process that was not furnished by the scale. The combination of these
techniques would be particularly useful with students who hold negative
attitudes toward counseling.

Additional experimentation should be conducted with the present
instrument. The investigator would suggest that a similar future study
include in the sample students who have drOpped from school. These stu-
dents might hold different views toward counseling from those who remained
in school. Also it would be interesting to test whether student attitudes
remain the same if clients were asked to respond to the instrument soon
after a counseling interview. It is necessary to examine whether a time
lapse is instrumental in the formation of attitudes toward counseling
and whether attitudinal shifts occur toward counseling services.

This research endeavored to find associations between student back-
ground factors (control items) and attitudes toward counseling. Only a

few important sociOIOgical factors were used. Other factors need to be

278

tested to determine their importance. The investigator would suggest
additional research to determine the relation between counseling attitudes
and psychological attributes of students. Possibly personality factors,

rather than social factors, play a more important role in the formation

of attitudes toward counseling.

B IBL I OGRAPHY

279

A. BOOKS

Allport, G.'U., The Use of Personal Documents In Psychological Science,

 

 

NeW'Y ork: Social Science Research Council, Volume 9, ZlOpp.

Cox, R. D., Counselors and Their W.ork, hew York: thraw-Hill Look

-

Company, Inc., 1915, 246pp.

----

 

Darley, J. C., Testing and mCouns cling in the Iii 3h School Guidance
Pro ram., Chicago: Science “escarch.AsOoc1aoes, 1947, 222pp.

——.r.—.--—

 

 

Davidson, P.E., and H. D. Anderson, Occupational Mobility in an
American Community, Stanford: Stanford—University Press, 1957,
205pp.

 

Edwards, A. L., Statistical A'alysis for Students in Psychology and
Education, New York: Rhino hart and Compary, Inc., l9aG, OOOpp.

 

 

Erickson, C. L., A Basic Text For Guidance T.Orkers, New York:
l:CGraW"-:iill .../COL: U013“ IP .LA‘ , 1110., 130d, UGGPL).

 

Fisher, R. A., and F. Yates, Statistical Tables, Mew York: hafner
Publishing Company, Inc., 1948, lZOpp.

 

Freeman, F.M., Rental Tests, Boston: houghton hifflin Company, 1959,
466pp.

 

Gillen, P. 3., The Distribution of Occupations As A City Yardstick,
New Yorkzl {ings Crown Press, 1951,14epp.

Guilford, J. P., I'und'nwe tal Statistics in Ps chology and Education,
New York: hoarse-hill Look Company, Inc., 1900, 545pp.

 

 

 

Larriman, P. H., The law Dictionary of Psychology, Lew 1orc : Philo-
sophical Library, 1947, SOépp.

 

Jones, A. J., Principles of Guidance, LeW'York:1.cGraw-hill Book
Company, Inc., 191b,- 5:729p

Krech, D., and 1. Crutchfield, Theory and Iro lers of Social Psychol-
oer,1ew York: thraWbHill Look Coupany, Inc., #1948, 669pp.

L):

 

 

.L

unrchison, C., A Ifendboolc of Social Psycholo ;y,'florchester: Clark
University PreSS, 1955,1195pp.

 

280

New ork State Counselors Association, Practical
Counselors, Chicago: Science Research.Associates, 1945, 160pp.

Handbook For

Parton, I., Surveys

Erothers, 1950,

Polls, and Sasples,

lew 1ork: Zarper and
€24pp.

Peters, C. C.,

 

 

 

a d . R. VanJoorhis, Statistical Procedures And

The eir L'athe: “a ical Ba asis, Pew York: LcC aJ-hill Book Uempany,
flw'A" r ,7

Inc., 19 O 400pp.

RogerS, C. R-: Counseling

d Psychotherapy, :ogtOn: Houghton
tifflin Company, 1942", {Term

QtOUffeI', So A0, E. A. 81101117911, Lo Gut-15113111, and OtuCI‘O,

“ s Jeasurement
and Prediction, Princeton, Princeton Lniversity Press, 195
Volume 4, 7t Opp.

Thurstone, L. L., and E. J. Chave, The Leasurement of

titudes,
Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1929, 96pp.t

     

Warner, I. L., R. J. Eavighurst, and M. B. Locb, Kho Shall Be
Educated,

Lew York: Harper and Brothers, 1942:“190963"

', and P. S. Lunt, The Social Life of a modern Community,
lew haven: Yale University Press, 1941, 4GOppo

 

Young, K., Social P:ythology. Second edition; New York: F. S.
CrOIts and Company, Inc., 1947, 578pp.

B. PT ICDICAL ARTICLES

Barahal, G. D. and L. Brammer, "Uhat Do College Freshmen Think Of
Their 1 h School Counseling," California Journal of Secondarv
Edupation, 1950, Vol. 25, pp. 328-531.

--.-.-.—

Davenport, K., "Hish School Opinion Polls as a Guide to Guidance,
Purdue_Univer sity‘Studies, 1944,

Dressel, Po, and Ro'W. fiatteson, "The Effect of Client Participation
in Test Interpretation," Educational and P83Wcholo ical Measure-
EIEE‘E, 1950, V01. 19, pp. 85-89.

m-gjmc-o'm-

 

V01. 52, pPQSG-Glo

 

 

Edwards, A. L., and F. R. Kilpatrick, "A Technique for the Construct-
ion of Att1tude Scales," Journal of Applied Psychology, 1948,
V01. 32, pp. 374-584.

281

Edwards, A. L., ard K. Kenny, "A Comparison of the Thurstone and
Likert Techniques of Attitude Scale Construction, " Jour'lial of
Applied PS 70 ology, 1946, Vol. 30, pp. 72- 85.

 

Ferguson, L. U., “An Analysis of Peterson's bar Scale," Psychologi-
cal Dulletin, 1938, Vol. 38, p. 521.

-rieden oerg, E. Z., "The Measurement of Student Conceptions of the
Role of a College Advisory System," Educational and Psvcholoi i-

v-WM~.---o--.oo -..——...—

gal Measurement, 1950, Vol. 10, pp. 343 -508.

2/ .

 

Froehlich, C. P., "Torard Lore Adequate Crit elia of Counseling
Evaluation," Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1949,
Vol. 9, pp. bb-267.

 

"Evaluating Guidance Procedures: A RovieW'of the Literature,
Lashington, D. C.: Unite ed St ates Government PTinting Office,
19‘19, miscellaneous 3510.

Sage, N. L., "Scaling a-d Eactorial Desig n in Opinion Poll.Analysis,"
Purdue University Press in H1: her Education, 1947, Vol. 41,
pp.fil-87. .M"-'—~.“~'

 

Gilbert,'fl. M., "how To Go About the Process of Evaluating Personnel
work, " Educatior a1 and Ps cholo: ical leasuremont, 19b0, Vol. 10,

—-—.H-~.---oo-m~- u..-

pp. 5231—5530..

Greenlecf,'fi. J., "Public High Schools Having Counselors and Guidance
Officers " hashinston D.C.: United States Government Printin
’ L) 3
Office, 1959. 5pp.

Guttman, L., "A Basis for Scaling Qualitative Data," American Socio-
109ical Reviev 1944 Vol. 9 pp. 139-150.

"--.-.M..-r--.., ‘9 .9 ..-

"The Cornell Technique for Scale and Intensity'Analvsis,
Educational and Ps f0u010”10fll Leasurement, 1947, Vol. 7,
pp. 247-279.

 

, and E. A. Suchman ,"Intensity and a Zero Point For Attitude

Analysis, in9329991293}010r10a1 Review, 1947, Vol. 12, pp. 57-67.
“A Technique for Scale and Intensity.Analysis," Educa

and P33 cholozical weasurement, 1947, Vol. 7, pp. 247- 27

 

O-o—

tio 0-1331
9._:

Kamm, R., "An Inventorv of Student Reactions toe Student Iersonnel
Services," 3d1cational and PS"ChOlO“10 11; asurement, 1950,
pp. 537-544.

//

 

282

Kreidt, P. H. and K. E. Clark, "Item Analysis Versus Scale Analysis,"
Journal of Applied Psychology, 1949, Vol. 33, pp. 114-131.

 

 

Likert, 5., "A1 Technique For The fleasurement of Attitudes, ' Archives
of Dsvcholoby, Columbia University Tress, 1932, Vol. 140.
HoNemar, Q,, "Opinion Attitude. ethodology," Psychological Bulletin,

1946, Vol. 43, pp. 289-374.

 

 

o—o--

Nelson, 3., "Att it udes: I. ‘heir Eature and DevelOpment," Journal of
Genetic Ps “lolo , 1939, Vol. 21, pp. 357-399.

 

Paterson, 3., and K. Clark, "Student Judgments on Counseling," Journal
of Higher Hducation, 1943, Vol. 14, pp. 140-142.

 

Perry, H. C., and L. 3.1chae1, "The Estimation of a Phi Coefficient
for an Entire Criterion Group from a Phi Coefficient Calculated
From Use of the Extreme Tails of a Normal Distribution,“
1dueationa1 and Dsycholor‘ical “easurelent 1952, Vol. 11,
pp. 629-638. ' “ “"""'"

Rammers, H. H., "Studies in Attitudes," Purdue University Studies In
Fisher Education, 1934, Vol. 26, pp. 1:112.

-h.-—.--—. ---

 

Riel car, 3. L., "A Comparison of Methods Used In Attitude Research,“
Journal of Abnormal Social Psvcnolory, 1944, Vol.5, pp. 24-42.

 

Symposium, "Intelligence and Its lbasurement," Journal of Educational
sychology, Vol. 12, pp. 123-275.

                           

Travers, R. 3., "A Critical Review of Techniques for Evaluating
Guidance," Educational and PS; choloL:ica 1 easurement,1949,Vol.
9, pp. 211-225.

 

C. UKPUBLISHHD LATERIALS

Bailey, Richard J., “The Preparation, Certification, and Selection
Of Personnel workers for the Secondary Schools of the United
States," (Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, New York University, New

”or , 1944), 262pp.

Littel, William H., WA Scale For Measuring.A Client's Attitude
Toward Counseling," (Unpublished M..A. thesis, washington
State College, Pullman, 1951), lOSpp.

sterton, Jean n., "The Relation jetueen heasured.Anxiety and
Measured Attitudes," (Unpuolished H. A. thesis,'fiashington
State College, Pullman, 1951), 127 pp.

283

Sheedy, Joseph'fi., "Academic Survey of the First Basic College
Class," a research report, Lichi¢an State College, 1949.

Sheedy, Joseph'¥., "Academic Survey of the Second Basic College
Class," a research report, Lichigan State College, 1950.

APPEI‘ID IC E S

284

.APPENDIX.A

TPURSTOUE SCALE ITEHS

 

 

 

 

Scale Q
Value Value Item
.62 .62 I regard the Counseling Center a very well directed
organization with an excellent staff.
.83 1.06 I think the Counseling Center is a great asset to
Michigan State College.
.66 .67 I believe the Counseling Center offers excellent advice
in all types of problems.
.80 1.23 I believe the Counseling Center is a very valuable part
of the college.
.66 .67 I believe the Counseling Center is doing a wonderful job
in handling student problems.
.66 .67 I regard the Counseling Center a very efficient and
necessary part of the college structure.
.73 .93 I regard a Counseling Center worthwhile on any campus;
ours is doing an especially fine job here.
.98 1.78 I find no other organization on campus better equipped to
help students with their problems.
.69 .79 I believe the Counseling Center serves an excellent
function in a good, practical, and informative way.
.62 .61 I strongly recommend the services of the Counseling Center
to all who need help.
1.04 1.40 I regard the Counseling Center at Michigan State College
better than any other clinic I have used.
1.77 1.42 I am pleased with the genuinecnncern the Counseling Center
has toward student problems.
1.14 1.53 I find the Counseling Center the only stable place on

campus to which one can go with his problem.

1.72

1.88

1.58

1.26

1.47

1.71

1.81

1.76

1.79

1.00

2.36

2.43

2.45

2.85

1.86

1.86

1.73

1.56

1.22

1.44

1.24

1.75

1.94

1.55

1.40

1.66

1.51

285

I like the personalized interest and helpful suggestions
offered by counselors at the Counseling Center.

My experience with the Counseling Center has enabled me
to make a wiser choice of a major.

I find the Counseling Center able to make people understand
themselves and to know their abilities.

I believe the Counseling Center to be an excellent organi-
zation even though it is still a new organization.

I regard it a luxury to be able to get services of the
Counseling Center free of charge.

I think the Counseling Center does an excellent job in
analyzing test results.

I regard the Counseling Center a purposeful organization
that is serving people with problems of adjustment.

I find the Counseling Center has unique facilities for
helping students with'their problems.

I believe the Counseling Center is purposeful and direct-
ional. Its results are often excellent, more often good,
seldom poor.

I believe the Counseling Center is a necessary and vital
part of Michigan State College.

I think more students should take advantage of the
services the Counsd.ing Center offers.

I think visits to the Counseling Center can be satisfactory
and rewarding.

I think the Counseling Center is a competant organization
in view of the large number of students using its services.

I believe the Counseling Center is a good device for ad-
vising students who are confused.

I believe the Counseling Center's general standing with
the student body is very good.

I believe the services offered by the Counseling Center
are quite adequate.

I believe the tests used by the Counseling Center are
worthwhile taking.

2.33

2.31

3.56

3.62

3.65

3.21

3.06

3.74

3.04

3.19

4.19

4.32

4.12

4.09

4.28

1.56

1.87

2.92

2.20

2.54

1.73

1.73

2.51

2.28

1.57

1.91

2.32

1.93

1.68

1.66

1.45

2.21

286

I believe the Counseling Center is helpful in assisting
studentS'withfsheir problems.

I feel that one can always return to the Counseling Center
for additional help.

I think the Counseling Center should make some of its
services compulsory to all of the student body.

I feel the Counseling Center is doing a job which it set
out to do.

I believe the Counseling Center to be mechanical and im-
personal to a degree, but very efficient and helpful.

I feel that our Counseling Center does enough good work
to warrant its existance.

I find that talks with counselors at the Center are tension
releasing if nothing else.

The mere fact that the Counseling Center is a place for
students to bring their problems is, initself, enough to
justify its presence.

I find that ift:he Counseling Center is not informed it
find means to get your information.

I believe the impersonality of our mass education system
is somewhat alleviated by the Counseling Center.

I feel the Counseling Center can be helpful to students
needing counseling if one properly uses this service.

It is comforting to know that there is a Counseling Center
on campus.

I feel that the Counseling Center can be of help to some
students and certainly can do no harm.

I think the Counseling Center is most able to help No-
Preference students.

Other than too much stress on preference tests, the
Counseling Center does a good job.

Sometimes the reassurance and guidance offered to wavering
students by the Counseling Center is helpful to them.

I believe the Counseling Center is primarily helpful to
planning educational programs of first term freshmen.

4.33

4.79

5.74

5.13

5.89

5.54

5.10

5.51

6.00

3.42

2.72

2.28

1.65

2.57

2.04

1.68

.93

287

I think the Counseling Center gives the most logical an-
swers to problems without taking subordinate factors
into consideration.

The Counseling Center has great possibilities but its
services are not well publicized to make it a worthwhile
organization.

I regard the Counseling Center helpful to new stuients
but on: has to wait long to be served.

I find the Counseling Center is lacking in educational
counseling but excellent in handling personal problems.

I find the Counseling Center is extremely helpful and
sympathetic, but it offers only general information rather
than specific information.

I think the Counseling Center is helpful in solving serious
problems, but ineffective in helping you with small ones.

I believe that in general the Counseling Center performs
its functions adequately, but not oustandingly.

The Counseling Center may be doing a good job, but it does
not interest me.

I do not receive any benefit from using the Counseling
Center but I think it helps some people.

I feel the Counseling Center has helped me on certain
occasions, but has confused me at other times.

I like most things about the Counseling Center but it does
not give its clients enough time.

I think the Counseling Center has helped some dfxny
friends, but it hascbne nothing for me.

Sometimes I feel that the Counseling Center can do me some
good and sometimes I doubt it.

I believe the Counseling Center is fundamentally &Jund,
but some of its services need definite improvement.

I do not have any feelings toward the Counseling Center one
way or the other.

The Counseling Center is of value only in solving vocation-
al problems.

6.96

6.52

6.66

6.66

6.18

6.23

6.97

6.29

6.52

6.13

6.97

7.55

7.33

7.10

7.96

7.94

7.96

1.70

2.68

1.85

1.73

2.86

2.12

1.60

1.94

2.11

2.78

1.82

2.31.

2.15

1.91

2.28

2.08

288

I respect the Counseling Center's interest in helping
students solve their problems, but it lacks the proper
knowledge to do so.

I think the Counseling Center is not big enough to handle
the number of students who need help.

I think the Counseling Center needs men outside the field
of education on its staff.

I believe many of the services of the Counseling Center
can be improved.

If you know what you want the Counseling Center can be
of help to you.

I reSpect the counselors at the Counseling Center for
their sincerity, but the tests they use are poor.

I find that too many visits to the Counseling Center are
needed before help becomes effective.

The Counseling Center is a good idea but I do not believe
thoroughly in the tests that the counselors administer.

I feel the Counseling Center has need for psychiatrists
and psychologists to a greater extent than vocational
guidance men.

I find the Counseling Center has helped me, but the
counselors seem unable to clearly see your problem.

I realize the Counseling Center is a fine idea, but ours
is growing bureaucratic.

I believe the Counseling Center stresses vocational guid-
ance with little attempt toward complete adjustment.

I don't see the need for a Counseling Center other than
to help students select subjects.

If you have partially solved your problem.the Counseling
Center can help you, otherwise it is of little help.

I think the Counseling Center agrees with your ideas and
does not offer your constructive assistance.

I find the Counseling Center well meaning, but bungling.

I find other college organizations better able to solve
student problems.

8.29

8.14

8.53

8.79

8.40

8.12

8.39

8.55

8.23

8.54

8.84

8.00

1.66

2.15

2.28

1.78

2.13

1.69

1.99

1.90

1.70

1.92

1.87

1.86

1.66

2.45

1.95

289

I feel direct and intimate contact with students is lack-
ing at Michigan State's Counseling Center.

I believe the Counseling Center is unwilling to give
specific answers to questions dealing with intelligence
and personality tests.

I think the same services offered by the Counseling Center
can best be conducted by our professors.

I believe the Counseling Center is not able to adequately
interpret test results.

I find that the tests given at the Counseling Center don’t
tell you more than you already know.

I feel the Counseling Center is of little value to the
Engineering student.

I regard the Counseling Center ineffective to handle
student problems with its limited staff.

I find the Counseling Center does more moralizing than
counseling.

I find the Counseling Center is too far detached from those
to which its services are intended.

I feel that professors can be of greater help to me than the
counselors at the Center.

I believe the Counseling Center never considers the emotion-
al make-up of the student.

The interpretation of test results given by the Counseling
Center is so general that the information received is al-
most useless.

I find the Counseling Center very quick, impersonal, and
often fail to follow-up the first interview.

I reSpect the attempts made by the Counseling Center to
help students, but I feel it is a useless task.

I can remember no definite helpful advice or suggesthins
given me by counselors at the Counseling Center.

There isn't anything wrong with the Counseling Center that
a few good counselors couldn't cure.

9.36

9.32

9.06

9.24

9.91

9.86

9.66

9.45

9.11

9.00

9.16

10.09

10.25

10.42

10.20

1.47

1.66

1.33

2.20

1.70

1.82

1.76

1.43

1.39

1.13

.58

1.25

290

I find that in many cases the Counseling Center has failed
to help students who needed their help deSparately.

The Counseling Center is not in the least effectiua in help-
ing No-Preference students.

I regard tests used at the Counseling Center as poor tools
in solving student problems.

I find no unity amoung counselors as far as ideasor suggest-
ions go as a result of using the Counseling Center.

Should I need help I would seek some other source for assist-
ance rather than use the Counseling Center.

Getting results from the Counseling Center is like getting
action from.Congress.

The Counseling Center seems to be uninformed in vocational
counseling and ineffective in test interpretation.

The Counseling Center is a superficial organization, patron:-
ized largely by desparate students who have no where else
to turn.

I feel the need for counseling services but do not find
what I want at the Counseling Center.

The Counseling Center lacks in quality and quantity of
trained counselors.

I believe the Counseling Center lacks competent aniinterest—
ed personnel.

I feel the Counseling Center is unable to get at the bottom
of a problem, particularlj in vocationally maladjusted
students.

I am.mistrustful of the Counseling Center.

There is a complete lack of organization at the Counseling
Center-~one always gets the run around.

I feel the Counseling Center is highly inadequate to solve
any kind of problem.

The Counseling Center is of no direct help to students. One

finds nothing he didn't already know by going there.

n I
e
r .
. .
o I
.
u v
o
I o
- e
a
.
, a
, .
0
. n
g
.
I
.
.
o O
r
u
.
, , .
a
a
t
. I
c
.

 

   

10.47

10.07

10.27

10.39

10.25

10.49

10.47

10.48

.53

1.08

.89

.69

1.06

291

In order to appreciate the advice the Counseling Center
gives one would have to be an imbecile.

I find the Counseling Center's efforts to help me impract-
ical and inefficient.

I believe the Counseling Center is simply not interested
in students or their problems.

I believe the Counseling Center is all fouled-up.

The Counseling Center at Hichigan State College is a poor
excuse for a clinic Where students may take their problems.

The Counseling Center is a complete waste of time.

I find that it is a complete waste of time to go to the
Counseling Center.

I feel that I can not trust anyone at the Counseling Center
to help me.

APPEI‘HD IX B

5.

7.

8.

9.

292

.APPVIDIX B

IISTRUCTIOIS FOR SORTING

The 120 slips in the envelOpe contain statements regarding the value
of the Counseling Center at Kichigan State College. These have been
made by various persons, students, and others.

As a first step in the making of a scale that may be used to test
attitudes relating to the Counseling Center a number of people must
sort these 120 slips into eleven piles.

In the envelOpe you will find eleven slips numbered one through
eleven. Please arrange these before you in sequence. On slip No. 1
place those statements which you believe express the highest appre-
ciation of the value of the Counseling Center. On slip he. 6 pile
those slips expressing a neutral position. On slip No. 11 put those
slips which express the strongest depreciation of the Counseling
Center. On the rest of the slips arrange statements in accordance
with the degree that they express depreciation of the Counseling
Center.

This means that when you are through sorting you will have eleven
piles arranged in order of value-estimate from one, the highest, to
eleven, the lowest.

Do not try to get the same number of slips in each pile. They are
not evenly distributed.

The numbers on the slips are code numbers and bear no relation to
hOW'SlipS are to be arranged.

You will find it easier to sort the slips if you look over a number
of them at random before you begin to sort.

It will probably take you about forty minutes to sort.

When you are through sorting please clip the statements in each
pile together with its number slip on top, or, write the pile
number on the face of each slip in the pile. Insert eleven sets,
clipped or numbered carefully in the envelope and return to:

Dr. William H. Form. -- Department of Sociology
Dr. halter Johnson -- Institute of Counseling, Guidance,
and Testing.

APPENDIX C

293

szfl BAA L‘A‘ M A —— ‘A‘_ _ ‘ M

A 81‘ CDT 3? S‘I‘IDETf: ATTITIDL S TCTARD
TIES

“0800. C ”‘fifillflo cmfm "' 1951

DIRECTIOE'IS

I

There is considerable disagreement concerning the attitudes tint
etude ate at ..iichigan State Cohlege hold tcwnrd the cemeelorc and th‘
Counseling Center. A 111. nor of students are being as}. :ed to express
their reactions to 77 stuteucsca about the counselors and the Comselinv
Cen -..er. There are no r1 ht or wrong ans. 1:ch to these statements.

Mist is wanted is your on indivi dual feeling about these statements.
Reed each Beaten, ent 0e: eiully and decide how.” {0'0 feel about it. — Then
mark your answer on the space provided on the“ anew er aheet.. ..D.o..not -.

mark on this booklet. .- ... ..... _ -..-.-_--__-._ _

If you have not had any: experience with the Counseling Center _
respond to the statement a. in tcrms- f0 haw-you th nk a‘: udr nt a en your. --. -.
friends generally feel about. it. . REASE RESP-013D TO I. nRY- use. ..- --- - .--.- .

C
- - 0‘ n n a-.- D - -.v --.. ‘O- o

If you 301' OISE. .y. "‘CO blacken [L8113Qa 1 ...-.oeoooo.o....ceeeoee g ’,
...-gun...»- Inf.” ‘lmrfl’ .

i
If you Just eg: so his men space 21.953.11.15..-.—......- H n l i

. If you are tar‘ec‘ced or uncertain, bunker: space .3

 

   

 

 

‘
.4 ‘ .-..o-----o-. -.._- ...—--..

If you disagree, blacker: space 4 ....................i“l ’m-M- H--
H

-----v-—-—-—o--—.~-~—--

If you strAcng gly (11.945505 $1.63.). space 5 .............. H I

 

1.

2.
3.

1..
5.

7.

8.
9.

11.

12.

17.

18.

19.

21.

a

' .

.5 ..‘Q ‘ \ ‘.| 4) at p" 1 1 I p
A ...) A - J5

_. — "'L"

Should I need help I wall! nook sot-2:9 other sour-co for assistance rather
than uoc the Caruso-15mg Cmtor.

I bolic‘ec the Com-norms Center in a very val-u;1 ble pa. 1?. of the college.

The Connocling Center at I-I.S.C. is a poor excuse for a clinic ulwro station-to
may take their problmm.

I think the: Counseling Con or is a gecet asset to liichi on State Coll-ago.
I boliovc tho Counseling Center offers wzcollcnt advice in all 12133213 of wool-32.3..

I filial: the Counseling Cantor in a ccnpotmt organiaaticn in V1039}? tho largo
amber of otudentc min-g its sarvices.

I boliovo the Counseling Cantor in a good dovico for advising stud-onto w 1o
are confused.

I find other college organizatioaa bottor equipped to solve student problms.
It is comforting to know tint tlzora is a. Counseling Cantor on oer-1.32123.
I find the Comwel'lng Center's efforts to help no impractical and inefficient.

I think tho Coimsoling Center has helped some of my Irina-do, but it baa
done nothing for no.

I roaliso that th o Counseling Caz-ate): is a. fine idea, at ours is arcane-g
bm‘oancratic.

I tool direct and intimate contact no. h sonz'lonto is lacking at I-I.S.C.'a
Guidance Center.

I do not have any feelings tmrd the Commoling Canter one way or tho other.
I bcliava the Counseling Center is a necessary and vital part of 11.5.0. I

I rocozmond the cox-vices of tho Common-1'15; Center to all who need hell

I tool that our Cmmaeling Cantor dooo enough mod 1.10:. k to hammzt its
existance.

Tho Counseling Cantor ia a good idea. but I do not believe thoroughly in the
tests that tho counselor‘c administer.

If you have partially solved your problon tho Counseling Camber can help you,-

othonrioc it is of littla help.

”lime

ThoC Cmaling Center is not in the least effective in helping; No—Prcfo. . .c
students.

I tool that I can not truot arr-mm at tho Coineoling Cantor to holp no.

2
1 Strogaly Acrca 3 Ulldiifllfifid or is [$533.89
2. Agree Unceltain 5 S‘trcngkr Dimgme

 

22.

23 .

25.

26.

27.
28.

29.

30.

31.

32-
3.30

31¢.

35-
36.
37.
38.

39.

bl.
#2.

I find tint the Cozmeoling Center has unique facilities for helping students
th their problems.

Getting results Iran the Center is like getting action from Coagreee.

I believe the Counseling Center is simply not interested in students or
their problemo

I believe the Counseling Center is doiog e wmdori‘ul job in handling etudeet
problems.

I believe the services offered by the Counseling Center are quite adequate.

I believe the Counseling Center in all fouled up.
I find the Commeling Center the only stable place on campus to which one
can go with hie problem.

I believe that in general the 0012313311115 Center performs its fmcticme
adequately but not outstandingly. *

I believe the Counseling Center is pmqsoeed'ul and directional. Its results
are often excellent, more often very good; seldom poor.

I think the Counseling Center agrees with your ideas and does not offer you
constructive assistance.

I believe the taste used by the Counseling Center are worth while tai‘mlg.

1135::

I believe the-Counseling Center is helpful in assisting students with t

I find that too many visits to the Commune Center are needed before help
becomes effective.

I third: the Counseling Center is moot able to help Hon-preference students.
I feel the Commelfing Center is highly inadequeto to solve any kind of probltm.

Sometimes the reasoxu‘ance and wide-nee offered to wavering students by the
Com-13911413 Center is helpful in atz‘a'lghtening them out.

I regard the Cmmeoling Center an a very efficient and necessary part of the
college atructuro.

I regard it a 13.1mm to be able to get services of the Counseling Center
free of charge.

I regard the Counseling Center a very well directed organization with an
excellent ataf .

I fifid that it is a complete waste of time to go to the Counseling Center.

I fin-d the Cmmeellng'Contor is too for detached from thoee to which it!)
rm-vv‘? cos we litter-.2236.

 

1‘ Strongly Agree . 3 'i.’;-r_‘.;~.c:". ’etl or 1', 11:33::{5‘92e
2. Agree Luann-Loin 5 Strongly disagree
1,3. I regard a Comeling Center worthwhile on any cngnawouro is doing an

M.

45.

1.6.

L7.

48.

k9.

expecieny fine job here.

The Counseling Center seems to be minfomed in vocational consoling end
blefi‘eotive in test interpretation»

In order to appreciate the advice the Counseling Center gives one would have
to be an imbecile.

Sometimes I feel that the Counseling Center can do me some good and smoothies
I doubt it. '

I believe the Counseling Center is not able to adequately meant interpret
test results.

The interpretation of test results given by the Counseling Center is so

' general that the information received is almost useless.

I find the Counseling Center able to make people mdorstnnd themselves and to

. know their abilities.

50.

51.
52.

53.

51+. '

55.
56.

57.

58.

59.

61.

I believe the Counseling Center never cmeidere the emotional mice-up of
the student.

I feel the Counseling Center is of little value to the Engineering student.

I think'the Counseling Center needs men outside the field of education on
its staff.

I feel the Counseling Center is doing the Job that it is supposed to do. i

I believe‘the Counseling Center serves an excellent function in a good,
Practical, and informative way.

I am dietrustful of the Counseling Center.

I feel the Counseling Center has helped me on certain occasions, but hes
confused me at other times. .

:20 Counseling Cmter is of no direct help to students. One finds nothing
didn't already lmow by going there6

I find that the Counseling Center is lacking in educational counseling but
excellent in handling personal problems.

I find that talks with counselors at the Center are tension releasing it
nothing else.

I think mm.
9 8t db; 1’; _~ -, ‘ h 1 .
Center often, 11 en a should take advantage or the services t 3 Counseling

I an
at pleeaed with the genuine concern that the Cotmseljng Center has toward
udent problems.

 

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.. .

 

1 Strong]: Agroo I 3 L‘nzlooidod or t; Disagree
2 Agroo (Iceman 5 Strowgly disagree
62. The Counseling Center my be doing a good job, but it does not interest me.

63.

6b.

65.
66.

67.

I believe the Cozmsoling Cantor lo a good organization even though it in
still a new organization.

I fool the Counseling Center is moblo to eat at the bottom of a problem,
particularly in vocationally maladjuotod atudwto.

I find the Comzoling Center wall wooing, but WMg.

I fool the Counseling Center can be holpful to studs: 1t: nooding counseling
1! can properly use: this service.

I believe the Counseling Center stresses vocational guidance with little

. attempt toward complete adjustment .

68.
69.
70.

71.
721

73 o
711.
75.

75,
77.

I regard tests used at tho Counseling Center 8.3 poor tools in solving otudsmt
problems.

Other than too much stress on preference tosto, the Comwomm Center is a
good organization.

There is a. complete" lack of orgarfizatioa at the Comsoling Cmtolwno always
gets the run aroma.

I believe may of the services of the Counseling Center can be improved.

I find the Coon 36111 3 Center vary quick, izporoo. 3.3., and 01 ”ton foil to follow—up
the first intowiew.

I respect tho Counseling Center's 121 ores-1t in helping o oudonts salvo their
Pmblms, but it lacks the proper know how to do no.

I rggm‘d the Counseling Cantor at 11.3.0. better than my other clinic I have
use

I feel the mod for counseling services but do not find what I want at the
Counseling Cantor.

Tb Counseling Cantor 18 a complo‘to msto of t “a.

I “88rd the Counwling Cantor an a purpoooful organization that in serving
”03110 with problem! of adjustment.

 

APPENDIX D

298

AITENDIX D

ITEKS'WITH HIGHEST PHI COEFFICIENTS

 

Scale Phi Item
Value Coefficient

 

.80 .46 I believe the Counseling Center is a very valuable
part of the college.

.83 .59 I think the Counseling Center is a great asset to
michigan State College.

.66 .47 I regard the Counseling Center a very efficient
and necessary part of the college.

1.04 -.36 I regard the Counseling Center at Michigan State
College better than any other I have used.

1.00 .35 I believe the Counseling Center is a necessary
and vital part of Michigan State College.

1.26 .40 I believe the Counseling Center is a good organi-
zation even though it is still rather now.

1.62 .34 71 recommend the services of the Counseling Center
to all who need help.

1.81 .43 )I regard the Counseling Center a purposeful organ-
ization that is serving people with problems of
adjustment.

2.23 .36 I think the Counseling Center is a competent

organization in view of the large number of students
using its services.

2.44 .40 I believe the Counseling Center is a good device for
advising students who are confused.

2.45 .35 I believe the tests used by the Counseling Center
are worthwhile taking.

2.33 .45 ) I believe the Counseling Center is helpful in assist-
ing studentS'with their problems.

2.36

2.85

3.19

3.62

3.04

4.09

10.07

10.48

10.42

10.27

10.39

10.47

.35

.48)

”035

'05]. 5

-055

-045

’048

-035

‘054 )

‘037

299

I think more students should take advantage of the
services the Counseling Center offers.

I find that talks with the counselors at the Center
are tension releasing if nothing else.

It is comforting to know that there is a Counseling
Center on campus.

I feel that our Counseling Center does enough good work
to warrant its existance.

I feel the Counseling Center can be helpful to students
needing counseling if one properly uses this service.

Sometimes the reassurance and guidance offered to waver-
ing students by the Counseling Center is helpful in

straightening them out.

I feel the Counseling Center is of little value to the
Engineering student.

I believe the Counseling Center is not able to adequate-
ly interpret test results.

The Counseling Center is a complete waste of time.

The Counseling Center is not effective in helping No-
Preference students.

The Counseling Center is a poor excuse for a clinic
where students may take their problems.

I find the Counseling Center's efforts to help me imr
practical and inefficient.

I feel that I can not trust anyone at the Counsding
Center to help me.

I feel the Counseling Center is highly inadequate to
solve any kind of problemm

I believe the Counseling Center is simply not interested
in students or their problems.

I believe the Counseling Center is all fouled up.

I find that it is a complete waste of time to go to the
Counseling Center.

10.47

10.09

10.20

10.25

“041

’049

300

In order to appreciate the advice the Counseling Center
gives one would have to be an imbecile.

I am distrustful of the Counseling Center.

The Counseling Center is of no direct help to students.
One finds nothing he didn't already know by going there.

There is a complete lack of organization at the Counsel-
ing Center -- one always gets the run around.

APPEND IX E

pan'r I 301
f " w.t‘.‘,.( .‘ q,
IHRBCT CNS: We are interested in your feelings abeut the following statements concerning the Counseling
; , . Cedter at Iichigan State College. Read each statement carefully and decide how you feel

about it. PLEASE respgnd to each itegfiwhether or not you have had direct experience with

thg Counseling Center.

Q

a If you strongly agree, encircle SA................... (SA) a ? d SD

. If you just agree, encircle a........................ SA (a) ? d SD
i If you are undecided or uncertain, encircle ? ...... SA a (?) d SD
If you disagree, encircle d ........................ SA a ? (d); SD

If you strongly disagree, encircle SD ............... SA a ? d (SD)

1. 1 think the Counseling Center is a great asset to Michigan State College. .. SA a ? d SD

2, I feel the Counseling Center is highly ipadequate to solve any kind of
prOblbn. 00.00.00.000......OOOOOOOOOOOO0.0...........-00.000.000.000...0.0.0 SA a ? d SD
3 ,

3, Sometimes the reassurance and guidance offered to wavering students by the
Counseling Center is helpful in straightening them out. .................... SA a ? d SD

4. The Counseling Center's efforts to help students are impractical and
inefficunt. 0..............OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......OOOOICIOOO......OOOOOOOOOO SA a ? d SD

5, I believe the Counseling Center is helpful in assisting students with
their ”able“. ......OOOOOOOO......OOOOOOOOO0.0.0....OIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SA a ? d SD

6, Talks with counselors at the Center are tension releasing if nothing

91“. 0.00.00.00.00.00.0.0..................OOOOOOOOOOOOIIOO0......0.00.... SA a ? d SD

7. It is a complete waste of time to go to the Counseling Center. ............ SA a ? d SD

3, I feel the Counseling Center can be helpful to students needing coun-
seling if they properly use its service. .................................. SA a ? d 8D

9, I regard the Counseling Center a very efficient and necessary part of
the COllege. O...0......00...........IOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOO SA a ? d 8D

10. I feel that I can 323 trust anyone at the Counseling Center to help me. .. SA a ? d SD

11. I regard the Counseling Center a purposeful organization that is serving
people '1th prOblem 0‘ adjustment. .0000....0.00IOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000...... SA a ? d SD

12. The Counseling Center is not effective in helping No-Preference students. . SA a ? d SD

13. I believe the Counseling Center does 923 adequately interpret test
results. 000............OIOOIOOOOOIOOOOOOIOOOOOO............OOOOOOOOOOO... SA a ? d SD

14. The Counseling Center is a poor excuse for a clinic where students
may tne their prOblems. ..............OOIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000... SA a ? d SD

15. I believe the Counseling Center is a good device for advising students
'1th their prOblems. .00.............OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI...........OOOOOOOOO. SA a ? d SD

16. The Counseling Center is of 32 direct help to students. One finds
nothing he didn't already know by going there. ........................... SA a ? d SD

17} I think more students should take advantage of the services the
coumeling center Offers. 0........OOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOO0.0.00.00.00.00 SA a ? d SD

.18. I believe the tests used by the Counseling Center are worthwhile
t‘king. O..0........IOOOOOOOOOOOOOOII00.00.000.000.......OOIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SA a ? d SD

.19. I believe the Counseling Center is simply not interested in
students or their problem. 0.00.0.0.........OOOOOOOOOOOOOI......OOOOOOOOO 8A a ? d SD

2CD. I recommend the services of the Counseling Center to all who
need help. ...............OOOOOOOOOOOIOIOOOOOOI.IO.........OIOOOOOOOOOOOO. SA a ? d 8D

21 . I feel that our Counseling Center does enough good work to warrant
it“ existance. 0....00......00......OOOIOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOI......OOOOOOOOOOO. SA a ? d SD
22. There is a complete lack of organization at the Counseling Center----
" one always gets the run around. .......................................... SA a ? d SD

PART II

DIRICTIONS:
alternatives.
your feeling.
genter.

Below are several items concerning attributes of counselors.
Put an (X) in front of the alternative which comes closest
Do this whether or not you have had direct contact wit t e
Check only one response for each item.

I

Bach item co

  
    
     
 

tains seva’ 1
Icscr£H1JE

IMPORTANT: The word counselors as used below refers solely to the counselors at
lichigan State College Counseling Center.

23. In basic philosophy and outlook on life the

counselors at the Center

1. are always optimistic.

2. tend to see the brighter side of life.

3. are sometimes Optimistic and sometimes
pessimistic.

4. are usually sour and pessimistic.

24. The understanding that counselors have of the
social and economic forces prevalent in our
society today is

1. very limited and inaccurate.

2. vague and somewhat unrealistic.

3. usually adequate and realistic.

4. very extensive and realistic.

25. The knowledge and understanding that counse-
selors have of the world of work is

I. quite limited.

2. about average.

3. somewhat better than average.

4. excellent.

“'26. How do you feel about the counselors' ability
to understand and help students who differ
from themselves in background, race, religion,
social, or economic status?

____1. They have an excellent understanding of

background differences.

____2. They have some understanding of students

different from themselves.

....3. They have little or no understanding of

background differences.

27. How much interest do counselors show in their
Job of counseling with students?

____1. They definitely lack interest.

____2. They do not show their interest.

____3. They seem to be interested.

‘____4. They have a great deal of interest.

28. Counselors at the Center are
l lacking in emotional adjustment.
2. like most people in their emotional adjust-
ment.

3. very stable and well-adjusted emotionally.

29. In trying to see the student's point of view,
counselors at the Center
____1. are very tolerant.
____2. try to be fair-minded.
____3. are sometimes over-bearing and talk down

to students.
____4. usually force their pet ideas on students.
30. The training and experience of the counselors

at the Center enable them to handle

1. all kinds of student problems.

____2. only certain kinds of student problems.

____3. no student problems.

31. How well do counselors help students achieve
a clear-cut and realistic understanding of
themselves and their problems?

__1. Very well.

____2. Fairly well.

____3. Not very well.
4. Not well at all.

32. The counselors' interpretation of psycho.
logical tests to students is

____1. always clear and very understandable,

____2. usually clear and understandable.

____3. too general to be of much help.

____4. confusing and of no help.

33. The amount of time that counselors spend in
talking about tests and test scores in

1. much greater than it ought to he.

2. somewhat excessive.

____3. about right.

____4. somewhat less than it ought to be.

____5. much less than it ought to be.

34. How do counselors at the Center deal with the
students' problems?

1. They usuallydictate the solutions.

2. They are likely to give solutions to
problems.

3. More Often than not they present stud-mtg
with alternatives.

4. They always offer alternatives from which
students may choose.

 

35. In helping students with their personal and
emotional problems, the counselors at the
Center are

____l. of great help.

____2. of some help.

3. practically of no help.

____4. do more harm than good.

36. The understanding that counselors have of
classroom conditions, problems, and pupil-
teacher relationships is

____1. clear and realistic.

2. adequate.
____3. lacking .1d confused.

37. The information possessed by counselors con—
cerning requirements of the various schools
and departments of the college is

1. very limited and inaccurate.

2. somewhat limited and varying in accuracy.
3. usually comprehensive and quite accurate.
4. always comprehensive and accurate.

38. In assisting No-Preference students in select-
ing a school in which to major, counselors
____1. are of great help.
2. are of some help. .
____3. are practically of no help.
4. do more harm than good.

39. How do you feel about the amount of time
given for interviews by the counselors?

____1. Interview is quick, impersonal, and rushed.
2. Interview feels somewhat hurried. '

____3. Interview time is reasonable.

____4. Length of interview is set by the student.

40. When advising students in course selection,
the counselors
1. disregard student wishes. ~
2. try to dissuade students from their choices
____3. sometimes allow students to make their own
choices.
4. allow students complete freedom in choos-
ing their courses.

PART III

In this part of the questionnaire you are asked to provide certain facts about

 

 

 

 

DIRICTIOMS:

yourself, your high school, and your experience with the Counseling Center. All

the questions can be answered by a few words or by writing an (x) for the

alternative that comes closest to describint your situation. Be as accurate as

possible. 5
41. Male Female 42. Age_____ 43. Single Married Other
44. Class in college: Fresh. Soph. Junior Senior Grad. Special

 

 

 

 

 

 

45-46. What is your approximate grade point average (new system)?

47. In what school are you enrolled?
1. Basic College
2. Agriculture
3. Business and Public Service
4. Engineering

Home Economics

. Science and Arts
Veterinary Medicine
. Short course

LL 010'

 

 

48. What is your major?
participate regularly.

 

4 List the extra—curricular activities in which you

0

 

50. Describe your father's regular occupation. (If-deceased, give his last occupation.)

 

What is the estimated size of the community in which your high school was located?

 

 

51.
1. Under 1000 people ____4. 10,000 to 25,000 people
2. 1000 to 5009‘peopls_ ____5. 25,000 to 100,000 people
3. 5000 to 10,000 people ____6. 100,000 people and above

52. Check the counseling and guidance services offered by the last high school you attended.
Offered Not offered

1. Complete guidance services including: psychological testing;
counseling; Job placement; information on occupational and
educational goals.

2. Administration of tests followed by personal interviews to
explain test results.

3. Administration of tests with no personal interview to ex—

plain test results.
4. Occasional advice or class presentations devoted to future
vocational or educational goals.
None of the above.
What other counseling Services were offered but not
mentioned above?
What kind of rating would you give the counseling services offered by your high school at the time
you attended it?
1. Excellent-
5. Definitely harmful

2. Good
3. Fair 6. Can't rate because no services offered.

53.
4. Poor

 

 

Do you know where the Counseling Center at Michigan State College is located?

54.
Uncertain

Yes

 

now well do you know the functions or purposes of the Counseling Center?

55.
Have a good idea Have some idea Have no idea

 

About how many times have yen gone to the Counseling Center at Michigan state College?
3_ Three to five times
4. Five or more times

56.

none, proceed to question No. 60

 

 

57. At whose suggestion did you go to the Counseling Center at M.S.C.? (Check all those which appr)
’ 1. On your own initiative 4. On the advice of your Enrollment Officer
2. On the advice of a friend 5. Because you were a No-Preference student
3. 0n the advice of your instructor 6. Other (specify) "

 

 

58. What was the nature of your problem(s). (Check all those which apply)
1. Enrollment 4. Vocational planning
2. Change of School or Major 5. Personal problem

3. Educational planning 6. Financial

7. Other (specify)

 

 

 

 

 

59. What kind of rating would you give the M.S.C. Counseling Center for the service you received?

. 1. Excellent 4. Poor
2. Good ____5. Definitely harmful
____3. Fair

60. Would you use the Counseling Center (again) if you needed its services?
____1. Yes 3. Uncertain
No 5. Only for certain kinds of problems. (specify)

 

2.

o

 

61-70. If you had a problem during the college year and you needed some help, to whom would you go
for this help? (Put a No. 1 for your first choice, No. 2 for your second choice, etc.)
61. Friends) 64. Counseling Center _ 67. Dormitory Counselor
___52. Family ____65. Close relatives ____68. Dean of Men or Women
___63. Church official ____56. Instructor ____§9. Psychology Clinic
' 70. Other (specify)

 

 

71. How do you feel about the way your Enrollment Officer (person not connected with the Counseling
Center) has handled your educational planning and goals?

Excellent Good Fair Poor Harmful Uncertain

 

 

 

 

 

72. In the space below feel free to make any comments of the way you feel about the counselors and
the Counseling Center or anything about this questionnaire.

Name - ____~

(will be used only to check whether you have returned your questionnaire)

. I

COllege address __.

APPEEDIX F

APPEIID IX G

APPENDIX G 303

MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE
East Lansing, Michigan

Division of Education

Mr . John Doe

East Shaw Hall
flichigan State College
East Lansing, Michigan

Many services have been established by Michigan State College to help students in
their educational.programs. Under the auspices of the Division of Education and with
approval of the college administration, a study is being conducted to ascertain student
opinion about one of these services. Your kind cooperation is sought in filling out
the enclosed questionnaire to find out what students think about the Counseling Center
and its counselors. Many of your classmates are also being asked to do this. Your
name was among those selected at random from the student directory.

It is possible that you have not had any direct experience with the Center. Never-
theless we want and need your response to every item in the questionnaire. The inform-
ation you give may be of great value to the College. We would deeply appreciate your
cooperation in helping us collect the data for this study.

WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH YOUR QUESTIOEEAIRE

As soon as you and other students have completed and returned this form, the
answers will be put together in order to prepare a report. No one will ever be "checking
'up" on how you respond to any of the questions. Your name is asked only as a means by
‘which we can check whether or not you have returned your questionnaire. The information

you give will be held in strict confidence.

INLET WE WANT YOU TO DO

Filling out this questionnaire will not take long. Very little writing is involved.
2P1ease answer the questions frankly and carefully. This is not a test or an examination.
’There are no right or wrong answers (except for a few questions about yourself). The
(only answers we need are your personal opinions and Judgments. Most of these can be
shown by merely marking an (X) in the spaces provided. If the choice of answers does
rust clearly represent your opinion, check the item which comes nearest to expressing

how you feel .

IJIPORTANT

Unless otherwise directed you are asked to respond to each question whether or not
you have been to the Counseling Center. One purpose of the study is to discover some-
tliing about the people that the Center does not serve as well as those it does serve.
it! you have hgg no direct contact with the Counseling,Cegter respond to the questiogg

lxy'giving what you think the general feelinggtoward it is, or howgyour friends feel
about it .

When you finish please insert the questionnaire in the enclosed self-addressed
envelope and mail it as soon as you can. Thank you for your cooperation.

very 81W
f.) VI

C. V. Millard, Director
Division of Education

APPEND IX H

APPEEDIX H

iICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE
Division of Education

As of last Friday we have not received the Counseling
Center questionnaire mailed to you. This is just a
reminder to mail your completed form.as soon as possi-
ble. We need a return as complete as possible; your
cooperation will be greatly appreciated. If you have
misplaced your questionnaire, phone 8-1888 and a new
one will be sent to you. Thank you very much for your
cooperation. If you have already mailed in your
questionnaire, disregard this notice.

C. V. Killard, Director
Division of Education

304

APPENDIX I

APTELDIX I

MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE
Division of Education

During the first week in April a questionnaire concerning
the Counseling Center was sent to you. 'We are sorry that
we have not as yet received your reply. we know it is
easy to put off this kind of thing. hen't you please
Spend a feW'minutes now to fill out the questionnaire and
return it?

no need as complete a return as possible and your COOper-
ation will be greatly appreciated. If you have misplaced
your questionnaire, phone 8-1898, and a new one will be
mailed to you. Thank you verr.muoh.

C. V. Eillard, Director
Division of Educqtion

305

0"

APPEI-TD IX J

APPENDIX J

MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE
Division of Education
East Lansing, Hichigan

Kay 8, 1951
Dear M.S.C. Student

Early in April a questionnaire dealing with Counselors
and the Counseling Center was mailed to you as part of a
sample of Michigan State College students. Response to the
questionnaire has been gratifying. Yet a preliminary check
on the sample indicated that certain groups are underrepre-
sented. To make this study as valid as possible these gaps
should be filled.

we urgently need your reSponse to the questionnaire
even though you never visited the Counseling Center.

We are enclosing another copy of the questionnaire and
a copy of the original letter which contains directions to
follow. No doubt many of you have misplaced the original
materials we sent you. So won't you please take a few
minutes now to do this simple task. Your COOperation will
be genuinely appreciated.

Very sincerely yours,

C. V. Millard, Director
Division of Education

ttention Seniors

 

Inasmuch as you shall be graduated soon and will be
leaving the campus it is especially important that we
receive your replies.

306

307

APPENDIX K

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APPEETDIX L

 

 

 

508 ‘

APTEEDIX L

STUDEET RESPOHSES TO COURSELCR ATTRIBUTE ITEMS FOUED IN PART TWO
OF THE IHSTRUhEh

Item.23: In basic philosophy and outlook on life the counselors at
the Center
1. are always optimistic. ‘
2. tend to see the brighter side of life. |
3. are sometimes optimistic and sometimes pessimistic. I
4. are usually sour and pessimistic.

 

 

 

Control Item Alternative
m_ 1 2 3 4 Total x.‘ P C
1-42 Age

W‘and under 2 so 32 1 65 30.1 (.05 0.07

19 4 49 35 O 88

20 5 58 32 l 96

21 3 48 41 O 92

22 4 24 23 O 51

23 l 20 18 1 4O

24 and over 10 46 37 O 95

Total 29 275 218 5 525

 

$10.04 u..." ‘1'». W

 

tem 24: The understanding that counselors have of the social and

 

_o—

economic forces prevalent in our society today is
1. very limited and inaccurate.

2. vague and somewhat unrealistic.

3. usually adequate and realistic.

4. very extensive and realistic.

309

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Control Item. Alternative
1 2 3 4 Total )6 P 0
2-42 .Age
18 and under 0 7 4:9 9 65 3108 (001 0023
19 0 4 77 7 88
20 O 9 75 10 94
21 0 7 79 7 93
22 2 5 43 2 52
23 and over 1 16 112 3 132
Total 3 48 435 38 524
2-44 Class
Freshmen O 11 84 14 109 17.3 (.05 0.18
Sophomore 1 5 98 10 114
JUnior 1 15 104 9 129
Senior 1 16 151 4 172
Total 3 47 437 37 524
2-47 School
Basic 0 9 142 20 171 46.6 (.01 0.28
Agriculture 0 3 34 7 44
D. d P. S. 3 14 88 1 106
Engineering 0 2 37 2 41
Home Econ. 0 3 14 0 l7
ScienceeArts O 14 107 5 126
Vet. Med. 0 3 11 l 15
Total 3 48 433 36 520
2-49 Extra Curric-
' ular activities
None 1 13 137 12 163 44.6 (.01 0.29
1 1 17 84 10 112
2 0 10 85 8 103
8 o 6 69 3 78
4 O O 31 3 34
5 1 2 14 1 18
6 or more 0 O 15 1 16
Total 3 48 435 38 524

 

.... m---

310

 

 

 

 

Control Item. .Alternative
1 2 s 4 Total 70 P G
2-53 High School
Guidance
Excellent-Good 0 12 117 10 139 20.8 (.01 0.19
Fair 1 4 93 12 110
Poor 2 13 134 13 162
Harmful-Can't
rate 0 18 88 2 108
Total 3 47 432 37 519
2-55 Knowledge of
Center
Good Idea 3 21 204 26 254 13.7 (.05 0.15
Some Idea 0 24 220 10 254
No Idea 0 3 11 2 16
Total 3 48 435 38 524
2-56 ttitude Score
Unfavorable l 12 15 O 28 49.6 (.01 0.29
Low Favorable O 9 37 2 48
Favorable 2 27 383 36 448
Total 3 48 435 38 524

 

 

311

Item 25: The knowledge and understanding that counselors have of the
world of work is
I. quite limited.
2. about average.
3. somewhat better than average.
4. excellent.

 

 

 

 

 

Control Item. .Alternative
1 2 5 4 Total 76‘ P G
3-43 Herital tatus
Single 12 112 265 63 452 8.4 (.05 0.12
harried 1 29 32 10 72
Total 13 141 297 73 524
3-44 Class
Freshman, 3 21 62 24 110 17.4 (.05 0.18
Sophomore 1 36 59 19 115
JUnior 4 32 76 17 129
Senior 5 50 102 13 170
Total 13 139 299 73 524
3‘55 Knowledge of
Center
Good Idea 5 58 142 50 255 17.3 (.01 0.18
Some Idea 8 75 149 21 253
No Idea 0 6 8 2 16
Total 13 139 299 73 524

 

3-56 Times Visited
Center
None 2 54 119 5 180 17.5 (.05 0.18
1-2 times 6 41 84 18 149
3-5 times 2 26 54 16 98
5 or more times 3 16 41 14 74
Total 13 137 298 53 501

———

3-74:75 Attitude
Score
Unfavorable 7 13 8 O 28 52.7 (.01 0.30
Low Favorable 0 27 19 3 49
Favorable 6 99 272 70 447
Total 13 139 299 73 524

 

 

 

 

312

Item 26: How do you feel about the counselors' abilities to under-
stand students who differ from themselves in background,
race, religion, social or economic status?

1. They have an excellent understanding of background
differences.

2. They have some understanding of students different from
themselves.

3. They have little understanding of background differences.

 

 

 

Control Item Alternative
1 2 3 Total 76* P 0
4-43 Marital Status
Single 154 286 9 449 6.2 (.05 0.10
harried 17 52 3 72
Total 171 338 12
4-44 Class
Fre‘ShILlan 48 61 O 109 12 06 O .05 O 015
SOphomore 40 70 3 113
Junior 38 86 5 129
Senior 43 123 4 170
Total 169 340 12 521

 

4-47 School

 

Basic 66 100 3 169 26.2 0.01 0.22
Agriculture 17 26 0 43
B. & P. S. 30 72 4 106
Engineering 17 22 O 39
Home Economics 4 12 l 17
Science and Arts 35 91 2 128
Vet. medicine 1 ll 2 14
Total 170 334 12 516
4-51 Size of Conmunity
Under 5,000 42 77 l 120 15.7 0.05 0.17
5000 - 10,000 27 45 1 73
10,000 - 25,000 32 37 4 73
25,000 - 100,000 37 79 4 120
100,000 and over 32 96 2 130
Total 170 334 12 516

 

 

-~. .— o—g- ’4‘ -

 

 

313

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”-‘MV-—O-¢--—‘~‘O *-‘—-——. ...—.-

 

 

 

 

Control Item Alternative
1 2 3 Total )6 P C
4-56 Times Visited
Center '
none 64 133 3 '200 15.8 0.02 0.17
1-2 times 48 94 5 147
3-5 times 26 70 2 98
5 or more 33 40 l 74
Total 171 337 11 519
4-74g75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable O 23 5 28 54.0 (.01 0.30
Low Favorable 7 39 3 49
Favorable 164 276 4 444
Total 171 338 12 521

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.. l . «3.1.x?
V .1... .....4. .n. ..

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m. 3. x .

 

314

Item 27: HOW'mUCh interest do counselors show in their job of
counseling with students?
1. They definitely lack interest.
2. They do now shOW'their interest.
3. They seem to be interested.
4. They have a great deal of interest.

Control Item Alternative

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 2 3 4 Total 36' P G“
5-41 Sex
E-riale 7 18 207 123 355 10.5 (.02 0.13
Female 2 15 96 60 173
Total 9 33 303 183 528
5-45 Father's Occupation
Professional and
Semi ITofossional 2 4 75 41 122 16.2 (.05 0.17
Preprietor 4 14 102 51 171
Farmer 1 l 25 16 43
Clerical 0 9 41 28 78
Skilled 0 3 33 29 65
Unskilled 1 l 24 14 40
Total 8 32 300 179 519
5-55 Knowledge of Center
Good idea 1 14 128 113 256 24.0 (.01 0.21
Some idea 8 18 163 66 255
No Idea 0 1 12 4 17
Total 9 33 303 183 528
5-56 Visits to Center
None 3 11 124 61 199 20.1 (.02 0.19
1-2 4 10 84 55 153
3-5 1 7 61 30 99
5 or more 1 5 32 37 75
Total 9 33 301 183 526
5-74:75.Attitude Score
Unfavorable 2 8 17 3 30 82.8 (.01 0.36
Low favorable 3 9 35 2 49
Favorable 4 16 251 178 449
Total 9 33 303 183 528

 

- - ...- A .... *—....._. ..--.fl-“m

 

 

 

315

Item 28: Counselors at the Center are
1. lacking in emotional adjustment.
2. like most people in their emotional adjustment.
3. very stable and well-adjusted emotionally.

- - o o

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___‘fl‘._._.---" --.o-- --.- . ---

_a—oo- - - .- -..—- --—.
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Control item Alternative
1 2 3 Total 20' P 0

6-42 Age

18 and under 0 38 27 65 22.3 (.02 0.20

19 0 46 42 88

20 0 5 36 95

21 0 57 35 92

22 2 30 20 52

23 and over 1 93 39 133

Total 3 323 199 525

 

6-44 Class

 

 

Freshman O 58 51 109 16.9 (.01 0.17
Sophomore 0 64 51 115
Junior 0 86 44 130
Senior 3 116 52 171
Total 3 324 198 525
6-47 School
Basic 0 92 78 170 21.6 (.02 0.19
Agriculture 0 28 16 44
B. & P. S. 2 65 39 106
Engineering 1 26 14 41
Home Economics 0 17 0 l7
ScienceeArts 0 81 46 127
Vet. Hedicine 0 12 4 16
Total 3 321 197 521
6-74:75
Attitude Score
Unfavorable 2 27 1 30 41.9 (.01 0.27
Low favorable 0 39 9 48
Favorable 1 257 189 447
Total 3 323 199 525

 

 

 

 

316

Item 29: In trying to see the student's point of view, counselors
at the Center
1. are very tolerant.
2. try to be fair-minded.
3. are sometimes over-bearing and talk down to students.
4. usually force their pet ideas on students.

m - — ———.—.___q'»_. -..-_c - ——_..._-_.—._-—— o—— o - ...—4 .—- .— —.-—..._. _.————.-._.-_.1_.~—'.—. -... - —~ — -~..» -.
0*. -—.—‘ ...—-. -

Control item Alternative

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 2 3 4 Total 22‘ P .....C._
7-44 Class
Freshman 34 64 7 5 110 14.6 .02 0.16
Sophomore 34 71 8 2 115
Junior 26 98 6 1 131
Senior 39 111 18 6 174
Tota 133 344 39 14 530
7-49 Activities
1-2 53 144 18 1 216
3 25 46 3 4 78
4 12 16 5 2 35
5 7 11 0 0 18
6 or more 6 9 l 0 16
Total 133 341 40 14 528
7-45g46 Grades
2.0 and under 13 28 5 5 54 21.5 4.05 0.19
2.0 - 2.4 59 157 21 1 238
2.4 - 2.9 32 99 10 4 145
3.0 - 3.4 15 35 3 3 56
3.5 - 4.0 2 ll 0 1 14
Total 124 330 39 14 507
7-44 Knowledge of
Center
Good idea 88 145 17 6 256 25.5 (.01 0.21
Some idea 43 183 22 8 256
No idea 2 l4 0 0 16
Total 133 342 39 14 528
7-74:75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 1 20 5 2 28 27.1 (.01 0.22
Low favorable 6 31 7 5 49
Favorable 126 291 27 7 451
Total 133 342 39 14 528

 

 

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C C C I
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n
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w....1VME\.w-

317

Item.30: The training and experience of the counselors at the Center
enable them to handle
1. all kinds of student problems.
2. only certain kinds of student problems.
3. no student problems.

 

cl
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'1
b
ca
d‘ a
H.
<I
(D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Control item. Al'
1 2 3 Total 31L P C
8-41 Sex
Kale 147 204 0 351 10.2 '<.01 0.13
Female 92 79 1 172
Total 239 283 1 523
8-42 Age
18 and under 39 26 O 65 22.4 (.02 0.20
19 49 38 0 87
20 40 55 O 95
21 34 58 0 92
22 24 27 1 52
23 and older 53 79 o 132 *
Total 239 283 l 523
8-44 Class
Freshman 55 54 0 109 22.5 (.01 0.20
Sophomore 71 43 0 114
Junior 52 78 0 130
Senior 60 109 0 169
Total 238 284 0 522
8-47 School
' Basic 94 76 0 170 25.5 (.02 0.21
Agriculture 17 27 O 44
B. & P. S. 34 69 1 104
Engineering 22 18 0 4O
Heme Economics 7 10 0 17
ScienceeArts 59 69 0 128
Vet. Hedicine 4 ll 0 15
Total 237 280 l 518
8-55 Knowledge of Center
Good idea 126 126 1 253 15.9 (.01 0.17
Some idea 109 144 0 253
No idea 4 l3 0 17
Total 239 283 1 523
8-74375 Attitude Score .
Unfavorable 2 27 1 30 29.8 (.01 0.23
Low favorable 13 36 0 49
Favorable 224 ‘220 0 444
Total 239 283 1 523

 

 

 

318

Item 31: HOW'Well do counselors help students achieve a clear-cut
and realistic understanding of themselves and their problems?
1. Very well.
2. Fairly well.
3. Not very well.
4. Net well all.

 

w-.. .- .¢——. —.—. ——-— '—
..—-‘_.—.—I-—.—. -.»-_‘ —m~~ .H -- ‘- -.. .——-—-.—- -—---o—. -

 

 

 

 

Control item. A t ;_
l 2 3 4 Total 71’. P c _
9-42 Age
18 and under 18 41 6 0 65 27.4 .02 0.22
19 21 63 2 1 87
20 17 69 7 2 95
21 8 73 11 1 93
22 10 35 4 2 51
23 and over 19 103 11 0 133
Total 91 386 41 6 524
9-44 Class
FTCShfllflH 52 68 8 O 108 35.4: < .01 0.25
Sophomore 22 84 4 5 115
Junior 19 99 12 0 130
Senior 18 135 17 l 171
Total 91 386 41 6 524
9-45z46 Grades
Under 2.0 14 31 6 3 54 22.8 (.01 0.21
2.0 - 2.4 37 176 20 3 236
2.5 - 2.9 23 108 13 0 144
3.0 ~ 3.4 10 44 1 0 55
3.5 ~ 3.9 0 14 0 0 14
Total 84 373 40 6 503

 

 

9-50 Father's Occupation
Professional and

Semi-professional 10 96 14 1 121 24.0 .02 0.21
Proprietor 39 117 9 4 169
Farmer 9 29 4 0 42
Clerical 9 61 8 0 78
Skilled 15 49 l 0 65
Unskilled 9 26 4 1 40
Total 91 378 40 6 515

 

 

.-.—Q.“

 

 

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. 73.33.195-315 i . -
. 199.49...“ .. I .ID 1 at

 

319

 

 

 

Control item Alternative 1_
l 2 3 4 Total 2: P _c_

9-56 Visits to Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

None 32 154 11 0 197 20.8 .01 0.19
1-2 25 112 12 3 152
3-5 17 72 6 3 98
5 or more 19 44 12 0 75
Total 93 382 41 6 522
9-58 Nature of Problem
Change of School 25 114 16 1 156 29.9 (.05 0.22
Enrollment 26 78 13 2 119
Educ. Planning 20 59 11 0 90
V00. Planning 17 73 13 0 103
Personal Problem. 9 38 5 l 53
Financial 1 6 2 0 9
Other 11 21 3 2 37
Total 109 389 63 6 567
9-74:75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 0 14 13 2 29 102.2 (.01 0.40
Low favorable 2 34 10 3 49
Favorable 91 336 18 1 446
Total 93 384 41 6 524

 

 

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J lulerlmu. hvfnee x... .. ...

.9999 ..9 1. 9 ...99.9.9‘.999JIIL 1914' . it'll 91.9.,

 

Item 32:
' students is

1. always clear and very understandable.
2. usually clear and understandable.

3. too general to be of much help.

4. confusing and of no help.

 

Control item

 

 

Alternative

--_. -

¢ —. — ..»...--.~
—.—~.-_—

~--.
...-

320

The counselors' interpretation of psychological tests to

 

---—-...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__ l 2 3 4 Total 1" P c_
10-41 Sex
hale 20 258 70 3 351 7.9 {.05 0.11
Female 21 118 30 2 171
Total 41 376 100 5 522
10-42 Age
18 and under 11 39 14 0 64 25.2 {.05 0.21
19 11 64 10 2 87
20 8 68 20 1 97
21 2 67 22 l 92
22 l 38 12 0 51
23 and above 8 100 22 3 133
Total 41 376 100 7 524
10-44 Class
Freshman 16 72 18 l 107 17.6 (.05 0.18
Sophomore 12 81 21 1 115
Junior 4 93 32 2 131
Senior 9 130 '29 l 169
Total 41 376 100 5 522
10-55 Knowledge of Center
Good idea 26 185 37 4 252 13.4 (.05 0.15
Some idea 15 181 57 1 254
No idea 0 10 ' 6 0 16
Total 41 376 100 5 522
10-74g75 Scale Score
Unfavorable o 11 18 o 29 42.4 (.01 0.27
Low favoratle 3 29 14 2 48
Favorable 38 336 69 3 446
Total 41 376 101 5 523

 

 

‘9 II- . IIII I... I. III - - s I I -I . ..

 

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. . ..u l.rF..I.,vt.In!lu. (911.7919. .
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IIII.I..II IIkIIIIIII. 0.- II -1 .I .
.

 

321

Item 33: The amount of time that counselors spend in talking about
tests and test scores is‘
1. much greater than it ought to be.
2. somewhat excessive.
3. about right.
4. somewhat less than it ought to be.
5. much less than it ought to be.

W‘-.—.-—.-—- --'—---—. ‘---.----—o----—--- --.—.—--—.-’-~-_—- ---
W-a--‘—. H-.—. - -.—.---. “...-.... ...... --r-.—.-.-—.—.—. “— ~ -1- .

 

 

 

Control item. Alternative
1 2 3 4 5 Total.“ 70‘ P c
11-43 marital status
Single 5 60 302 64 0 431 11.6 .02 0.15
harried 1 14 46 12 0 73
Total 6 74 348 76 0 504
11-56 Visited Center
Tone 4 34 140 12 2 192 52.9 ‘(.01 0.30
1-2 2 27 99 21 1 150
3-5 0 8 58 27 3 96
5 or more 0 4 50 16 4 74
Total 6 73 347 76 10 512

 

11- 74:75 Attitude Score

Unfavorable l 6 14 5 l 27 13.2 .01 0.16
Low favorable 1 10 25 9 3 48
Favorable 4 58 308 63 6 456

Total 6 74 347 77 10 544

 

 

...A'

 

322

Item 34: HOW do counselors at the Center deal with the students'
problems?
1. They usually dictate the solutions.
2. They are likely to give solutions to problems.
3. kore often than not they present students with alterna-

 

 

 

 

 

 

tivcs.
4. They always offer alternatives from which students may
choose.
Control item Alternative
1 2 3 4 Total x3" P c
12-49 Activities
None 1 29 92 39 161 27.0 .02 0.22
l 2 21 74 13 110
2 1 17 64 19 101
3 l 13 54 9 77
4 0 6 23 6 35
5 or more 0 9 21 4 34
Total 5 95 328 90 518

 

 

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. Is f4u\.6c.lf \HIEbQ. .
I‘lll. ’- .‘I’1 .‘n

«

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 35: In helping students with their problems of a personal and
emotional nature, the counselors at the Center are
l. of great help. .
2. of some help.
3. practically of no help.
4. do more harm than good.
Control item Alternative ;
1 2 3 4 Total )4 P c
l3-53 High School Guid-
ance Rating
Excellent-Good 34 93 12 l 140 16.4 (.05 0.17
Fair 19 82 9 0 110
Poor-Harmful 27 125 13 3 168
Can't rate 20 63 19 0 102
Total 100 363 53 4 520
13-55 Knowledge of
Center
Good idea 63 164 23 3 253 23.1 (.01 0.21
Some idea 39 188 29 O 256
to idea 0 14 1 1 16
Total 102 366 53 4 525
13~74z75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 0 18 7 3 28 32.8 (.01 0.24
Low favorable 2 34 12 l 49
Favorable 100 314 34 0 448
Total 102 366 53 4 525

.--mrk.

324

Item.36: The understanding that counselors have of classroom con-
ditions, problems, and pupil-teacher relationships is

1. clear nd realistic.

2. adequate.

3. lacking and confused.

 

— -—...———_—————_'.- -—_—
a“

m— —- ‘ - v .
M -_',_‘- .——————_-—.-_— ... —————'--.-—--_¢—---.'-— ———— -— —

 

 

 

 

 

Control item Alternative
_ m l 2 3 Total X." P C
14-42 Age
18 and under 29 34 z 65 19.8 (.05 0.19
19 32 56 0 88
20 34 53 9 96
21 30 60 3 93
22 19 26 6 51
23 and over 37 86 8 131
Total 181 315 28 524
14-74z75 Attitude Score “
Unfavorable 5 16 8 27 42.8 (.01 0.27
LOW favorable 12 32 5 49
Favorable 166 267 15 448
Total 181 315 28 524

 

325

Item 37: The information possessed by counselors concerning require-
ments of the various schools and departments of the college
is -

1. very limited and inaccurate.

2. somewhat limited and varying in accuracy.

3. usually comprehensive and quite accurate.

4. always comprehensive and accurate.

 

‘m- -. . .- .—._.. - .— ...—---.-- . .. . _. .. .——_—— — - - - _.—_.- .- —_._— - __-_-—. -——--_ .- ———-—.<-—'—v--——‘-—-~ -.--

 

Control item ‘Alternative

. —— .— ..——-—_..._--v .— ._ — —.---—————--————w‘-

 

 

1 2 3 4 Total 20' P c
15-42 Age
18 and under 12 34 17 65 23.7 .02 0.20

2
19 0 19 6O 9 88
20 2 30 54 7 93
21 2 24 58 8 92
22 4 ll 31 5 51
23 and over 1 35 83 11 130

Total 11 131 320 37 519

 

 

15-44 Class
Freshman 2 22 64 21 109 24.3 (.01 0.21
Sophonpre 0 23 73 18 114
Junior 5 38 77 7 127
Senior 4 47 107 11 169
Total 11 150 321 57 519

 

 

rc—o .—.—.— ...— .

15-47 School

 

 

Basic 3 32 104 30 169 28.6 .05 0.23
Agriculture 0 12 27 3 42
B. & P. S. 4 26 66 7 103
Engineering 0 8 26 7 41
Eome Economics 1 6 8 l 16
SciencefiArts 3 39 78 8 128
Vet. hedicine O 7 8 O 15
Total 11 130 317 56 514
15-74375 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 5 8 15 o 28 60.8 (.01 0.52
Low favorable 0 26 20 3 49
Favorable 6 97 286 54 443
Total 11 131 321 57 520

 

326

Item 38: In assisting No-Preference students in selecting a school
in which to major, counselors
1. are of great help.
2. are of some help.
3. are practically of no help.
4. do more harm than good.

 

 

‘m -- . ~-- .... »
--.—'——-4——- _—_o—.— .— H- ———_—- ‘ . -..—....- .-- ...—.‘p .— ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Control item Alternative
1 2 3 4 Total _7_c:___1=»_‘m p"
16-41 Sex
Male 115 229 11 O 355 1102 001 0014
Female 51 105 12 3 171
Total 166 334 23 3 526
16-51 Size of Community
5,000 and under 46 74 4 0 124 27.5 (.01 0.22
5,000 - 10,000 14 56 3 0 73
10,000 - 25,000 25 49 2 0 76
25,000 - 100,000 29 79 8 3 119
100,000 and above 51 74 2 l 128
Total 165 332 19 4 520
l6-74:75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 1 23 4 1 29 34.8 (.01 0.24
Low favorable 6 37 6 O 49
Favorable 159 274 13 2 448
Total 166 334 23 3 526

 

327

Item 39: How do you feel about the amount of time given for inter-
views by the counselors?
1. Interview is quick, impersonal, and rushed.
2. Interview feels somewhat hurried.
3. Interview time is reasonable.
4. Length of interview is set by the studalt.

..—.-.-_‘;—— -1“.

 

 

.--w-.~

 

.-—_ ..- _...

 

 

Control item. Alternative
_. 1 2 2-4.4.9441 .25" P c
17-41 Sex
halo 5 90 191 63 349 21.6 (.01 0.20
Female 6 3O 73 58 167
Total 11 120 264 121 516

 

17-56 Visits to Center

 

bone 1 32 130 26 189 56.4 (.01 0.31
1-2 6 42 69 34 151
3-5 4 27 41 27 99
5 or more 0 17 24 34 75
Total 11 118 264 121 514
l7-74:75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 0 9 13 6 28 18.9 (.01 0.19
LOW'favorable 5 l9 l8 6 48
Favorable 6 92 233 110 441
Total 11 120 264 122 517

 

 

 

328

Item 40: Bhen advising students in course selection, the counselors
l. disregard student wishes.
2. try to dissuade students from their choices.
3. sometimes allow students to make their own choices.
4. allow students complete freedom in choosing courses.

 

 

~fi__' _..._....———__._——_.__.-_—. _—

 

 

 

Control item Alternative

1 2 3 4 Total X, P C

 

18-42 Age

 

 

 

 

18 and under 0 3 22 40 65 29.7 (.01 0.23
19 O 3 23 61 87
20 2 8 36 49 95
21 0 5 48 38 91
22 0 4 24 23 51
23 and over 1 7 64 57 129
Total 3 30 217 268 518
18-44 Class
Freshman O 4 37 67 108 3105 < 001 0024:
Sophomore 0 5 33 77 115
Junior 2 10 60 58 130
Senior 1 ll 88 65 165
Total 3 30 218 267 518
18-47 School
Basic 0 6 59 106 171 59.7 (.01 0.34
Agriculture 0 5 17 22 44
B. 4 P. S. O 7 54 43 104
Engineering 0 0 16 22 38
Home Economics 0 0 10 7 l7
ScienceeArts 1 ll 53 59 124
Vet. hedicine 2 l 5 7 15
Total 3 30 214 266 513
18-45:46 Grades
2.0 and under 0 6 ll 36 53 18.8 (.05 0.19
2.0 - 2.4 O 10 101 122 233
2.5 e 2.9 2 8 67 65 142
3.0 - 3.4 l 5 23 26 55
3.5 - 3.9 0 0 8 6 14
Total 3 29 210 255 497

 

c...—

 

 

d...—

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329

 

 

 

 

Control item Alternative ‘L
1 2 3 49 Total X P L
18-55 Knowledge of Center
Good idea 0 16 91 145 252 14.1 (.05 0.16
Some idea 3 12 117 118 250
No idea 0 2 9 5 16
Total 3 30 217 268 518
18-56 Visits to Center
Hone 3 8 93 90 194 16.5 .05 0.18
1-2 0 ll 56 83 150
3—5 0 5 44 48 97
5 or more 0 4 24 47 75
Total 3 28 217 268 516
18-74:75 Attitude Score
Unfavorable 1 4 13 11 29 15.7 (.01 0.17
Low favorable 1 6 23 19 49
Favorable l 20 182 238 441
Total 3 30 218 268 519

APPENDIX M

330

APPEND IX M

A COZPARISON 0F TEE CHARACTERISTICS CF RBSPOHDEITS AID ION-RESPCNDEITS
TO THE OPEN-ENDED QUESTION

 

_,._ __,.

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Non-Respondents (241) Beepondents (303)

Control item Number Percent Number Percent_
Sex

male 171 71.0 195 64.4

Female 70 29.0 108 35.6
Age

17-21 157 65.0 196 64.6

22 and over 84 35.0 107 34.4
Class

Freshman 61 25.4 51 16.8

Sophomore 54 22.4 63 20.8

Junior 52 2106 87 2807

Senior 74 30.6 102 33.6
School

EaSio N.Po 23 9.6 20 606

Agriculture 29 12.0 39 13.9

B. & P. S. 62 25.7 82 27.1

Engineering 25 10.3 26 8.6

Heme Economics 11 4.6 17 5.6

ScienceeArts 82 34.0 105 34.6

Vet. hedicine 9 3.8 14 4.6

Size of Community

Under 1,000 11 4.8 22 7.3
1,000 - 5,000 43 17.8 51 16.8
5,000-10,000 38 15.6 37 12.2
10,000-25,000 30 12.5 50 16.5
25,000—100,000 57 23.8 68 22.4
100,000 and up 82 25.8 75 24.8

High School Guid-
ance Rating

Excellent 12 5.0 20 6.6
GOOd 55 22.8 57 1808
Fair 50 20.7 68 22.4
Poor 71 29.5 95 31.5
Definitely Bad 3 1.2 2 0.6
Can't rate 47 19.5 57 18.8

No reSponse 3 1.2 5 1.3

 

331

 

 

———-.- -..-

Non-Respondents (241) Respondents (303)
Control item Number Percent Humber Percent

—-.-‘-—.

 

Times Visited

Center
None 100 41.5 115 38.0
1-2 74 30.8 79 26.1
3-5 34 14.1 65 21.5
5 or more 32 1303 43 14:02
No response 1 0.4 1 0.3

Rating of Center

Excellent 32 41.5 32 17.3
Good 73 30.8 9 49.3
Fair 34 14.1 44 23.8
Poor-Harmful 32 13.3 17 9.2
No response 1 0.4 215
Use Center again

Yes 181 75.0 223 73.6
No 3 1.2 8 2.6
Uncertain 20 8.3 51 16.8
For certain prob-

lems only 12 5.0 5 1.6
No response 25 10.4 16 5.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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