Objective self-awareness as a variable in counseling process and outcome

Hypothesized that client objective self-awareness (OSA), as both a transient state and an enduring trait, is important in counseling. OSA refers to reflexive attention to oneself and internal comparison of one's own behavior with salient societal or personally held values. 60 undergraduates com...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of counseling psychology 1982-07, Vol.29 (4), p.421-424
Main Authors: Damsteegt, Don C, Christoffersen, Julie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Client Characteristics
Counseling
Human
Psychotherapeutic Processes
Self-Concept
Self-Perception
Treatment Outcomes
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Summary:Hypothesized that client objective self-awareness (OSA), as both a transient state and an enduring trait, is important in counseling. OSA refers to reflexive attention to oneself and internal comparison of one's own behavior with salient societal or personally held values. 60 undergraduates completed the Private Self-Consciousness subscale of The Self-Consciousness Scale, the Procrastination Log, and the Procrastination Inventory. Two levels of trait OSA were used as a blocking variable, while 3 counseling conditions varied the amount of state OSA. The self-aware condition sought to enhance S self-focus, the non-self-aware condition sought to minimize S self-focus, and the control group received no counseling. Findings indicate an interaction between trait and state dimensions such that Ss high in trait OSA were most affected by the interview that sought to enhance state OSA. Ss low in trait OSA were the only ones who made changes over time in behavior and self-satisfaction. Findings have implications for therapeutic approaches to clients with differing amounts of dispositional self-consciousness. (15 ref)
ISSN:0022-0167
1939-2168
DOI:10.1037/0022-0167.29.4.421