| Abstract: | Quantitative and phenomenological research methods are briefly discussed as they were simultaneously applied to expectations about counseling in 100 elderly persons and 100 gender- and ethnic-matched college students. Participants completed the Expectations About Counseling-Brief Form (EAC-B) questionnaire with appended demographic items, and also participated in semistructured group interviews. Analysis of variance indicated general similarity in EAC-B responses for elderly and young respondents. Phenomenological analyses of interview responses, however, revealed different expectations among elderly and young participants, which may account for the reluctance of many elderly persons to seek counseling. Results are discussed as they apply to counseling research and practice. |
