Counsellor communicative control and client-perceived rapport

The relationship between counsellor verbal control and client-perceived rapport during 12 initial interviews conducted by counsellor trainees was investigated. Minute-by-minute client ratings of rapport were collected and used as the dependent variable. Counsellor verbal behaviour was coded into Topic-Initiation, -Following, and -Reintroduction responses and these were analyzed for their relationship with rapport. Data indicated that there were significantly more Topic-Following responses during minutes rated low in rapport than in minutes rated high in rapport. Examination of the relationship between counsellor verbal control and rapport during interviews suggested that the effective use of communicative control by counsellors may be time-relevant to the stage of the interview.