Some effects of counsellor training

The first two classes of the University of Aston's Diploma in Counselling course (1971/72, N = 5; 1972/73, N = 11) were measured on their ability to respond empathically and on their ability to discriminate the quality of other counsellors' responses at the beginning and the end of an academic year of full-time graduate study. Additionally, the 1972/73 group were administered a counsellor attitude scale. Significant differences were found between pre-and post-test means on all three measures for the 1972/73 group and on the communication of empathy for the 1971/72 group. The findings for the two Aston groups are discussed in relation both to each other and also to comparable American data.