title: Factorial and predictive validity of the expectations about counseling-brief (EAC-B) with clients seeking counseling.
abstract: Our goals in this study were to define the factorial structure of treatment expectations for a sample of treatment-seeking clients and to understand the predictive validity of those expectations. A sample of 353 clients who were about to begin counseling at a university counseling center or at a psychology clinic completed the Expectations About Counseling-Brief form (EAC-B) and then completed measures of the working alliance, session quality, and symptom distress throughout the treatment. Principal components analysis resulted in a 3-factor solution of EAC-B treatment expectations, which accounted for 48.0% of the total variance. Consistent with previous research, the 3 factors were labeled client involvement, counselor expertise, and facilitative conditions. Among clients with prior treatment experience, a meaningful 4-factor solution was achieved; it involved the counselor expertise factor being split into 2 subgroups labeled "counselor directive helping" and "counselor subjective expertise." The predictive validity of these 3 factors found that each of the 3 EAC-B factor-derived scales, as well the total EAC-B score, was predictive of clients' (but not therapists') ratings of the therapeutic alliance as well as ratings of session depth, smoothness, and positivity. Client involvement, facilitative conditions, and EAC-B Total score (but not counselor expertise) predicted therapy outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ohio University.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric and Psychological Associates of Durham, PLLC.
authors.forename: Candace L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ohio University.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: McClintock
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ohio University.
authors.forename: Xiaoxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome