18th Annual Student Research Conference
Education
The Effect of Client Physical Attractiveness on Counselor Perception of Mental Health
Maureen M. Bell♦
Dr. Christopher Maglio, Faculty Mentor
There is much research indicating that people are attributed different characteristics based solely on their physical attractiveness. This is a concern in the counseling profession because counselors might be inclined to view attractive and unattractive clients differently, assuming that attractive clients are more mentally healthy and unattractive clients more unhealthy. A random sample of counselors reviewed the same the client profile with a picture of either a Caucasian or African-American female ranging in her level of physical attractiveness from highly attractive to highly unattractive. Using the Adult Health Concerns Questionnaire (HCQ), these counselors then identified the symptoms they felt the client suffered from and the severity of these symptoms. It was hypothesized that highly attractive clients would be attributed the fewest, and least severe symptoms; unattractive clients attributed the most symptoms with the greatest severity; and moderately attractive clients somewhere in between. Results and discussions will be presented.
Keywords: counseling, attractiveness, mental health
Topic(s):Counseling
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 29-7
Location: OP Lobby & Atrium
Time: 1:15