Feminist Values in Announcements of Professional Services

This study amplified Lewis, Davis, and Lesmeister's (1983) investigation of potential clients' perceptions of traditional and feminist therapist announcements of services. The extension included an explicit traditional condition, used male as well as female subjects, and controlled for attitudes toward women and proclivities toward seeking professional help. Fifty-two men and 52 women read one of four announcements and completed the Counselor Rating Form-Short (CRF-S) and a list of 20 problems. Significant interaction for the CRF-S trustworthiness dimension, and main effects for announcements on three problems, emerged. Implications of informing clients concerning therapist values are discussed.