Counselor Affective Reactions to Termination: Impact of Counselor Loss History and Perceived Client Sensitivity to Loss

Licensed-to-practice psychologists (61 men and 56 women) participated in a study of affective reactions to termination as a function of counselor loss history and perceived client sensitivity to loss. Counselor loss history (age at time of most significant loss, past grief reactions, and present grief reactions) was a significant predictor of counselor anxiety and depression during termination. Perceived client sensitivity to loss (sensitivity to loss and experiencing of other losses at time of termination) was a significant predictor of counselor anxiety during termination when the effect of counselor loss history was partialed out. Neither counselor loss history nor perceived client sensitivity to loss was predictive of counselor task satisfaction during termination. Results support the view that the termination process is affected by both counselor and client variables related to loss.