Gender differences and depression in self-disclosure on the therapeutic relationship

The counseling relationship is a major factor in promoting change from the client in the therapeutic relationship. Additional factors contributing to or hindering this relationship including gender, depressive symptomology, and disclosure tendency, collectively require further attention to facilitate improved treatment outcomes in counseling. Male and female college students (N = 212) completed measures that assessed depression symptomology and disclosure tendency. It was hypothesized that female college students would engage in greater levels of self-disclosure than male students and that greater depressive symptomology would equate to a lesser degree of disclosure tendency. The employed ANOVA model found no interaction between gender, depression, and disclosure; however, results partially supported the hypotheses. Female college students engaged in greater levels of self-disclosure compared to male students. Greater depressive symptomology however, equated to greater disclosure among both male and female participants. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications of finding were discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Rubio, Nicole

Contributors dc:contributor

• Miller, Matthew

• Sex differences; Depression, Mental
• Psychiatric and Mental Health

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/256

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1255