Individual versus Societal Focus

Abstract

The problem diagnoses given by U. S. Black and White male and female counselors were analyzed to determine whether they were individually or societally focused. After viewing a videotape of culturally varied client vignettes, the participating counselors responded in writing to the question "What do you think is the problem?" The data were scored according to an individual-societal continuum. Race appeared as a strong source of difference: Black males and females tended to use a societal focus more frequently than did the White males and females. However, while the Whites' diagnoses were almost exclusively individual, the Blacks employed more equal distribution of individually and societally focused responses. Another major implication of this study is the relatively weak significance of sex differences.