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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Selection criteria for choosing mental health service providers: a pilot study
Thomas J Lipscomb1, Kyna Shelley, Teri Root
1Department of Educational Studies and Research, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001, USA. thomas.lipscomb@usm.edu
Abstract:
Although there is an established literature concerned with the manner in which consumers select providers of general health care, far less attention has been given to the nature of the process used by consumers to select providers of mental health services. The present study provides further insight into this process by identifying dimensions used by consumers to differentiate among potential providers. A sample of 153 undergraduate college students was asked to read a scenario describing a situation in which they had decided that they were in need of mental health services and then to complete a questionnaire pertaining to the importance of a therapist possessing various characteristics. The results indicated that whereas demographic characteristics of potential providers were not heavily weighted as selection criteria, credentials, specific expertise, as well as personal characteristics of the therapist were of considerable importance.
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