Preferences of therapists-in-training for client characteristics

The preferences of 132 therapists-in-training for 16 client characteristics were investigated using a paired comparison methodology. Therapists most preferred to work with clients who were psychologically minded, shared similar attitudes and values, and had dissimilar personally troubling problems. They least preferred to work with clients who were not psychologically minded, had dissimilar attitudes and values, and were older. Order of preferences was not influenced by therapist sex, race, clinical experience, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or theoretical orientation. Limitations of this study as well as implications for further research and training are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).