Modeling the Effects of Counselor-Trainees’ Perceptions of Early Childhood on Trainees’ Social Influence Attributes

Through structural equation modeling, this study investigates the effects of counseling students’perceptions of early-childhood experiences on their social influence attributes as rated by their instructors. Perceptions of early childhood had no effects on instructors’ratings of trainees’expertness or trustworthiness, but did have effects on ratings of attractiveness. This model provides a close statistical fit to the data. The model supports the theoretical position that trainees’ intrapersonal family-of-origin processes influence their interpersonal-emotional functioning in counseling. Results have consistencies and inconsistencies with theoretical frameworks used to explain the influences of family of origin on counselors’ functioning. Implications for counselor training and supervision are presented.