Older Adults' Preferences for Age and Sex of a Therapist

Abstract

This study compared the Age Matching (Gatz et al., 1985) and Social Comparison (Suls & Miller, 1977; Hayslip et al., 1989) hypotheses as factors associated with elderly persons preferences for age of therapist. This study also investigated older adults' preferences for sex of therapist. Thirty males and 30 females aged 60 and over read and listened to the script of a segment of a simulated therapy session with an elderly male or female client, corresponding to their own sex, who was experiencing distress over a family problem. They rated pictures depicting younger and older male and female therapists, matched on attractiveness and likability and equated for competency, as to their therapist preference. Respondents preferred older to younger therapists. Females preferred female therapists; males expressed no significant preference. Age Matching statements appeared to have explanatory power in choice of older therapist. The Social Comparison hypothesis could not be adequately tested due to the scale's limited internal consistency. Implications for older adults' use of mental health services are discussed.