The semantic differential as a measure of changes in meaning in educational and vocational counseling.

Abstract

To measure changes in meaning of concepts as the result of an educational and vocational counseling process, a Semantic Differential form was administered to 88 counselees before the start of educational and vocational counseling and again upon completion of the final interview. The concept “educational and vocational counseling” was rated significantly more favorable and more potent immediately after counseling than before counseling. The concept “my self” was evaluated significantly more favorable, more potent, and more active after counseling than prior to counseling, while the concept “my problems” was rated significantly more favorable, less potent, and less active after counseling. The shift in the meaning of the concept “my problems” is evidence that the counseling experience has been of value to the counselee. The shift in the concept “my self” is similar to results reported by other investigators during counseling but in those cases the number of counseling sessions was substantially greater than the two sessions which the counselee attended during this study.