Title: Teaching Tip Sheet: Counselor Attitude Bias
Headings: Teaching Tip Sheet: Counselor Attitude Bias
Teaching Tip Sheet: Counselor Attitude Bias
Important Issues or Topics in Psychology
Lessons Learned from HIV/AIDS
Teaching Strategies
Key References
Author

Content: Teaching Tip Sheet: Counselor Attitude Bias
Teaching Tip Sheet: Counselor Attitude Bias
Counseling Psychology Courses
Important Issues or Topics in Psychology
Therapist attitudes and biases are important to areas of study in psychology in that they impact on the process of psychotherapy. Therapists' attitudes include beliefs reflected in emotional responses and behavior as well as cognitions. Because of the sociocultural nature of the AIDS epidemic, therapists can be especially vulnerable to being influenced by their own attitudes and biases. Working with persons affected by HIV disease can trigger powerful and complex personal and professional issues surrounding discrimination and oppression, sexuality, substance use and abuse, and issues of mortality. It is important that therapists be cognizant of their own biases and attitudes and the subsequent impact of their work in counseling persons with HIV disease. Lessons Learned from HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS has contributed to our understanding of counselor attitude/bias. Overall, the research suggests that the personal attitudes and biases of psychologists may affect their professional treatment and decision making. The impact of HIV/AIDS to this area of literature is illustrated below.