Client distress disclosure, characteristics at intake, and outcome in brief counseling

Client tendencies to disclose versus conceal personally distressing informa tion (termed distress disclosure) were hypothesized to relate to measures o f social support, personality, perceived stress, and symptomatology at inta ke, as well as improvement over the course of counseling, Seventy-nine coll ege counseling center clients completed questionnaires at intake; 45 of the se clients also completed measures at termination. Distress disclosure was related to social support, trait positive affectivity, and trait negative a ffectivity at intake; and distress disclosure was associated with a decreas e in client-rated stress and symptomatology over the course of counseling. These findings point to the importance of attending to client differences i n tendencies to disclose versus conceal personally distressing information both at intake and as it relates to change in counseling.