Date of Award
4-1994
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Thelma Urbick
Second Advisor
Dr. Michael Bahr
Third Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Garland
Abstract
The major purpose of this three-part study was to contribute to the body of knowledge concerned with mystical and out-of-body experiences (OBE) in the counselor relationship. The first part of the study was descriptive in nature. The study evaluated through a survey, designed by the researcher, the likelihood of client reporting to a counselor having had a mystical or out-of-body experience. Additionally, the descriptive part of the study asked counselors to report their own personal mystical and out-of-body experiences. Next, the study counted important demographic variables of both the counselor and the clients of the counselor.
The second part of this study sought to assess counselor attitudes towa d mystical and out-of-body experiences. This was a two-part process in which counselors first assessed their opinion of their own clients’ experiences, then the counselor answered a general attitude questionnaire about such experiences.
The final part of the study was relational in nature. This part of the study looked at the relationships between client and counselor report of these experiences, demographic variables, and counselor attitudes toward these experiences.
The results of the study were as follows:' (a) Client reports of the experience were less than would normally be expected, (b) counselor personal reports of the experience were as expected, (c) counselor attitudes were significantly related to some of these reports as were some of the demographic variables, (d) counselor personal experience with both the mystical experience and the OBE was related to client report of these experiences, and (e) a third factor was hypothesized (which was named Factor 2) to be related to both counselor attitude and the reports of these experiences by both clients and counselors.
It was also noted that the independent instrument for evaluating counselor attitude may, with further development, be useful as a psychological measure in the field of counseling and counselor training.
Research and counseling implications were suggested, and recommendations for further research were presented.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Bentley, Douglas W., "Mystical and Out-of-Body Experiences as Perceived by Counselors: Difference in Attitude Toward Self and Client" (1994). Dissertations. 1813.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/1813