A Study on impact of cognitive complexity and coping flexibility of the counselor on the countertransference management ability

Based on previous studies that cognitive complexity and coping flexibility are closely related with psychological adaptibility, it can be inferred that they can influence management ability of countertransference in counselling. This study focused on the influence of counselor's cognitive complexity and coping flexibility on the management ability of countertransference in counselling. The survey was conducted on 128 (female 108, male 20) counselors of college counseling center, general counseling center, schools and hospitals. The study employed flexibility scale measures, interpersonal discrimination test, and countertransference factors inventory. The results was that the level of cognitive complexity did not influence countertransference ability whereas the level of coping flexibility influenced countertransference management ability. In multiple regression, it was evidenced that coping flexibility influence countertransference management ability more than cognitive complexity. In sum, our study indicate that coping flexibility is important to enhance the management ability of countertransference in counselling, and that related counsellor training program should be developed in the future.