An Experimental Analysis of Reflected Affect Versus Reflected Content in Consultative Interactions

This study compared two types of consultant statements for their effects on consultees’ verbal behavior during the initial behavioral consultation interview. Seven teachers were randomly assigned to one of two consultants for participation in a 45 min Problem Identification Interview (PII). During the interviews, consultants alternated between statements summarizing consultee affect and message content using a counterbalanced ABCBC design. Coded transcripts of the interviews were examined revealing significantly more consultee statements expressing agreement with the consultant during conditions of reflected content, and significantly more consultee statements about themselves and their emotions during conditions of reflected affect. Results of lag sequential analysis revealed specific patterns in consultee responding to the two types of consultant statements. The implications of these results for using consultant statements to facilitate problem identification are discussed.