A Profile Analysis of University Counselling Service Dropout and Non-Dropout Students: The Role of Epistemic Trust and Personality Traits

IF 1.2 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research Pub Date : 2025-06-16 DOI:10.1002/capr.70027

Costanza Franchini, Gaetano Maria Sciabica, Mara Morelli, Antonio Chirumbolo, Silvia Andreassi, Anna Maria Speranza, Alexandro Fortunato

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Abstract

Introduction

University counselling services are a strategic resource for supporting students' psychological well-being. Despite evidence of their effectiveness, little is known about the psychological factors contributing to premature dropout from this kind of intervention. The current study aimed to explore the role of students' maladaptive personality traits and epistemic stances in influencing dropout from a counselling intervention.

Method

The total sample included 605 university students (M_age = 22.6; SD_age = 3.34) who referred to a university counselling centre. Of these, 174 students (29%) prematurely discontinued the intervention. At intake, participants' maladaptive personality traits and epistemic stances were assessed. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to compare psychological profiles of dropouts and non-dropouts, controlling for gender and degree programme.

Results

Dropout students reported significantly higher scores on all five maladaptive personality traits (negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition and psychoticism), as well as on epistemic mistrust and credulity. No significant differences were found in epistemic trust, and no interaction effects emerged between dropout status and gender or degree programme.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that heightened maladaptive traits and difficulties in epistemic stance may impair engagement with brief counselling. Specifically, mistrust, credulity, and maladaptive traits may reflect relational vulnerabilities that predispose individuals to disengage. Early identification of at-risk profiles could help clinicians tailor interventions to promote engagement and reduce dropout. To this end, addressing personality and epistemic challenges early in the process may foster trust and enhance commitment—even within the time constraints of short-term counselling formats.

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大学咨询服务辍学生与非辍学生的特征分析：认知信任与人格特质的作用

大学心理咨询服务是支持学生心理健康的战略资源。尽管有证据表明其有效性，但人们对导致这种干预措施过早退出的心理因素知之甚少。本研究旨在探讨学生的不适应人格特质和认知立场对辅导干预的影响。方法共纳入605名大学生(Mage = 22.6；SDage = 3.34)，她被转到大学咨询中心。其中，174名学生（29%）过早停止干预。在入学时，评估了参与者的适应不良人格特征和认知立场。采用多变量协方差分析（MANCOVA）比较辍学者和非辍学者的心理特征，控制性别和学位课程。结果在消极情感、疏离、对抗、去抑制和精神病等五项人格特征以及认知不信任和轻信方面，辍学学生的得分均显著高于其他学生。在认知信任方面没有发现显著差异，并且在辍学状态与性别或学位课程之间没有出现交互效应。结论：这些研究结果表明，适应不良特征的增加和认知立场的困难可能会影响简短咨询的参与。具体来说，不信任、轻信和适应不良的特征可能反映了人际关系的脆弱性，使个人倾向于脱离。早期识别风险概况可以帮助临床医生调整干预措施，以促进参与和减少辍学。为此，尽早解决个性和认知方面的挑战可能会促进信任和增强承诺——即使是在短期咨询形式的时间限制下。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Counselling & Psychotherapy Research PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

12.50%

发文量

期刊介绍： Counselling and Psychotherapy Research is an innovative international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to linking research with practice. Pluralist in orientation, the journal recognises the value of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods strategies of inquiry and aims to promote high-quality, ethical research that informs and develops counselling and psychotherapy practice. CPR is a journal of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, promoting reflexive research strongly linked to practice. The journal has its own website: www.cprjournal.com. The aim of this site is to further develop links between counselling and psychotherapy research and practice by offering accessible information about both the specific contents of each issue of CPR, as well as wider developments in counselling and psychotherapy research. The aims are to ensure that research remains relevant to practice, and for practice to continue to inform research development.