Self-characterization features (Holban, 1978):
- self-appreciation – the client evaluates his own capacities;
- subjective– the client describes one’s own personality, and is aware of the
disclosure; - transversal – the client presents detailed information about one’s own
personality, accessible in this particular moment of his/her evolution.
Self-characterization respects the unity principle of cognition, being an entry point to
person’s unity, so that the counsellor holds information about the client’s personal
balance. The method offers valuable information regarding the cultural background, with
which the counsellor could work on a qualitative interpretation of the personality
development status. Through self-characterization, depending on the client’s availability
of engaging self-disclosure, there are brought to surface information about the individual
potential (physical, physiological, interpersonal, etc.), achievements (skills, routines, the
work techniques), aspirations (personal project, goals).
Written content provides information about the client’s self-knowledge level and self-
knowledge sources: feedback from others (parents, teachers, peers); the observation of
one’s own behaviour (The Self Perception Theory, Bem, 1970) followed by definition of
personal attitudes and feelings; comparison against others (aimed for self-evaluation and
self-development). This content could be an information source regarding the subject’s
personal agenda, cognitive structure, beliefs, preferences, and values hierarchy.
Knowing these attitudes will offer the counsellor an opportunity for discovering the
specific directions to approach in order to obtain client’s cooperation. The content
analysis allows the identification of key words and expressions; it allows also the
identification of the personality traits visible at the behavioural level. Self-
characterization will reveal the personal opinion regarding oneself; the self-esteem results
from the self-evaluation of behaviours, intelligence, social success, and the evaluations
done by others. The self-characterization could contain information about the attributions
system (locus of control), personal beliefs, qualities appreciation, temper, pattern in social
relationships, problem-solving and making-decision style, motivation, self-image (actual
and desirable), risk-taking capacity, attitudes towards oneself, others, and work. Self-
characterization is a framework where it could be revealed significant information about
the client’s emotional development, affective maturity/immaturity mirrored in
dependence or emotional control possibilities. This is information that will conduct to
understanding one’s lifestyle and value system; all these will enhance the understanding
level both for the counsellor and for the client himself.
The method is recommended in the preliminary counselling sessions, for enriching the
knowledge base of the counsellor.
The counsellor will make qualitative interpretations in order to detect the relevant issues
for the client’s personality, and history.