2011

Gender is an unavoidable dynamic in group counseling. Gender differences have received more recent attention in the literature as one element of multicultural competent practice (McAuliffe, 2008). Historically, gender differences in counseling were explored extensively in the late 1970s and early 1980s. More recently, gender differences between client and counselor have received some attention, but little has been done to explore how gender impacts groups. Research has been conducted on a variety of issues related to gender and has concluded that gender influences both group leaders and members (Jackson, Engstrom, & Emmers-Sommer, 2007; NeSmith, Wilcoxon, Satcher, 2000; Rosenberg, 1996). The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of gender on leaders and identify how to use this information to improve group counseling in practice. First, typical characteristics of female and male group leaders will be addressed and then these differences will be discussed in relation to the group configuration (e.g., all male, all female, etc.). Lastly, recommendations will be made on how to increase group leaders’ awareness of gender differences, which operate in most groups, and how to use this awareness to improve the effectiveness of group work.