Characteristics of multimedia counseling: A study of an interactive TV system

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate communication characteristics of multimedia counseling. Eye-contact through an interactive TV system was made possible, within three degrees of angle, with a camera attached on the TV screens. Counseling sessions with 18 clients were conducted to study differences among three conditions: audio only, interactive TV, and conventional face-to-face. The variables examined were information transmission, feeling communication, rapport building, overall evaluation, etc. Eighty-three per cent of the clients positively evaluated the interactive TV system, with all of its indices significantly higher than the audio only condition. However, rapport building with the system was significantly lower than the face-to-face condition. Two common factors found for the conditions were defenseless communication and counselor warmth. A larger TV screen might facilitate rapport building. More work is needed to study applicability of multimedia counseling, as well as to develop new effective counselor styles for the kind of counseling.