An experimental study of using poem in group counselling

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of group counselling with poem on university students' empathy and emotional awareness level. Empathy and Emotional Awareness sub scales of Interpesonal Relationship Dimension Scale were used to identify participants empathy and emotional awareness level. In order to examine participants' ideas about group counselling process and sessions Group Counselling Assessment Form and a journal of session were also used. There were 16 group members in each experiment and control group. Participants were undergraduate students at Çukurova University. Quantitative data were analysed by using SPSS 22 packet program to find out the effects of group counselling with poem on the variables of empathy and emotional awarenss. Qualitative data were analysed by content analysis method. Results showed that group counselling had a positive significant effect on university students' empathy scores and this effect was permanent during time. By contrast, an experimental procedure had no significant effect participants' emotional awareness scores. However, group counselling helped students to acquire gains on their personal (self-confidence, emotional relaxiation, self-assessment and self-conscious) and interpersonal dimensions (self-discloure, effective communication and listenning, assertiveness, collaboration-adherence-trust and conflict resolution). Key words: Interpersonal relationship, communication, empathy, emotional awareness, counselling with poem.