The examination of skilled group counselor training model's effect on group counseling skills: The example of Ege University

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of The Skilled Group Counselor Training Model on frequency and effectiveness of group counseling skills of group counselor trainees and also examine the opinions of group counselor trainees about The Skilled Group Counselor Training Model and The Experiential Group Counselor Training Model. In this study, the sequential explanatory design was used. The quantitative data of this study were obtained from 41 senior group counselor trainees enrolled in Program of Guidance and Counseling during the autumn semester of 2013-2014 academic year. Group counselor trainees in the experimental group received The Skilled Group Counselor Training, group counselor trainees in the comparison group received The Experiential Group Counselor Training, and group counselor trainees in control group did receive any training on group counseling. At pretest and posttest group counselor trainees conducted a ten-minute group counseling session with five standard clients. Three raters watched the pretest and posttest of the study and the quantitative data of the study were collected via The Skilled Group Counseling Scale and Helpfulness Rating Scale. The qualitative data of the study were collected via Focus Group Interview Form. The quantitative data were analyzed by using a mixed 2X3 measures ANOVA, and the qualitative data were analyzed by using content analysis. The quantitative results of the study indicated that The Skilled Group Counselor Training Model increased significantly the effectiveness of body language skill as compared with The Experiential Group Counselor Training Model and control group; and The Skilled Group Counselor Training Model increased significantly the effectiveness of eye contact skill as compared with control group. However, the effect of The Skilled Group Counselor Training Model on frequency and effectiveness of open-ended questions, close-ended questions, reflection of content, summarizing and reflection of feeling was not significant. The qualitative results of the study were grouped under three categories as "Contribution", "Instructional Methods" and "Recommendations". When the Contribution category was reviewed, three themes including group counseling skills, personal contributions and professional contributions emerged for The Skilled Group Counselor Training Model; and two themes including group counseling skills and personal contributions emerged for The Experiential Group Counselor Training Model. In the context of Instructional Methods category, the opinions of group counselor trainees regarding training models were grouped under two themes including effectiveness and problems. Lastly, in the context of recommendations category, four themes including method of practice, length of practice, number of individuals, and place of practice were emerged.