Evaluation of the True Goals School Counseling Curriculum: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT

This pilot study involved fourth and fifth-grade students (N = 25) from two elementary schools that receive the True Goals (TG) small group intervention during an after-school program in one school district in the Midwest region of the United States. A one-group pre-post design was used to assess classroom teachers’ perceptions of student learning gains in motivation, self-knowledge, self-direction, and positive relationships as scored on the Protective Factors Index (PFI). Results indicated that students that participated in the TG curriculum experienced significant gains (p = .01) in motivation, self-knowledge, self-direction, and positive relationships over time, with a large effect size (d = .83).

KEYWORDS:

• Goal setting
• school counseling
• small group counseling

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brett Zyromski

Brett Zyromski, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University.

Ian Martin

Ian Martin, Ed.D., is an associate professor and director of the Counseling Program at the University of San Diego.

Melissa Mariani

Melissa Mariani, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Florida Atlantic University.