Effectiveness of a Self-Instruction Program for Microcounseling Skills Training

Abstract

This article describes the effects of self-instruction training (SIT) in microcounseling skills compared to those of a traditional trainer-guided program (TT) in a pretest–posttest comparison group design. A sample of 193 undergraduate psychology students participated in this study: 97 students followed SIT and 96 students followed TT. We used video tests and behavioral role-play tests to measure the learning effects. Both SIT and TT generated large learning effects. An important conclusion of this study is that it is possible to realize the same training effectiveness with trainer time reduced by about 50%.

Notes

^a For logistic reasons, it was not possible to plan the pretest of the role-play test after students studied the book

^b Self-instruction training or traditional training.

^a minimum = 1, maximum = 5

^b In both training conditions one student was absent during the posttest role-playing exercise.

^a Effect size.