Sharon E. Robertson

Group Facilitation Functions and Skills

Although the amount of literature on groups is growing at a rapid rate, concise delineation of the functional and skill expectations of group facilitators is rela tively rare. This article attempts to articulate and discuss a model based on a specific set of assumptions about causality and effectiveness in interactional groups. The authors discuss personal qualities of group facilitators and propose five major functions and seven skill clusters central to effective group facilitation.

Social support: Implications for counselling

Drawing on contemporary theory and research related to social support, the author provides a rationale for incorporating work on social support into existing models of counselling. Some informal methods of assessing social support are described, and a number of implications for intervening in the clients psychosocial world are outlined.

Two elementary school affective education programs — a research review

In recent years, a number of developmental counselling programs have become increasingly popular among counselors and teachers both in Canada and the United States. Programs such as Developing Understanding of Self and Others (D.U.S.O.), the Human Development Program (H.D.P.) and Toward Affective Development (T.A.D.) are designed to promote greater self-awareness, greater self-confidence and better interpersonal skills among students. In the present paper, the two most widely used elementary school programs, D.U.S.O. and the H.D.P., are examined and compared in terms of their objectives and format. Next, the research on each program is reviewed and finally suggestions for further research are made.

Parent education: the Dreikurs model

The effects of a 10-week Dreikurs parent education program was investigated in terms of maternal attitudes, expressed practices, and parent-child behaviors. Variables assessed included maternal control, maturity demands, communication and nurturance. Using a Posttest-Only Control Group design, 60 mothers of kindergarten children in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, were randomly selected from a pool of 81 volunteers. The mothers (Ss) were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: experimental and control. Ss in the experimental group participated in the Dreikurs parent education program, while control Ss received delayed treatment. Using Baumrinds (1967) Parent Interview Schedule and Scales, Ss were interviewed and rated regarding their child-rearing attitudes and practices. Ss were videotaped interacting with their kindergarten children in a structured situation and tapes were rated using Baumrinds (1967) Home Visit Sequence Analysis. Results indicated that Ss who participated in the Dreikurs program had more positive attitudes toward independence training and independence granting. Specific suggestions were made for further studies in terms of research design and revision of instruments. Additional suggestions included focus on personality characteristics of parents.