A personal growth training group with trainee counsellors: Outcome evaluation

Abstract

Abstract This study was designed to investigate the outcomes of a personal growth group. Ten trainee counsellors and a matched control group participated in the investigation. Subjects' attitudes and levels of self-esteem were measured by the semantic dafferential scale and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale respectively. Both instruments were administered before and after the personal growth training. On completion of the training course the trainee counsellors were mailed a questionnaire asking “What does personal growth mean to you now?”. Results indicated that the trainee counsellors' levels of self-esteem and attitudes on some of the semantic differential concepts changed significantly. However, no evidence of a significant inter-group effect emerged between the trainee counsellors and the matched control group on either of the two measures. Five significant categories were identified by trainees as associated with personal growth: self-awareness, congruence, feelings associated with change, spiritual r...