498This study examines the effects of three group leadership styles on the personal and interpersonal functioning of 67 counselor trainees who participated in a required group experience in conjunction with a group experience course. Theparticipants were randomly assigned to one of three group conditions: (1) structured T-group, (2) rotating leadership, and (3) Rogerian. Each of the nine groups met approximately 20 hours over the course of the semester. Each subject completed the following instruments: Edward's Personal Preference Schedule, Money Problem Checklist, Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank, and Reaction to Group Situation Test. Results from the pretest, posttest, and 6-to 8-weekfollow-up suggest that differences among the groups could in part be attributed to group leadership styles. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.Many counseling training programs are predicated on the idea that the life-style of their participants must be modified in order for them to function effectively as counselors. Underlying this premise are two notions: (1) Nonintellectual factors are basic to effective counseling and (2) counseling as an &dquo;interpersonal influence process&dquo; (Strong, 1968) requires the counselor to be seen by the client as empathic, trustworthy, and facilitative. Although counselor programs may use such procedures as microcounseling, human relations training, and interpersonal recall process to train specific interaction skills, they may also employ group counseling as a means of fostering self-awareness and personal growth. In general these tactics are SMALL

This study was conducted to determine the effects of three group leadership styles on the personal and interpersonal functioning of 67 counselor trainees who participated in a required group experience in conjunction with a group experience course. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three group conditions: (1) structured T-group;(2) rotating leadership; or (3) Rogerian. Each of the 9 groups met approximately 20 hours over the course of the semester. Each subject completed the following instruments : Edward's Personal Preference Schedule, Money Problem Checklist, and Reaction to Group Situation Test. Resultsfrom the pretest, posttest, and 6-8 weekfollow-up suggest that differences among the groups could be attributed in part to group leadership styles. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.One of the basic problems in the preparation of group leaders is that of providing training in the use of group leadership skills. Although studies have shown that when trainees participate in a therapeutic group for the purpose of developing group leadership skills the results tend to be mixed, instructors still use required group participation as a medium for skill development (Yalom, 1975;Mahon and Altman, 1977;Halgin, 1982;Lutwak and Hennessy, 1982). What has worked in helping students develop group leadership skills are observations of therapeutic groups and postmeeting discussions of the sessions (Yalom, 1975). We propose that in the future simulation exercises be used as a principal mode of skill development. Rivett (1972) believes that simulation is an excellent technique to use for understanding a complex situation. Key variables of the system must be identified in order &dquo;to create a