Counseling psychologists operating in schools have become increasingly interested in group counseling. Accompanying this interest, however, is an appalling lack of experimental evidence to support training practices, utilization of staff, and the application of therapeutic techniques in groups (Ohlsen, Proff & Roeber, 1956). These conditions, combined with an interest in gifted youth, led several of us at the University of Illinois to undertake a longrange project to investigate the application of group counseling 3 in treating gifted youth. The present paper is a partial report of a study growing out of the first phase of this project. It is concerned with the extent to which group counseling improves the mental health and academic J Thii study was conducted in Evanston Township High School.

This study investigated the extent to which test interpretation through counseling improved the self-understanding of students in grades five, seven, nine and eleven. It also studies effects of orientation to testing on (a) students' motivation for learning test information, (b) accuracy of self-estimates, and (c) relationship between motivation and accuracy of self-estimates. Before testing, the experimental group received an orientation concerning the kinds of tests they were to take and how they could use test information. Test interpretation emphasized encouragement of student participation, providing of information by the counselor, and counselor response to the students' feelings. At all grade levels interpretation was associated with increased accuracy of self-estimates of achievcment, intclligence, and interests. While a significant decline in accuracy was noted over a two-month follow-up period, a net increase did occur for the period covered by the study. Orientation was (a) positively associated with motivation for learning results in grades seven and nine but not in grades five and eleven and (b) unrelated to increased self-understanding following test interpretation. HIS STUDY appraises outcomes of test

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It would seem best, in this paper, to outline the basis upon which a professional program should be developed, describe the work of our committee, and include from our report only those parts in which our committee made the most changes in adapting the Standards for the Preparation of Secondary School Counselors (ACES, 1967) for our use.Basic requirements for every professional preparation program are carefully selected students, a well-qualified staff, a stimulating intellectual climate, and adequate laboratories, library, and teaching materials. Furthermore, everyone involved in professional education should evaluate the impact of his program upon his students. It is not sufficient to demonstrate that they have mastered the professional knowledge and skills that were taught; those who prepare professional workers also must be able to demonstrate that their students have defined for themselves an appropriate professional role which they can implement. Merton, Reader, and Kendall (1967) found that opportunities for social interaction and the degree of staff involvement with students as well as staff expectations, didactic experiences, and professional interaction influenced students' professional way of life. Goode and Cornish (1964) concluded that reinforcement by on-the-job affiliations also were important in helping beginners develop a professional image.Olsen (1963) made the point that counselors must not merely learn to play the counselor's role, they must learn to live it. To fulfill this expectation requires more than good didactic instruction and supervised experiences in counseling. When counselor educators ask prospective counselors to give up certain attitudes and behaviors which were satisfying to them as teachers, they must help them recognize and learn to cope with the reinforcers of old behaviors and attitudes. When prospective counselors have defined a meaningful professional role (and one which they believe they can implement on the job), and when they obtain specific assistance in implementing their role during professional education, their group nonns and the accompanying pressure from their peers enMerle M. Ohisen is Professor of Education, University of Missouri at Kansas City. 172Counselor Education and Supervision VII hance their chances of implementing their professional role. The chances of them implementing this role can be further enhanced by placement in a school system with one of these peers (Hasting et. al., 1961) or by the practicum supervisor helping them get acquainted with another counselor in that system, or in a neighboring system, who is trying to implement a similar role. Follow-up visits also can help a beginning counselor face and resolve the problems that he meets during his early efforts to establish his professional role and help him discover reinforcers for his professional role ( Ohlsen, 1967). Obviously even these activities cannot replace good supervision by a well-qualified specialist. Without good supervision and the known support of other counselors, beginning c...

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