A prescriptive approach for counselor training.

Abstract

The present study measured the effectiveness of Structured Learning Training (SLT) for teaching confrontation skills to trainees varying in conceptual development. Both a self-instruction approach and a standard implementation of SLT were effective for teaching confrontation skills. When trainees' conceptual level (CD was considered, the approaches proved differentially effective (as measured by pencil-and-paper tests). Self-instruction SLT was more effective with high CL trainees than with low CL trainees; guidedinstruction SLT proved more effective than self-instruction SLT with low CL trainees in each treatment. Further, differences due to instructional approach and CL failed to reach significance when the dependent variable was assessed via taped role play. These findings suggest the need for multiple ways of assessing skills as well as multiple approaches for instruction. Further investigation seems necessary in order to specify the variables involved in maximizing the effect of instruction.With the increased emphasis on accountability and competency-based programs in counselor training, counselor educators have become increasingly concerned with helping trainees acquire specific communication skills. One promising new approach used for skill acquisition is Goldstein's (1973) Structured Learning Training (SLT). This approach includes systematic and sequential application of modeling, role playing, reinforcement, and transfer training. In general, SLT procedures involve (a) trainees' listening or viewing audio-or videotapes in which a model performs the desired skill (modeling); (b) trainees' rehearsing the specific skill (role playing); (c) trainees' receiving positive feedback and approval for role play behavior that is similar to the model's (social reinforcement); and (d) trainees' carrying out these procedures in a manner that increases the likelihood that the This article is based on the author's doctoral dissertation submitted to Syracuse University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the PhD degree. The author wishes to express her thanks to Alan D. Goldberg, the dissertation chairman, and to committee members Arnold P. Goldstein and William F. Anderson.Requests for reprints should be sent to Nina Ribak Rosenthal, who is now at the

Research on Training Counselors and Clinicians

“…Reflective listening training was more efficient than MC, but will probably be less effective with more complex communicationoriented skills. One other investigation demonstrated that "structured learning training," a package that closely parallels MC in its sequential use of instructions, modeling, discrimination training, and rehearsal with videotape feedback, is equally effective when administered through direct contact with a trainer or in a self-instructional mode (Rosenthal, 1977). Both approaches were significantly more effective than a placebo control condition.…”

“…Pre-training communication facilitativeness (also rated by observers from role play interviews) correlated + .33 with post-training communication facilitativeness, but added very little to the predictive power of the trainability indices. Rosenthal (1977) showed that direct contact with trainers was significantly more effective than a self-instructional approach for low "conceptual level" trainees undergoing "structured learning training." The direct contact and self-instructional approaches were equally effective with high conceptual level trainees.…”

Counseling Students' Level of Ego Development and Perceptions of Clients

“…Level of conceptual complexity, one component of ego development, has also been related to empathy skills (Heck & Davis, 1973;Kimberlin & Friesen, 1977, 1980Lutwack & Hennessy, 1982;Strohmer, Biggs, Haase, & Purcell, 1983), the flexibility of counselors' verbal responses (Goldberg, 1974;Lichtenberg & Heck, 1979), and instructional (Rosenthal, 1977) and supervision approaches (Berg & Stone, 1980). In addition, Holloway and Wolleat (1980) investigated the relationship of beginning counseling students' conceptual level and prior counseling experience with their clinical assessment of a videotaped client.…”

Counselor Conceptual Level and Counseling: A Reappraisal

“…However, of the 15 studies they examined, only 2 used counselors or trainee counselors as Downloaded by [New York University] at 02:01 15 May 2015 participants and relied on interviews as a basis for determining outcome. Of these 2 studies, 1 reported a significant positive outcome (McLachlan, 1972); the other (Rosenthal, 1977) did not. The other 13 studies used student research volunteers, or clients, or trainee teachers as participants andor did not rely on outcomes involving counseling interviews.…”