Counseling with Elementary School Children: An Experimental Study

Abstract

An attempt was made to assess results of counseling with fourth-grade students, using sociometric status as the criterion. A sociometric device was administered to four fourth-grade classrooms. Students of low sociometic status were randody assigned by CIassrwms to one of three treatment conditions: ( 1 ) counseling, (2) teacher guidance, and (3) control. When treatment conditions were compared, the evidence seemed to indicate significant differences in the relative frequency with which subjects increased or decreased in sociometric status, that the differences favored the counseling condition, and that these differences persisted over a period of seven months. The possibility of a temporary teacher influence on the sociometric criterion was indicated.URINC RECENT YEARS an increasing in-D t e r e s t ha^ been s h o~n on the part of educational authorities and the general public in counseling and guidance. services at the elementary schm1 level. One of the most recent manifestations of this interest has been the provision for the support of such services by the federal government in

Changes through Counseling

“…Little evidence exists at present to substantiate different training for counselors employed at different educational levels. An exception is a study by Kranzler et al (1966) which demonstrated that counselors trained to work with elementary school children were effective in helping students to raise their sociometric status in the classroom. The implication, however, that elementary-trained counselors are more effective than secondary-trained counselors in working with elementary school children cannot be made until experimental studies are carried out which compare both elementary-and secondary-trained counselors utilizing identical treatments to promote the same outcomes.…”

“…In both of the above studies, behavioral improvement cannot be attributed solely to specific treatments, attention must also be given to the increase in the positive reinforcing value of the classroom environment as the child began enjoying some successes in either interpersonal relationships or in academic functioning. Kranzler et al (1966) attempted to effect changes in the interpersonal functioning of twenty low-sociometrically-identified fourth graders. The subjects were randomly assigned to either client-centered counseling, teacher guidance or inactive control.…”

Elementary School Counseling and Peer Relations

“…A sociometric device similar to the one developed by Gronlund (1959), and identical to the one employed by Kranzler et al (1966), was used. It asked each student to list three classmates with whom he would most like to sit, play, and work on committees.…”

“…Again, no differences were found among counseled and noncounseled students. A recent pilot study, completed by Kranzler, Mayer, Dyer, and Munger (1966) with a very small number of fourth grade students of low sociometric status, used a combination of group and individual counseling. Using this multiple treatment, the authors were able to reject the null hypothesis concerning differences between counseled and noncounseled students.…”

Attitudes of Elementary School Children About the Role of Elementary School Counselors

“…al, 1968;Muro and Oelke, 1968;McCreary, 1966;McDougall and Reitan, 1963;Hart, 1961 ;Riccio and Wehmeyer, 1961). There have also been reports of the effectiveness of various counseling techniques (Anderson, 1968;Barclay, 1967, Marx, Redding andSmith, 1967;Kranzler, Mayer, Dyer and Munger, 1966;Flanders and Havumake, 1960). However, one area of study in which little research has been done is obtaining the opinions and viewpoints of elementary school children --the individuals with whom the elementary school counselor must work.…”