The Effects of Group Counseling on Adolescent Stress

Abstract

The current literature has emphasized the prominent impact of stress on the lives adolescents and the need for counselors to implement stress management and coping progams. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not psycho-educational group counseling in the school relieves stress among adolescent students identified as experiencing excessive stress. This study also examined gender differences in the severity and types of stress and response to the counseling intervention. Two separate groups (male and female) of 6-8 sixth grade students participated in ten weeks of structured group counseling that took place during the school day and focused on stress and coping. The results indicated that group counseling does indeed reduce stress among adolescents of both genders, although there were some gender differences in the character of response. The study also found that there was no major difference in the total amount of stress symptoms reported by males and females, although there were gender differences in specific types of stress symptoms reported. Thus, psycho-educational group counseling conducted in the school setting appears to be a useful intervention for reducing stress among adolescent students. Male and female students do show some differences in the quality of stress reported and in the response to counseling.