Group counseling for minor seminarians: A proposed handbook and an experimental study

• Main Author: Bugayong, Demetrio L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1976
• Subjects: Group guidance in education; Group counseling; Group counseling > Handbooks/manuals/etc.; Seminarians; Counseling
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/383
• Institution: De La Salle University

The first part of the study aims to provide the minor seminary of Binmaley, Pangasinan with a handbook that will serve as a guide in group counseling. The descriptive method of research was used in the study. The respondents in the survey were 140 minor seminarians of the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in the school year 1975-76. To determine the problems and needs of the seminarians, and the necessity of the group counseling service, the Seminary Problem Checklist and a Questionnaire were administered. The findings showed that the problem areas of the seminarians, in order of importance, were studies, morals, sex, personal-psychological relations, health, social-psychological relations, discipline, community life, vocation, finances, authority, spiritual development, recreation, work, and home. Results showed that 112 seminarians or 80 percent of the respondents expressed their desire for group counseling service. In the light of the findings and with due consideration to the objectives of the service, the topics included in the group counseling sessions were acquaintance, self-affirmation, mutual help, listening, trust, maturity, friendship, temperaments, studies, making decisions, values, freedom and responsibility, male-female, Jesus and life problems, and evaluation. An evaluation of personal and group experiences would be done at the end of every session. The impact of the service would also be evaluated annually. In both cases, questionnaires were formulated on the basis of the objectives stated in the handbook. The second part of the study aims to find out the effectiveness of group counseling in increasing the degree of personal integration, and enhancing the personal adjustment of the minor seminarians. The subjects of the study were 30 third and fourth year students. An experiment was conducted employing the Randomized Control Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Three treatment conditions were created : Group Counseling, Active Group, and Control Group. The Personal Orientation Inventory was administered as pretest and posttest. Pretesting took place a week before the start of the experimental study and the posttest was given a week after the last session. Findings showed that there was no significant differences among the three treatment conditions in any of the POI scales and the personal integration scale both at the start and at the end of the experimental period. The results also revealed that there was no significant gains made by the three treatment groups on each of the seven scales. It was found that no significant differences in effectiveness existed among the three treatment conditions in increasing the degree of personal integration or in enhancing the traits defined in the seven scales. It was concluded that group counseling can not be singly made as the root of substantial effects in the personal integration of the minor seminarians. Planned group counseling was a treatment more applicable to relatively low self-actualizing individuals. Group counseling was usable and practicable, if not for its therapeutic value, at least for its intellective importance.