PRoBE Missouri State University

1
PRoBE Missouri State University

• in partial fulfillment of
• COU781 Secondary School Counseling Internship
• Dr. Marci Dowdy

2
Improving Social Skills and Self-Esteem with
7th Grade Students

• Rachel Phillips
• Jarrett Middle School
• Springfield, MO

3
The Problem

• Some students at Jarrett Middle School are
  perceived by students and staff as bullied and
  victims of bullying behaviors.
• This results in some students becoming isolated
  and withdrawn during their middle school years, a
  period of time that is recognized as formative in
  social skills development. As a result, social
  skills development and appropriate interaction
  with peers and adults is lacking in these
  students.

4
The Question

• Can small-group counseling focused on social
  skills development help students identify
  appropriate ways to interact with peers and staff
  while increasing their self-esteem at JMS?

5
S.I.M.S. Students

• 12 7th grade students
• 8 (4 female, 4 male) students identified by 7th
  grade counselor and staff as victims of
  bullying and in need of social skills
  development
• 4 (2 female, 2 male) Peer Mediators who were
  selected by the 7th grade counselor to be
  models of appropriate behavior and communication

6
S.I.M.S. Intervention

• 1 brief individual session with each student to
  identify purpose of group and hand out parent
  permission letter
• 6 group sessions lasting 30 minutes

7
S.I.M.S. Intervention, cont.

• Session 1
• Introductions
• Purpose of group
• Self-Esteem pre-test
• Establish group norms
• Discuss what topics would be helpful to cover in
  group friendship, conflict resolution, anger
  management
• Summary/Closure

8
S.I.M.S. Intervention, cont.

• Session 2
• Discuss bullying
• leaders and followers
• Summary/closure
• Session 3
• Discuss friendship
• Stand, Sit, Support Activity
• Summary/closure
• Session 4
• Discuss how to handle conflict and anger
• Tips with parents, teachers, siblings, and peers
• Summary/closure

9
S.I.M.S. Intervention, cont.

• Session 5
• Discuss trust
• Discuss handling conflict at home and school
• Discuss final group
• Summary/Closure
• Session 6
• Discuss what students gained/will take away with
  them from this process so far (group will
  continue)
• Self-Esteem post-test
• Summary/Closure

10
S.I.M.S. Measurement

• Measurements coincide with 2 of the 3 strands of
  Missouri Comprehensive Guidance
• Academic Development
• Grades of each group member assessed at three
  points pre-group, mid-group (after Session 3)
  and post-group
• Number of each letter grade collected
• Rationale As appropriate classroom behaviors and
  communication increase, classroom success
  (measured by grades) may increase

11
S.I.M.S. Measurement, cont.

• Academic Development, cont.
• Attendance () collected at 3 points pre-group,
  mid-group (after Session 3), and post-group
• Attendance collected was cumulative
• Rationale As self-esteem increases, engagement
  in school (measured by attendance) may increase

12
S.I.M.S. Measurement, cont.

• Personal/Social Development
• Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (adapted for
  adolescents)
• Administered at 2 points
• beginning of Session 1
• beginning of Session 6 (final Session)

13
Adapted Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

• Initials
• Thank you for joining our group! To help get an
  idea of what might be helpful to talk about
  during our lunches, please complete this
  worksheet.
• Below is a list of statements dealing with your
  general feelings about yourself.
• For each question If you strongly agree with
  the statement, write SA next to the sentence. If
  you agree with the statement, write A next to the
  sentence. If you disagree with the statement,
  write D next to the sentence. If you strongly
  disagree with the statement, write SD next to the
  sentence.
• On the whole I am satisfied with myself.
• At times I think that I am no good at all.
• I feel that I have a number of good qualities.
• I am able to do things as well as most other
  people.
• I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
• I certainly feel useless at times.
• I feel that I am a person of worth, at least the
  equal of others.
• I wish I could have more respect for myself.
• All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a
  failure.
• I take a positive attitude toward myself.
• Rosenberg, Morris. 1989. Society and the
  Adolescent Self-Image.  Revised edition.
  Middletown, CT Wesleyan University Press.

14
S.I.M.S. Setting

• Group met in the same empty classroom at Jarrett
  Middle School on Tuesdays during 7th grade lunch
  (1204-1234 p.m.)
• 12 students were at the first group meeting one
  student dropped out after the first meeting due
  to lack of interest. The 11 remaining members
  were present for the duration of the group, with
  5 members being absent for one session each.

15
Results Attendance
16
Summary

• Attendance
• 6 students experienced an increase in attendance
• 3 students experienced a decrease in attendance
• 3 students experienced no change in attendance
• No student had an attendance percentage below 88

17
Results Grades
18
Summary

• Grades Across the Group
• Total number of A grades increased
• Total number of B grades increased (almost
  doubled)
• Total number of C and D grades decreased
• Total number of F grades increased

19
Results Self-Esteem

• note 4 students completed only one test (pre or
  post)

20
Summary

• Self-Esteem
• 5 students reported an increase in their
  self-esteem
• 2 students reported a decrease in their
  self-esteem
• 1 student reported the same self-esteem score on
  the pre- and post-test
• 4 students took only the pre- or post-test
• Teachers commented to group facilitator that
  group members became friends outside of the group

21
Recommendations

• Continue to monitor group members grades and
  attendance
• Expand small group counseling to include 6th and
  8th grade social skills groups
• Invite teachers to take a more active role in the
  selection of future group members
• Do not meet during lunch
• 30 min. is not enough time for sessions