The Effectiveness of Group Counseling in Enhancing Self-Confidence Among Elementary School Students
Article Sidebar
-
Elementary Education, Group Counseling, Peer Interaction
Abstract
Self-confidence is a critical component of children’s personal and academic development, enabling them to engage actively in learning and social interactions. Elementary school students with low self-confidence often face challenges in expressing themselves, participating in group activities, and achieving academic success. This study investigates the effectiveness of group counseling in enhancing self-confidence among elementary school students. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test control group. The sample consisted of 60 students identified as having low self-confidence, divided equally into an experimental group that received group counseling sessions and a control group following standard classroom activities. Data were collected through self-confidence questionnaires, behavioral observation sheets, and teacher interviews. The findings revealed a significant increase in self-confidence scores in the experimental group compared to the control group. Students in the experimental group demonstrated greater willingness to participate in discussions, share ideas, and take initiative in various school activities. These results confirm that group counseling effectively fosters a supportive environment where students can build self-assurance through peer interaction and guided facilitation. The study concludes that group counseling is a valuable tool for addressing self-confidence issues and recommends its broader implementation in elementary schools.
Full text article
References
Backer, J. D. (2020). Genetic counselling and testing in adults with congenital heart disease: A consensus document of the ESC Working Group of Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease, the ESC Working Group on Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Disease and the European Society of Human Genetics. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 27(13), 1423–1435. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487319854552
Brotto, L. A. (2020). Moderators of Improvement From Mindfulness-Based vs Traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Provoked Vestibulodynia. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 17(11), 2247–2259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.07.080
Campa, F. (2021). Assessment of body composition in athletes: A narrative review of available methods with special reference to quantitative and qualitative bioimpedance analysis. Nutrients, 13(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051620
Caponnetto, P. (2023). Varenicline and counseling for vaping cessation: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Medicine, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-02919-2
Carmichael, N. (2022). Examining clinical training through a bicultural lens: Experiences of genetic counseling students who identify with a racial or ethnic minority group. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 31(2), 411–423. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1506
Chidi, U. J. (2023). Small group communication as a counseling intervention strategy for promoting interest, skills, and behavioural intention towards business start up among youth who are victims of conflict in Nigeria. Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 5(1), 61–73.
Corami, F. (2020). A novel method for purification, quantitative analysis and characterization of microplastic fibers using Micro-FTIR. Chemosphere, 238(Query date: 2024-12-01 09:57:11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124564
Demir, S. (2022). The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy-based group counseling on depressive symptomatology, anxiety levels, automatic thoughts, and coping ways Turkish nursing students: A randomized controlled trial. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58(4), 2394–2406. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.13073
Doffer, D. P. A. (2023). Sustained improvements by behavioural parent training for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analytic review of longer-term child and parental outcomes. JCPP Advances, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12196
Esposito, G. (2021). Mentalizing underachievement in group counseling: Analyzing the relationship between members’ reflective functioning and counselors’ interventions. Psychological Services, 18(1), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000350
Garten, L. (2020). Palliative Care and Grief Counseling in Peri- and Neonatology: Recommendations From the German PaluTiN Group. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 8(Query date: 2025-01-27 14:14:59). https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.00067
Gotham, H. J. (2023). Learning Collaboratives: A Strategy for Quality Improvement and Implementation in Behavioral Health. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 50(2), 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-022-09826-z
Hines, E. M. (2020). Preparing African American Males for College: A Group Counseling Approach. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 45(2), 129–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2020.1740846
Holter, S. (2022). Risk assessment and genetic counseling for Lynch syndrome – Practice resource of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancer. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 31(3), 568–583. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1546
Hynes, J. (2020). Group plus “mini” individual pre-test genetic counselling sessions for hereditary cancer shorten provider time and improve patient satisfaction. Hereditary Cancer in Clinical Practice, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13053-020-0136-2
Juarez-Martinez, E. L. (2023). Prediction of Behavioral Improvement Through Resting-State Electroencephalography and Clinical Severity in a Randomized Controlled Trial Testing Bumetanide in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 8(3), 251–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.08.009
Keshavarz, Z. (2021). The effect of PLISSIT based counseling model on sexual function, quality of life, and sexual distress in women surviving breast cancer: A single-group pretest–posttest trial. BMC Women’s Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01570-4
Keum, B. T. H. (2020). Social Justice Interdependence Among Students in Counseling Psychology Training Programs: Group Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of Social Justice Attitudes, Training Program Norms, Advocacy Intentions, and Peer Relationships. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 67(2), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000390
Kjellgren, M. (2024). The counselling practice of school social workers in Swedish elementary schools. A focus group study. Nordic Social Work Research, 14(1), 18–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2022.2041467
Kulba?, E. (2022). The Effects of the Positive Psychology-Based Online Group Counselling Program on Mothers Having Children with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(5), 1817–1845. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00472-4
Lackner, J. M. (2021). Specific and common mediators of gastrointestinal symptom improvement in patients undergoing education/support vs. Cognitive behavioral therapy for irritable bowel syndrome. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 89(5), 435–453. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000648
Levy, I. (2020). The Critical Cycle of Mixtape Creation: Reducing Stress via Three Different Group Counseling Styles. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 45(4), 307–330. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2020.1826614
Lipp, I. (2021). Predictors of training-related improvement in visuomotor performance in patients with multiple sclerosis: A behavioural and MRI study. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 27(7), 1088–1101. https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458520943788
Liu, H. (2021). A novel method for semi-quantitative analysis of hydration degree of cement by 1H low-field NMR. Cement and Concrete Research, 141(Query date: 2024-12-01 09:57:11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106329
Lohn, Z. (2022). Large-scale group genetic counseling: Evaluation of a novel service delivery model in a Canadian hereditary cancer clinic. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 31(2), 459–469. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1512
Mirmahmoodi, M. (2020). The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Group Counseling on Psychological and Inflammatory Responses of the Women With Breast Cancer. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 19(Query date: 2025-01-27 14:14:59). https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735420946819
Münch, U. (2020). Recommendations for the support of suffering, severely ill, dying or grieving persons in the corona pandemic from a palliative care perspective: Recommendations of the German Society for Palliative Medicine (DGP), the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), the Federal Association for Grief Counseling (BVT), the Working Group for Psycho-oncology in the German Cancer Society, the German Association for Social Work in the Healthcare System (DVSG) and the German Association for Systemic Therapy, Counseling and Family Therapy (DGSF). Schmerz, 34(4), 303–313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00482-020-00483-9
Nejati, V. (2021). The effect of physical activity with and without cognitive demand on the improvement of executive functions and behavioral symptoms in children with ADHD. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 21(5), 607–614. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737175.2021.1912600
Oh, J. (2023). Indoor environmental quality improvement in green building: Occupant perception and behavioral impact. Journal of Building Engineering, 69(Query date: 2025-01-27 14:15:34). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106314
Rettig, E. K. (2022). Predictors of Improvement in Pediatric Chronic Migraine: Results from the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Amitriptyline Trial. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 29(1), 113–119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-021-09782-4
Santilli, S. (2022). In the same boat? An online group career counseling with a group of young adults in the time of COVID-19. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 22(3), 623–641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-021-09505-z
Schneider, C. (2020). Real-time EEG Feedback on Alpha Power Lateralization Leads to Behavioral Improvements in a Covert Attention Task. Brain Topography, 33(1), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-019-00725-9
Shi, C. (2021). A quantitative discriminant method of elbow point for the optimal number of clusters in clustering algorithm. Eurasip Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking, 2021(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13638-021-01910-w
Stopford, C. (2020). Improving follow up after predictive testing in Huntington’s disease: Evaluating a genetic counselling narrative group session. Journal of Community Genetics, 11(1), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-019-00416-9
Thai, M. (2020). Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Clinical Improvement to Ketamine in Adolescents With Treatment Resistant Depression. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11(Query date: 2025-01-27 14:15:34). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00820
Thomsen, T. (2020). Sustained Long-Term Efficacy of Motivational Counseling and Text Message Reminders on Daily Sitting Time in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Long-Term Follow-up of a Randomized, Parallel-Group Trial. Arthritis Care and Research, 72(11), 1560–1570. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24060
Tu, S. (2021). Diagnostic accuracy of quantitative flow ratio for assessment of coronary stenosis significance from a single angiographic view: A novel method based on bifurcation fractal law. Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, 97(Query date: 2024-12-01 09:57:11), 1040–1047. https://doi.org/10.1002/ccd.29592
Wei, M. (2021). Group Counseling Change Process: An Adaptive Spiral Among Positive Emotions, Positive Relations, And Emotional Cultivation/Regulation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 68(6), 730–745. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000550
Xie, W. Y. (2023). Evaluation of career planning group counseling and its effectiveness for intern male nursing students. BMC Medical Education, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03981-9
Zammitti, A. (2023). “Imagine Your Career after the COVID-19 Pandemic”: An Online Group Career Counseling Training for University Students. Behavioral Sciences, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13010048
Zhang, X. (2020). The effect of solution-focused group counseling intervention on college students’ internet addiction: A pilot study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072519
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Fauzi Aldina, Ming Pong, Aom Thai, Bernardus Agus Rukiyanto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
