Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Publication Date

8-8-1969

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a twenty-four hour marathon counseling group on two indices of assessment. The sample was composed of thirty-six subjects, eighteen in the treatment groups and eighteen in the comparison group. A sentence completion test and rating scale were used to measure changes as a result of the marathon. The rating scale was developed along the lines of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule with ratings for each need. Each person rated their needs on a one to seven scale and placed directional arrows for the type of movement they desired. The results indicated that the rating scale demonstrated changes when compared to the comparison group both one month and immediately after the marathon groups. The changes did not take any significantly positive or negative direction for either of the groups. The sentence completion test was composed of twenty personally referrent sentence stems to which each subject supplied the rest of the sentence and then rated their own response. The sentence completion test demonstrated differences between the two groups prior to treatment, but results were not significantly different between groups after treatment. In considering only positive responses, the marathon group which was tested immediately after the experience was significantly more positive than the comparison or the second marathon group which was tested one month after the marathon. The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule was administered to all subjects during the pre testing. No significant differences were found between the mean subtest scores between the sample groups and the EPPS norms. Conclusions were made that the marathon group was an effective technique in the causation of changes on the two instruments used in the study. Since no specific direction was noted for the changes, it was postulated that the marathon may cause some individuals or specific character traits of an individual to experience a deterioration effect. Screening procedures were suggested for controlling possible detrimental effects. It was concluded that fatigue in counseling was not necessarily a negative aspect, but more research was needed to answer this question. It was recommended that more research be conducted in this area and that process studies using more stringent controls and randomized procedures be adopted for future research attempts.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Counseling

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Individual, Family, and Community Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Louis Charles Bernardoni

Second Committee Member

George Leonard Keppers

Third Committee Member

Edward James Kelly

Fourth Committee Member

Gordon A. Zick

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