Salvaging Sisterhood Small Group Counseling for Relational Aggressive Girls Carol Perisho, Counselor

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Salvaging SisterhoodSmall Group Counseling for
Relational Aggressive GirlsCarol Perisho,
Counselor

• PRoBE Presentation
• In partial fulfillment of requirements for
  Secondary Field Experience
• COU 781
• Missouri State University
• Dr. Marci Dowdy, Faculty
• December 2009
• Carol Perisho

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Relational Aggression (RA)

• Definition Bulling behaviors generally focus on
  damaging an individuals social connections
  within the peer group any act that actively
  excludes a person from making or maintaining
  friendships or being integrated into the peer
  group. Examples spreading rumors, exclusion,
  social isolation, gossiping, eye rolling,
  purposefully pitting friends against one another,
  using sarcasm at anothers expense, reveling
  secrets of friends, and embellishing rumors. RA
  is more common in girls than boys.

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Effects of RA

• One study by Dr. Nicki Crick, the University of
  Minnesota researcher that termed RA, found 70
  of the girls interviewed had been maltreated by
  one or more of their friends. RA can lead to
  anxiety, substance abuse, school refusal, gang
  involvement, family problems, depression, eating
  disorders, and poor self-esteem.

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Research Question

• The current study seeks to assess whether a small
  group intervention with high school girls would
  impact
• Scores on the Rosenbergs Self-Esteem scale.
• Changes in attitude on an informal questionnaire.

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SIMS for PRoBESTUDENTS

• 12 high school girls
• Grades 9th-12th
• Teacher referred
• Parent signed an informed consent or phoned the
  school to give verbal consent.
• All currently experiencing or have experienced
  relationship issues with other girls

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INTERVENTION

• Small group designed to address relational
  aggression with activities and discussion.
• One hour sessions, once a week for 8 weeks.

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MEASUREMENTS

• Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (Quantitative)
• Internal survey on relational behavior

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SETTING

• Rural K-12 school
• Group conducted in unused classroom.
• Used a scatted schedule for meeting at different
  times each week, reducing time missed in class.

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Purpose of Salvaging Sisterhood Group

• Teach girls to communicate efficiently
• Raise awareness
• Develop empathy
• Teach healthy conflict
• Explore feelings
• Promote a positive change in female relationships.

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Lesson Overview

• Objectives
• Opening discussions using the Talking Feather,
  journal responses, fess up, what's happening.
• Activity with discussion
• Journal assignments
• Declarations to Myself

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Week 1- INTRODUCTIONS

• Confidentiality
• Rule setting and signing
• Pre-Group survey
• Pre-Test, Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale
• Pass out personal journals and discuss journaling
• Declarations to Myself cards

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Week 2- The Ties that Bind Us

• Objective Girls will self disclose, understand
  similarities, practice empathy
• Each girl selects The Ties That Bind Us
  question, reads aloud and responds.
• Journal assignment What is cool about being a
  girl? What makes being a girl hard?

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Week 3- A True Friend

• Objectives Girls will become aware of the
  qualities they seek in a friend, learn what other
  people look for in a friend.
• Girls fill out A True Friend worksheet, read
  and discuss.
• Journal assignment What are some things you
  learned about yourself your friends.

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Weeks 4-8

• Oh No She Did Not Being Mean
• Constructive vs Destructive Criticism
• Did You Hear About Dealing with gossip.
• Whatever! Recognizing and handling jealousy
• Im Sorry, So Sorry Empathy

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Formal Measurement Results

• The Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale was administered
  at the first and last group session.
• Each participate was scored according to the
  tests directions.
• Pre and post scores were compared with a maximum
  score of 30 used for percentage change evaluation.

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Results from Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale
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INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

• OF 12 Participants, 7 had post interventions
  scores significantly higher than their pre-
  intervention scores
• The 3 participants, that scored lower in their
  post scores had a 3 differential, well with in
  margin of error. One participant completed the
  post testing while in ISS, this change in setting
  may have negatively impacted scoring.
• 2 participants showed no change.
• Those participants that showed not change scored
  in the normal range.(15-25)
• 2 Participants that had borderline scores on
  pre-testing had higher scores on post testing.
• SUMMARY More than half of the participants had a
  positive reaction to the intervention as assessed
  by the Rosenberg scale with the average change
  being 10.
• Concern 1 participant that had a low score on
  pre-testing scored lower on post testing. This
  indicates this student should receive further
  counseling intervention and considered for
  outside referral.

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Informal Measurement

• The participants completed the pre and post
  survey given in the workbook. However the answers
  were vague and difficult to quantify. In
  comparison there was little or no change in
  pre-intervention survey answers and
  post-intervention survey answers. The survey is
  included in this presentation but the data was
  not used for evaluation.

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Discussion

• The members overwhelmingly expressed positive
  feelings about the group, in the informal
  evaluation.11/12 reported it as Super Fun as
  opposed to Boring or OK.
• The Rosenberg scale supports empirically that the
  students self esteem improved.
• The format of this program lends itself several
  other measurements i.e., anger, depression,
  bonding.

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Implications for School Counselors

• This program proved effective in improving the
  self-esteem of the group members. Students with
  high self esteem will tend to avoid aggressive
  confrontations and negative behaviors. The girls
  learned new ways of relating to others to
  preserve friendships. These new behaviors will
  translate into fewer discipline issues and a
  safer more positive school environment.

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Recommendation for improvement

• The measurement used was not directly associated
  with traditional school measurements.
  Correlating this intervention to measurements
  such as discipline referrals, absences, referrals
  to the counselor and grades would support its
  effectiveness as a school intervention.

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Bibliography

• Corey,G.,(1985). Theory and practice of group
  counseling, Second Edition. Belmont CA
  Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
• Dellasega, C., Nixion C.,(2003). Girl wars,12
  strategies that will end female bulling. NY
  Simon Schuster.
• Taylor,J.V.,( 2008). Salvaging sisterhood. Chapin
  SC Youthlight Inc.
• Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale retrieved October
  11,2009 from www.wwnorton.com/college/psychsci/med
  ia/rosenberg.htm