Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program—Responsive Services
Small Group Counseling Module
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Missouri Comprehensive Guidance & Counseling Programs: Linking School Success to Life Success
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May 2015
STEP 4. Conduct Pre-Group Interview/Screening: This process informs the student of the
purpose of small group counseling, assesses the student’s readiness and level of interest in
group participation and helps determine group membership. Pre-group screening interviews are
important. Screenings may be conducted individually or as a group discussion.
The purposes of the group screening process may include:
• Informing students about the group
o Describe the group.
o Tell students what they may gain from being in the group.
o Tell students about group expectations, including participation and confidentiality.
o Inform students of alternatives if they are not selected for the group
• Gauging students’ level of interest and commitment
o Ask students if they are willing to follow expectations and ground rules.
o Ask students to rate their level of interest.
• Identifying participants
o Is the student a willing participant?
o Hypothesize whether the student will be satisfied with
Group focus as it relates to personal needs and goals
Other members of the group
The process of working in a group
STEP 5. Select Group Members: The screening interview leads to the selection of participants.
This step aids in predicting the effectiveness of a small group counseling experiences for all
members. There may be pressure to select a particular student for a group, however, the decision
to involve students in any group should be based on the student’s needs and readiness. Offer
other services to students who are not selected.
Document 6: Screening/Selection Procedures
STEP 6. Obtain Informed Consent: Although local policy will determine the level of informed
consent and when it occurs; it is ethical professional practice to obtain informed consent for all
participants in a group. While parental consent is required for minors, it is expected that PSCs
obtain student assent as well.
The informed consent step may occur prior to screening interviews. The consent form should
provide specific information about the small group so that the student/parent/guardian can make
an informed decision about whether or not to participate. Professional school counselors are
ethically required to maintain current knowledge about state/national legislation, local school
board policy, and the American Counseling Association (ACA
), the American School Counselor
Association (ASCA) and Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) Ethical Standards for
legal and ethical guidelines.
Document 7: Informed Consent Forms
Document 8: Participant Guidelines/Ground Rules
STEP 7. Collect Pre-Group Data: Planning ahead for data collection is critical. Before the group
begins, determine the data to collect. Data may be objective (e.g., grades, attendance, office
referrals) and/or subjective (e.g., observations, parental reports, student interviews). Data
collection allows the PSC to design group sessions based on the needs of group members and
also provides information for results-based evaluation. (For more information on data collection
see: The Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program Manual
)
Document 4: Student Behavior Rating Form