Training Undergraduate Students to Use Immediacy

• Published in: The Counseling psychologist Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 729 - 757
• Main Authors: Spangler, Patricia T., Hill, Clara E., Dunn, Marianne G., Hummel, Ann M., Walden, Tamara T., Liu, Jingqing, Jackson, John L., Ganginis Del Pino, Heather V., Salahuddin, Nazish M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-08-2014; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: College students; Counseling psychology; Learning; immediacy; mixed-method; counseling training; helping skills training; self-efficacy
• DOI: 10.1177/0011000014542835
• EISSN: 1552-3861
• ISSN: 0011-0000

After they had learned exploration skills, 132 undergraduate helping skills students were taught to use the insight skill of immediacy. After training, students increased in self-efficacy for using immediacy, and catharsis and cohesion increased among lab group members. Students who completed training first (nondelay) had higher self-efficacy post-training than those in a delay condition before they had training. Self-efficacy for immediacy increased after lecture, modeling, and large-group discussion; decreased between lecture and lab; and increased after lab practice. Qualitative results indicated that practice was the most helpful component. Students with the highest initial self-efficacy and prior helping experience (PHE) had the highest post-training self-efficacy, whereas those with the lowest self-efficacy or the highest PHEs had the greatest self-efficacy increases. In addition, cultural background played a role in learning and using immediacy.