Encounter groups: do they foster psychology students’ psychological development and therapeutic attitudes?

This study investigated, using a controlled experimental design, the impact of an encounter group on psychological development and helping skills among 2nd-year undergraduate psychology students. Students in the training condition participated in three weekly 4-hour sessions of classical Rogerian encounter group while students in the control condition did not receive any intervention. Results showed a significant increase in self-actualization and emotional intelligence in the encounter group from pre- to post-test compared to the control condition. Only encounter group participants had learnt to decrease their use of not-client-centered responses (i.e. advice, judgments, and closed questions) to a simulated client. These promising findings are discussed in relation to more structured teaching methods usually preferred in university settings.