Effects of Human Relations Training with Houseparents on Attainment of Group Facilitation Skills

Abstract

24-hr. (12 wk., 2 hr. per week) systematic training in human relations with 16 houseparent couples produced higher mean facilitation skills as measured by the Index of Responding than was achieved by a control group of 16 houseparent couples. Students (boys) residing in cottages whose parents received the training did not perceive their parents more favorably in the core helping dimensions of Empathic Understanding, Level of Regard, Unconditionality of Regard, and Congruence (measured by the Relationship Inventory) than did boys whose parents did not receive the training. Greater variability of the trained group on all dimensions suggested that the training may have enabled some houseparents to function more effectively (as perceived by the boys) whereas in other instances they were perceived to function less effectively than did the control houseparents.