INCREASING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN A TRADITIONAL

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of introducing parts of the systematic communication training described by Carkhuff into one course of a traditimital Master's degree program in counseling. Fifteen graduate students received approximately 15 1/2 hours of training and practice in facilitative communication skills. Thirty-nine undergraduate students made up two control groups. Counseling students in the training group made significant increases in both written and videotaped responses. Students in the control groups made no gains. Changes in dogmatism scores and the relationship between dogmatism and level of communication were also examined. Significant changes in dogmatism scores or meaningful patterns of communication were not found. The study offers suggestions for designing a modest but potentially effective program for increasing counselor trainees ' communication skills. (Author/WS