An examination of the impact of counseling on attendance, attrition, grade point averages and locus of control scores of students in developmental studies

The purpose of the experiment was to determine if a group counseling process could be used to significantly reduce locus of control scores of students enrolled in developmental studies. Additionally to be determined was the impact of counseling on attendance, attrition, and grade point averages. Subjects for the study were sixty students randomly selected from a group of one hundred eighty-two (182) developmental studies students enrolled in mathematics, reading, and English at Alvin Community College during the fall semester of 1978. All students were administered the Nowicki Strickland Locus of Control Scale as a pretest. Students scoring above the mean were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Each group consisted of fifteen males and fifteen females. The experimental group was assigned to a counselor and participated in group counseling sessions (human relations training) as its treatment. The control group received no counseling. After participating in five human relations training experiences. the students were given the Nowicki Strickland Locus of Control Scale as a posttest. The posttest scores were analyzed by an analysis of variance with the pretest scores as a covariate. The data on attendance, attrition, and grade point averages were analyzed by an analysis of variance. Data were tested at the .05 level of significance. [...]Education, College o