Workshop Outcomes from Formal Six-Month Follow-Up Data

Abstract

This chapter focuses on a systematic follow-up investigation of the workshop outcomes, based on participant information given six to eight months later in response both to broad open-ended questions and (following that) to a multiple choice questionnaire. The development of a classification system to identify effects from the low structure data is described. Four distinct and often-mentioned effects refer to aspects of experienced relational and personal change, and two others point to changes in attitude and viewpoint as a professional helper. Attention then turns to the results from eight multiple choice questions concerned with growth aspects, possible change in confidence and also effectiveness as a helper, change in sensitivity and openness, cognitive/conceptual changes and whether other people had mentioned change they observed. From the sample of up to 62 respondents the chapter pulls together the generally very positive evidence and carefully notes exceptions and limitations. From additional (retrospective) group atmosphere ratings on 18 bipolar items (such as turbulent-calm, harmonious-conflicting, understanding-insensitive and flowing-static), each group was seen to have a somewhat distinctive signature. It seemed that member-valued outcomes occurred by a somewhat different balance of process qualities, within a shared ambience of strong engagement and search.

Chapter Appendix

Part B Follow-Up Research Questionnaire Items

Please check the alternative answer that best represents your own feeling or judgement.

• 1. Do you consider that the workshop was a therapeutic or growth-promoting experience for you personally?

• ___Yes, very significantly.

• ___To a moderate but important degree.

• ___To a small extent.

• ___Not at all.

• ___It has set me back in the quality of my own personal functioning.

• 2. If you moved forward within yourself in some way, through the workshop experience, has this movement now ceased or do you experience continuing change?

• ___I continue to feel strongly involved in a process of becoming more whole or adequate as a person.

• ___I notice some measure of continuing change in myself.

• ___1 am not ‘in process’ within myself in any detectable way now.

• ___I seem to be slipping back now towards the way I used to function.

• 3. Do you feel any change in your confidence in yourself as a helping person, resulting from the workshop experience?

• ___Considerably more confidence.

• ___Somewhat more confidence.

• ___No change in this respect.

• ___Less confidence.

• 4. As a separate question, do you consider that you are any more or less effective in your helping function, as a direct or indirect result of the workshop?

• ___Considerably more effective.

• ___Somewhat more effective.

• ___No change in effectiveness.

• ___Less effective.

• 5. Do you feel any more sensitive to the inner experience or feelings of other persons as a result of the workshop?

• ___Yes, far more sensitive.

• ___Considerably more sensitive.

• ___A little more sensitive.

• ___No change.

• ___I seem less sensitive.

• 6. Do you feel that, as a result of the workshop, you have expressed or shared yourself more directly and openly in group situations connected with your work?

• ___I have been much more direct and open.

• ___I have been quite a lot more open.

• ___I think I have been somewhat more open.

• ___No change in this respect.

• ___I feel less willing than before to express myself openly.

• 7. Has your thinking changed or developed, as a direct or indirect result of the workshop, about group processes, objectives or qualities of a therapeutic situation, effects on the person of various kinds of relationship or social influence? (This question differs from previous ones in focusing specifically on the level of concepts or ideas. It is concerned with possible modifications in the way you formulate or interpret processes that occur in and between people.)

• ___ Much change or development in this respect.

• ___ Moderate but significant change

• ___ Minor change.

• ___ No detectable change.

• 8. Have other persons who know you well noticed and commented that you have changed in your outlook or response to people since the workshop?

  ___ Yes, other people in close touch with me have shown that they see me as having changed quite significantly.

• ___ Other people have indicated that they see some change in me.

• ___ There has been no evidence made known to me of any change being apparent to others.

The Additional Group Climate Questionnaire from Part B, with the Order of Items Adjusted to Match Their Sequence in Table 7.5

	Extremely	Quite	Little	Neitherorbothequally	Little	Quite	Extremely
Turbulent …..	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Calm
Searching …..	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Superficial
Tense……….	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Relaxed
Harmonious ...	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Conflicting
Gentle ………	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Harsh
Caring ……..	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Hostile
Accepting ….	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Rejecting
Warm ………	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Cool
Genuine…….	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	False
Understanding	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Insensitive
Flowing…….	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Static
Active ……..	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Passive
Fast ………..	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Slow
Varied ……..	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Uniform
Open ………	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Closed
Intimate ……	+++	++	+	•	+	++	+++	Impersonal

Please check the scale between each of the following pairs of opposite words at the point that best describes your perception now of the most typical atmosphere and process in your workshop group. Let your present personal impressions guide the answers that you give.