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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
1-1-2003
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Counselor Education
First Advisor
Coven, Arnold
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of group counseling employing a reality therapy or a mutual support group model on the self-determination of adults with developmental disabilities. Specific outcome variables for the study were autonomy, self-regulation, psychological empowerment, and self-realization. The design of the study consisted of two groups with a pretest and a posttest. Participants (n = 30) for the study volunteered from a vocational training program in a large urban area and were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. Pretesting occurred one week before the group counseling began using the Arc's Self-Determination Scale - Adult Version (Wehmeyer, 1995). Posttesting occurred one week following counseling using the same measure. The group counseling was conducted in six, weekly, one-hour sessions using methodologies developed for the study. Results of an ANCOVA indicated a statistically significant difference for the reality therapy on the self-regulation variable when compared to the support group at posttest. Using t-tests, statistically significant increases were observed on the self-regulation and self-realization variables with the reality therapy group from pretest and posttest. Unpredicted significant increases were observed on subdomains of the autonomy variable and total self-determination from pretest to posttest with the reality therapy group. This study provides partial evidence that group counseling using a reality therapy methodology can be helpful in increasing some factors associated with self-determination for persons with developmental disabilities.
Recommended Citation
Lawrence, Daniel H., "The effects of reality therapy group counseling on the self-determination of persons with developmental disabilities" (2003). Wayne State University Dissertations. 3371.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/3371