Influence of modelling and feedback provided by the supervisors in a microskills training program for beginning...

Investigated the influence of modelling and feedback on the effectiveness of a microskills training program for beginning counsellors. The microskills taught were: attending behavior, minimal encourages to talk, open questions, and reflection of feeling and content. Twenty-four trainee counsellors were allocated to three treatment groups: (1) no modelling, no feedback (NMF); (2) modelling and feedback from the supervisor (MF); and (3) feedback from the supervisor (F). Analysis of variance showed that MF was superior to NMF and F in increasing use of the skill reflection of feeling. These results lead to the conclusion that the microskills taught differ in level of difficulty, and, hence, in the amount of information, through instructions, practice, modelling or feedback, that will bring these skills to ceiling level. Supervisor modelling and feedback appear to improve learning of the comparatively difficult skill, reflection of feeling.