Improving Student Communication Skills: A Trial of Group Counseling with Assertive Training Techniques

Abstract

This study aims to test whether students communication skills have improved before and after being given group counseling with assertive training techniques. The research sample amounted to 8 students of SMP Negeri 3 Palu based on purposive sampling technique. The research data collection used a scale of communication skills. The research data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential methods with the Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test. The results of descriptive analysis showed that before the provision of group counseling assertive training techniques there were 7 students with low communication skills classification and 1 student with very low communication skills classification. After being given group counseling assertive training techniques there were 3 students with very high communication skills classification and 5 students with high communication skills classification. The results of inferential analysis show that the significance value is (Z=-2.524; p<0.05) with an average value of pretest (M=35.63; SD=6.457) and posttest (M=61.25; SD=8.548). The findings of this study indicate that students communication skills improved significantly after being given group counseling with assertive training techniques.