Research Article - (2013) Volume 3, Issue 1
This research goes about the effectiveness of group counseling with TA1 method on university students’ general health. The participants were 170 girl university students chosen random stratified sampling by GHQ2 questionnaire were done on 170 people which among 100 of them had higher than 22 GHQ. In this research which is classified as experimental type, the least 40 people, two groups of 20, one experiment group and the other control, were chosen randomly from two. 10 sessions of TA group counseling method for the experiment group and nothing for the control group were done. Afterwards, the GHQ adminstered operated for both. The implement was GHQ and statistical data analysis was done by independent T, dependent T and co-variance analysis. Results showed that TA group counseling method in 10 sessions had significant effect about ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’, ‘sleep disorder’ reduction and ‘social performance’ improvement and ‘general health’ increase comparing with the control group.
TA Group Counseling, General Health, Anxiety, Sleep disorder, Depression 1- Transactional Analysis(TA) 2-General Health Questionnaire(GHQ)
An improving and developing society would face numerous problems and obstacles whose people’s health, physical and mental, is in danger.Body, as a unity, has mental and physical elements correlated and this relation is called psychosomatic[12,15,17].Widespread problems such as heart, vascular, lungs, digestive conditions, behavior and mental problems rooted in sleep disorder.Social safety reduction or feeling it from society makes people sensitive and impatient confront people with tension[4,14]. Considering physical and mental issues affecting the society and university students playing a crucial role in it and of course social problems as rudiments of depression, anxiety and even sleep disorder.This research is going to measure the effect of counseling with TA method on general health. With doing so, in an experimental way the effects of group counseling with TA method on general health is tested, also having overall data of this can be fruitful for organizations, institutions and universities which are interested in. Researches showed learning TA can cause a high level of communication capability. Furthermore, changing insights to 'I'm O.K, you're O.K' and using effectual contracts in communication exchanges can lead to a high communication level management[7]. TA is effective for abilities and talent exchanges management[21]. In 1950 and 1960, Eric Bern used TA for psychotherapy development and in 1970 it was used for expanding personal, interpersonal and social relationships in a wide range. Anonymos divided stages to 1- ‘ego-states’, 2-communication, 3- caressing, 4- life story and games[2,19]. TA helps people improve their self-confidence and leadership[3].TA generally increases life motive[8]. TA teaching patterns can help to have active decision making ability[13]. Schilling and Steensma (2002) believe group treatment with symbolic games, role treatment, yoga, facilitating people’s sentimental relations, especially people experiencing stressful positions can be advantageous. Gerald Schamess,chose two groups, one with only medical support and the other group had group counseling added to medical support. The experiment group was in a higher level of general health[16]. TA group counseling by people’s support in groups, patterning, and social supports had effective results on depression. Virginia Poltechinc (1985) examined TA effects on concentrating and inside criteria, self-control and high level of anxiety. The experiment group could make it to concentrate on inside issues instead of outside ones, and also there was a significant difference in experiment group’s anxiety level. Joshlee, Memphis University , conducted a research on group counseling and its effects on anxiety and home violence [11]. The effects of group counseling on home violence and anxiety were upheld. Michael Waldo, Philip A Kerne, Valerie Kerne , Pittsburgh University, gave the students an anxiety test. TA group counseling was conducted for whom had a high level of anxiety. The difference, before and after the test, was higher than 0.05[20]. Segeler, Eric Edward (1986) showed the significant results of TA sessions on women anxiety.
This research is in filed study classification. Participants are girl university students of Azad University, Qaemshahr
Branch, who are already busy with studying (2010-2011). Due to this formula, 
the
participants must count 170 people. The participants were chosen in random stratified sampling method. First, all the
girl university students were counted out, classified as majors, and analyzed in percentage. The people in each class
were chosen randomly and picked up in the target group. Research measurement tools, GHQ scale (1998), Paton and
Elton researches (1987), Goldberg and Hiller (1979), and Chen and Chen (1983) et al. proved GHQ's validity and
reliability. The above-mentioned numbers were chosen from all university majors. The questionnaires were spread.
100people had GHQ higher than 22, means 58.2% higher than 22 and 41.18% lower than that. The least sample
group numbers was used cause of experimental research. Two groups were chosen randomly from 100 people, each
including 20. One group is the evidence and the other is experiment. 10 sessions of group counseling with TA
method were run for the experiment group. Afterwards, general health measurement tests were ran for each again.
The averages in two groups were compared. Research data included two parts. First part data before the general
health test, related to evidence and experiment groups, was achieved by GHQ test which itself contains ‘anxiety and
sleep disorder’, ‘physical responses’, ‘social performance’ and ‘depression’ tests, and these tests measure general
health indeed. Second part data after the general health test in evidence and experiment groups was achieved by
GHQ test which itself measures ‘anxiety and sleep disorder’, ‘physical responses’, ‘social performance’ and
‘depression’ in three months, and of course in these three months ten sessions of group counseling were conducted
with TA method and the students were encouraged to study TA books, but nothing was done for evidence group.
After choosing two groups of experiment and control, the people in experiment group were cut in half to two groups
of A and B, because 20 people in one group were a lot to deal with. Things being done in these two groups were
exactly the same as a whole one group.
Analyzing data proved that theories tests used independent T parameter test to compare two groups' averages. And to compare experiment group's averages before test dependent T was used. Also, to making participants unaware of the two times of operating GHQ test covariance analyzing method was used.
Due to the table 1, which shows independent T test, and independent T table output, variants and averages are equal, therefore two groups of experiment and control in choosing stage are completely the same.
Figure 1:
Comparing averages, independent and dependent T
With studying table 2 in significant level columns which shows the independent T in after test stage in two groups of experiment and control the reader understands that general health is α=0.751, which is higher than 0.05. Thus, general health change issignificant, and the first hypothesis, the effects of group counseling with TA method on general health, proved to be right. Secondly, anxiety and sleep disorder are α=0.715, which is higher than 0.05. Thereupon, sleep disorder and anxiety variant deviation is significant and the second hypothesis, the effects of group counseling with TA method on university students anxiety and sleep disorder, is proved to be right. After that, physical responses in two groups of experiment and control are α=0.327, which is higher than 0.05, so, the physical responses are changed and significant. Due to that, the third hypothesis, the effects of group counseling with TA method on students’ social performance, is proved to be right. But, comparing this item with the other items shows that physical element is harder to change comparing to other elements in the table. Moreover, depression is α=0.734, which is higher than 0.05. So, the changing is significant and the forth hypothesis, the effects of group counseling on students depression is proved to be right. Lastly, social performance variant is α=0.553, which is higher than 0.05, and this changing is significant, too. Thus, the fifth hypothesis of the research, the effects of group counseling with TA method on students’ social performance is proved to be right.
Figure 2:
In the first hypothesis, there is a significant difference of general health variant of experiment group in before and after tests averages. Also, in after test stage, there is a difference in after test stage between experiment and control group. The first hypothesis is proved and group counseling with TA method helps with encouraging adult ego-state and balancing child ego-state, adult ego-state and parental ego-state, developing communication issues and self leadership and finally general health[9]. Researches of Schamess also upheld this[16]. In the second hypothesis, it is group counseling with TA method which decreases students’ sleep disorder and anxiety. Research results show that before and after test averages in experiment group have a significant difference.
Also, independent T test shows a difference between sleep disorder and anxiety averages in control group and experiment group, and the second hypothesis is proved to be right. Participating group counseling sessions with TA method and talking about anxiety and its causes and learning the good ways of communication decrease sleep disorder and anxiety[10]. TA group counselingreduces anxiety and naughtiness[18]. Also group counseling with TA method by self-control and concentration lead to anxiety reduction[11]. In the third hypothesis, group counselingwith TA method helps students’ physical responses.Research results shows that although physical responses in participants in experiment group have improved, and this improvement is significant, due to the physical responses reduction it seems if the sessions of group counseling goes higher than 10 it can change in the results significantly. Thus, it is suggested to go for higher session of group counseling in next researches. In the fourth hypothesis, group counseling with TA method leads to students’ depression reduction. Results shows that depression changes average in experiment group and control group in after test stage is significant, and also depression changes average in experiment group in before and after tests stages is significant, too. Therefore, the fourth hypothesis is proved to be right and participating group counseling and discussing depression, its causes, life stories, games, caresses and helping breaking bad communication patterns all ends with depression decrease. Virginia Poly (1984) showed that group counseling with TA method along with people’s support, patterning and social support affects depression reduction. In the fifth hypothesis, group counseling with TA method affects students’ social performance. Due to the results achieved in control group’s average in after test stage showing a significant difference, the fifth hypothesis is upheld. TA method works on accurate communication skillsand people have better communications by learning TA patterns, because this helps them to understand moods, passion and tendencies better and finally improve their social performance[8].
Research Suggestions
1- Increasing group counseling sessions with TA method
2- Analyzing effects of group counseling with TA method on university boy students general health and comparing them with girls
3- Doing this research in other universities and making generalizations about the country
4- Doing this research again after a few months to see possible long time effects of group counseling with TA method on above-mentioned variants
5- Exploring effects of group counseling with TA method on parents related to their children due to prevention priority over treatment
Research Constraints
1- Although in this research it is tried to have the same control and experiment group, the best is done to have it, but nevertheless, the two groups with exact same capabilities chosen randomly is technically impossible.
2- Group counseling were conducted in 10 sessions and in three months. Usually counseling sessions are operated in more sessions and in longer times
3- Lack of studies in the field of group counseling effects on general health
The researcher is thankful for the generous help of Dr. Abdollah Shafi’ Abadi, the faculty of Allameh University, Tehran, Dr. Parivash Vakili, the faculty of Azad University, Roodehen Branch, and lastly Azad University, Qaemshahr Branch.
