Research on storytelling in counseling and psychotherapy
with children has typically involved literary and metaphoric
techniques that foster client change. There is limited
research on the efficacy of telling one's personal life story
as a counseling technique, especially in the school setting.
The purpose of this study was two-fold: (l) to describe
and implement a technique for school counselors to use in
individual counseling sessions to foster resilience in
children and, more specifically, (2) to explore the
effectiveness of telling one's life story and creating a
personal life book as a counseling technique to improve two
characteristics of resilience -- internal locus of control
and perceived coping resources. The research question that
guided this study was: To what extent is telling one's
life story and creating a life book an effective
counseling technique for fostering resilience in
children who have experienced loss?
A sample of fifty children from two elementary schools
(grades 4-6) who had experienced a significant loss were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) the
experimental group who received the life book technique,
(2) a control group of students who received other individual
counseling, or (3) a control group who received no counseling
at all. Two constructs of resilience in children were
measured: (1) internal/external locus of control (Children's
Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Locus of Control Scale)
and (2) perceived coping resources (Coping Resources
Inventory Scales for Educational Enhancement). Pre-test/Posttest
analyses of data following the six-week experimental
period were conducted using ANOVA statistical procedures.
Quantitative results indicated that, statistically, the
life book technique was no more or no less effective in
improving internal locus of control or coping resources than
either other individual counseling techniques or no
counseling at all. However, qualitative evaluation of the
technique offered support for the effectiveness of the life
book technique as indicated by the life book participants who
experienced change in a positive direction on both
instruments and the unanimous positive evaluations of the
life book participants and participating counselors.
Therefore, while the life book technique was not found
to be statistically significant in fostering resilience, the
positive implications of qualitative analysis warrant further
research to explore the life book technique as a school
counseling practice to foster positive client change.
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