Does completion of eight group counseling sessions help to decrease levels of social anxiety (or other symptoms or issues)?

It is important that the approaches used by counselors and the counseling programs implemented in schools and agencies are effective for the clients and students who will be receiving these services. Counselors in the field often conduct research to test the effectiveness of their services. Consider one of the following questions that a counselor working in a school or agency may want to explore:

• Does completion of eight group counseling sessions help to decrease levels of social anxiety (or other symptoms or issues)?
• How do students or clients describe the experience of the counseling they have received and its impact on them?
• What is the effect of short-term counseling (6–8 sessions) for couples who report significant levels of relationship discord?
• What is the effect of counseling for adolescents who report serious issues with substance abuse?
• What impact does attending a 2-hour information workshop have on clients or students who are engaged in career counseling?