What technique best evaluates the effectiveness of a small-group counseling session focused on stress management?

Gathering perception data from various stakeholders is a strong technique for evaluating the effectiveness of a small-group counseling session focused on stress management. By collecting feedback from participants and possibly other relevant individuals, such as parents or teachers, counselors gain insight into how the group members felt about the session, how they perceived its relevance, and its impact on their stress management skills. This qualitative data can provide a more nuanced understanding of the session’s effectiveness in meeting the participants' needs and goals.

In comparison, while monitoring academic performance post-counseling may provide some insight into broader academic impacts of stress management, it may not directly assess changes in coping strategies or stress levels. Administering a generalized anxiety assessment can measure anxiety levels quantitatively but might not capture the specific outcomes of the group sessions in relation to stress management techniques discussed. Conducting brief follow-up interviews is a valuable method but might not encompass a wide range of perspectives from all participants. Gathering perception data captures a holistic view that is essential for evaluating counseling effectiveness.