The purpose of this project is to determine whether or not psycho-educational group
counseling relieves stress among adolescents with these symptoms. This study will also examine
whether the effects of the group intervention differ among boys and girls and gender differences
in stress symptoms and causes of stress. This research is important because stress and anxiety
affect the lives of many students and can have strong influences on students psychologically,
emotionally, physically and academically. It is important for counselors to learn how they can
better help students and to assess the effectiveness of their work. Group counseling is often a
preference in schools because this approach can reach more students and is time effective. For
this project the purposes of group involvement are to identify stressors that cause stress and
anxiety, provide a forum for the discussion of these issues, and to teach students how to manage their anxiety. It is the hope that through the group experience, students will gain an increased
awareness of the stresses in their lives and increased coping skills.