Helping Children Thrive
Study shows small group counseling helps children thrive at school.
Many students experience anxiety, stress or disconnection at school, which can hinder both their academic and social-emotional growth. While school counselors provide support, traditional programs often lack structured, evidence-based approaches to help students manage emotions, build peer relationships, and develop essential skills.
FAU College of Education researchers explored the impact of the Student Success Skills small group counseling intervention for sixth graders. Over six sessions, students developed anger management, goal setting, and social problem-solving skills while building trust and community. Results of the study showed greater connectedness, improved perceptions of school climate, and increased engagement, highlighting the effectiveness of Advocating Student-Within-Environment or ASE-based small group counseling in supporting students’ emotional and academic growth.
“Small group counseling provided students with far more than strategies for managing emotions and relationships – it offered them a space to feel seen, heard and valued. Through these shared experiences, students began to recognize their own strengths and see themselves not just as learners, but as capable, compassionate contributors within their school communities and beyond,” said Elizabeth Villares Sacks, Ph.D., co-author and chair and professor, FAU Department of Counselor Education.
For more information, email dorcommunications@fau.edu to connect with the Research Communication team.