User perceptions of process - outcome linkages in pupil peer counselling for bullying services in the UK

Users of pupil peer counselling for bullying services (n = 50) rated their most helpful and their least helpful experiences of these services on five counselling process variables. The aim was to identify which, if any, of these variables differentiated between the two types of experience. Participants gave significantly higher ratings to 'core conditions', 'client openness' and 'maintain positive self-regard', but significantly lower ratings to 'counsellor directiveness', for their most helpful experience than for their least helpful experience. No significant differences emerged for ratings of 'counsellor self-disclosure'. None of these effects were qualified by gender. The implications of these findings for providers of peer counselling for bullying services are discussed.