Abstract:

The aim of the research is to investigate the effect of a solution-focused group counseling program on reducing social anxiety of university students. The study group consists of 30 (16 female, 14 male) students who volunteered among 224 students who continue their education at Afyon Kocatepe University in the 2019-2020 academic year. The research had a 2x3 mixed pattern with experiment and control groups and pretest, posttest and follow-up measures. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) was used as data collection tool. University students in the experimental group attended a 6-session solution-focused group counseling program about reducing social anxiety, while the control group did not participate in any study. After completing experimental processes, both groups underwent posttest and then follow-up measures at the end of 3 months. Data were analyzed with the two-way analysis of variance technique for mixed patterns. Results revealed that the solution-focused group counseling program was effective in reducing the social anxiety of university students and the efficacy continued during follow-up at the end of three months.

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