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The authors review previous narrative and meta-analytic reviews on the effectiveness of overall helping skills training programs. The authors then review narrative reviews and conduct a new meta-analysis of specific methods used to teach helping skills within these programs. Our meta-analysis found that, in the aggregate, training methods substantially outperformed no training conditions, and that effect sizes did not vary as a function of trainee educational level (graduate vs. undergraduate students) or the type of criterion measure (interview-based vs. analogue-based empathy measures). Direct comparison of the training methods revealed that modeling outperformed instruction and feedback, and multimethod outperformed single-method training. The authors critique the literature and suggest that the studies in the helping skills literature generally fail to meet contemporary methodological standards, thereby limiting the conclusions that can be drawn. The authors appeal for better research on helping skills training, especially as it is currently practiced.

The late 1960s to early 1970s was an exciting time for helping skills training. Numerous training programs (e.g., Carkhuff, 1969; Ivey, 1971) were developed to teach discrete helping skills (e.g., reflection of feelings) to beginning therapist trainees, and training was extended to many new populations as well (e.g., peer helpers, parents, teachers, and children). In addition, research on helping skills training was prolific at that time, helping to...