A Comparison of the Effects of Face-to-face and Non-face-to-face Group Counseling Programs for Psychologically Burnt-out Secondary School Teachers

Purpose: This study compared the effectiveness of face-to-face and non-face-to-face group counseling programs in enhancing the psychological capital of secondary school teachers experiencing burnout. Methods: To achieve this, a program previously validated for effectiveness in a non-face-to-face format was conducted in a face-to-face setting. The study participants were selected from 132 middle school teachers who underwent the Teacher Burnout Inventory (TBI). Among them, 42 teachers whose burnout levels were at or above the threshold (T-score of 55) and who simultaneously experienced teacher-related cynicism were identified, and 22 volunteers were selected for the program. These participants were assigned to the experimental group and the control group, with 11 teachers in each. Additionally, the data for the comparison group were drawn from the experimental group of the same program previously validated for effectiveness in a non-face-to-face format. A total of 12 sessions of a group counseling program aimed at enhancing psychological capital were implemented for both the face-to-face and non-face-to-face groups. The effectiveness of the program was analyzed through mixed ANOVA by comparing psychological capital and its components across the groups. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in psychological capital and all sub-factors compared to the control group. No significant differences were found between face-to-face and non-face-to-face counseling groups, indicating comparable effectiveness. Conclusion: This study confirmed that both face-to-face and non-face-to-face group counseling programs are effective in enhancing the psychological capital of teachers experiencing burnout. Since the difference in effectiveness between the two methods was not significant, teachers can choose the approach that best suits their needs and circumstances.