| Abstract: | This article relates an older peer counselor training program which was developed for paraprofessional volunteers, 55 and over, to assist elderly widowed people in their adjustment process. The training had three goals: to develop group cohesiveness, to broaden trainees' understanding of widowhood adjustment, and to develop one-to-one interpersonal skills. Training outcomes, including the findings of pre- and posttest assessment of attitudes, indicate that the training program was effective in eliciting widowhood and counseling attitude change, and in providing the trainees with the opportunity for personal growth. The results replicate other studies, demonstrating that procedures employed to train young counselors can be used to train elderly paraprofessionals. |
