Abstract:
Interpersonal communication skills play a crucial role in students’ social adjustment and learning
success, particularly in non-formal educational settings such as guidance center schools. This study aimed to
examine the effectiveness of group guidance services in improving students’ interpersonal communication
skills at the Malaysian Guidance Center School. The study employed a quantitative experimental approach
using a pretest–posttest design involving 11 fifth-grade students. Data were collected through an interpersonal
communication questionnaire consisting of 20 items administered before and after the group guidance
intervention. The group guidance services were implemented by utilizing group dynamics to encourage
interaction, self-expression, and mutual understanding among students. Data analysis was conducted using a t-
test to examine differences in students’ interpersonal communication skills between pretest and posttest scores.
The results indicated a significant improvement in students’ interpersonal communication skills, as evidenced
by an increase in the mean score from 63.73 at pretest to 76.36 at posttest, with a significance value (Sig. 2-
tailed) of 0.000 < 0.05. These findings demonstrate that group guidance services are effective in enhancing
students’ interpersonal communication by fostering confidence, openness, and positive social interaction. This
study concludes that group guidance represents an effective and practical counseling intervention for improving
students’ interpersonal communication skills in guidance center schools.
