"Sticking Together": The Adolescent Experience of the Cohesion Process in Rural School Counseling Groups.

The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory of how adolescents experience the cohesion process in rural school counseling groups. A total of 20 individual interviews with 7 participants were conducted. Data analysis generated the central category of the cohesion process as “sticking together,” which describes a “tight bond.” Feelings of belonging, positive feelings, open social interactions, and lasting connections further characterize the cohesion process as experienced by adolescent participants. This study provides a qualitative, descriptive view of how adolescents experience the cohesion process in school counseling groups. Implications for counselors and future research are discussed.