G - done Flashcards
Association for Specialists in Group Work -
Part of?
Date started?
Division of ACA
Founded 1973
When did group work proliferate in the schools?
When was it introduced in schools?
By whom?
1990s
1907
Davis
Goals of group work - 2 types? Goals include - 3 general? 2 self-knowledge? 4 skills?
Individual, whole group
Understanding universality of member problems
Learning to trust, appropriately self disclose
Experience acceptance and support
Self-knowledge
- Clarify expectations, goals, values
- Increase self-direction
Practice new knowledge and skills
- Learn how to confront appropriately
- Learn alternative ways to resolve conflict
- Learn more effective social skills
- Become more sensitive to others’ needs
Advantages of group work? (13)
Time efficiency for leader Less costly per person Experience social support Sense of belonging Greater resources from multiple members Feeling of safety - controlled Replication of everyday world Peer confrontation Learn & practice new skills and receive feedback Commitment to follow through Power of the peer group, influence Able to play a variety of roles Interpersonal power - to give and receive help
Challenges of group work, i.e. problems that can arise? (6)
- Pressure to conform
- Reality distortion (if social reality in group not that of real world)
- Avoidance (if member hides, if group is too safe and accepting)
- Confidentiality
- Unhealthy attachments
- Institutional barriers (not valuing groups, scheduling or space problems)
Yalom’s curative or therapeutic factors of groups? (11)
If these were present, growth would occur: Altruism Universality / mutuality Interpersonal learning Imparting information Development of socialization techniques Imitative behavior Group cohesiveness- feeling of unity Catharsis Corrective recapitulation of the family group Instillation of hope Existential factors- eg one is alone, one is responsible
Ethical and legal obligations essential in group work? (6)
Informed consent
Confidentiality
Member screening
Leaders only provide services for which they are qualified by training and experience
Research - ask permission first
Group members’ rights: no undue pressure, participation is vol or invol, freedom of exit, use of group’s resources.
3 documents of guidelines / standards for group work?
ASGW: Best Practice Guidelines
ASGW: Training Standards
ASGW: Multicultural and Social Justice Competence Principles for Group Workers
ASGW functional group types? (4)
Other group types? (4)
Task
Psychoeducational (growth, prevention or remediation)
Counseling (growth, prevention)
Psychotherapy (remediation, treatment, personality )
Guidance (provide info; schools)
Structured (central theme)
Self-help
T-group (training group; improve interpersonal skills)
Primary group leadership tasks (3)
Executive functions
Building group culture
Bringing members into the here and now
Primary group leadership tasks - executive functions? (3)
Planning
Organizing
Establishing boundaries for safety and stability of membership
Primary group leadership tasks - building group culture?
Help members establish norms
Primary group leadership tasks - keeping in the here and now?
Some focus on? (2)
Primarily focus on? (5)
- Some on insights into the past and planning for future.
- Primarily encourage 1) processing of current life events, 2) immediate interactions in group, 3) feelings towards other members, 4) self-disclosure, 5) feedback.
Leader styles? (3)
Autocratic/Authoritarian - good for quick decisions
Democratic - liked; doesn’t always generate the most production
Laissez faire - if committed to a common goal, often has best results
Yalom’s effective leader functions -
Frequent? (2)
Moderately frequent? (2)
Michael Waldo suggested?
Frequent/consistent use:
- caring: warmth acceptance, genuineness, concern, honest, open
- meaning attribution: experiences and feelings are named, interpretation, clarifying
Moderate use:
- emotional stimulation: encouraging expression of emotions, values, modeling appropriate self disclosure and confrontation
- executive function: structures, suggests limits, rules, direction, pacing, blocking
Waldo: different amounts of each function were best depending on the needs of the group, their Dx’s, etc.
Effective leader traits? (16)
Self-awareness Flexibility Self-confidence Responsibility Honesty Trustworthiness Genuineness Empathy Compassion Respect Objectivity Creativity Spontaneity Humor Enthusiasm Charisma to
Leader skills/techniques?
More client centered? (11)
More directive? (17)
Empathizing Reflecting feelings Providing feedback Clarifying Questioning Summarizing Self-disclosure Active listening Linking (common themes) Pairing Tracking (clarifying to keep up)
Initiating Pacing Terminating Setting goals Setting tone Making the rounds Interpreting Suggesting Drawing out Supporting Protecting Blocking (eg scapegoating, storytelling, gossiping) Confronting Instruction Modeling Role playing Evaluating
Types of resistance in groups? (6)
In general, how handle it? (2)
Absences Tardiness Silence Monopolizing Rescuing Distracting
Can discuss resistive behaviors before group starts.
Confront resistance w support and care and move the group toward agreed-on goals
Types of conflict in groups? (6)
How handle it, usually, in general?
Toward other members: Blaming Gossip Anger Grievances Intimidation Prejudice
Confront conflict w support and care and move the group toward agreed-on goals
Advantages of coleadership w groups? (11)
Team model Parental model if male + female Help handling difficulties More insights Leaders give each other feedback Different leader reactions can enhance discussion Train new leader Sharing responsibilities Continue if 1 leader is absent Better support for lower functioning CTs Leader role playing
Group member roles fall in what 3 general categories?
Facilitative
Maintenance
Blocking
Disadvantages of coleadership w groups? (5)
Competition/rivalry Inconsistency in pacing Inconsistency in approach Excessive focus on leaders Appearance of collusion
Group member roles - formal?
Are assigned roles, eg task groups may have a Chairperson, Secretary.
Group member roles - informal?
Informal roles are not assigned but are developed through interactions w other members. Eg, Advice giver, Aggressor.
Role differentiation?
Members begin to adopt different roles.
Role conflict?
When members experience conflicting demands of various roles.
Role ambiguity?
Member is unsure of role expectations.
Johari window quadrants?
I (UL, known, known) Public/open
II (UR, known to self, unknown to others) Private/hidden
III (LL, unknown to self, known to others) Blind
IV (LR, unknown to self and other) Unknown/unconscious
I messages?
When I see / hear ______,
I feel ______,
and I want to _____.
Facilitative member roles include? (8)
Facilitation Encouragement Compromise Gatekeeping Initiation Information seeking Opinion seeking Evaluation of progress toward goals observation
Who organized the the first society for group therapists: American Society for Group Psychotherapy, and coined the term group psychotherapy?
When?
Moreno
1920s
Invented training groups or T-groups?
When?
Kurt Lewin
60s, 70s
Gatekeeping in group work by a member?
A helpful member role.
Insisting on adherence to established group norms.
Challenging member roles include? (10)
Aggressiveness, Attention-seeking, Hostility, Giving advice, Blocking/resisting, Informing on, Monopolizing, Manipulation, Sarcasm, Focusing on others
Nondefensive leader responses? (18)
- Do not dismiss members
- Express your difficulty w a member without denigrating
- Avoid responding to sarcasm w sarcasm
- Educate members about how the group works
- Be honest
- Encourage members to explore their defensiveness without demanding the give up their protection
- Avoid labeling; describe the behavior
- State observations and hunches as possibilities
- Be sensitive to culture
- Don’t intimidate
- Monitor your countertransference
- Challenge members w care and respect to do things that may be difficult
- Don’t retreat from conflict
- Balance support w challenge
- Don’t take things too personally
- Facilitate focused exploration rather than offering simple solutions
- Don’t meet your own needs at expense of others’
- Invite members to say how they’re affected by problem behaviors while blocking judgments, evaluations, criticisms
Planned vs spontaneous groups?
Planned theme vs
Spontaneous content
Homogeneous vs heterogeneous groups?
Pros of each? (4, 4)
Homogeneous: members have similar characteristics Quicker identification Better attendance Decreased resistance Better insight
Heterogeneous: diverse characteristics, concerns Better reality testing Deeper learning Better transference Closer to real life experiences
Open vs closed groups -
Definitions?
Pros of each? (3,1)
Open: can join, leave any time
•Psych hospital, discontinuity in participants expected
•Can replace members who leave
•New energy, ideas
Closed: same membership
• Promotes group cohesion, trust, process
Group size -
Optimal for counseling, psychotherapy or interaction focused psychoed groups?
Function best when at least how many?
Informational presentations can be up to?
Interaction-based interventions are usually?
Counseling groups?
Psychotherapy groups?
If coleaders are used?
Young kids, disruptive members, CMI CTs?
- counseling, psychotherapy or interaction focused psychoed groups=8
- at least=4-5
- Informational presentations=50+
- Interaction-based interventions=6-12
- Counseling groups=6-12
- Psychotherapy groups=4-10
- coleaders=increase by 50-75%
- Young kids, disruptive members, CMI CTs=smaller groups
Duration of a group session - Adults? School age kids? Very young kids? Duration of the group - number of meetings - Psychoed groups? Counseling groups? Psychotherapy?
-60-120
-45-60
-20-30
-Psychoed groups? Till info conveyed/skills mastered
Counseling groups? 8-30 sessions not unusual
Psychotherapy? 15 sessions to several years
Indicators that a person may be good fit for group?
Need for peer support
Responsive to peer feedback
Interactional problems
Ineffective social skills
Indicators that a person may be poor fit for group?
Crisis state
Disruptive needs for attention
Social phobia
Severe psychological disturbance
Why group members drop out? (12)
Low motivation Low SES Low IQ High problem denial Poor social skills Poor self-disclosure skills Unrealistic demands Lack of insight Lack of interpersonal sensitivity Poor leader skills Incompatible leader style External factors eg moving, disruptions in family life
Purpose of screening or a pregroup interview - prepare them for (6) and assess? (6)
- Prepare members for: Goals and purpose of group Leader style Leader and member roles Basic ground rules Confidentiality Regular attendance - Assess: Member motivation Problem characteristics - lower functioning, disruptive, dominating Previous experiences w groups Scheduling issues Member comfort w open/closed, vol/invol Sign informed consent
Informed consent for group therapy should include?
Pros and cons Risks Confidentiality Fee arrangements Goals Group history Etc
What 3 factors contribute to group process/dynamics?
What may be included in each factor?
Structure, content, and process.
Group structure factors include group size, function, vol/invol, open/closed.
Group content factors - may be agreed upon at the time of group formation, or content may be unstructured.
Group process factors include: Norms, Roles, Cohesiveness, Safety and trust, Expression of emotions, Catharsis, Leadership patterns, Reality testing, Identification, Power, Conflict, Resistance
What is group dynamics?
Development and interaction of the forces between group members, forces relating to roles, goals, norms.
What is content vs process in groups?
Content: subject under discussion.
Process: how the interaction or discussion is occurring.
How should the content and process be balanced in groups?
- In successful groups, there is a balance of content and process in warmup, action, and closure sections of each session.
How do you focus on process in groups and why?
Focus on the process means examining the meaning of an experience with its attendant feelings, which leads to affective learning and the development of trust in the group.
Are member alliances/subgroups beneficial or destructive to groups?
Can be either.
Yalom and Leszcz- 3 factors of cohesion?
- Interpersonal (attractiveness, homogeneity, interdependence, atmosphere)
- Group factors (size, goals, activity, history, leadership)
- Group environment (intergroup conflict, group status)
Sociograms?
Graph group member interaction patterns.
Norms -
Definition?
Characteristics?(4)
Rules. Formal or informal Spoken or unspoken Conscious or unconscious Norms can facilitate or stifle growth
Conformity to group norms is influenced by?
The degree to which members helped establish the norms
The cohesiveness of the group
Member status
Group leaders point out process to aid in forming norms - examples?
What is keeping members from sharing their feelings about this?
How can the group help all members feel respected for their contributions?
What are the groups expectations about who stops monologues - leader or group?
Power in groups -
Definition?
Six sources of power?
Having control over resources the group values eg materials, roles, position, information, rewards.
- rewards
- coercive
- Legitimate (duty to follow)
- referent (respect for leader)
- Expert
- information
Transference in group -
Definition?
How handle it?
A member’s previous relationship is manifest in a relationship w a group member.
Can reprocess it, find new ways of interacting and coping, and know it can recur.
Countertransference in group -
Definition?
How handle it?
Interactions w a group member influence the leaders unconscious emotional state.
Leaders must constantly self-monitor as it can recur.
Resistance in group members?
Definition?
Roles that are resistant? (6)
Covert attempt to prevent change; often has a protective function; member may find content or process anxiety provoking, threatening, or sensitive.
- Assistant to the leader
- Retelling episodes without attempt to resolve issues.
- Lengthy silences
- Distracting the group
- Dependence on the leader
- Attacks on the leader
How can leaders address resistance?
- Focus on what the resistance means, rather than the behavior
- Reframing
- Highlight protective function
- Minimize members’ need for self protection
- If necessary, give the member the choice of constructive change or admitting lack of intention of working toward goals
Conflict in group -
Due to?
Pro and con?
Due to member anxiety or effort to redistribute power
Mild conflict can lead to greater self-understanding, can help group grow.
Aggressive and hostile acts can inhibit group progress and require intervention of leader/group.
Aggression in groups - Includes? Can be directed at? Due to? Dealing effectively w it? (2)
- Verbal attacks, Physical attacks, Relational aggression eg rumors
- Members or leaders
- Unmet needs and anxieties
- Once reasons are understood, leader and members can empathically help aggressive member deal with cause and effect. Models problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills
Stages of group development?
- Forming/ orientation
- Storming / conflict/ transition
- Norming and performing / cohesion / working
- Adjourning /termination
I message format?
“When I see/hear ________, I feel _________, and I want to ________.”
Characteristics of the forming and orienting group stage?
Anxiety
Testing the leader and group members - is it safe?
Initial cmu w the leader who orients cmu to be between members
Group rules and goals
Leader is didactic and directive initially, helps identify goals, states ground rules, helps members share thoughts and feelings
Modeling by leader - honest, open, spontaneous, genuine; social skills
Development of relationships, inclusion
Members test to see how they fit
Risk, self-disclosure, feedback
Expectation that leader will solve all problems
Characteristics of the storming / transition group stage?
Anxiety, conflict, resistance, intellectualization, questioning, challenging leader
Proceeds from superficial to deeper
Testing members and leader for safety, relationship
Competing for status
Creating factions
Attrition
Targeting leader - anxiety, anger
Depending on leader for solutions, for understanding without member having to explain
Developing cohesiveness thru self disclosure, feedback, confrontation
Feedback can provoke or resist change
Leader demos empathy, caring, confrontation, addresses anxiety and resistance, support and challenges.
Leader identifies positive and negative behaviors for group process.
Members receive support for taking risks
Discovery that differences can be resolved
Increasingly open, supportive, direct communication
Emerging order and norms
Characteristics of the working group stage?
Cohesion Working on personal and group goals Cooperative team, helping each other Openly share, provide feedback, challenge, support Deepening trust Greater self-exploration Greater self and other acceptance Spontaneous More focus on here and now Less resistance Less dependent on leader Leaders provide linking themes, reinforcement, modeling, supporting risks, encourages moving from insight to action.
Characteristics of the termination group stage?
At end of group or when member or leader leaves group
Closure
Expression of feelings about termination, unfinished business, generalizability
Plans
Confidentiality reinforced, should continue
Summarization, consolidation
Evaluations of the group experience
Leader reinforces changes, assists planning
When can Group evaluation occur?
Beginning, during, end
Group evaluation can be done with _______ or _______ methods.
Formal or informal
Evaluating groups - what is process evaluation?
Some standardized instruments?
Nonstandardized?
Assessment of group dynamics and interaction processes.
Hill interaction matrix
Bales’s interaction analysis
Simon and Agazarian’s sequential analysis of verbal interaction
Observation
Informal member evaluations
Evaluation of videos - effective
When should informal member evals be done?
Why?
Each session.
To help leader understand how members are progressing and perceiving group process.
Evaluating groups - what is Outcome evaluation?
Assesses how members are different because of the group work.
Typically uses preplanned methods
Evaluating groups - when is member satisfaction assessed?
At termination or after activities.
Factors that increase and speed group cohesion?
Smaller size Homogeneity Challenges to a cohesive group Members set personal goals that are dependent on the group to achieve Closed groups
Assessment in group work can address what 5 facets?
Screening and selection Leadership skills Therapeutic factors eg cohesion, universality Group climate or stage In session behavior
Group cohesion -
Definition?
Occurs when?
Determines?
Members find the group attractive and have feelings of belonging and inclusion.
Occurs when members take risks such as self-disclosure, dropping defenses, making commitments to each other.
A determiner of group effectiveness, attendance, and self-disclosure
Intellectualizing in groups?
Keeping content on a cognitive level.
Scapegoating in groups?
Ganging up on a member, dumping on a member.
Psychodrama groups - Definition? Goal? May involve? Roles? 3 parts?
Enacting conflicts or crisis situations in the present here and now.
Goal is to reorganize member’s perceptions.
May involve catharsis, insight, reality testing.
Roles: director, protagonist, auxiliary ego(s), audience
3 parts: warmup, action, integration
Primary, secondary, tertiary groups?
- Primary: guidance or psychoed groups; preventing problems, developing healthy behaviors; ed programs on AIDS, alcohol.
- Secondary: counseling groups; preventive and remedial; reducing length/severity of a problem; grief and loss group
- Tertiary: counseling or therapy groups; return to full functioning; rehabilitation or personality change; PTSD group
Group counseling multicultural issues?
- Cross cultural CTs may not understand how counseling works.
- Degree of acculturation may affect degree of understanding and willingness to participate.
- Some cultures discourage sharing personal problems; may look like resistance.
- Some cultures value silence.
- Participants in diverse group may be insensitive to cultural differences.
Leaders of multicultural groups should? (5)
- Be trained in group counseling multicultural issues
- Recognize systemic and historical factors.
- Be aware of how their own culture influences them.
- Be aware that some techniques may have a different impact w different cultures, eg confrontation.
- Be aware that CTs can learn from other CTs new, helpful ways of dealing w cultural prescriptions and family reactions.
Typical goals of multicultural groups include? (3)
- From a cultural perspective, understand the circumstances that’s brought a CT to group.
- Provide learning for the individual in the group process.
- Help the member understand how new skills can fit within the context of their culture.
Research on groups is in what 2 general areas?
Results include?
- Outcome - data supports effectiveness of group counseling.
- Process - perceptions, expectations, and beliefs of members can be changed.
Counseling theories applied to group work include?
Adlerian; CBT; REBT; Reality; Person centered; Existential; Gestalt; TA; Newer: Family groups; Brief and narrative; Feminist.
Adlerian groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: explore basic life assumptions, understand lifestyles, recognize strengths, accept responsibility, increase self esteem, develop social interest
Techniques: psychoed, analysis and assessment, family constellation, family position, cognitive restructuring
Content: cognitive, behavioral, and affective, early life, lifestyle (orientation to life and themes), belief systems
Leader: leader centered, challenges beliefs and goals, models, encourages action, wholistic view, belief in social nature of people,
Multicultural: members can view culture from own perspective, create own meaning, members may be reluctant to share family details
in group
REBT groups - Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: changes in thinking and behavior leading to greater self-acceptance, move past self-defeating behaviors
Techniques: ABC theory, disputing, self-discipline, role-playing, homework
Content: irrational beliefs, values, problem behaviors
Leader: leader-centered, equal process and outcome orientation, confront illogical thinking, modeling
Multicultural: many members would value leader’s expert role and directiveness; some may find it too directive; could foster dependence; what gets labeled irrational may not be.
Cognitive Behavior groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: eliminate problem behaviors, teach self-management skills
Techniques: examine learning process, cognition, and emotions, cognitive restructuring, experiments, reinforcement, contracts, modeling
Content: target behavior, circumstances maintaining behavior, environmental changes, intervention strategies to change behavior
Leader: leader centered and action oriented, teach coping skills and methods to modify behavior
Multicultural: often short termed and structured, specific goals, members learn new coping, new behaviors to integrate w family, cultural values, historic and systemic factors.
Reality groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: improve quality of life by taking responsibility and increasing control
Techniques: confront, self examination, evaluate behavior, formulate contract for change
Content: member’s awareness and behavior, wants and needs, responsibility
Leader: leader centered and outcome oriented, assist members to make choices, make and implement a plan
Multicultural: teaching approach, contracts can be consistent w members culture, no strong focus on emotions, members may feel leaders don’t understand strong discrimination and historical factors, cultural emphasis may be to work for the community good
Person Centered groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: openness, explore emotions, increase self understanding
Altering self-concepts
Techniques: active listening, reflection, support, linking
Content: emotions, personal meanings, attitudes
Leader: member-centered, process oriented, create climate of acceptance
Multicultural: respects cultural values; members may want more directive approach
Existential groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: self-awareness, assume responsibility and use freedom
Techniques: members select issues, self disclosure by leader, counseling and psychoed
Content: search for meaning, freedom, anxiety, guilt
Leader: active and reflective, builds relationships w members, confront in caring way
Multicultural: understanding members in their own cultural and phenomenological world, encourages empowerment, explores values and lifestyles, emphasis on the individual may conflict w culture’s collectivism
Gestalt groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: awareness, present moment, personality change
Techniques: here and now, experiential, exercises eg empty chair, guided fantasy
Content: CTs are responsible for moment to moment experiencing, unfinished business
Leader: member-centered, process oriented, leader brings structure
Multicultural: different techniques can be adapted to different members; focus may be on meaning of non-verbals; many members less likely to respond with intense emotions, may be less willing to engage in some techniques.
Transactional Analysis groups - Goals? Techniques? Content? Leader? Multicultural?
Goals: Awareness, become free of scripts and games, altering life course
Techniques: Interacting w others, contracts, script analysis, teaching, role-playing
Content: life script, parent adult child, games people play
Leader: teacher and diagnostician, leader-centered, equal process and outcome orientation
Multicultural: like the structure, contracts they design can account for cultural values, may have difficulty w concepts, narrow interpretation of human nature.
Adlerian family and parent group approaches?
- Dreikurs developed Adler’s ideas for group process.
- Dinkmeyer - Systemic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP)
