Group Flashcards
Joseph Pratt
ran the first group (psychoeducational) from 1905-1923
goal was to educate and support patients with tuberculosis
Jesse Davis
principal in Grand Rapids, MI, who introduced group work in a school setting in 1907
taught life skills and values
Frank Parsons
founder of vocational guidance and counseling professions, used groups to facilitate career and vocational development
PTSD groups were used in ___
WWI and WWII; called “combat fatigue”
J. L. (Jacob) Moreno
created the Theater of Spontaneity, the earliest form of psychodrama
organized the first society of group therapists (the American Society for Group Psychotherapy)
coined the term “group psychotherapy” / “group therapy”
S. R. Slavson
founded the American Group Psychotherapy Association in 1942
resulted in groups being in schools
Lewis Wender
articulated the first guidelines for group therapeutic factors in 1920
A.A. was founeded in ___
founded in 1930s
Kurt Lewin
invented T-groups (training groups; mostly used in industrial and organizational settings to process personnel interactions and improve efficiency)
first T-group was conducted in 1946
What spurred classroom guidance — a psychoeducational group work approach?
the Soviet launch of Sputnick I in 1957
classroom guidance was eventually largely replaced by group counseling
When in history did the popularity of groups first flourish?
the 1960s, bc of the social climate and hippie movement
Group therapy research decreased from ___ to ____
1960 to 1980
encounter groups
AKA sensitivity groups
started by Cal Rogers in the 60s and 70s to encourage and assist the pursuit of individual growth and development
marathon group
members meet together for 24-48 hours; members are expected to become more authentic and engage in true self-disclosure
developed by Frederick Stoller and George Bach, who created the idea in the 1960s
ASGW
Association for Specialists in Group work
founded in 1973 as a division of the ACA
Strengths of group work
time efficiency for the leader less costly greater resources (fellow members) feeling of safety and belonging replication of the everyday world (a microcosm of society) practice new skills and get feedback committment power of the peer group interpersonal power (help others)
Challenges of group work
pressure to confirm reality distortion avoidance confidentiality unhealthy attachments institutional barriers (time, setting)
reality distortion
when a group provides an example of social reality that is not achievable in the outside world
therapeutic factors (or curative factors) of groups
by Yalom (an existential therapst): Instillation of hope Imparting of information about healthy living Altruism Family reenactment Development of socialization techniques Imitative behavior Interpersonal learning (through member interactions with others) Cohesiveness Universality Catharsis Existential factors/learning (ex: confront own mortality)
AGPA
American Group Psychotherapy Association
ASGPP
American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama
founded by J. L. Moreno
NTL
National Training Laboratory
uses Lewin’s approach to organizational leadership and change
offers certificate programs for business programs and a master’s degree in organizational development
Tavistok Institute
promotes training in group dynamics and leadership coaching for businesses
Esalen Institute
uses a humanistic approach to enrich and explore human potential through workshops, forums, and retreats
types of groups
psychoeducational
task groups
counseling groups
psychotherapy groups
psychoeducational groups
more structured
emphasize skill development
preventative
commonly used in PK-12
task groups
focus is not on changing people but on completing the task at hand
ex: committee work
counseling groups
promote behavioral changes
problem-oriented but can be preventive, growth-oriented, or remedial
short in length
often focus on developmental or adjustment issues
psychotherapy groups
for severe or chronic problems
typically carry a DSM diagnosis
more long-term
primary tasks of group leaders
executive functions (planning, establishing boundaries)
building a group culture (norms)
bring members in the here and now
group leaders are usually more ____ in the ___ stages of groups
more active in the early stages
leader styles
authoritarian
democratic
lassiez-faire
which is usually considered the ideal leadership style for groups?
democratic
initiating
a leader or member technique
a leader provides direction for members by initiating group topics or activities
a member makes suggestions or takes action to move the group toward goals
linking
a leader technique
connect member themes, issues, and similarities to facilitate shared perspectives, commonalities, and goals
blocking (leader)
stop a counterproductive member behavior in order to protect other members from potentially damaging interactions
role playing
a leader technique
demonstrate and practice (leader and member) skills and applications in a safe environment so that members gain experience and feedback that will allow them to apply the skills and behaviors in out-of-group situations
tracking
a leader technique
verbally clarify to keep up with and clarify for members the content and process of group interactions
drawing out
a leader technique
interact directly with a member to get them to contribute to a discussion or activity
pairing
a leader technique
form smaller groups within the larger group to engage in activities or focused sharing
making the rounds
a leader technique
having group members take turns sharing their perspectives on a given focused topic
in group work, resistance may take the form of…
absence tardiness silence excessive talkativeness (monopolizing) rescuing behaviors distracting the group from pursuing goals
resistance and conflict is usually observed during the ___ phase of groups
transition
ways that co-leaders are paired
Experience with Experience
Experience with Inexperience
Inexperience with Inexperience
role differentiation
when a member begins to adopt a role in the group
role conflict
when members experience conflicting demands of various roles (e.g., shy member is asked to self-disclose)
the roles a member plays come into conflict
role ambiguity
when a member is not sure of the role expectations or behavior requirements they should fulfill
group members must engage in these essential tasks
self-disclosure (no advice)
feedback
Johari window
helps members understand appropriate levels of self-disclosure
Quadrants of the Johari window
Quadrant I: Public/open
Quadrant II: Private/Hidden
Quadrant III: Blind
Quadrant IV: Unknown/unconscious
gatekeeping
when a member or leader insists on adherence to established group norms
facilitation
a member behavior
helps to promote group process and cohesion
those who self-disclose and even try to identify group process variables or speak on behalf of the group when summarizing are using facilitation
aggressiveness vs. hostility in group members
aggressiveness - frequent disagreement and attempts to forcefully impose ideas on the group
hostility - fighting
blocking (member)
AKA resisting
not participating, and thus keeping the group from progressing to a working stage
impedes group cohesion and progress
informing
when a member talks about other members outside of the group (bad for confidentiality)
focusing on others
a member behavior - often an attempt to avoid self-focus and self-disclosure
suggestions for nondefensive leader responses
express your difficulty with a member without denigrating their character
avoid responding to sarcasm with sarcasm
be honest with members rather than mystifying the process
encourage members to explore their defensiveness rather than demand they give up that way of protecting themselves
avoid labeling and instead describe the behavior
state observations as a hunch/tentatively
do not retreat from conflict
provide a balance between support and challenge
invite members to share how they are personally affected by problematic behaviors of other members while blocking judgments, evaluations, and criticisms
planned theme group
restricted to individuals with a demonstrated need in a particular area
AKA structured
spontaneous groups
do not have planned content themes and are designed to provide personal growth and support
membership is generally dictated by need for general development and member characteristics (e.g., age)
AKA unstructured
benefits and drawbacks of homogenous groups
benefits: quicker identification, better attendance, decreased resistance, better insight
benefits and drawbacks of heterogeneous groups
better reality testing, deeper learning, better transference
group members who are too heterogeneous may have difficulty relating to each other
drawbacks of open groups
limits group cohesion, trust, and process
ideal sizes for types of groups and ages
task (4-5)
psychoeducational (6-12)
counseling (6-12)
psychotherapy (4-10)
Younger than 8 years - 3-4 kids
if co-leaders are used, group membership can be increased by ___
50 - 75%
optimal group size (generally)
8
optimal group duration
90-120 minutes (fatigue if the group runs too long) def keep it under 2 hours
___ and ___ groups tend to run longer than ___ groups
counseling and psychotherapy groups tend to run longer than psychoeducational groups, which are time-limited
psychotherapy groups may run years
these types of members should not be in groups
clients in crisis
actively suicidal or homicidal
disruptive needs for attention
paranoid clients
self-centered
social phobia or fear of speaking/sharing in the presence of others
severe/extreme psychological disturbance (psychotic/out of touch with reality)
factors of members who drop out of groups
lower IQ low motivation low SES problem denial poor social skills poor self-disclosure skills unrealistic demands lack of insight lack of interpersonal sensitivity
an informed consent document is given during ___
the individual pre-group interview/screening
group content vs. process
content - the “what”; the subject under discussion
group process - the interplay of forces or dynamics between group members and leaders; the “how” occurring in the here and now
group cohesion
feelings of belonging and inclusion that members and leaders experience through group interactions
an important determiner of group effectiveness, attendance, and self-disclosure
factors that affect group cohesion
group size (smaller –> cohesion faster)
subgroupings (alliances or. cliques) and alienation can occur in larger groups
homogenous groups reach cohesion faster
cohesion is enhanced when meetings are frequent and membership is stable
cohesion is enhanced when members set personal and group goals
cohesiveness is usually strongest during the ___ phase of groups and is associated with ___’s theory
working phase
associated with Kurt Lewin
3 primary factors of cohesion identified by Yalom and Leszcs
interpersonal factors (homogeneity, atmosphere) group factors (size, goals, activity, leadership) group environment (intergroup conflict, group status)
group ____ can be beneficial or destructive
alliances (subgroupings)
sociogram
graphical representation of group member interaction patterns
conformity to group norms is affected by
degree to which members helped establish the norms
cohesiveness
status (low-status have less to lose by not conforming)
group ____ can be dysfunctional
norms
ex: don’t self-disclose, disrespect the leader, be aggressive toward other members or leader
_____ proposed 6 sources of power in groups
French and Raven (1968)
6 sources of power in groups
reward coercive legitimate referent expert informational
at its core, resistance is ___
a covert attempt to prevent or resist change
group leaders must recognize that aggression usually stems from ____
unmet needs and anxieties that are unrelated to the group process
stages of group development
Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning
OR
Forming and Orienting, Transition, Working, Termination
Forming/orienting stage
members cautiously test the leader and group members to see if the group is a trusting, safe, and secure environment
approach-avoidance response to group work
superficial social acceptance and communications to test the waters
leader is more active
transition stage
similar to adolescence
testing boundaries, establishing power structures, most conflict
until intimacy and trust are established –> transitions to working stage
working stage
accomplishing goals
less dependence on the group leader
leader is more passive
termination stage
expression of how what was accomplished in the group will be generalized to the outside world
what should the leader do if a group member wants to terminate
attempt to hold a termination session so the member and other group members can have closure
terminating member may reconsider leaving
the session can help all members consolidate their learning and discuss generalizability
process evaluation
assessment of group dynamics and interaction processes occurring within the group
assessments for screening group members
Elements (Schutz)
Hill Interaction Matrix
Group Therapy Survey
Group Psychotherapy Evaluation Scale
outcome evaluation
evaluates how members are different because of groups
group member satisfaction is highest in the ___ stage(s) and lowest in the ___ stage(s)
highest in the working and termination stage
lowest in the transition stage
___ increases group member satisfaction
whether attendance is mandatory or not
mandatory attendance = lower satisfaction
group climate measures
assess which stage of group processes the members have entered and provide leaders with member assessments of group climate
(SAVI)
Sequential Analysis of Verbal Intelligence;
a measure to evaluate group process/interaction
before the 1960s, most counseling took place ___
in a dyadic relationship
In the 1940s, 2 organizations related to group work were created:
American Society for Group Psychotherapy
and
American Group Psychotherapy Association
____ engaged in group treatment during the 1920s…
Adler, at his child guidance clinics in Vienna
Gerald Caplan
pioneer in crisis intervention
3 classifications of crisis intervention
primary - prevention
secondary - problem is there but not severe; includes some prevention
tertiary - problem is there and trying to lessen symptoms; deals with individual difficulties that are more serious and longstanding
___ during World War ___ that made group counseling popular
many people had severe psychological problems, yet there was a personnel shortage during WWII
fragmented
a group with low cohesion
psychoeducational groups may also be called
guidance groups (out of favor)
affective education groups
psychological education groups
using the terms therapy vs. counseling in group work
therapy (psychotherapy) - problem is more severe, used in inpatient psychiatric hospitals, a tertiary group
counseling group - not psychodynamic, focus on conscious concerns
___ group exercises are not as beneficial as ___
structured group exercises are not as beneficial as unstructured
risky shift phenomenon
a group will come to a riskier decision than individuals would have come to on their own
(e.g., remember when you were a teen)
group polarization
a person’s views may become more extreme after they participate in a group
behavioral groups are often ___
highly structured
support group vs. self-help group
support group is conducted by an organization (AA) and may charge fees
self-help group is more informal
Yalom says the most important trait for group members is the ability to ___
trust
the ___ group is more like a microcosm of the social system
heterogenous
people in groups who are ___ will sit together
similar
universality
knowing that we are not the only ones in the world with a given problem
AKA mutuality
the democratic style is usually best.
however, autocratic can be best when ___
and lassiez-faire can be best when___
autocratic is best when an immediate decision is necessary
lassiez-faire is best when the group has made a decision and is committed to it
who and when conducted the classic study on leadership styles
Lewin, Lippitt, and White - 1939
they found that children displayed the best behavior when treated in a democratic fashion
the other leadership styles led to aggression
coleaders should sit ____
on opposite sides of the group, rather than next to one another
reluctant client
when a client is referred for treatment and is not enthusiastic about it
structured vs. unstructured groups
structured - theme is planned
unstructured - more about the age grouping
AKA planned theme and spontaneous groups
a group cannot not have ___
structure
the ___ may wish that they were secretly running the group
gatekeeper
isolate role
person in the group who is ignored
rejected
“silent”
different from scapegoat, as they do receive attention (but it’s negative attention)
self-serving role
seen as negative; meets individual needs at the expense of the group
ex: refuses to participate, criticizes or disagrees with others
a way to resolve a conflict between group members
the leader prescribes a task on which all of the members must work together in order to accomplish it
avoidance-avoidance vs approach-avoidance
avoidance-avoidance - choosing between 2 bad options
approach-avoidance - happens in intial group session - want to open up but afraid of rejection
ecological planning
the process of obtaining information to determine whether a group is the most desirable form of treatment
vertical vs. horizontal group interventions
vertical - working with one group member; individual counseling in a group setting (“intrapersonal”); more likely to work on the past
horizontal - working with the whole group (“interpersonal”) more likely to work in the here and now
practical research about what exactly works best in a group is…
scarce
the most effective group leaders have the following characteristics
??? we don’t know!
