Group counseling and group work Flashcards
Where did most counseling take place prior to the 1960s?
In a dyadic relationship. The popularity of family therapy and behavior therapy did not start until the 1950s.
What is pairing?
This is when group leaders put group members in smaller groups during experiential experiences. This happens often.
What are some qualities of a group?
- A membership which can be defined
- Some degree of unity and interaction
- A shared purpose
A group is really a cluster of people in a recognizable purpose or 3 or more people who meet with the conscious cause or purpose.
Which is more beneficial - group counseling or individual counseling?
Though group counseling is very beneficial, preliminary meta-analysis research shows that individual counseling still generally produces better responses for depressed clients – but the data isn’t totally convincing. In general, group therapy is see as effective as individual therapy…but 1:1 therapy is probably better.
Who coined the term group therapy?
Jacob Moreno, the father of psychodrama.
What is psychodrama (Joseph Moreno) and how does it relate to group therapy?
Moreno noted that people in Vienna involved in theatrical productions without scripts experienced a cathartic reaction which seemed to be curative. In psychodrama, the client expresses spontaneous feelings via role-play. Literature talks about Moreno’s theater of spontaneity in the 20s that relied on improve and drama as healing forces. Psychodramatic techniques are appropriate for family and group therapy
How did Fritz Perls (gestalt) impact group work?
He is considered a major figure in group therapy, particularly his work at Esalen Institute in Big Sur.
How did Frank Parsons impact group therapy?
Parsons, the father of guidance (vocational guidance), did work that set the stage for group therapy since he relied on groups to conduct group work related to career and vocational choice.
Who is Joseph A. Pratt?
Pratt, a top Boston physician, formed what may have been the first counseling/therapy groups from 1905-1923. The groups dealt with tuberculosis.
What did Freud think about groups?
Freud’s Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego was published in 1921, but his focus on individual treatment seemingly kept him from becoming a major player in the history of groups or creating a comprehensive model of group therapy.
What two 1940s organizations made group work into a legitimate specialty?
The American Society for Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP) spawned by the work of Jacob Moreno in 1942 and the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) which resulted from the effort of Samuel Richard Slavson.
How did Alfred Adler and Jesse B. Davis’s work preface the group movement?
Jesse B. Davis (a hs princple) is cited as a pioneer in school guidance counseling and often as America’s first school guidance counselor. In 1912, Davis had each high school student attend a class each week where he relied on groups to explore careers and values. His systematic work resulted in the National Vocational Guidance Association.
Adler, known for individual psychology, was engaging in group treatment during the early 1920s at his child guidance facilities in Vienna. his rationale for group work was simply that “man’s problems and conflicts are recognized in their social nature”.
What are the 3 classifications of groups (a model popularized by Caplan)?
- Primary group - stresses a healthy lifestyle or coping strategies to stop a problem before it starts. These are often labeled “prevention groups”
- Secondary group - a problem or disturbance is present but not usually severe. The secondary group works to reduce the severity of length of a problem and generally includes aspects of prevention. I.e. a group dealing with grief of shyness.
- Tertiary group - deals more with individual difficulties that are more serious and longstanding. (I.e. long term psychotherapy, focus on childhood, etc). Focuses more on the individual than other types of group.
What is coleadership or cofacilitation?
This is when two counselors are used in a group setting.
What is immediacy?
This is a skill that takes place in a group or individual session when the counselor explores the client-counselor relationship as it is transpiring right at that moment. Immediacy relates to the counselor’s ability to convey what is happening between the counselor and the client.
Why did groups initially flourish in the US?
Because there was a shortage of therapists during WWII and many soldiers were plagued with severe psychological problems. Jacob Moreno had brought the idea of group therapy to the US in 1925 but the post-war era catalyst the growth.
What is the difference between process and content in groups?
Group content refers to what the group is discussing. Group process refers to analyzing the communications, interactions and transaction.
What is a T-group?
This is a training group. Also referred to sometimes as “laboratory training groups” or even “Sensitivity groups”. Originally, T-groups were used in industrial and organizational settings to process personal interactions and improve efficiency. Now they primarily focus not on mental health issues but on human relations processes between personnel in a business setting. Shared leadership is a common area of concern.
The first T group was conducted in 1946.
What is group cohesiveness?
Cohesiveness refers to the focus that tend to bind group members together. It’s a sense of caring for the group and other group members. The term cohesiveness is associated with Kurt Lewin’s field theory in which cohesiveness was seen as a binding force between group members positive valence. When cohesiveness goes out, absenteeism and other factors go down. High cohesiveness leads to high group productivity and commitment. When there is no cohesiveness, the group will be viewed as fragmented.
Who is Kurt Lewin?
He was the creator of “Field theory” which focused on how cohesiveness is the binding force between group members. He was also a key player in the T-group movement in the US.
How does group therapy differ from group counseling (which is also called an interpersonal problem solving group)?
Group therapy, also dubbed a personality reconstruction group, would be of a longer duration.
In the context of group work, “therapy” is implied when the problem is more severe and more individual work is needed for a longer duration. Psychotherapy groups are common in inpatient and residential treatment. The psychotherapy group is tertiary and may emphasize the role of the unconscious and childhood more than a counseling group.
Counseling groups do not tend to be psychodynamic and so focus on conscious concerns. There is generally less structure in a counseling group than a guidance group.
What are the 3 different type of group?
- Guidance group - a primary group in the sense that it is preventative. Also called affective education group, psychological education group, or psychoeducation group. Guidance groups, which originated in the public school system, do not deal with remediation of severe pathology. Instead, they are preventative and try to provide instruction about a potential problem (I.e. substances, skills). In most cases, they are time limited. Recently, the term “guidance group” has been less popular than “psychoeducational group” because “guidance group” is associated with negative practices like excessive advice giving.
- psychotherapy group - groups for more severe problems and for individual work over a longer duration. Based on psychodynamic therapy, often used in inpatient facilities.
- counseling group - less severe issues, less structured, focus on conscious concerns. Not psychodynamic.
It is assumed that the leader of a counseling group needs more training than someone running a guidance group. But sometimes, experts say the group therapy leader of a psychoeducation/guidance group must have the most training because they need to treat people who are not functioning normally.
Do experts find structured or unstructured exercises to be more effective in groups?
Structured exercises are less effective than unstructured techniques.
A structured group exercise is like an assignment for the members. The benefit is that this can help the group all focus on one thing. Although these exercises are popular and helpful, they’re generally not as effective as an unstructured method.
Yalom pointed out that structured exercises can create a pattern in which group stage are passed over and the exercise may purge feelings before the members are ready to handle them – or could cause the group to rely on the leader too much for support. Research found that leaders who used structured exercises were better liked than leaders who didn’t – but the group outcomes were lower!
Group exercises must correspond to the level of group development. In a beginning group, exercises to build openness and trust are useful and then can evolve to be more open ended, critical feedback, etc
What is one disadvantage of group work?
though groups can allow a counselor to see multiple people at a time, one disadvantage is that individual issues are not always properly examined. This is particularly likely to happen if the leader is process-oriented.
What is the risky shift phenomenon?
This is the tendency for a group decision to be less conservative than the average group member’s decision prior to group discussion. New research shows that group behavior is not necessarily more risky but does shift more toward the social norm than an individual decision made prior to group participation.
What is group polarity?
This is when a group experience can polarize decisions such that they are more in line with members’ initial views (vs. the risky shift phenomenon) – essentially, a person’s views may become more extreme after participating in a group.
What is Taxonomy?
The science of classification. In counseling, the most common method of determining a client’s classification (diagnosis) is to compare the client’s symptoms with the DSM and/or ICD. Sometimes this can also be referred to as nosology, the classification of disease.
How behavioristic and structured are assertiveness training groups?
Assertiveness training groups are typically quite behavioristic and highly structured. They rely on numerous exercises (structured groups - vs unstructured groups which have few exercises or tasks). Behavioral groups such as an assertiveness training group are generally highly structured.
Some exerperts would say that no matter what a group cannot possess struture but that some groups have a low degree of structure or less structure like a non directive psychodynamic group or existential group.
What is a self-help group?
A group, like weight watchers or AA, that is composed of a group of people all attempting to cope with a specific issue. Members have a common goal or problem and learn from each others. The group is not led by a professional though may consult with professionals. Self help groups are extremely popular. Most of them are voluntary.
Note that there is a difference between a support group conducted by an organization like WW or AA that might charge a fee vs. a self-help group (I.e. a group of neighbors getting together to brainstorm neighborhood cleanup ideas) would not have either or both of those features.
Many of the groups are 12-step groups like AA.
What is 13th stepping?
This is when established members of AA or other 12-step groups exploit new members for sexual purposes
What is a marathon group?
This group plays on the theme that after an extended period of time, defenses and facades will drop and the person will become honest, genuine, and real. A marathon group generally lasts at least 24 hours and may be conducted over a weekend or period of several days. This paradigm is usually credited to Stoller and Bach in the 1960s.
For which groups do the ACA and the ASGW recommend screening for potential group members?
All groups. A professional counselor uses a screening process to determine who is or isn’t appropriate for a given group. This can determine the success or failure of that particular group. Also, if a prospective group member is in individual therapy, the group leader, after getting the client’s permission, should contact the person’s therapist before making a final decision.
What is an example of a type of personality that might not lend itself to group work?
Hostile individuals who act out aggressively, people who are actively suicidal or homicidal, paranoid clients, those who are totally self-centered, or those who are psychotic are not appropriate for most counseling groups – though there are some psychotherapy groups that may cater to specific issues in these populations (I.e. an anger management group, etc)
In general, clients who are very verbal, open to feedback from others, and believe in group therapy often make excellent group members.
Why do most group leaders feel that private screening sessions (vs. group screening) are better?
Though a pre-group interview for screening and orientation can be very beneficial in determining whether the client’s needs meet the needs of the group, an individual screening interview can help the client-counselor interaction and allow the client to voice concerned regarding what he or she wants from the group, learn about procedures, and gauge whether they have faith in the leader’s ability. Some literature emphasizes that screening is a 2-way process - both can decide whether it is a good fit.
Individual screening modalities can also form trust. All that said, there are certainly people whose behavior is quite different in a group vs. individual situation.
What do most experts this is the most important trait for group members?
The ability to trust. Irvin Yalom feels that the main factor in selecting participants for a group is that the group members are able to feel cohesive. Research indicates that high denial, low motivation, and low intelligence are associated with premature termination from group therapy.
What is the difference between a closed and open group?
Closed groups allow no new members after the group begins.
What is one major advantage of a closed group vs. an open group?
It promotes cohesiveness. Generally a closed group will have more unity because the membership is more stable and members get to know each other and build trust. That said, if individuals drop out of a closed group, because they don’t add new members, the overall amount of group cohesiveness drops.
What is one major disadvantage of a closed group?
If everyone quits, there will be no more members!
How do the numbers in an open group differ from a closed group?
The numbers are typical more stable – because they replace people when they leave.
What is one major disadvantage of an open group?
Sometimes, members who begin after the first meeting have missed information and experiences.
What is a counselor’s best practice to do when a group member is speaking?
When a group member is speaking, a counselor should try to face the group member. This can be difficult with everyone sitting in a circle, but it fosters good “attending behavior” on the part of the group leader.
Do people who are similar tend to sit near or far from each other?
Generally, people who are similar will sit next to each other.
What is group homogeneity?
This is when group members are very similar. I.e. weight watchers is a homogenous group because everybody has the same difficult or concern. This can also refer to similarities of race, social class, background, etc. When this is the case, people often feel a greater degree of cohesiveness. Some experts also believe that homogeneity in terms of intelligence and level of development is important (I.e. a small age span in a children’s’ group). A heterogenous group has embers who are dissimilar – I.e. a general therapy group with members with different problems and backgrounds.
Though homogenous groups have better attendance, heterogenous groups are more true-to like and often people can learn more from each other – and thus this facilitates personality change.
What is the concept of universality in groups?
That we are not the only ones in the world with our given problem. This can also be referred to as mutuality.
What are the 3 basic leadership styles, as identified by researchers in the late 1930s.
The classic study regarding leadership styles conducted by Lewin, Lippit, and White identified the three leadership styles as:
- autocratic - leaders who gave orders. This was the style the students liked least and led to hostility and aggressive behavior. That said, this mode is best when decisions have to be made.
- democratic - students did best when treated in a democratic fashion. Member satisfaction is often highest in response to democratic leadership, but this style does not necessarily lead itself to high productivity.
- laissez-faire - students can do was they please without direction or instruction from the leader. This style is best when a group has made a decision and is committed to it
In the experiment, children met with leaders who displayed each of these 3 qualities and then the researchers studied the results. One major criticism is that the study was not of a counseling group but rater of an after school activity and all leaders were male.
Other types of leaders may include:
- impersonal leaders who are distance but aggressive
- Energizers, leaders who emotionally stimulate group members and are charismatic
- managers or leaders who exert executive control
- providers who are very high in caring
What are the 3 communication modes used by assertiveness trainers to determine or discriminate client response patterns?
assertive, nonassertive, and aggressive
What is a key thing that effective leaders have learned improves group participation?
Effective leaders have discovered that modeling appropriate behaviors improves group participation, even when members are resistant.
What are speculative leaders?
Group leaders who focus primarily on the here-and-now. This is one thing often used by democratic group leaders.
Why are co-leaders often preferred to individual group leaders?
- The group can go on even if one leader is absent
- two leaders can focus on group dynamics better (more ability to observe)
- leaders can process their feelings between sessions.
- Two leaders can supply more feedback (two points of view) to group members.
- Can learn from each other and model effective communication
- Co-leadership also reduces burnout
- Co-leadership can be helpful when one leader is experiencing countertransference
Coleaders work best when each leader has a similar philosophy and group style. It’s generally accepted that it’s best for colluders to physically sit no opposite sides of the group rather than next to each other.
What are some ways in which coleadership can be problematic or disadvantageous?
- If leaders are working against each other - this can fragment the group
- If leaders are intimate with each other
- If leaders question each others’ competence
If there are problems between the leaders, it’s best if such difficulties are aired in a format that models effective conflict resolution during the session rather than pretending everything is wonderful.
In what circumstances are co-leaders apt to work at cross purposes?
When they do not meet between group sessions.
What does Gerald Corey (who has written extensively about group leadership) believe is necessary for an effective group leader?
Participation in a therapeutic group and participation in a leader’s group (even if the individual is well-educated, licensed, etc). Yalom also says that self-exploration (personal therapy) is generally necessary for potential group leaders to help them deal with issues which could cause transference.
How many members is ideal in an adult counseling group?
- An ideal group would be about 8 adults.
- An adolescent group might be a little smaller, maybe 5-6.
- A group for children is even smaller - 3 or 4 kids is usually what’s recommended
- Some experts feel like a long term group (6 months+) can safely have as many as 10 members.
What length of time is generally ideal for the length of a group counseling session?
1.5-2 hours is generally sufficient for adult group work. Longer groups can make people tired. With kids, sessions are usually shorter because of their shorter attention span - but then it’s often best to also have more frequent sessions.
How should an ethical group leader address group risks?
The leader should safeguard clients by taking reasonable precautions to protect clients against psychological, emotional, and physical trauma. This means discussing risks during a client’s initial session. The risks also include noting that while confidentiality is desirable, leaderships should inform participants that they cannot guarantee confidentiality and that lack of confidentiality is a risk of group intervention. This is considered allowing group members to make informed decisions and providing informed consent. Ideally this occurs during screening before the initial group session.
An adept leader will attempt to safeguard clients against risks and work to reduce risks and danger.
Are participants able to drop out of groups?
Yes, participants should be able to drop out of groups, even closed groups. This isn’t always the case, however, in cases like court mandated groups. This is known as mandatory treatment.
What is setting ground rules in a group?
This is when a leader sets the standards of behavior, which is then known as a ‘norm”. The leader can specify ground rules early in the group.
What is ambivalent transference?
This is a psychoanalytic notion thrown out in multicultural circles which suggests that a client will treat a therapist with ambivalence as he or she would any person viewed as an authority figure.
What is “blocking”?
Blocking is a term often used in group work that occurs when a leader uses an intervention to stop – block, if you will - a negative or counterproductive behavior which could hurt another member of the group.
What is scapegoating?
This is a behavior in which group members gang up on a single group member. This is the type of behavior a leader would want to block.
What is the study of group operations?
Group dynamics. Group dynamics refers to the study of the interrelationships and interactions between group members. Group stages, cohesiveness, leadership style, and decision making are prime examples of group dynamics.
What is the hot seat technique?
This is a term populraized by Fritz Perls’s gestalt therapy groups. A person who is the target of the therapist’s interventions in the here-and-now is said to be on the hot seat.
What does the word dynamic mean when it’s used to describe a group?
It means that a group is always changing.
What does it mean for something to be “defined in an operational manner”?
In order to operationally define something, you must demonstrate the concrete steps necessary to illuminate the concept. I.e. to operationally define positive reinforcement, you would first note how often a behavior is occurring, then you might give the client a reward every time he performs the desirable behavior and fabulous that the behavior is occurring more than before the reinforcement.
The idea of operationally defining things is that another person can duplicate your actions (I.e. exact steps) for therapeutic research or testing purposes. Behaviorists emphasize operational definitions more than other schools.
What do experts see as a common weakness in many groups?
A lack of goal setting. Or sometimes, goals are defined but are too vague.
Why do some theorists object to the word “unstructured” in group work?
Because they say a group cannot have structure. So sometimes they say “more structured” to describe groups that use more structured exercises. some research indicates that structured exercises in the initial stages of a group can facilitate better communication.
What is a sociogram?
A pictorial account of a group that serves to diagram member interactions.
What is Karpman’s triangle?
Karpman’s drama triangle is used most often in conjunction with transactional analysis (TA) as a teaching device to illuminate the roles of persecutor, rescuer, and victim in interpersonal relationships.
What is the transition stage?
This is the group stage that occurs after the first or so-called initial stage. In the initial stage members get acquainted and learn norms. In the second or transition stage, members are often judgemental, resistant, or involved in a struggle for power to establish a hierarchy.
What are some common roles group members assume within a group?
In a healthy group, members are flexible and can change roles in order to meet the ‘changing needs” of the group
- Energizer - this person stimulates enthusiasm in the group (“come on guys, this will be a lot of fun)
- Scapegoat - the person everybody blames. Invariably the target of anger and hostility.
- Gatekeeper - tries to make certain everyone is doing his or her task and is participating. This person may secretly or unconsciously want to lead the group and could even attempt to establish norms. The danger is that a gatekeeper often does not work on her own personal issues.
- Peeping Tom/interrogator - a group member who insists on asking other members a never-ending string of often inappropriate questions.
- Follower - the person who goes along with the rest of the group. This person is often nonassertive.
- Harmonizer/conciliator - The person who tries to make sure everything is going smoothly
- Storyteller - the person who monopolies a wealth of group time telling often irrelevant tales. A leader will sometimes need to ask this person to get to the point or ask them how the story is productive in the context of the group setting.
- Isolate - person is ignored by others. Isolates generally feel afraid to reach out and are genuinely rejected. “the silent one” who gets no attention.
One popular notion is that these roles relate to a person’s pattern of behavior in his nuclear family and, if appropriate, the leader can explore this hypothesis.
What is excitation?
Excitation relates to Andrew Salter’s conditioned reflex therapy in which excitation or the practice of spontaneously experiencing and expressing true emotions (even negative ones) is seen as necessary to attain a state of positive mental health. Inhibition or constipatino of emotions is seen as the opposite of excitation.
What are some disadvantages of cohesiveness?
It can stunt creativity and boost conformity since members want to fit in and go along with the wishes of most other group members.
What is role reversal?
This is a common behavioral role playing technique. A client who is having difficulty communicating with another person role plays the person with him he or she is having difficulty. Another group member plays the member with the problem. This gives the group member a new perspective and allows the person to learn via modeling alternative ways of behaving.
How do group specialists classify/categorize the roles in a group
Group specialists classify member roles as:
- task roles - roles that help solve problems, help with goal setting and focus, and are seen as positive. These roles help the group carry out a task. Seen as positive.
- maintenance roles - I.e. the follower or encourager. These help maintain or strengthen group processes. Seen as positive.
- self-serving roles - Seen as negative. This person meets her own individual needs at the expense of the group - I.e. a person who refuses to participate or criticizes others.
What is a task group or a task/work group?
A group of this nature focuses on accomplishing work goals - I.e. an athletic team, employee-run group attempting to improve a business.
Situational leadership style
This is a leadership style that is best suited for very immature participants. Here the leader tells members what to do and does not emphasize relationships among members.
What are the categories of group leader activities, as explained by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard?
- task actions - task action leadership (I,e. prescribing a task for people to work on) is said to be indicative of one-way communication (leader tells member about a task)
- maintenance actions (relationship concerns) - said to be the result of two-way communication, the leader provides emotional support for members.
Conflict between group members can actually often abate when the leader prescribes a task for all members to work on together.
What is role conflict ?
Group specialists define role conflict as a situation in which there is a discrepancy between the way a member is expected to behave and the way he or she actually behaves.
What are the stages of group development?
Through theories of group stages. There are many theories of group stages but most of them are very similar.
- The initial stage - also called orientation and edxploration, preaffiliation, forming (trust vs. mistrust)
- The transition stage - also called power and control or storming (power and control). When a hierarchy or pecking order is established.
- The working stage - or norming, cohesion stage, negotiation, intimacy, and frame of reference
- The separation stage - or adjourning, termination stage, etc.
Note that every group does not necessarily pass through every stage and there’s not always a clear-cut discernible line separating each stage.
What is the initial stage (forming, orientation, preaffiliation) characterized by?
Approach-avoidance behavior. This is when people want to be accepted but are scared to participate. Approach-avoidance situation taking place in the initial group stage is a conflict wherein you’re attracted and relied by the same goal – I.e. you want to meet group members but are worried about being rejected.
What is an avoidance-avoidance conflict?
This is when you have two alternatives which are both unattractive.
What stage might a client generally feel most suspicious of others?
In the group formation/exploration stage (stage 1), when people are seeking common ground, trying to seek out people of similar social status. Like Erikson’s first psychosocial stage of development, the initial conflict hosts the “trust vs. mistrust” drama
When do fights between subgroups and members showing rebellion against the leader typically occur?
In the second stage, known as the control or transition stage or storming. Stage 2 has been referred to as ‘power and control”. This is the stage when fireworks fly as group members verbally attack one another and the group leader.
When does a hierarchy occur among members?
This also occurs during the stage of storming, stage 2. Members rank themselves in terms of status and factions. Isolated members who are not protected by a strong subgroup sometimes drop out. Some authors call this the ‘high anxiety” or “struggle for control stage”.
Ideally, the leader can distinguish between a challenge and an attack. Leaders can model responsible assertive confrontation with open and truthful expression.
When does group planning occur?
Group planning occurs before the group begins and continues throughout the life of the group. The term ecological planning has been used to describe the process of obtaining information to determine whether the group is the best form of treatment and to decide the nature of a group. The counselor needs to look at things like demographics, community needs, social considerations. etc. After the group begins, program development and/or session-by-session planning is recommended. This can include everything from logistics (leaders, payment, structure) to resources and ideas about things like how to screen clients and provide them with informed consent documents.
What is the final group stage (termination, adjourning) geared towards?
Breaking away. This phase has been called consolidation and occurs after th working stage. the leader helps members make plans for the future.
what is family sculpturing?
This is a family therapy technique in which the family members are instructed to arrange themselves spatially to create a live representation of family members’ bonds, feelings of closeness (or lack thereof), and sense of alliances.
What is ego state analysis?
This is a common practice in Transactional analysis in which the counselor helps the client discern out of which ego state (Parent, Child, or Adult) he or she is primarily operating in a given situation.
What is summarization?
The act of bringing together a number of important thoughts and feelings. Can happen in group and individual sessions.
What is clarification in a group?
A leader uses clarification to ferret out the important points in a client’s message. Clarification brings out the gist of a message and illuminates what was really said to lessen confusion.
What is linking?
This is a group technique used to promote cohesion. A link is an attempt to bring together common patterns or themes within the group. When used properly, it illuminates areas of mutual concern.
What is “making the rounds”?
This is when a leader allows each group member to weigh in on a given topic.
What are horizontal and vertical interventions?
Horizontal interventions are interventions that work with the group as a whole. By contrast, vertical interventions are interventions that work with an individual within the group.
Techniques that focus on group relationships, processes, tasks, and interactions are said to be horizontal intervention strategies. The horizontal approach is often called the interpersonal method because it focuses on interactions. The vertical approach has been termed “intrapersonal leadership”. Shapiro, the researcher who suggested these distinctions feels that a leader tends to behave on a continuum here vs. choosing one style over the other.
What are the differences between interpersonal and intrapersonal leaders?
Interpersonal leaders (horizontal approach, focusing on all members of the group) favor here-and-now interventions while intrapersonal leaders (vertical approach, focusing on an individual) are more likely to work on the past, sometimes employing psychodynamic notions. An effective counselor should rely on both types of interventions.
What are crossed and parallel transactions?
These are concepts from Transactional Analysis (TA, Berne). A crossed transaction between two peoples’ ego states is said to be dysfunctional while a parallel transaction promotes healthy communication.
What is the relationship between researchers and practitioners in the group space?
It is clear here that there is a split between researchers and practicers. Practical research about what exactly works best in a group setting is scarce. Moreover, many stories in the field of group work have not been well controlled. In many studies, the independent variable (I.e. experimental variable) has not been scientifically defined.
That said, research finds that groups are effective…even though they can’t pinpoint exactly why this is true. This kind of research is sometimes classified as outcome research or product research which address the question of whether the group was able to meet a certain set of goals or the desired outcome.
What do expert predict will happen to groups in the future?
Experts think that in the future, group leaders will become more like life-skills trainers. In the past, groups have emphasized narrow focuses (I.e. a group for nonassertive bosses) and in the future, groups should begin to deal with a broad spectrum of issues or a comprehensive model of group work. For example, a comprehensive educational life-skills model could stress preventative mental health skills, hopefully lowering the need for therapeutic groups. Ultimately, the counselor of this could would be more like a trainer than a therapist.
What are some major limitations related to group work?
- The risk that the group leader could lose control and members could experience emotional harm.
- The client may need individual therapy before she can benefit from group work
- a client may not be capable of trusting others enough to reveal key material since she fears others may find it unacceptable
- The group could become a substitute experience for the real world
- the counselor might not be as effective with a group as with an individual
- some clients may feel pressure to replace personal norms with those of the group
- disappointment can set in if the group is not effective an the person loses faith in treatment in general
- Group work can often be intimidating and this can squelch client disclosure
- clients receive less time working with the counselor than in 1:1 therapy
- Lack of flexibility in terms of meeting times
- Lack of trust related to confidentiality often sways clients to opt for individual treatment
Group therapy is generally not the treatment of choice if someone is in an acute crisis, needs an interpretation of psyhoclogical tests, needs confidentiality for protection, or is phobic with regard to public speaking.
What are some major advantages of group work vs. individual work?
- Members learn to give help in addition to receiving it
- sessions cost less than 1:1 sessions
- group work allows for “in vivo” interpersonal work with a sense of belonging – groups are like a microcosm of society that offers vicarious learning and support
- A trained counselor can help more people in a smaller amount of time
- promotes universality
- can be an effective support system
- members get multiple feedback
- members can model successful communication and coping skills
What does research say about a group leader’s personality?
Research hasn’t turned up much info about “special characteristics’ of a group leader’s personality but find that qualities like flexibility, enthusiasm, and common sense may be very slightly helpful.
What did RK Coyne suggest that group interventions are meant to do?
Coyne thought group interventions should prevent, correct, or enhance behavior. His group work grid model includes four intervention levels: individual, interpersonal, organization, and community. The intervention can be prevention, correction, or enhancement oriented for either personal or task functions.
What is one major criticism of group research?
One criticism has been that group research often doesn’t use independent observers. For example, a group leader who wishes to assess the impact of the group ideally would have an outside “observer” sit in during group sessions and rate the level of behavioral change.
What are member-specific measures, group-specific measures, and global measures?
- Member-specific measures: These are measures that are designed to asses change (or lack thereof) in an individual group member. Most member-specific measures like self-rating or even a rating by an outside observer are not standardized.
- Group-specific measures: In contrast to the member-specific measure, researchers speak of group-specific measures which are intended to measure the degree of change in all persons participating in the group
- Global measures: global measures are things like standardized tests that may assess traits and factors not specifically addressed in the group - I.e. giving members of a WW group the MMPI before and after the group.
How should a group leader counseling children under 10 interact with parents?
Corey and Corey suggest that involving parents and asking them for input can reduce resistance and improve cooperation. They also warn counselors not to take sides with a child against a parent or institution.
How should a group handle it when an adolescent complains about his parents in the group?
Whether for adolescents or children, the group and leader should avoid taking sides but help the child see the parents’ point of view via a therapeutic technique like role playing.
