Group Flashcards
Dyadic Relationships
Prior 1960 most counseling took place in a dyadic relationship (unit of 2 functioning as a pair, counselor and the counselee)
Group
has a member which can be defined, some degree of unity and interaction, and a shared purpose.
Jacob Moreno
Father of psychodrama.
Coined the term Group Therapy in 1931
ASGP
AGPA
In the 1940s the two organizations for group therapy were created. 1. the American Society for Group Psychotherapy 2. the American Group Psychotherapy Association
Adler
his work has been classified as a preface to the group
3 classification of Groups:
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Primary Groups
- preventing and attempt to ward off problems
- Stress a healthy lifestyle or coping strategies which can reduce the occurrence of a given difficulty
- Example: group which teaches birth control to prevent teen pregnancy
Secondary Groups
A problem or disturbance is present but not usually severe, works to reduce the severity and length of a problem includes aspects of prevention
Example: grief or shyness
Tertiary
Deals with more individual difficulties that are more serious and longlasting
Geral Caplan
- a pioneer in the crisis intervention movement
- father of mental health consultation
Immediacy
relates to the counselor’s ability to convey what is happening between the counselor and the client
Group Norms
govern acceptable behaviors and rules
A shortage of individual therapist during WWII
group therapy flourished in the U.S due to shortage of individual therapist during WWII. Many individuals were plagued with problems, impossible for each person to be treated individually
Group process
the manner in which discussions and transactions occur
Group content
material discussed in a group setting
Group cohesiveness
- refers to the forces which bind group members together
high cohesiveness leads to high group productivity and commitment - when a group displays little or no cohesiveness the group will be viewed as “fragmented”
George Gazda: 4 types of groups
- Psychoeducational: preventive and provide instructions about a potential problem
- Counseling: focuses primarily on conscious concerns - work through interpersonal problems, explore behavioral changes
- Psychotherapy: focus on individual concerns, deal with remediation and more serious pathology, longer duration
- Task groups: accomplishing a specific goal. complete in efficient, effective manner
Structured Exercises
Most experts would agree that structured exercises are less effective than unstructured exercises
Structured
can create a situation where group stages are passed over, can cause the group to lean on the leader for support
Risky Shift Phenomenon
be less conservative than the average group member’s decision, prior to the group discussion, dispels the popular notion that groups are very conservative
T-groups
“Training” focuses on human relation process between personnel in a business setting
Behavioral Groups
highly structured
Trust
Most important trait for group members is the ability to trust
Open groups
- the number of people is more stable
- do not have a predetermined number of session and end date
- disadvantage - new members who begin after the first meeting miss information and experiences
Closed groups
- allows no new members after the group begins
- promotes cohesiveness since the membership is more stable
- promote trust among members
- disadvantage - you will be left with no group members if everyone quits
Marathon groups (stoller/bach)
- lasts a minimum of 24 hours and may be conducted over a weekend or several days under the notion that after an extended period of time, defenses and facades will drop.
- more authentic, engage in true self-disclosure
Universality
not the only ones in the world with a given problem also referred to as mutuality
3 Basic leadership styles
x. Authoritarian: leader gives orders to the group, takes control, discussion through leader
y. Democratic: is the most desirable leadership style, facilitates member interactions
z. Laissez-Faire: leader has a hands off policy and participated very little, assumes little to no responsibility
Co-leadership Advantages
- the group can go on even if one leader is absent
- two leaders can focus on the group dynamics better than one
- leaders can process their feelings between sessions
- reduces burnout and helps ensure safety
- helpful when one leader is experiencing countertransference
- co-leaders work best when each leader has a similar philosophy and work style
- it is best for co-leaders to physically sit on opposite sides of the group rather than next to each other
- male and female co-leader is a distinct advantage
Speculative leaders
leaders that focus primarily on the here and now
Countertransference
helper has issues that are interfering with the treatment process
Effective counseling groups
- adults 5/6 to 8 members
- 3-4 children
Length of group
1.5 to 2 hrs
Group dynamics
- study of group operations
- they are always changing
Inform consent
occurs when the counselor provides potential group members with information regarding the group including the purpose, risks, and the leader’s qualifications, preferably during screening sessions prior to the first group meeting to allow the client to make informed decisions about whether or not the group is appropriate for him or her.
Confidentiality
ACA ethics stipulates that leaders should inform participants that they cannot guarantee confidentiality
Mandatory treatment
when a client is required by law to attend counseling or treatment
Reluctant client
when a client is referred for treatment and is unenthusiastic about their intervention
Participation
group leaders must inform participation is voluntary and they may exit the group at any time
Lack of goal setting
common weakness in a group is a lack of goal setting often goals are defined but too vague
Group cohesiveness
- “we-ness” is known as group unity
- when group cohesiveness is strong, it can also be negative as it can stunt creativity and it can abet conformity
Cohesion
- feelings of belongingness and inclusion. Important determinant of group effectiveness, attendance, and self-disclosure
Group Roles:
- energizer
- scapegoat
- gatekeeper
- interrogator (peeping tom)
- follower
- harmonizer
- storyteller
isolate (silent one)
Energizer
stimulated enthusiasm
Scapegoat
person everybody blames, group members gang up on a single member
Gatekeeper
tries to make certain everyone is doing their task and is participating, often does not work on his/her personal issues, attempt to establish norms
Interrogator (peeping tom)
insists on asking other members inappropriate questions
Follower
goes along with the rest of the group, tend to be nonassertive
Harmonizer
person in a group who tries to make sure that everything is going smoothly
Storyteller
monopolizes group time telling endless, often irrelevant tales
Isolate (silent one)
ignore by other members and generally feels afraid to reach out or does reach out and is genuinely rejected