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WGCO Working with Groups (Disadvantages (labeling effect and stigma,…
WGCO Working with Groups
Definition
to influence and change personal, group, organizational and/or community problems
based on the knowledge of people’s needs for each other and their interdependence
Goal-directed activity
meeting socioemotional needs
Advantages
Experience of Commonality
universality and normalization
Sense of Belonging
being in a group and accepted
Greater Variety of Resources and Viewpoints
rich empathy
role model
different opinions and ideas
multiple feedback
Skills Practice
before real world context
Helper-therapy
providing help and mutual support
Real-Life Approximation
mini-societies
Efficiency
helping a number of people
Typology of group
Formation: natural vs formed
Participation: voluntary vs involuntary
Structure: formal vs informal
Purpose: meeting members’ need for friendship, uniform, volunteer, interest, tasks, education, growth, remediation, socialization, self-help, social action, etc.
Duration: short-term vs long-term
Nature: task vs treatment
Treatment Group
meet members’ socioemotional needs
3 Categories
Psychoeducational group
educate well-functioning group members who want to acquire information and skills in an area of living
Group counseling
preventive and educational purposes,utilizes methods of interactive feedback within a here-and-now time framework
Group psychotherapy
at remediation of in-depth psychological problems,focuses on past influences of present difficulties
Examples
Support Group
Education Group
Growth Group
Socialization Group
Therapeutic Group
Charactterstics
Communication Pattern: Open, member interact actively
Role: enolve --> interaction
Procedure: flexible or formal
Self-disclosur: high
Confidentiality: high and strict
Success/ Evaluation: base on indi member's success
Task Group
foster accomplishing identified work goals
Examples (SW or non SW)
Team
Social Action
Committee
Volunteer Group
Characteristics
Communication Pattern: structured, focused
Role: develop via interaction
Procedure: follow agenda
Seld-disclosure: Low
Confidentiality: both private and public
Success/ Evaluation:accomplished a task
Group Model
Remedial Model (補救模式)
Purpose
eliminate psycho-social or behavioural problems
help them achieve a more desirable state of social functioning
to help members change behaviour patterns
Belief
individual group member is the focus of change ,group is the means and context of such change
establish individual goals (Long term)
ultimate target: change of clients rather than society
Used by therapist
inpatient and community-based setting
for individuals who have behavioural problems and social skills deficits
time-limited
goal-directed practice
measurable treatment outcomes
Roles of worker
group participants are seen as clients rather than members
superior position
leadership role :paternalistic, knowledgeable and directive
diagnoses, treat,exercise considerable authority to help group members attain individual treatment goals
Method Used
Structured exercise
direct and indirect influence
Reciprocal Model (互惠模式)
Purpose
mutual aid system among group members to achieve optimum adaptation and socialization
Belief
individual’s satisfaction is derived from their social belongingness and interdependency
human interaction and social system that is necessary for problem solving
process-goal orientated
Used by group workers to
group process to foster a therapeutic environment
help the agency and the wider community better understand and meet individual members’ needs
Roles of worker
less central or less responsible
‘mediator’ :helping members finding common ground between their needs and societal demands
facilitator: facilitating the functioning of the group and formation of mutual-aid system
Method used
Shared authority :members discuss concerns, support one another, and form a cohesive social system
When to use different models?
Practical Considerations in Selection
Clients’ need
Organisation’s missions and service boundaries
Worker’s own knowledge, skills, and experience in running group
Practical constraints (e.g. time, money, venue etc.)
Social Goals Model (社會目標模式)
Purpose
enhance members' social consciousness and responsibilities
enhance members' social skills and competence
Belief
cultural diversity
power of group action
ppl increase social consciousness via collective participation in group
Used by community development organizations
change societal norms and structures
improve social welfare of all citizens
develop skilled citizens and local leaders to democratic values of citizenship and common interest
Roles of Worker
influential role in influencing members’ way of think and cultivating their sense of social responsibility
enabler: refused to set goals for members; believed that group could be growth-promoting only when the worker encouraged group self-direction toward common goals
Role Model
Stimlulator
Guide and resources person
Methods Used
Discussion
Participation
Consensus
Developing and carrying out grp task
Community organization
Intervention in Working with group
group peocess
all basic elements
eg, group norms, generating trust, conflicts, patterns of resistence, inter-member feedback
Group skills and techiques- leader interventions to facilitate the gp
conducting initial grp session, asking member to role-play a conflict, challenging a member's belief system
Group worker
presence/complete involvement
courage
goodwill and caring
stamina活力
personal power
openness
winglingness to seek new exp
aware of the specific/own culture
Group-leader skills
acquire and refine skills
skills are indispensible to personality
an art to learn how to use grp skills
ways to learn leadership skills-supervised exp, praactice,feedback, experience in a gp as a member
basic skills of group leadership
clarifying
linking
facilitating
modeling
suggesting
interpreting
blocking
summarizing
Guidelines
consideration on their culture bg
group worker
cant ignore the diversity
have high awarenwss, knowledge,skills
culural similarities and diff need to be addressed
Diversity and sensitiveity
diversity competence: deep understanding of the culture
culturally competence gp worker need to:
be aware of bias, stereotype and prejudices
know sth abt the members
apply skills and interventions that are congruent with the worldviews of members
Ethical practice entails diversity competence
Respect andanknowledge differences
consider the impact of adverse env factors
be aware of the influences of values and beliefs
respect the role of family and community
respect memvers' religious and spiritual beliefs
anknowledge that ethicity and culture influence behaviour
Open and continuous learning
professional competence in gp work isnt a final product but contiuous process
suggestions
keep current through continuing education and participation
be open to seeking personal counseling if problems are recognized
be willing to seek consultation and supervision as needed
Be ethical and legal
informed consent
provide adequte information
eg, nature, goals, general structure, expectations
Techniques ethically
techniques shd have a rationale
introduce technique in a sensitive and timely manner
be flexible
provide choices to member
use techniques which are appropiate to members' cultural values
techniques are best developed in response to wt is happening in the here-and-now
Involuntary group membership
composition of involuntary members
challenge is to demonstrate the values of members
basic info is needed
avoid assumption fr involuntary member
Role of Group Leader Values
aware of your values and how
they influence
Groups are not a forum for you to impose your values
on members
Purpose of a group: to assist members in examining options
clarifying their own values and goals, making informed choices, and assuming responsibility for what they do
Legal Safeguard
screening candidates for a group; and for preparing them on how to actively participate
Demystify the group process
develop collaborative relationships
Consult with colleagues or supervisors
Incorporate ethical standards in the practice of
working with group
Corey’s Stages of Group Development
Pregroup Issues – Formation of the Group
Drafting a written proposal
Rationale
Purposes
Population to be served
Announcing a Group and Recruiting Members
Written promotion
Personal visits/ contacts
Through third party
Pregroup interview (Screening and selecting members)
assessment of the readiness
introduce and understand the group rationale
understand members’ expectations, goals and fears
encourage participation and involvement
rapport building
Factors to consider in group formation
Open versus closed group
Voluntary versus involuntary membership
Homogeneous versus heterogeneous group
Group size
Meeting place
Frequency and length of meetings
Short-term versus long-term group
Leader’s tasks
Identify specific goals and needs
clearly written proposal
Announce and promote the group
Screening and selection
Arrange the practical details, e.g. book meeting place, seek parental permission etc
Initial Stage -Orientation and Exploration/Pre-affiliation
Characteristics
Beginning
not have known each other before
Not familiar with the group procedure
Members’ characteristics
Self-conscious and not yet committed
‘approach-avoidance behaviours’: engage with each other because of the gratifications
Display socially acceptable behaviour
Tend to talk about acceptable and non-risky subjects
Certain strange behaviour
Learn how to behave in a group
Tasks of Group Leader
Get members acquainted
Clarify expectations
Develop group goals and personal goals
norm setting
Structuring and modeling
**Trust building
Transition Stage – Dealing with Resistance /Power and Control
Characteristics
anxiety, defensiveness, resistance, a range of control issues, inter-member conflicts, challenges to or conflicts with the leader, and various patterns of problem behaviours
Members’ status and roles in the group are found out
group structure will be formed
Members’ characteristics
Anxiety
Conflict
Challengeing the leader
Resistance
Testing Behaviour
Member possible problems
categorized
Refuse to express persistent negative reactions
Identify a scapegoat
Form subgroups, express negative reactions outside of the group
Member’s desirable behaviour
willing to work through conflicts rather than avoiding them
Respect one’s own struggles
Recognize and express a range of feelings and thoughts
Learn how to confront others in a constructive manner
Take increased responsibility for what they are doing in the group
Promote understanding and direct communication
Leader’s tasks
Intervene sensitively
Teach members the importance of recognizing and expressing their anxieties, reluctances, and here and now reactions
create a climate in which they can deal with their resistances and conflicts openly and non-defensively
Aware of members projection
Encourage member to think of ways
Provide a model for members by dealing directly and honestly with any challenges to you as a person or a professional
Working Stage – Cohesion and Productivity
Characteristics of
Working Stage
High level of trust and cohesion
Open communication and accurate expression
Free, direct and intensive level of interaction and feedback
More in-depth exploration of significant problems
Commitment of members to explore significant problems
have learned how to involve themselves in group interactions in more spontaneous ways
Conflict is recognized and dealt with directly and effectively
Leader’s lower degree of structuring and intervention
Member’s higher degree of control and autonomy
Members’ characteristics in
Intimacy Stage
sense of inclusion, high morale and mutual trust
intimate and open, and have intensified interpersonal involvement
Increase acceptance among members
Show interest in one another, have willingness to risk disclosing more personal
less depend on the leaders for direction
Cohesion is high; emotional bond
Greater co-operation, involvement and autonomy in programme planning
Use out-of-group time to interact and to work on problems raised in the group
Each member has a role to play
Members’ major tasks
Bring discussion and issues into group
Give spontaneous feedback and be open to receiving
Share how they are affected by other’s presence
Members’ possible problems
withdraw because of anxiety over others’ intensity
gain insights in the sessions but not see the necessity of action outside of the group to bring about change
Leader’s major tasks
Look for common themes
Look for common themes
Encourage self-disclosure and deep reflection
give direct and positive feedback
Be sensitive to over-intimate and lack of differentiation
Characteristics of
Differentiation Stage
period of major production and change for the group
moves from the mutual trust of closeness to the mutual aid of interdependence
evolution of trust and closeness permits the emergence of difference
differences become resources for both individual learning and group growth
interdependent mutual aid system established
Members’ characteristics
in Differentiation
Know each other well and have high mutual acceptance
Committed to the group
good division of labour
Members’ major tasks
Members’ major tasks
Continually assess group satisfaction
Make changes
Member possible problems
Fix at one’s role
do not take much effort to change
Leader’s major tasks
Encourage freedom to experiment
Continue to model appropriate behaviour
Interpret the meaning of behavioural patterns at appropriate times for members
Make use of therapeutic factors
Final stage – Consolidation and Termination
Overall Characteristics
Joyfulness over the gains and improvements
Sadness and anxiety over the reality of separation
follows the achievement of the tasks and requires disengagement from relationship
Members’ characteristics
Uncertain about what will become of them in future
Sad about breaking of the bonds
Sense of loss and abandonment, rejection among members, and even resentment on leader
Exhibit behaviour of denial, flight or regression
Members are deciding what course of action they are likely to take
Members’ major tasks
Deal with feelings and thoughts about separation
Express hope and concerns for one another and tell one another how they were experienced
Complete unfinished business
Initiate post-group plan
Evaluate the impact of group experience
Members’ possible problems“
to participate in less intensive ways; even distance themselves
Avoid reviewing experience and fail to generalize it
Consider the group an end in itself and not use it as a way of continuing to grow
Leader’s major tasks
recognize leader’s own feelings about termination
facilitate members to
deal with feelings and thoughts about separation and termination
complete any unfinished business
explore ways of constructively meeting any setbacks after termination
transfer learning and insights gained in the group to live situations
reinforce changes members have made and ensure them to have information
develop a conceptual framework
evaluate the effect of the group experience on member
Postgroup Issues – Evaluation and Follow-up
Last session is not a signal that the leader’s job is finished
Evaluate the process and outcomes of a group
Follow-up group session
Individual follow-up session
Remarks of Group Developments
No clear dividing lines between the phases of a group
In actual practice, there is considerable overlapping of stages
Not all groups progress along the group developmental stages
The progression may be cyclical
Progress affected by
needs of group members
type of group
goals of group
setting in which the groups meets
change in membership
orientation (values, leadership style etc.) of the leader
not move on as predicted does not necessarily mean that leader is ineffective
group dynamics
Interaction pattern
Maypole
leader is the central figure
Round robin
members take turns (every one have a chance n members know when they have to speak)
Hot seat
extended back-and-forth between the leader (deeper)
Free floating
all members take responsibility to talk
Leader-centered: begining and the end
maypole
hot seat
Group-centered
round robin
free floating
change interaction by
point out
give cues and reinforce
patterns of influence/ leadership
Leadership style
Authoritative
Leader as authority and expert
Laissez-faire
Members are given the freedom to decide the group goals, norms
Worker’s role is the same as a member’s
Democratic
clarify, reflect, synthesize, facilitate, but not ask members to follow
kind of leadeer
Task leader : max productivity
Maintenance leader: gain n maintain cohesiveness of the group
Role
Task role
Task leader
Opinion-seeker
Information-giver
Opinion-giver
Elaborator
Recorder
Decision maker
Maintenance Role
Energizer
Encourager
Harmonizer
Compromiser
Emotional supporter
Non-contributory/ negative roles
Aggressor
Dominant member
Recognition-seeker
Playboy
Self-blamer
Non-response member
Scapegoat (代罪羔羊)
Communication
encoding, transmission and decoding
Interference
verbal and nonverbal
Skills for communicating
(with group members)
Speak clearly, in a normal voice
empathy, warmth and genuineness
Praise and give supportive comments
Look for cues
has misunderstood, restate what has been said
Sub group
smaller group
the emotional bonds and interest alliances
Positive vs. negative subgroup
Strategies for Addressing Intensive Subgroup Attraction
can the grp attract members?
promote the development of norms
change seat arrangement
program materials and exercises that separate subgroup members
get co-leader’s support
Group norms
shared expectations and beliefs
Specific member behaviours and overall pattern of behaviour that is acceptable
Stabilize and regulate behaviour
Increase predictability, stability, and security
Encourage organized and coordinated action to reach goals
Overt & explicit or convert and implicit
Skills in changing norms
Discus, diagnose and make explicit decision
Directly intervene
Deviate from a norm and help a group to adapt a new response
Help the group become aware of external influences and their effect on the group’s norms
Cohesion
force which act to retain members
Positive effect
Expression of positive and negative feelings
Willingness to listen
Effective use of other members’ feedback and evaluation
Members’ influence over each other
Feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem, and personal adjustment
Satisfaction with group experience
Willingness to take responsibility for group functioning
Perseverance toward goals
Goal attainment, individual and group commitment
Increase in attendance, membership maintenance, length of participation
Negative Effects
lower level of performance if the group has developed a mediocre (平凡的) standards of performance
Develop pathological conformity
Lead to dependence on the group
Increase cohesion
task
social
Conflict resolution
end of the beginning stage or beginning of the work stage of the group
Handling Conflict in the Group
Cultivate a positive sense
Decide to intervene or not to intervene
Help members express the facts and preferences underlying their view points
Develop information and facts
Promote consensus in the group discussion
Clarify and summarize
Use decision criteria that are mutually agreed on by group members
Remain neutral in the conflict
Disadvantages
labeling effect and stigma
Anxiety of self-disclosure
Pressured to disclose and violate privacy
Risk of confidentiality broken
Resources (on group activity) are required
Scapegoating may occur
Confrontation may be done
Group leaders may not have the competencies to deal with some difficulties
Individual may get less attention
May not achieve group goals if members have diversified expectations