Learning from Social Group Work Traditions

SUMMARY

This paper raises issues that spring from the three fountainheads of social work with groups: the settlement movement, the recreation movement and the progressive education movement.

The first set of issues deals with the social self and the perception of individuals as members of social groups and cultures affected by the social, economic, and political conditions in which they live. The second set deals with the total self and the rights of individuals as human beings versus the needs of individuals as victims. The third set deals with the relation of the small group to the community and discusses the need to develop a non-narcissistic concept of mutual aid which would include both intra-group solidarity and inter-and extra-group solidarity.     

Residential Treatment: Contextual Learning and Demand for Work from a Social Group Work Perspective

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the implications of integrating social group work theory to residential treatment facilities in order to improve therapeutic engagement of clientele. This examination focuses on the natural and serendipitous construction of groups within residential treatment facilities. These natural groups provide frontline workers with constellations that are symmetrical to the knowledge-base of social group work theory. In addition, this paper incorporates the initial phases of social group work stage theory as a means of providing opportunity for contextual learning to residential clientele as well as planning appropriate demand for work within these settings.     

A Cognitive-Humanistic/Social Learning Perspective on Social Group Work Practice

The purpose of this article is to provide insight for students and educators in considering the inner world of group members and looking at what involvement with others in the group might mean in individual and collective ways. A social learning model helps explain for the student how growth and change take place. A contrast is made between an introspective/subjective and an extraspective/objective theoretical orientation. A cognitive-humanistic perspective provides some useful understandine about the subjective and intersubjective elements in human interaction in groups.     

Social Group Work for Young Offenders with Learning Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Despite the high incidence of learning disabilities among young offenders, research suggests that young offenders with learning disabilities do not receive interventions that address their learning disabilities. Group treatment approaches for young offenders typically utilize a cognitive-behavioral orientation. Cognitive behavioral techniques have been found to be effective with the young offender population by targeting their faulty thinking. However, cognitive behavioral treatment is less effective with youth who have academic delays. Individuals with learning disabilities may have difficulties with the cognitive tasks used in cognitive behavioral treatment. This paper describes a treatment group, with illustrations, adapted for young offenders with learning disabilities, combining cognitive-behavioral and mutual-aid principles.     

Lessons Learned from Experiential Group Work Learning

This study evaluated the efficacy of student-led support groups designed to increase students' perceived knowledge of social group work. The student groups described here were based on theories of experiential learning described by Kolb and colleagues. The mixed-method evaluation used Clements' 17-item scale to measure readiness for group practice and narrative journal entries submitted by students about their experiences in the class. This was part of a larger study to determine whether student-led support groups decreased levels of stress among BSW students. Although limited in scope, this research suggests that student-led groups may improve BSW students' knowledge, skills, and readiness for group work practice.     

Transforming Social Group Work Learning into Competencies for Interprofessional Teams

This article describes how social work and social group work strategies are used to enhance social work student participation in an interprofessional education program (IPE) that includes social work and five health care disciplines. Concurrently, social work students take part in a small group to assist them in the application of their social group knowledge to their IPE experience. Interprofessional collaborations between social work and health care can work toward alleviating health inequalities and poor access to health services. Social work has a crucial and significant role within these teams because of the profession’s focus on individual well-being, within the context of their social environment and support systems.     

Social Group Work with Elders

No abstract available for this article.     

Gender Issues in Social Group Work

This introductory essay outlines some of the reasons why a knowledge of gender is important for social group workers. We identify key concepts that are often confounded in our understanding of gender and discuss gender stereotypes and status differences between men and women and their implications for group work; we further discuss how disordered behaviors and social problems are related to these gender role stereotypes and status differences. Finally, we assert that many of the theories underlying social work practice reflect gender stereotypes, and that group work research and theory have largely ignored gender as a variable.     

Social Group Work in Community Life

This paper focuses on social group work practice with adult community groups, highlighting the importance of these groups to the achievement of increased citizen participation in current social concerns, and identifying characteristics of these groups which require some different conceptualizations of social group work practice. This paper characterizes our current social context as deficient in the necessary social arrangements for a just and humane society. Thus it argues for a major shift of professional skill to assisting adult community groups to deal with environmental deficiencies, whether these be social policy, resource allocation, or program administration. It suggests that many problems which are identified as "personal inadequacy" may, in fact result from environmental deficiencies, and may be better served through the active efforts of citizens in their own behalf. The paper assumes an interaction between person, group and context, and posits that more effective use is made of professional knowledge and skill through work with those groups which seek to address the environmental context of human affairs.     

Empowerment Through Social Action Group Work

This paper explores a particular approach to English social action group work which concentrates on goals set by members themselves to achieve external change. The key features and stages of this approach are outlined and its value-base is emphasized. Three examples of groups which reached three discrete stages of development employing the approach are presented.     

Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group Work and Group Processes

ABSTRACT

A survey of 54 school social workers indicated that they use group work extensively in their practice to address a number of student issues. Cognitive-behavioral theories were most commonly used to guide these groups. Workers rarely identified the use of small group theory as a conceptual framework. Groups were less frequent at the secondary level, and sessions were longer. Family change groups were more common at the elementary level. The method of funding the social work position had no effect on kinds or numbers of groups school social workers facilitated. Respondents did not identify use of small group theory as a conceptual framework, but they addressed group dynamics and group developmental stages. They used activities extensively and adapted published curriculum to meet member needs.     

Group Work Gets Physical: Self-Defense Class and Social Work

SUMMARY

This article examines how a self-defense class is a social work group when it incorporates basic group work principles. The ways in which stages of group development, member roles and mutual aid are used in a self-defense class will be explored. The article also highlights how a self-defense class can be a legitimate intervention for women who have been victimized.     

Design Issues in Social Group Work Research

Decisions we are forced to make when we research group phenomena result in either compromising our scientific methods, or worse, compromising our views of the complexities of group functioning. The various methodologies used to study groups are discussed in terms of the problems that each addresses, and the problems that each creates. An example of the decisions that must be made when designing research is illustrated through the presentation of a project currently under way.     

Social Group Work with Asian/Pacific-Americans

This paper discusses the Asian/Pacific clients and the group practice modality. Specific suggestion are offered to help group workers better understand Asian/Pacific-American clients, capitalize on their unique strengths, and minimize their limitations. Part I of this paper addresses practical group work considerations for the Pre-Group Phase; Part II addresses practical group work considerations for the Group Interaction phase.     

Instilling the Soul of Group Work in Social Work Education

This article addresses the process of developing an educational model for teaching social work with groups in an undergraduate social work degree program in Israel. The model was developed against a backdrop of decreasing status of social group work within the profession and the consequent loss of its unique identity and power in the social work field. The model's aims are to provide the students with the basic principles of social group work, to ensure its place in their professional identity, and to awaken curiosity regarding its use in their future practice as social workers.     

社会工作教育中的学生学业评价

社会工作专业教学中的学生学业评价具有促进学生学业、促进教师教学以及促进学校管理等多种功能。学业评价的领域包括学生认知学习评价、技能学习评价、价值学习评价等多个方面。在学生学业评价中，可以综合采用多种方法，也可以针对性地采取特定方法。要切实改进社会工作专业教学中的学生学业评价，需要在结合中国现实、丰富课堂教学、提高教师素质、加强专业支持等方面积极努力。     

社会工作督导反思:学习成为有效的社会工作督导老师

有效的社会工作督导老师是社会工作实习教育成败的关键,但也成为内地社会工作实习教育发展的一大瓶颈。本文从这一历史现实问题出发,综合考察了有效的社会工作督导老师的职责、角色、素质要求及其发展基要,从成为有效实习督导的发展阶段的视角,着重从承担督导职责、澄清督导目标、建立督导关系、发展督导模式以及勇于督导反思五个方面探索了如何做一名新的专业实习督导老师及其持续发展。