社会工作成长小组模式建构——青少年社会工作实践的新领域

成长小组是社会工作的一种重要手段,因其具有特殊的优势,与青少年群体自身所具有的特点紧密结合。本文从这一潜在契合点出发,首先对成长小组相关知识进行概述,其次分析了当前青少年群体的心理——社会特征,进而阐述了成长小组运用于青少年社会工作中所具有的优势,最后探索了一条开展青少年社会工作成长小组的实践模式和策略,以期对相关领域提供参考和借鉴。     

关于城市青少年成长环境——“微系统”的优化初探

青少年是祖国的未来,他们的健康成长离不开良好的成长环境。关心青少年的成长,为他们的身心健康成长创造良好的条件和社会环境,既是开创国家民族未来的战略工程,同时也是每个家庭的最大希望。本文指出了当前城市青少年的成长环境——家庭环境、学校环境和同伴群体环境中存在的问题,并进行了相关的原因分析,提出相应的对策和建议,无疑对城市青少年的健康成长有利。     

社会团体工作的模型

社会团体工作从娱乐性和教育性发展到目前的多功能性,从个人治疗发展到个人成长,以至于社会问题的解决和社会行动的促成。由于希望达到的目标不同、实施的领域不同以及建立的理论背景和价值体系不同,社会团体工作具体实施的原则与方法已发生较大的分化,由此形成了团体社会工作不同的实施模型。     

“军营好男儿”青少年成长小组

小组背景 青少年犯罪，自20世纪80年代以来一直呈增长趋势，已成为一个危害社会稳定的顽疾、如何引导和帮助这些失足的青少年改正以往的不良行为习惯，重新走上正途，得到社会的接纳和认可，是每一名矫正社工义不容辞的责任。     

心理—社会模式下对我国青少年犯罪的思考

心理—社会模式是社会工作中的一种模式,将其运用于分析我国青少年犯罪这一社会问题具有理论指导意义。从心理—社会模式考察,则青少年自身的心理发展特征与其成长的社会环境的交叉影响是导致青少年犯罪的原因,并且心理—社会模式对于治疗和预防青少年犯罪具有借鉴价值。     

团体社会工作方法的实际应用探索——以大学班级管理为例

团体社会工作作为社会工作的主要方法之一,在现实生活中有很强的应用价值。大学班级是大学生四年学习、成长生涯的主要情境载体。班级结构、活动、人际互动、文化直接影响学生的成长发展。运用团体社会工作方法介入大学班级管理、建设,从而使学生获得良好的育人环境。     

“军营好男儿”青少年成长小组

小组背景青少年犯罪,自20世纪80年代以来一直呈增长趋势,已成为一个危害社会稳定的顽疾。如何引导和帮助这些失足的青少年改正以往的不良行为习惯,重新走上正途,得到社会的接纳和认可,是每一名矫正社工义     

青少年生命教育探析

本文分析了青少年中较为严重的漠视生命、伤害生命的现状,强调了对青少年进行生命教育的必要性,并提出了以关注生命、把握生命真谛、促进教育回归生活世界为主题的生命教育观,以期对青少年思想政治教育工作起到积极的推动作用。     

Patterns of Social Support in the Middle Childhood to Early Adolescent Transition: Implications for Adjustment

Children's social networks often include close family members, extended family members, and friends, but little is known about interindividual differences in the patterning of support from these sources. In this study, we used person‐oriented analyses to differentiate patterns of support for children undergoing the transition to adolescence. Social network and adjustment data were collected for an ethnically diverse sample of 691 fourth‐ and sixth‐grade children, with a two‐year follow‐up. Cluster analyses identified one pattern of support from both close family members and friends, a second pattern of support from both close and extended family members, and a third pattern of support primarily from close family members alone. Participants receiving support from close family in combination with either extended family or friends were better adjusted than were those without multiple support resources. The results suggest that a meaningful typology of children's social networks can be developed.     

A Support Group for Caregivers of Children with Craniofacial Differences

ABSTRACT

Caregivers of children with craniofacial differences (CFD) experience psychosocial stressors; however, few groups are described for this population. The authors outline an eight-session group and qualitative analysis of caregivers’ experiences. The majority of participants (n = 100) were mothers (76%) of children who were female (75%) and identified as Latino (79%). Children’s mean age was 10.6 (SD = 2.8) years, and they were born with cleft lip/palate (56%) along with other CFD diagnoses. Themes included: group appreciation (21%), mutual acceptance (18%), coping (18%), parenting skills (17%), learning (9%), resiliency (7%), empathy (4%), diagnosis information (3%), and self-care (3%). Caregivers’ reported experiences largely corresponded with group goals.     

Exploring Group Dynamics in Activity-Based Group Work with Young People Experiencing Homelessness

This article explores the development of group dynamics in an activity-based group comprising four young people experiencing homelessness and one group facilitator. Over the course of 12 sessions, the group produced a coconstructed audio documentary. Nine group sessions were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for patterns of group dynamics, including communication and interaction patterns, cohesion, social integration and influence, and culture. Findings suggest that the task-oriented nature of coproducing the audio documentary facilitated the development of interpersonal dynamics, provided young people with opportunities for personal growth, and provided them with opportunities to engage their strengths as well.     

Family Support and Empowerment: Post Autism Diagnosis Support Group for Parents

Receiving a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder often elicits strong emotional reactions from parents of the diagnosed child. Follow-up services and continued support for these families is a necessary component to help families adapt and meet their and their children's needs. This pilot study measured the effects of a six-session, co-facilitated, support group on the advocacy skills and self-efficacy of parents coping with a child's diagnosis. Statistically significant increases in the average mean scores for the three subscales of the Family Empowerment Scale were found. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

Exploring Autonomy in Group Work Practice with Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Preserving the autonomy of individuals with intellectual disabilities in group work is challenging. Group workers often experience inadequate guidance about autonomy—an individual's capability to act independently without influence by others. Group workers can enhance autonomy through group activities that promote self-efficacy, empowerment, and the ability to make decisions. Fostering autonomy requires that the group workers be knowledgeable and aware of personal biases, analyzing their expectations and actions. To promote the autonomy of persons with intellectual disabilities in group work practice, the authors make recommendations to strengthen the IASWG Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups in this area.     

Using a Student-Led Support Group to Reduce Stress and Burnout Among BSW Students

This study evaluates the efficacy of using a student-led support group to decrease levels of stress and reduce burnout among BSW students. The exploratory mixed-methods study used a 10-item Perceived Stress Scale measuring levels of stress, a single item measuring burnout, and narrative journal entries submitted by students. This was part of a larger study that also explored the efficacy of using a student-led group to increase students' knowledge of group work. Although limited in its scope, this research suggests that student-led group work increases the knowledge process and reduces level of burnout among social work students.     

The Role of the Group in Peer Group Entry

This study explored psychological conditions affecting children's receptiveness to a newcomer (the guest) in a peer group entry task. Subjects were 93 host dyads (48 male) of 7- to 9-year-old children. Hosts played a word-naming game for 5 min before being joined by a male or female guest. The hosts' pre-entry interaction was coded to reflect an orientation toward the game (agentic) or toward each other and toward experimental setting demands (communal). Hosts' psychological orientation predicted entry outcomes. Specifically, hosts of excluded children verbally competed with each other (an aspect of agency) more than hosts of children who entered. Male hosts competed more than female hosts and female hosts helped and encouraged each other (aspects of the communal orientation) more than male hosts. These findings suggest that the strategies and effort required by children to achieve group entry may depend on prior psychological conditions attending the interaction of the peer group.     

Identifying Themes Regarding the Benefits and Limitations of Caregiver Support Group Conversations

Support groups continue to be one of the most needed and desired forms of help for family caregivers to persons with dementia. Though the effects of caregiver support group participation have been examined, the benefits and limitations of the dynamics of support group conversations have been neglected. This study focuses on the perceived consequences of group dynamics. Three themes—balance, sameness, and individuality—emerged through analysis of open-ended interviews with support group members following observations of their meetings. The consequences of these themes are illustrated with a case study and the implications of these themes for practitioners are discussed.     

Enhancing Psychosocial Competence Among Black Women: A Psycho-Educational Group Model Approach

ABSTRACT

The lack of social work intervention models targeted toward the specific mental health needs of Black women has been recognized as a major gap in our knowledge concerning effective treatment. More recently, group work has been recognized as a useful and effective method of treatment for this population. This paper discusses the utility of a culturally specific, group intervention with Black women aimed at enhancing psychosocial competence as an effective mechanism to assist Black women in coping with the tasks of life and contributes to their ability to master life events. The model incorporates the use of literary works, authored by Black women as an innovative tool for enhancing the group process. Case vignettes are offered.