Nathan Black

Group Work Methods

3.21.09

1. When looking at task groups and treatment groups it is important to understand

the similarities and differences of each and their advantages and disadvantages.
Treatment groups are more designed to meet the personal needs of members and task
groups a re designed to complete some specific task. The communication patterns are
different because in treatment groups the interaction is back and forth and open based on
the needs of the members. In a task group the communication pattern is more focused on
the task at hand. Both types of groups tend to develop the roles of members through
interaction, but task groups can assign member roles if needed. The procedures in a task
group are more formal with agendas and rules, while a treatment group is flexible or
formal. Composition of a treatment group involves members with similar needs and task
groups assign members according to their talents and expertise as needed. Self disclosure
in a task group will be expected to be low, while a treatment group disclosure will be
high. Confidentiality in a treatment group is a must. While in a task group it may be
open to the public. Evaluating the effectiveness of each group is different. In a task
group effectiveness is evaluated by how they accomplish their goals. In a treatment
group effectiveness is determined by the extent the group helps the members reach their
treatment goals.
Some of the advantages of treatment groups are: Empathy from multiple sources,
feedback from the group members, helper-therapy, hope, mutual aid, normalization,
practice of new behaviors, reality testing, recapitulation, resources, role models,
solidarity, socialization, social support, transcendence, validation, and vicarious learning.
Each is an example of advantages to using group treatment.
Some disadvantages to treatment groups include, member conformity, very shy
members may not participate and this may mean that the group takes on the problems of
the most talkative. Treatment groups also make members vulnerable to bad advice or
comments which can harm them.
Task groups also have some advantages and disadvantages. Using a task group
allows for the combining of knowledge and ideas for a common group goal. There is an
increase in quality of information which leads to alternative action plans for problem
solving. The division of labor is also an advantage. Some disadvantages include, that the
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group problem solving may take more time. The presence of others may hinder some
members who work best alone or in an individual setting. If the group is poorly run then
it may cause the members to become frustrated.
The group leader in each group type has a different role. In a treatment group the
leader’s role is that of facilitator and guide. The leader guides and monitors the group
while it progresses and makes sure that treatment is still the focus. The leader must make
reflective statements and be able to use teachable moments in order to further the group’s
progress through member participation. In a task group the leader is more of a “project
manager”. They make sure the group is on task and working toward their goal in a team
oriented manner while paying attention to the roles of each member and their progress on
their specific part of the task goal.
The differing group member role so each group can be similar and different.
Each type of group takes on its own life and members begin to fall into their place within
the group. In a treatment group the member roles become that of supporter and listener,
while in a task group the member roles become more focused on the specific job of that
member toward the attainment of the goal. Members must be willing to participate in a
manner that is conducive to the group and enable the group to function properly without
to much disruption. In each type of group cooperation is key and must be obtained if the
group is to make progress either on a treatment goal or task goal.
1. Treatment groups are designed to address specific problems of its members.
• In a Support Group the problem addressed could deal with the members’ ability to
deal with stressful life events. The leader’s role in this type is that of facilitator of
empathic understanding and mutual aid. The members’ role includes sharing of
information and experiences in order to help alleviate stress of members through
self disclosure of emotional material.
• In an Educational treatment group the focus could be to educate members through
various means including materials and presentations. The leader’s role in this
group has to be centered on structure and teaching at the same time. The
members’ roles are based on their want or need to learn or develop skills. The
member must interact with the teacher (leader) in order to be a part of the group.
The member must also interact with each other at times.
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• A growth group is centered on the growth of members. Its goal is to develop
members’ potential awareness and insight. The leader must be a facilitator and
role model in this type of group. Growth groups tend to open the eyes of the
members to new things. The members’ various roles include that of active
participants. Members may have high self disclosure and they are responsible for
communication within the group.
• Therapy groups are designed to help with behavior correction through learning
new skills, like coping skills. The leader’s role is that of expert and authority
figure or facilitator. The participants’ roles are defined by the type of group.
There are member to member groups or leader to member groups. Each depends
on members to take an active role in the group therapy process through
participation and bonding.
• Socialization groups are made to increase communication and social skills in
individuals who may have a high level of social anxiety. The leader is the
director of the group and the programs. The leader must be a role model also
when dealing in social situations. The members’ role becomes that of active
participants in practice. Members must contribute to the group through activity
and behaviors. The group is a practice ground for the real world.
• Self-Help groups are designed to help members solve their own problems by
giving them the tools to do so in real situations outside of the group. Letting the
members help themselves allows them to feel accomplishment. The leader’s role
is varied. Sometimes the leader is a lay person with the same problem as the
group, and other time the leader is a professional who has the same problem.
With the shared problem or concern the members must focus on communication
and furthering their understanding of the similar problem shared by the group.
3. The first kind of model of group work is the Social Goals Model and its goal is
social consciousness, responsibility, social action and informed political actions. This
type is used in settlement houses and neighborhood center settings. The focus is on the
larger society through individual context in the social environment. The leader is a role
model for responsible citizenship. The group may consist of neighborhood and
community residents. The groups may also consist of youth organizations. There is
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participation, discussion, consensus that develops community organizing. Through these
actions members learn skills about social action and communal living. One example of
Social Goals Model can bee seen in the recent election and the many rallies and social
meetings that formed to inform voters and get them interested in voting again for the
right reasons and empowerment. There was community meetings at various public
centers that focused on getting the people informed on key issues so that they could
become a part of the sociopolitical environment. These rallies and group meetings
focused on minority populations and those who were uninformed about the political
agendas in the last election. These types of groups focus on a democratic process to
socialize members and help them become agents of change. This type of group helps to
inform and empower through the exchange of information in a social setting.
The second kind of group model is the Remedial Model. In this model the focus
is on changing behaviors to rehabilitate individuals. The worker acts as the agent of
change by intervening in the group to achieve specific goals determined by the group
members or society. These groups use problem solving and task centered methods to
obtain measurable treatment goals. These types of groups are usually done in a formal
setting, such as an agency or inpatient, outpatient clinics. The worker is the leader who
engages in diagnosis and treatment to help group members reach goals. The clients of
these groups usually consist of those who are not functioning adequately and need help
coping. These groups use structured exercises that give the skill sets to members to
practice both in and out of group setting. The target populations of these types of groups
would be those people who are seeking behavioral change to cope with a detrimental
behavior. I work in an Alternative School where we use these types of groups to teach
coping skills to children with anger management issues and socialization problems. We
look to replace the problem behavior with a more appropriate behavior and give the
members the skills to use outside of the group. The focus is on individual members and
helping them with specific problems.
The third type of group is the Reciprocal Model. This model is also considered
the interactional model because of the high level of interaction between members and
society. The environment is both an influence and is influenced by the members of the
group. Forming a mutual aid system to achieve adaptation and socialization is key in this
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model. This type of model is able to be used in formal agency settings or in community
and neighborhood centers that are less formal. The worker is a mediator and helps to
meet the needs of the group and society while also informing the members. The type of
group is set up to use partners who work together in order to tackle common concerns.
The methods used in the group open the group to the concerns, support, and cohesion of
the members in order to further each member’s goals. Each member should benefit from
one another. This type of group thrives on universalities amongst members. The target
populations of this type of group tend to be those who have the same problem and can
find commonalities within the group, therefore allowing the whole group to benefit from
helping each other. These types of groups encourage the worker to use group processes
to promote a therapeutic environment. This type of group would work well with addicts
as long as the intergroup relationships are positive and the goal is sobriety.
4. Cohesion in a group is the result of the attractiveness of the group to the
individuals in the group. There are different reasons that people are attracted to groups
and certain groups in general. Cohesion is the result of members liking the group in
general and as a whole, the sense of unity and community within the group that creates
the group’s own identity and the sense of teamwork that result from the common goal of
the group in relation to the goal of the individual. Each of these aspects creates cohesion
and attracts people to the group. There are also reasons that people are attracted to the
group in the first place. These include the need for affiliation, the availability of
resources and prestige through participation, both the beneficial and detrimental
consequences of the group, and the comparison of the group with other group
experiences. Cohesion is the collective attractiveness of the group that creates a bond
through the groups’ individual identity as a group. Cohesion is important because it
furthers the group and the goals of the group by creating a united front in search of the
goal of the group. With cohesion members are attracted to the group and they take it
seriously because of what they get out of it from being a member. Cohesion creates
confidence in the group’s ability to perform task in order to gain goals. Also cohesion
effects how members perform in the group setting and how seriously they take their and
everyone else’s time in the group setting. Cohesion is important on an individual and
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group level for the same reasons. If the individual member is attracted then it begins to
create a positive environment in the group that is contagious for the most part.
To understand the level of cohesion a group may have that you are running it may
take some analyzing. There may be certain effects of cohesion that stand out when you
take a deeper look at your group. The ability of members to express both positive and
negative feelings is an effect of cohesion. The willingness of members to listen is a great
example of cohesion. Effective use of feedback and evaluations and member influence
over each other. Satisfaction of group experience and perseverance toward goals.
Member self esteem and self confidence. Taking responsibility of group functioning and
goal attainment both individual and on a group level. Attendance and length of
participation are also signs that cohesion is happening in your group. Each of the before
mentioned characteristics are good indicators that cohesion is a part of your group.
As a worker there are certain roles you must take on in order to help promote
group cohesion on a positive level. High levels of interaction creates cohesion in a group
as well as when the needs of members are met. Achieving the goals of the group really
gives the members a tangible attractiveness to the group. Positive intergroup
relationships including healthy competitive and noncompetitive help to define the group
and create cohesion. The worker should help group members to cooperate and use
naturally occurring competition to help build intergroup bonds. Groups should not be too
large, so the worker should pay attention to group size so that all members can
participate. The worker should also focus on the expectations of members’ and the
purpose of the group to make sure they are in alignment. Workers also need to focus on
making the group a rewarding experience for its members. This makes the group even
more attractive. When the worker and the group are working for members, they feel
pride in being members of the group and that creates cohesion. The worker must be
aware of his/her roles and influence on all of these principles and the way in which these
create and maintain cohesion in their group. The worker must know themselves and their
ability to create a cohesive environment. This way they to can focus on what is the
weakest aspect of their ability to improve on it and therefore improve the ability of the
group.
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6. The 3 p’s of group work include Planning, Performing, and Processing. Planning
is the first step for group leaders. This is the step where the leader addresses all aspects
before conducting the first group session. Planning properly will come through in the
effectiveness and purpose of you group. It is also important because being prepared
allows the leader to be ready for whatever happens. You may not be ready for
everything, but having a plan will allow you to have a framework for the group and for it
to be effective. There are several aspects the leader must take into consideration when
looking at planning. Group leaders must be aware of the professional context of the
group to follow ethics. There must also be the development of the concept of the group
and what type of group it shall be. Conducting an ecological assessment can help form a
meaningful group to address real problem areas. Implementing program development
and methods of evaluation allow the leader to be consistent with ecological assessment
goals. The leader must also identify resources for managing the group or program in a
manner that is effective. These are just a few examples of why the planning phase is very
important to the success of groups.
The next P is performing. This is the actual act of running the group effectively.
This P usually receives the most attention of the three. Basically the group leader must
be fully aware of the interaction they create in this step and their effect on the group
because this is the meat of the group. This is where the group leader must know thyself,
effectively deliver group competencies, adapt the group plan, master therapeutic
dynamics and conditions, choose appropriate interventions, attend to here and now,
collaborate with members, include evaluation, value diversity, and maintain a constant
ethical surveillance throughout the process. Each of these steps allow for the effective
practice of group work through the collaborative performance of both the group and the
leader. Performance is directly related to planning. Having a plan allows you to focus on
the performance of that plan in the group setting. The group leader must remain mindful
of the act of performing because it is where the group functions or falls apart.
The last P is processing. Processing is very important to group work because it is
where we make sense of the experience and begin to apply what we have learned to
future group work leadership. Processing is also one step that does not get enough
attention due to time constraints in the therapeutic system. Processing allows leaders to
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evaluate what works and what does not and how that can be fixed. Some key aspects of
processing include always scheduling processing time. This is a challenge especially to
process just as much as you run the group. One way to engage in processing is to engage
in reflective practices such as, transposition, reflection, discovery, application, and
evolution. Through these steps deep processing can be achieved and then changes can be
applied to planning and performance stages. Using evaluation data also gives the leader a
clear picture of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the group.
Each P is very important to each other. They become relative. Great groups start
with great planning, performance, and processing. Running effective groups is an
ongoing process that must evolve both with the leader’s skills and the clientele. Using
the three P’s allows for the leader to have a solid foundation for groups both present and
future. Having a plan allows you to have a framework, performing the plan allows you to
see your ideas in action, and finally processing allows the group leader to analyze and
change their plan for future groups. So, if each step is used properly it becomes cyclical
because each step influences the other every time they are used. The leader should
always be evolving and changing their planning, performance, and processing to create
the most effective group environment they can.
7. Connection power is a type of power a leader may have in the group setting and
this is the type of power where the leader can call on and use influential people or
resources. One example of the leader using this power comes in the form of using
outside resources to further the group’s knowledge so that it can advance the group. The
leader has access to resources, including people, the members do not. This allows the
leader to take advantage of those resources to bring more knowledge to the group. The
leader must facilitate the use of these resources. Expert power is also a form of leader
power that is related to the knowledge and skill of the worker related to running the
group. The leader must be looked at as the authority on the subject of the group.
Members must look to the leader for their answers when dealing with problems. The
leader gains this expert status by helping the members throughout the group process.
When members begin to see that the leader knows what they are talking about in regards
to the group, then they see that this leader is an expert and someone they can look to for
informed answers and advice on group related topics. It is important to be viewed as the
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expert because it creates respect for the knowledge you bring to the group for the
members to use. The expert leader is an invaluable resource. Information power is also
part of being an expert. Others can be attracted to the group because of the information
they learn from the leader. The leader uses information to make decisions in the context
of the group. The leader is once again a resource for the members to use. Armed with
quality information the leader is ready to impart that knowledge to the members in the
group setting so that they may begin to use it outside of group. The leader must
remember that members are there to gain information that is needed. Legitimate power is
the position of authority that the leader holds in relation to the group, organization, or
larger social system. This type of power is important because the members of the group
must realize that the leader has authority to control the group and make decisions that
they feel will benefit the group as a whole. Also, having legitimate power means that the
members respect and will listen when spoken to by the leader. Leaders must be ready to
control situations appropriately using their legitimate power as a tool so that things do not
get out of hand. If defiant members of the group do not recognize the legitimate power
then they could ruin the group by being disrespectful. Legitimate power allows for the
leader to remove members that do not participate appropriately. The leader is the boss,
but must not oppress the members of the group. Reference power is related to the
members liking and admiring the worker in a manner that makes them want to be
identified with the worker. This is a type of power base that creates personal bonds that
are influential to the group. If a few members really like and admire the worker then it
may be contagious. When one individual sees that a member of the group admires the
worker they too may begin to feel that connection and want to be identified with the
worker too. Reference power can be beneficial to the member and the worker. The
worker may benefit from it because they begin to see that members really like them as a
leader, and that in return can boost the workers confidence within the group. With that
confidence the worker may run better more productive groups. Reward power is the
power base that may give incentive to group members. This type of power allows for the
leader to give tangible or social rewards to members. This really works with children,
but can work with all ages. When members see that the leader is a source of positive
reinforcement they may begin to take special interest in how they participate in the group.
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Rewards create incentive and the leader can decide when and who gets them. It is
important for the leader to make clear guidelines and be consistent with rewards in order
to develop a good positive reward power base. Coercive power is the power base that
allows the worker to be able to sanction, punish, or deny access to resources. This is
basically the ability of the worker to flex authority in cases where the group or a specific
member is being noncompliant with rules. The worker may revoke privileges and tighten
the clamps on the group in order to gain compliance from the members or member that
seems to be causing problems. This is important because if rules are being broken there
must be some form of consequences, and only the leader can assign these consequences
in an appropriate manner. This is especially important with younger children who
respond more to the tangible privileges and rewards, and by revoking them they can
actually see the consequences of their actions. For instance in my groups we take away
points from the children if they are not following the rules of the group.
With all of these types of power bases that can develop through the actions of
the worker, the worker must be aware of their use of power and be sure to not abuse it.
The leader is in a very high profile position in the group for the most part and members
look to the leader for the modeling of behaviors and good decisions. If the leader is
abusing taking advantage of their power then it can be very detrimental to the group. If
the power bases are used properly and the leader is aware of their ability then these above
examples can be a very important tool for the leader and group in a positive manner.
There are positive effects to proper use of power bases by the group leader. If the power
bases are used appropriately they become guidelines and a real part of the function of the
group. The power bases can create a safe, open, cooperative place for members to be a
part of. A true leader knows the limits of their power and the benefits of never misusing
their power, because once they do the members of the group can feel betrayed, and that
may take a long time, if ever, to reverse that feeling. Positive use also foster great
modeling experiences once again. When members see that the worker is under control
but also in a power position then they too can model that behavior outside of the group
when they may be in a position of authority. There can be limitless negative effects of
the misuses of power when in the group setting. As mentioned the abuse of power
creates a feeling of unfairness amongst members. They may feel that the group leader is
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too uptight and unable to let the group flow without stopping it to exercise one of the
power bases. The members must feel that they are members not prisoners of the group.
Depending on the setting of your group you do not want the members to feel stifled in
anyway, especially due to the leader’s misuse of their authority position. If the worker is
running the group as a dictator then it will be hard for them to foster a democratic free
flowing group that members feel safe in. The use of power bases is extremely important,
but using them within reason is paramount.
8. After completing the inventories I have begun to see the pattern of leadership and
preference for group types that have developed. I have experience running groups with
adolescents, so I answered the questions based on how I feel according to my experiences
running these groups. I have about three years experience running “skill set” groups in a
structured program setting. Therefore, my answers on the inventories reflect what I have
felt and learned about myself in the group context over years. I do realize that my
answers may totally change with each age group and type that I may deal with. For
instance, with children I see that power bases are very important due to the high energy
of children and their ability to float off task and take the rest of the group with them. I
did forget to mention that the children have mental health disorder ranging from ADD to
being on the Autism Spectrum. Therefore, I have to exercise my authority more so than I
would think a leader of an adult group would. I have found that my leadership style is
more toward a nurturing style, but highly structured. Once again though the population I
work with requires me to be much more confrontation when it comes to negative
behaviors that are detrimental to the group. I do find confrontation difficult at times, but
it depends on the severity of the behavior. Some things make me mad and just naturally
bring out a confrontational side of me that brings about consequences for the members. I
am very, very, very patient and I see that at times I can put up with nonthreatening
behavior for much longer than other people. This is often one type of thing that I look at
in myself and feel that I need to improve, but once again with the population I work with
I see that some behaviors are normal for a child while others may see the behavior as a
sign of not following directions or rules. I also see that my style of leadership benefits
from structure. I believe in structure as a framework for the group’s success. My form of
structure comes from the first “P”, planning. Having a structured plan allows for me to
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have a goal in mind for the group and with that in mind it is easier to steer the group in a
direction that will lend itself to the goal. I am also very flexible and sometimes may let
the group begin to lose focus, but that is also a part of the population I work with. There
are always a few children that are excellent at pulling the group in some direction other
than what you intended. But with practice you can turn those off task moments into
teachable ones in order to keep the group awake and on their toes. I definitely welcome
refreshing exercises and interesting, creative discussions in my groups as long as they are
appropriate and related to the group. This way the group members participate and are
able to feel as though they contributed. This also opens the group to universalities and
cohesion. My leadership style, I hope, creates a democratic, comfortable, and safe group
environment that fosters member involvement through appropriate self disclosure and a
collective support. In helping group members change my preferences lie in a structured,
interactive and evolving group setting. I want members to both help each other
individually and the group as an individual entity. I prefer that group members get
feedback and give feedback from the group members and the worker. As long as the
feedback is positive and the member is accepting then it is a good contribution to foster
change in the individual. I also enjoy using reward and information power bases to
facilitate change in individuals. I like to pass on information to individuals and groups so
that they can discuss it and then apply it to their situations. There is nothing more that
makes me proud of a child in my group when he/she comes to me and says, “Hey I tried
that, and it didn’t work. I like this because it means that not only did they take something
from the group, but they tried to apply it to their individual situation. If it didn’t work
then it give a very valuable teaching moment, because we can now as a group process the
situation, what went wrong, and what he/she can change. This is where the meat of my
groups comes from because it gets members involved in a discussion and we begin as a
group to problem solve. We always say in group that we learn nothing from doing things
right, but we learn everything from our mistakes and not giving up. I really think that I
would like to be involved in a more closed and intense reciprocal model of a group. I
also can not wait to work with adults in this field. Not that I don’t like children, but I
would really like to work on a little higher of a level. I really just want to see the
similarities between children and adults in a group setting. I look forward to a more
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cognitive approach with much more processing and individual interactional support
systems within the group. In the reciprocal model the dynamics are intriguing to me.
The dynamics between society and the within the group are very complex and it is
something that I would like to wrap my head around it. I really enjoy helping people deal
with behaviors and helping them to learn new skills in the process. I believe that
remedial groups like the ones I run are in fact the most effective, but once again I think
that the goal of the group kind of decides how effective it is. If your goal is to try and
change behaviors in group members then the social goals model may not be effective in
an appropriate way. Each type of group has superior effectiveness over another one in
certain settings, and it is up to the leader to choose what they feel is the best group to
approach the goals of individuals within the group. So, basically as the worker we must
be aware of the goal before we plan and perform in order to make sure the group has
maximum effectiveness for the targeted goals. I just feel that the least effective group
would be the type that does not fit the overall goal of the group. Through planning,
performance, and processing especially, the leader can tweak the group to make it more
effective, but if these steps are lacking the group will lack too. In my short, limited
experiences I’ve had, I know of certain things that make me uncomfortable and other
things I am comfortable with surprisingly. I am very uncomfortable with little structure
in groups. I think it is because I feel that no structure equals not being prepared. Without
structure the group can fall into chaos. The leader must have structure in their group so
that it may work towards the goal as intended. I am also uncomfortable with ambiguity
of purpose. This bothers me because if there is no clear goal or direction then it may as
well just be a bullshit session where everyone can talk about whatever they want with no
purpose. I also, am still uncomfortable with high levels of self disclosure amongst group
members only because I haven’t worked with adults yet, and children at a young age
really don’t understand the concept yet. Often times they may disclose something that
may shock the others, or alienate themselves. Those are just a few of the things I have
encountered in group that make me feel uncomfortable, for now. As I run groups and
learn more through these classes I see that I really need to improve on all areas of group
work. It isn’t that I am not good at any aspects, but I see that evolution is possible toward
a higher level of group work. I think that processing is one of the most important aspects
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of being a leader. I know that processing abilities is one aspect I will start to use to
strengthening my abilities. I also need to work on being able to deviate from the
structure if needed. May be I could, on purpose, not plan for a group a week and just see
what happens both to the group and me.
9. Cultural Competency is the understanding of the dynamics and differences of
race, ethnicity, and culture as well as the aspects within those groups that create
differences, such as, background, education, and socioeconomic status. Cultural
competency helps the well educated worker to have a better understanding of how the
cultural dynamics of individuals affects the dynamics of the group they are a part of.
With cultural dynamics involved the worker must have a good working knowledge of the
expectations, cultural roles, and stigmas of certain groups when they are involved in a
treatment or task group. In having a better understanding of cultural diversity the worker
begins to his/her cultural differences and the dynamics it creates on their role as leader
and worker. Cultural competency is very important in groups because it once again
allows the worker to gain respect as an authority figure who is understanding and able to
use the information to the group’s advantage. If the worker has cultural competency then
they too know their cultural diversity and what it limits or enhances in their role.
Cultural competency is important to group context for the following reasons. It allows
you to explore your own cultural diversity and utilize it. Cultural competency also gives
the worker a view into how other cultures identify themselves culturally. The worker
gains valuable information on particular cultural communities that help when working in
diverse communities or places like Chinatown in NY. It allows for the leader to see how
different cultural groups perceive society’s attitudes of them. This way the worker can
see how prejudices form and are perpetuated. Cultural competency is important in the
group context also because it creates and awareness and sensitivity to the diversity that
nay make up your group. By passing on cultural information in an appropriate manner
the worker fosters understanding the development of a safe environment for all cultures
in the group. Members begin to learn what other cultures may accept or not except in a
group situation. Once members begin to show this kind of respect then it may be
reciprocated enough to make the group cohesion grow stronger. By being aware of the
differences in cultures and being competent in this understanding the leader can create
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trust that may have been destroyed by one simple act before that one culture finds o.k.
and the other culture does not. Self Exploration is very important in the ongoing process
of developing cultural competency because it allows the worker to gain a better
understanding of their own cultural diversity and how it affects their practice of being a
leader in diverse situations. When we begin to look back on our own cultural diversity
we see how truly different our experience was from others, and the more we learn about
others the more we learn about ourselves. This is important for inner growth and broader
understanding of the outside world. These cultural identities can then be discussed when
the worker has a working knowledge of other cultures and their own. There are 4 things
the leader can do to further develop cultural competency. The first is by reviewing
literature and research. This could be considered intellectual curiosity and can drive the
worker to find out information for their own benefit. Also, social mapping is an
important development tool in creating cultural competency. Social mapping is the act of
systematically observing and analyzing formal and informal relationships amongst
members of a community. Next, is actually becoming immersed in a culture. This could
mean living or spending concentrated amounts of time in a cultural community and
learning about their culture on a first hand experience basis. Finally, leaders must not
pass judgments and be totally aware of their prejudices and tendencies to pass judgments.
The worker must be aware of stereotypes and blatant racism that they may have. These
behaviors are learned and can be unlearned by becoming more familiar with particular
groups.
10. Yalom’s eleven factors are as follows along with how they are manifested in
groups.
• Instillation of hope- is when the member or members of the group find hope
within the group through the process of being in the group. Members that may
have felt hopeless find new meaning through the group. They may feel that there
is a chance for them to change, especially if others are there too. This can be seen
when members who had no goal create a new goal and they are hopeful again to
reach their goal
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• Universality- is when members of the group begin to see that they have things in
common, and that they are not alone. Universality creates cohesion through
common ideas, experiences, and problems.
• Imparting information- is the act of exchanging information for the benefit of the
group or individual. Often the leader imparts quality information on the
members, but it can also happen member to member. The quality of information
is important though.
• Altruism- is the act of doing good for the sake of goodness. When members see
other members doing or saying things with no intention of getting something out
of it other than being a good person it becomes contagious at times.
• Corrective recapitulation of family- the group begins to replace the family in
sorts. Many people had negative family experiences and the group begins to take
on family roles of sorts. Now they begin to replace bad with good memories.
You may see this when members become more comfortable with the group setting
and the members.
• Development of socialization techniques- in the group members begin to relearn
appropriate socialization techniques that they may not have had in the past. The
directness and honesty of the group can be a good catalyst for behavioral change.
Socialization skills are leaned in the group and taken into the world. You can see
these skills develop in members who may have had problems when group started,
but have improved on their listening and skills involved in showing respect.
• Imitative behavior- this is modeling. When members see the group acting one
way and they may be acting the opposite it begins to dawn on them that there is a
level of behavior that is expected and maintained by the group, and if they are
acting out they will be singled out. The leader should be the ultimate model of
behavior to imitate. Respecting others is a good sign that imitative behavior is
happening within the group.
• Interpersonal learning- humans are born to connect with one another, and learning
in a group allows for individuals to improve their ability to connect with others on
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3.21.09
a personal level. Many times interpersonal relationships become distorted. The
group allows for them to be relearned.
• Group cohesiveness- this allows for those who have had problems being in other
groups like society a chance to belong to something. The members have their
own identities, but the group has a collective identity that attracts the members.
Group cohesion can be seen by simple attendance and attentiveness. When the
group is cohesive they become stronger and more cooperative.
• Catharsis- this is the release of strong emotion feelings followed by feelings of
great relief. Many members of groups have trouble expressing themselves in
other settings, so in the group when they express themselves they “take a load
off”.
• Existential factors- Existential factors are certain realities of life including death,
isolation, freedom, and meaninglessness. Becoming aware of these realities can
lead to anxiety. The trust and openness that develops among members of a
therapy group, however, permits exploration of these fundamental issues, and can
help members develop an acceptance of difficult realities.