Group Work with Children and Adolescents: Prevention and Intervention in School and Community Systems

200 Pages·1998·8.71 MB·English

by  Steven R. Rose

Group
Work With
Children and

Adolescent s
SAGE SOURCEBOOKS FOR
THE HUMAN SERVICES SERIES
Series Editors: ARMAND LAUFFER and CHARLES GARVÍN
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GROUP WORK WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: Prevention and
Intervention in School and Community Systems
by STEVEN R. ROSE
Group
Work With
Children and

Adolescent s

Preventio n and Intervention in
Schoo l and Communit y System s
m s
Sage Sourcebooks for
m
the Human Services
5teve n R. Ros e
/ f à SAGE Publications
I V 1 International Educational and Professional Publisher
V y Thousan d Oaks London New Delhi
Copyright © 1998 by Sage Publications, Inc.
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Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rose, Steven R. (cid:2)
Group work with children and adolescents: Prevention and (cid:2)
intervention in school and community systems / by Steven R. Rose, (cid:2)
p. cm. — (Sage sourcebooks for the human services; vol. 38) (cid:2)
Includes bibliographical references and index. (cid:2)
ISBN 0-7619-0160-4 (cloth : acid-free paper) (cid:2)
ISBN 0-7619-0161-2 (pbk. : acid-free paper) (cid:2)
1. Social work with teenagers. 2. Social work with children. 3. (cid:2)
Social group work. 4. School social work. I. Title. II. Series: (cid:2)
Sage sourcebooks for the human services series. (cid:2)
HV1421 .R67 1998 (cid:2)
362.7' 1—ddc21 98-9035 (cid:2)
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
98 99 00 01 02 03 04 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Acquisition Editor: Jim Nageotte
Editorial Assistant: Heidi Van Middlesworth
Production Editor: Wendy Westgate
Editorial Assistant: Denise Santoyo
Typesetter/Designer: Rose Tylak
Indexer: Virgil Diodato
CONTENTS
Preface ix (cid:2)
Outline of the Book χ (cid:2)
Acknowledgments xi (cid:2)
Part I: Concepts of Group Work
1. The Context of Practice 3 (cid:2)
Multiple Perspectives 3 (cid:2)
Ecological and Social Systems Perspectives 3 (cid:2)
Community and Social Problems Perspectives 6 (cid:2)
Educational Perspective 7 (cid:2)
Organizational Perspective 10 (cid:2)
Personnel Perspective 12 (cid:2)
Attitudes Toward Group Work 13 (cid:2)
Advantages and Limitations of Group Work 14 (cid:2)
Conclusion 17 (cid:2)
2. The Basis of Group Work 19 (cid:2)
Stress Theory 19 (cid:2)
Life Transitions 19 (cid:2)
Labeling 21 (cid:2)
Disasters 22 (cid:2)
Thought Processes 24 (cid:2)
Social Cognition 24 (cid:2)
Problem Solving 26 (cid:2)
Group Work Developments 30 (cid:2)
Conclusion 31 (cid:2)
3. Processes of Practice 33 (cid:2)
Planning 33 (cid:2)
Composition 36 (cid:2)
Assessment 38 (cid:2)
Mental Health 39 (cid:2)
Measures 39 (cid:2)
Activities, Processes, and Techniques 41 (cid:2)
Developmental Aspects 42 (cid:2)
Relaxation 43 (cid:2)
Discussion 44 (cid:2)
Role Playing 45 (cid:2)
Children and Adolescents as Members 46 (cid:2)
Developmental Phases 50 (cid:2)
Beginning Phase 50 (cid:2)
Middle and Ending Phases 51 (cid:2)
Conclusion 52 (cid:2)
4.(cid:3) Evaluation of Practice 54 (cid:2)
Purposes 54 (cid:2)
Domains and Questions 56 (cid:2)
Prevention and Intervention 56 (cid:2)
Agents 58 (cid:2)
Types 59 (cid:2)
Complexity 62 (cid:2)
Conduct and Measures 62 (cid:2)
Timing and Process 66 (cid:2)
An Example: Oui Are Friends 69 (cid:2)
Conclusion 73 (cid:2)
5. (cid:3) A Review of the Field 74 (cid:2)
A Social Problem-Solving Approach 74 (cid:2)
Applications of Group Work 75 (cid:2)
Group Work in School and Community Systems 77 (cid:2)
Studies of Effectiveness 78 (cid:2)
The Future of Group Work 82

Conclusion 83 (cid:2)
Part II: Applications of Group Work
6.(cid:3) Parental Divorce 87 (cid:2)
Divorce as a Social Problem 87 (cid:2)
Purpose of Group Work 89 (cid:2)
Problem Recognition and Solution 92 (cid:2)
Planning and Composition 93 (cid:2)
Leadership and Activities 96 (cid:2)
An Example: The Family Winners 100 (cid:2)
Conclusion 105 (cid:2)
7. (cid:3) Peer Relationships and Social Competence 106 (cid:2)
Peer Relationships and Social Competence (cid:2)
as a Social Problem 106 (cid:2)
Purpose of Group Work 109 (cid:2)
Problem Recognition and Solution 110 (cid:2)
Planning and Composition 115 (cid:2)
Leadership and Activities 116 (cid:2)
An Example: Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer 118 (cid:2)
Conclusion 122 (cid:2)
8.(cid:3) Mental Health and Substance Abuse 124 (cid:2)
Mental Health and Substance Abuse as a Social Problem 124 (cid:2)
Purpose of Group Work 125 (cid:2)
Problem Recognition and Solution 127 (cid:2)
Planning and Composition 130 (cid:2)
Leadership and Activities 132 (cid:2)
An Example: kNOw Dopes 136 (cid:2)
Conclusion 140 (cid:2)
9. (cid:3) School Performance 141 (cid:2)
School Performance as a Social Problem 141 (cid:2)
Purpose of Group Work 143 (cid:2)
Problem Recognition and Solution 144 (cid:2)
Planning and Composition 147 (cid:2)
Leadership and Activities 149 (cid:2)
An Example: The Book Hitters 154 (cid:2)
Conclusion 159 (cid:2)
References 161 (cid:2)
Index 177 (cid:2)
About the Author 187 (cid:2)
PREFACE
Many of the social problems of children and adolescents are amenable
to prevention or intervention through group work. Children and adoles­
cents are prone to develop a wide range of social problems in family
and peer relationships, social competence, mental health, substance
abuse, and school performance. With reductions in support available in
many family relationships, peer relationships have become increasingly
important to many children and adolescents.
Acceptance by and participation in peer groups, which are highly
valued by most children and adolescents, tend to provide the youngsters
with opportunities for furthering their social development. Never­
theless, some youngsters lack such opportunities. Withdrawn and
aggressive children and adolescents who are neglected, isolated, or
rejected by their peers, can benefit from group work that is designed to
develop their social competencies.
Although many children and adolescents remain in the same schools
and communities from one year to the next, some have the experience
of entering new ones. Transitions between schools and between com­
munities, which include normative transfers and graduations as well as
extraordinary events, such as changes in geographical location due to
family disruption, tend to increase the stressors experienced by young
people. Children and adolescents who change schools and communities
often have more situations and persons to adjust to, and have a greater
ix