Group Counseling and Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents : Theory, Research, and Practice

by Shechtman, Zipora

• ISBN13: 9780805856859
• ISBN10: 0805856854
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-08-01
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbau

Summary

Many children and adolescents face developmental or situational difficulties in areas where they live most of their meaningful experiencesat home, at school, and in the community. While adults who struggle with life events and stressors may look to professional help, young individuals are quite alone in coping with these situations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most children and adolescents typically do not seek such help, and often resist it when offered. Author Zipora Shechtman has written this detailed text advocating group counseling and psychotherapy as a viable means of addressing these issues if we are to ensure the psychological wellness of children in society. Group Counseling and Psychotherapy With Children and Adolescentsis arranged in four parts. Its chapters explore topics including: *who needs group counseling and psychotherapy; *therapeutic factors in children's groups; *activities in the group; *pre-group planning and forming a group; and *how to enhance emotional experiencing and group support. This text is a principal source of information for counseling psychology students, researchers, and practitioners working with young people, in addition to social workers, teachers, and parents.

Author Biography

Dr. Shechtman has conducted groups and trained group counselors and psychologists for over 30 years. Her main research interest is in group counseling and group psychotherapy with children and adolescents who demonstrate social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. She is the author of over 70 papers and book chapters, most of them in the area of group work. She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (division of groups), The American Counseling Association (ASGW), and American Group Psychotherapy Association, and the Society for Aggressive Behavior. She serves on the editorial board of several journals on groups, including Dynamic and the Journal for Specialists in Group Work, and on the board of the International Journal of Counselling. She is a consulting reviewer for The International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, and an ad hoc reviewer for several other journals.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Part I: THE RATIONALE FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT GROUP COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
Introduction to Part I	3	(36)
1 Who Needs Group Counseling and Psychotherapy?	5	(11)
Children With Learning Disabilities (LD)	6	(1)
Children of Divorce	7	(2)
Immigrant Children	9	(1)
The Impact of Terror	9	(2)
Children With Various Problems	11	(1)
Providing Support to All Children	12	(1)
The Type of Group Offered	13	(1)
Summary	14	(2)
2 The Theory of Group Counseling With Children	16	(14)
Expressive-Supportive Therapy	17	(1)
Support From Research	18	(2)
A Case Illustration	20	(2)
Individual Processes of Change	22	(1)
Hill's (2005) Three-Stage Model of Counseling	23	(1)
A Case Illustration of the Three-Stage Model	24	(1)
Application of the Three-Stage Model: Support From Research	24	(1)
Prochaska's (1999) Transtheoretical Model of Change	25	(1)
A Case Illustration of the Transtheoretical Model of Change	26	(2)
Application of the Transtheoretical Model: Support From Research	28	(1)
Summary	29	(1)
3 Therapeutic Factors in Children's Groups	30	(9)
Therapeutic Factors in Adult Groups	30	(1)
Therapeutic Factors in Children's Groups	31	(2)
The Meaning of Relationship—Climate in Children's Groups	33	(2)
Summary	35	(4)
Part II: THE PRACTICE OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY
Introduction to Part II	39	(71)
4 Leadership in Counseling Groups With Children	41	(14)
Counselor Roles in Groups With Children	42	(1)
Counselor Personality	43	(1)
Counselor Interventions	44	(5)
Procedures for Opening and Closing Group Sessions	49	(1)
The Counselor's Helping Skills	50	(2)
Research on Counselor Helping Skills in Groups of Children	52	(1)
Summary	53	(2)
5 Activities in the Group: Methods and Techniques	55	(12)
Bibliotherapy	56	(2)
Practicing Affective Bibliotherapy	58	(3)
PhotoTherapy	61	(1)
The Practice of PhotoTherapy	62	(1)
Therapeutic Cards	63	(3)
Summary	66	(1)
6 Pre-Group Planning and Forming a Group	67	(11)
Member Selection	68	(3)
Group Composition	71	(3)
Group Duration, Format, and Size	74	(1)
Physical Structure	75	(1)
Scheduling	75	(1)
Beyond the Children	76	(1)
Summary	77	(1)
7 The Initial Stage	78	(6)
Forming Relationships	78	(1)
Developing a Language of Feelings	79	(1)
Establishing Constructive Group Norms	80	(1)
Constructive Response	81	(1)
Sense of Security	82	(1)
Summary	83	(1)
8 The Transition Stage	84	(12)
Resistance in Children's Groups	85	(2)
Resistance to an Activity	87	(1)
Resistance to the Counselor	88	(1)
Resistance to a Group Member	89	(1)
Resistance for Internal Reasons	90	(1)
Summary of Research	90	(1)
Explanation of the Data: Sources of Resistance	91	(1)
Explanation of the Data: Types of Resistance	92	(1)
Explanation of the Data: Resistance Over Time	92	(2)
Summary	94	(2)
9 The Working Stage: How to Enhance Emotional Experiencing and Group Support	96	(14)
The Working Stage in Groups for Young Children and Adolescents	97	(1)
Various Formats to Start the Group Process	98	(1)
Processes in Adolescent Groups	99	(3)
Spontaneous Processes	102	(2)
Processes in Children's Groups	104	(3)
Research on Group Processes With Children	107	(2)
Summary	109	(1)
10 Termination	110	(11)
Dealing With Loss and Separation	110	(1)
Parting Through Positive Feedback	111	(2)
Evaluating Growth In and Out of the Group	113	(1)
Evaluating the Group Experience	114	(2)
Making Plans for the Future	116	(1)
Separation From the Leader	117	(1)
Summary	118	(3)
Part III: ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROCESSES WITH VARIOUS GROUPS
Introduction to Part III	121	(2)
11 Group Counseling for Lonely Children and Adolescents	123	(16)
Social Competence Training	125	(1)
The Development of Social Competence in Intimate Groups	126	(1)
The Development of Social Competence in an Elementary-School Group	127	(3)
The Development of Social Competence in an Adolescent Group	130	(1)
Social Competence as Manifested in Children's Feedback	131	(2)
The Evolution of Self-Disclosure	133	(2)
Research Outcomes	135	(2)
Summary	137	(2)
12 Group Counseling for Students with LD	139	(14)
Literature Review	141	(1)
Educational/Problem-Solving Groups	141	(1)
Counseling Groups	142	(1)
Illustration of the Process	143	(4)
The Unique Characteristics of Groups With Students Dealing With LD	147	(1)
Children's Feedback	148	(1)
Research Outcomes	149	(3)
Summary	152	(1)
13 Group Counseling for Children of Divorce	153	(13)
Introduction of the Problem	153	(1)
Examples of Psycho-Educational Groups	154	(2)
Counseling Groups for Children of Divorce	156	(1)
An Elementary-School Group	156	(4)
An Adolescent Group	160	(3)
Research on Groups of Children of Divorce	163	(2)
Summary	165	(1)
14 Group Counseling for Aggressive Children and Adolescents	166	(11)
A Counseling Intervention of a Cognitive Type	167	(1)
Intervention by my Colleagues and Myself	168	(2)
Description of a Group Process	170	(2)
Outcome Research	172	(1)
Process Research	172	(4)
Summary	176	(1)
15 Group Counseling for Adolescents of a Different Culture: The Case of Arabs	177	(14)
Research on Groups for Arab Children and Adolescents	178	(3)
Clinical Data	181	(5)
Summary	186	(5)
Part IV: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Introduction to Part IV	191	(2)
16 What Does the Data Tell Us About Group Counseling With Children? Future Directions	193	(18)
Assessment of the Situation	193	(5)
Formation of Clinical Goals	198	(2)
Modifying Techniques	200	(1)
Outcomes	201	(2)
Process Research	203	(3)
Summary, Conclusion, and Future Goals	206	(5)
Appendix I	211	(23)
Appendix II	234	(16)
Appendix III	250	(13)
References	263	(14)
Author Index	277	(6)
Subject Index	283