1. Chapter 4: Group Work: Theories and Applications
Introduction to Group Work, 5th Edition
Edited by David Capuzzi, Douglas R. Gross, and Mark D. Stauffer

2. Adlerian Theory/ Alfred Adler
Major concepts
Humanistic: individual/society valued over the organization
Holistic: individual is indivisible
Phenomenological: focus on individual’s perspective
Teleological: future orientation, goal attainment
Field theoretical: interaction of social and physical environment
Socially oriented: contribution to society
Operational: methodology

3. Adlerian Theory/ Alfred Adler
Motivating forces influencing goals
Fictional goals
Birth order
The family constellation
Style of life

4. Adlerian Theory/ Alfred Adler
Leader Behaviors
Establish working relationship and member equality.
Serve as models for members.
Communicate mutual trust, respect.
Help members to:
Explore goals, beliefs, feelings, motives
Increase insight (fictitious goals, self-defeating behaviors)
Accept responsibility
Consider alternative lifestyles
Enhance social interest
Accept self
Develop sense of community
Explore alternative behaviors

5. Adlerian Theory/ Alfred Adler
Group stages
Develop the therapeutic relationship.
Assess the dynamics that operate within individuals.
Aid the individual to gain insight and self-understanding.
Assist the individual to discover alternatives and new choices.

6. Gestalt Theory/ Fritz Perls
Major concepts
Holistic
Field: figure and background
Individual responsibility
Phenomenological
Existential
Five layers of neurosis: Cliché, Phony, Impasse, Implosive, Explosive
Open-ended approach
Individual strives toward equilibrium

7. Gestalt Theory/ Fritz Perls
Leader Behaviors
Establish environment:
Leader/members share equally in process of change
Supportive, compassionate, accepting, challenging
Allow members to find own way in life.
Here-and-now focus.
Recognize members’ blocks and boundaries.
Aid members in accepting all aspects of selves.
Confront defensive structures.
Address unfinished business.
Help members try new behaviors and recognize splintered parts of self.

8. Gestalt Theory/ Fritz Perls
Group stages through the group leader
(Gestalt therapy does not lend itself well to stages)
Help members become actively involved.
Demonstrate the meanings of gesture, posture, and movement in communication.
Conduct experiments.
Demonstrate the ability to stay in the here and now.
Apply active listening skills.

9. Gestalt Theory/ Fritz Perls
Group stages through the group leader, continued
Help members provide feedback.
Model interpersonal interactions.
Use confrontation to shock members into greater awareness of their self-defeating behaviors.
Be a creative agent of change.
Observe and give feedback on members’ nonverbal behaviors.

10. Person-Centered Theory/ Carl Rogers
Major concepts
Phenomenological
Holistic
Has an optimistic view of human potential
The need for positive regard
Conditions of worth
Congruence/genuineness
Empathy

11. Person-Centered Theory/ Carl Rogers
Core conditions: Necessary and sufficient to bring about change
Psychological contact
Incongruence
Congruence/genuineness
Unconditional positive regard
Empathy

12. Person-Centered Theory/ Carl Rogers
Leader Behaviors
Establish facilitative climate (congruence, unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding).
Provide safety and trust.
Leader and members share equally in change.
Be congruent (genuine) in relationships.
Have unconditional positive regard.
Have empathic understanding.
Support members finding own way in life.
Refrain from giving advice.
Use one’s being as a catalyst for change.

13. Person-Centered Theory/ Carl Rogers
Group stages
(There are no steps, stages, techniques, or tools—only core conditions)
Silence as a way of communicating
Active listening
Confrontation
Attending behaviors
Empathic understanding
Self-disclosure
Self-empowerment

14. Rational–Emotive Behavior Therapy/Albert Ellis
Major concepts
A–B–C–D–E Model
Activating event
Belief
Consequence
Disputing
Effect
Irrational patterns of thinking
Actualizing potential of the individual
Counselor is active, didactic, and confrontive and leads client to more rational ways of thinking and behavior.

15. Rational–Emotive Behavior Therapy/Albert Ellis
Leader Behaviors
Genuine, instructional, didactic, accepting, confrontational, challenging
Teach members about faulty thinking
Separate behavior from personhood
Set aside own need for personal relationship with group
Detect and confront members with irrational beliefs
Dispute “crooked” thinking of members
Teach principles of REBT (A-B-C-D-E model)
Provide homework
Use contingency management and skill training

16. Rational–Emotive Behavior Therapy/Albert Ellis
Group stages
(not presented in stages but in levels of perspectives)
Cognitive–explicatory
Evocative–emotive
Behavioristic–active–directive

17. Transactional Analysis/ Eric Berne
Major concepts
Designed specifically for groups
Life scripts and rescripting
Individual autonomy
Redecisional model
Ego states (parent, adult, and child)
Strokes
Life positions

18. Transactional Analysis/ Eric Berne
Leader Behaviors
Develop therapeutic contract.
Instruct members in terminology of TA.
Analyze at least 4 elements in group’s communications: structures, transactions, games, scripts.
Establish working partnership.
Enhance awareness of scripts.
Provide positive strokes.
Reinforce the redecisions.
Function in cognitive and rational domain.
Challenge members to change thinking, feeling, behaving.
Enhance autonomy to reduce dependence on group.

19. Transactional Analysis/ Eric Berne
Group examples
(stages are not specified)
Establishing a facilitative climate
Providing instruction in TA concepts
Developing contracts that identify goals
Working through various analyses of group members’ structures, transactions, games, and scripts
Terminating with specific directives for action-oriented change

20. Psychodrama/ Jacob L. Moreno
Major concepts
A group member acts out his or her problem
Preaction, action, and integration
Role theory and role playing
Catharsis
Insight

21. Psychodrama/ Jacob L. Moreno
Leader Behaviors
Establish relationship based on equality.
Develop trust and spontaneity among members.
Establish acceptance and tolerance of change.
Establish format that allows members to work on significant life issues.
Encourage risk in playing out psychodrama.
Provide protection from abuse.
Utilize creativity as a model for members.
Utilize knowledge and skill in directing psychodramatic enactment.

22. Psychodrama/ Jacob L. Moreno
Group stages
Member scripts out a situation
Preaction (warm-up)
Action
Integration (feedback, discussion, and closure)

23. An Integration of Theoretical Approaches
Relationship variables
A working relationship is basic to all six.
Leader role variables
Leader is active in all six theoretical orientations.
Member role variables
Group members play an active role.

24. An Integration of Theoretical Approaches
Process variables
This area has the most variability among all six approaches.
Outcome variables
This area has the greatest similarities among the six approaches.

25. An Integration of Theoretical Approaches
Implementation
Be familiar with all theoretical approaches.
Attempt to integrate various approaches in working with groups.
Apply theoretical approaches as they were intended to be used.
Do not rely solely on one approach to the exclusion of others.
Experiment with many approaches until you find the combinations that fit your personal philosophy.