Types of Groups



Types of Groups

(as defined by ASGW, 2000)

Psychoeducational Groups

• Use educational methods to gather information and develop meaning and skills; growth through knowledge

• Purpose can be preventive, growth oriented, or remedial

• Goal is to prevent future development of debilitating dysfunctions while strengthening coping skills and self-esteem

• Size may go up to 20-40 individuals, but subgroups are limited to 10-12 adult members and fewer if members are children

• Session length: typically 50 minutes to 2 hours

• Average number of sessions is 8-10

• Leader manages the group as a whole, disseminates information, and breaks groups into subgroups when necessary

• Leader should take preventive steps before the group’s first session: planning for session length, session frequency, number of sessions, and what will occur within sessions

• Activities typically include nonthreatening exercises or group discussions

Counseling Groups

• Preventive, growth oriented, and remedial

• Focus is on each person’s behavior and development or change within the group

• Goals are personal, but the group as a whole may also share them

• Emphasize group dynamics and interpersonal relationships

• Ideal for individuals experiencing usual, but often difficult, problems of living that information alone will not solve

• Size ranges from 3-4 in children’s group to 8-12 in an adult group

• Number of meetings is 6-16 sessions

• Leader facilitates the group interaction but becomes less directly involved as the group develops

• Topics are usually developmental or situational, such as educational, social, career, and personal

• Short-term duration

Psychotherapy Groups

• Address personal and interpersonal problems of living among people who may be experiencing severe and/or chronic maladjustment

• Emphasizes helping people with serious psychological problems of long duration

• Remedial in nature

• Found most often in mental health facilities

• May be either open ended (admitting new members at any time) or closed ended (not admitting new members after the first session)

• Purpose is to reconstruct or rectify the personalities or intrapersonal functioning of those involved in the group

• Size varies from 2-12 members

• Duration is measured in months or even years

• Leader is always an expert in one of the mental health disciplines and has training and expertise in dealing with people who have major emotional problems

• Leader’s responsibility is to confront as well as facilitate

• Operate from a theoretical position

Task/Work Groups

• Emphasize accomplishment and efficiency in successfully completing identified work goals through collaboration

• Task forces, committees, planning groups, community organizations, discussion groups, and learning groups

• Do not focus on changing individuals

• Group success is determined by group dynamics (the interactions fostered through the relationships of members and leaders) in connection with the complexity of the task involved

• Works best with fewer than 12 people

• Length varies but is similar to other groups

• May disband abruptly after accomplishing their goal

• May have considerable contact with others in an organization in which the group is housed

Mixed Groups

• Multiple ways of working with members

• May change emphasis at different times in the development of the group

• Self-help groups

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