Group Counseling with
Adolescents
American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry
Pre-Conference
March 28, 2014
Crystal L. Barksdale, Ph.D.
2
Group Counseling with Adolescents1
• Group work can
facilitate transition
• Groups can serve
several
socioemotional and
developmental
functions for
adolescents
3
Types of Groups for Adolescents1
• Two main types of groups to which adolescents
may belong:
▫ Developmental or psychoeducational group, which
is primarily voluntary and self-focused.
▫ Counseling or psychotherapy group, which can be
voluntary or non-voluntary and focuses on either
oneself or oneself with others.
4
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Group Counseling with Adolescents1
• Advantages
▫ Groups are a “natural”
environment in which
adolescents can learn
▫ Life skills may be taught to
adolescents in groups through
modeling, role playing, group
discussions, and brief lectures
• Disadvantages
▫ The pressure that some
adolescents may feel to
conform to behaviors in which
they do not believe
▫ The group may not have
enough appeal to motivate the
participants
▫ A sense of belonging is also
created in groups
▫ Individuals in groups may not
be given enough attention
▫ Groups provide for multiple
feedback that can help
adolescents
▫ Group leaders almost always
have to obtain parental consent
(working with minors) and
they must get the consent of
the adolescent as well
5
Developmental and Cultural Context of
Adolescence2
• Adolescent development is
multifaceted and multicontextual
• All aspects of development
occur within a larger cultural
context that must be
understood
▫ Physical development
▫ Cognitive development
▫ Emotional development
▫ Social development
▫ Behavioral development
6
Developmental Considerations3
• Differences in understanding, recognizing, and
communicating distress
• Role of adult “gatekeepers”
• Agreeing to treatment
• Understanding and delivering developmentally
guided interventions
• Acknowledgement of limited ability to change
environment
7
Cultural Considerations3
• We must consider and
incorporate culture into all
treatment practices because:
▫ It helps us provide more
relevant, higher quality
treatment
▫ It helps us better understand
our clients and better
conceptualize their
presenting problems
▫ It helps us reduce mental
health disparities
8
Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT)4-6
• Emphasizes relational competencies and
connectedness as foundation to survival and
wellness
• Focus on experiences of social mistreatment that
occur in the context of marginalization and
inequity
• Complements and expands upon theory of social
justice
9
Core Principles of RCT7
1.
People grow through and toward relationship throughout lifespan
2.
Movement toward mutuality, rather than separation, characterizes
mature functioning
3.
Relational differentiation and elaboration characterize growth
4.
Mutual empathy and mutual empowerment are core of growth-fostering
relationships
5.
In growth-fostering relationships, all people contribute and benefit
6.
Therapy relationships are characterized by special kind of mutuality
7.
Mutual empathy is vehicle for change in therapy
8.
Real engagement and therapeutic authenticity are necessary for
development of mutual empathy
10
RCT Approach in Counseling5,6
• Focus on supporting clients in building and
sustaining growth fostering relationships
• Counselor’s “quality of presence” is key
• Aim is to improve clients’ empowerment to
avoid detrimental relationships
11
RCT Approach in Group Counseling4,8
• Goal of RCT groups is to help participants
understand, explore, and achieve need for
connectedness
• Group Counseling and RCT
▫ Universality
▫ Development of socializing techniques (e.g.,
relational competence)
▫ Instillation of hope
12
An Illustrative Example: Adolescent
Mothers9-11
13
Trends Among Adolescent Mothers9
14
Predictors of Adolescent Mothers’ WellBeing12-13
• Education
• Employment
• Social Relationships
• Parenting
15
Evidence-Based Prevention Programs
Focus On…12,14
• Knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about
sexual issues
• Personal values about sex and abstinence
• Perception of peer norms and behavior about
sex
• Intentions and behaviors related to sex
• Communication about sex with others
16
Outcomes of Successful Interventions
for Adolescent Mothers12,14
• Improve birth outcomes (low birth weight)
• Reduce subsequent childbearing
• Better childrearing environment
• Improve maternal life course outcomes
(education, economics)
• Improve child outcomes
17
Functions of Promising Interventions
for Adolescent Mothers12
• Increase social support
• Improve mastery of life tasks needed for
motherhood
• Improve problem solving
• Facilitate active coping
• Enhance parenting skills
18
Group Counseling for Adolescent
Mothers12,14
• Provide the setting to achieve many essential
functions
• Provide the relational opportunities necessary to
improve social support
19
Key Points – Group Counseling for Any
Adolescent1
• Remember the cultural and developmental
context of the adolescent population (or
subpopulation)
• Understand and respect resistance
• Involve parents in group work with adolescents
• Consider co-leadership models, which may be
very useful
20
References
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