When working with families and groups the priority is for the social worker to understand the process that is taking place. In both situations there is the overt (clearly stated) dynamics and the covert (hidden) dynamics. The content (what is being said) in both settings is what is open and stated. The process (how it is being said) is the unspoken information; what is underneath the interaction is what the social worker needs to explore in both groups and family systems.
For this Discussion, watch the video segments of a group and a family session provided in required resources.
Post the following:
Describe the group dynamic (communication, cohesion, social integration, influence) of the group shown in the required media.
Explain how this group’s dynamics may influence treatment.
A description of the family dynamic (communication, cohesion, social integration, influence) of the family shown in the required media.
Explain how this family’s dynamics may influence treatment.
Explain any similarities or differences when assessing dynamics in a group versus a family and how those dynamics may affect treatment.
Leszcz, M., & Yalom, I. (n.d.). Group therapy: A live demonstration [Video file}. Retrieved from http://www.psychotherapy.net.e
Watch segment from timestamp 30:00 to 39:48.
McGoldrick, M. (n.d.). The legacy of unresolved loss: A family systems approach [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.psychotherapy.net.e
Watch segment from 0:43 to 09:38.
Answer preview
Assessing dynamics in a group has some similarities with assessing dynamics in a family. In both setups, you might need to assess the age of the involved parties. This is because you will need every member to open up for their side of the story. In both situations, you might also need to assess some family background like birth order (Forsyth, 2018). There are also some differences in assessing the two situations. When assessing family dynamics, you may consider the dynamic of the previous generation (Box, Copley, Magagna, & Moustaki, 2015), which is not the case with group dynamics. You may also need to assess family structure in assessing family dynamics while in group dynamics you will need to assess leadership structure. In group dynamics, you will need to assess convergence of roles in a group, which might not be the case in a family dynamics assessment. These dynamics are likely to determine the treatment process suggested by the psychotherapist.
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