A "must read" book if you are a therapist who works with adolescents and their families. Contains how-to-do-it guidelines for each step in forming and leading a group including client selection and evaluation, goal setting, evaluating group process, relationships with a co-therapist, and more. Provides specific techniques for use in the beginning, middle, and end phases of time-limited structured psychotherapy groups. Offers concrete suggestions for working with "hard to reach" and difficult adolescents, providing feedback to parents, and dealing with administrative, legal, and ethical issues. Includes examples of pre/post-evaluation forms, therapy contracts, evaluation feedback letters, parent response forms, therapist rating scales, co-therapist rating forms, problem identification forms, supervision and session records, client and parent handouts, and specific group exercises. It is solidly anchored to research on the curative factors in group therapy and includes empirical data, numerous references, theoretical formulations, and examples of group sessions. Review: "This book is a very welcome addition to the mental health field because it provides a detached, clear model of group therapy written by a mental health professional with a vast amount of clinical experience leading therapy groups for diverse adolescent problems. This book is a gem filled with outstanding practical and creative ways of engaging adolescents in the therapeutic group process. The author's extensive focus on the therapist's role as group leader is one of the important features of this book. The text is comprehensive yet concise in discussing methods of integrating adolescents with diverse cognitive, affective, and social skills and in structuring the group process to achieve expected therapeutic goals." -Cynthia R. Pfeffer, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Cornell University College and Chief, Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit, The New York Hospital - Westchester Division Table of Contents: Introduction 1. Theoretical Approaches to Adolescent Groups Psychoanalytically Oriented Identity Group Therapy With Adolescents Social Skills Development and Other Specialized Groups References 2. Therapists' Roles and Functions in Adolescent Groups Questions Choosing and Working With a Co-Therapist in Adolescent Groups Therapist Rating Scale Problem Areas and Critical Issues in Groups Collaborative Session Checklist of Group Process References 3. Administrative and Legal Issues In Forming Adolescent Groups The Facility or Inpatient Setting Group Therapy as a Primary or Adjunct Therapy Process Supervision Confidentiality and Recordkeeping Observers The Physical Setting Refreshments Time for Sessions Closed Versus Open Groups - Time-Limited Versus Continuing Groups Legal Issues Supervision and Session Record References 4. Member Selection and Goal Setting Member Selection Issues: Indications and Contraindications for Group Membership Age Issues Male and Female Issues Diagnostic Criteria, General Indications, and Contraindications The Screening Group Selection Issues in Relation to Group Goals 5. Pre-Therapy Training, Contracts, and Pre-Therapy Preparation Techniques for Group Therapy Preparation Group Participation Guidelines Group Therapy Contract Adolescent Group Therapy Contract References 6. Giving Feedback to Parents and Others School Liaison and Feedback With Other Agencies The Evaluation Letter Parent Response Form 7. Pre- and Post-Testing for Adolescent Groups Additional Instruments to Measure Social Skills Development Corder-Whiteside Pre-/Post-(Circle One) Evaluation Adolescent Group References 8. The Group Process Beginning Phases of the Group Middle Phases of the Group Later Phases of the Group Responding to Problem Behaviors 9. Structured Role Assignment in Adolescent Groups Structuring Techniques - Early Group Sessions Continuing and Middle Phases of Group Process Group Exercises: Middle to Intermediate Phases References 10. Examples of Process in Various Phases of a Structured Group Beginning Phase Middle Phase Later Phase 11. Issues for Parents General Suggestions 12. A Specialized Short-Term Structured Therapy Group for Sexually Abused Young Adolescent Girls Structured Techniques and Materials Used in the Groups Some Additional Ideas Graduation and Follow-Up Summary References Author Index Subject Index About the Author: Billie Farmer Corder, EdD, is a licensed psychologist and a Fellow of the American College of forensic psychology. She is Co-Director of Psychological Services at the Child Psychiatry Training Program of Dorothea Dix Hospital, and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. During 30 years of research and applied work with children and families, she has published more than 100 articles in professional journals and books. Her program for social skills development for adolescents was nominated in 1981 for the American Psychiatric Association's Gold Medal Award. She served as Managing Editor of the North Carolina Journal of Mental Health for over 18 years. Dr. Corder developed a series of therapeutic materials for intervention with children in natural disasters which are utilized nationally by the American Red Cross. This work was recognized recently when she was nominated for North Carolina's Eugene Hargrove Research Award and was elected to the Wake Academy of Women.
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