Task Groups in the School SettingPromoting Children’s Socia.docx

Task Groups in the School Setting:
Promoting Children’s Social and
Emotional Learning
Patricia Van Velsor
San Francisco State University
Through social and emotional learning (SEL), individuals
develop skill in
negotiating relationships successfully and expressing emotions
appropriately.
The socially and emotionally intelligent child reaps benefits in
school and later
life. Counselors are best qualified to promote children’s SEL
and the task group
in the classroom provides an excellent opportunity for them to
do so. In the task
group, students can learn and practice crucial skills in vivo
while they work
together to complete a task. The counselor’s strategic attention
to promoting task
completion while facilitating SEL can serve to highlight the
benefits of group work
in the school learning environment.
Keywords: schools; social and emotional learning; task groups
Because humans are social beings, they spend a great deal of
time
interacting with others and much of that interaction takes place
in

groups. As Sonstegard and Bitter (1998) so aptly stated, ‘‘to be
human
is to ‘live’ in groups’’ (p. 251). The group (e.g., family, peer)
serves as
the ‘‘primary socializing influence’’ in children’s development
(Kulic,
Horne, & Dagley, 2004) and the nature of the social
environment in
those groups leads children down a path toward either prosocial
or
antisocial behavior and beliefs (Hawkins, Smith, & Catalano,
2004).
Children develop social skills and prosocial behaviors through
social and emotional learning (SEL). Although there are various
defi-
nitions of SEL, Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg and Walberg
(2007)
define it succinctly as ‘‘the process through which children
enhance
their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving to
achieve
important life tasks’’ (p. 6). Five competency areas—self-
awareness,
self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and
responsible
Patricia Van Velsor, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the
Department of Counseling at
San Francisco State University. Correspondence concerning this
article should be
addressed to Patricia Van Velsor, Department of Counseling,
San Francisco State
University, BH 524, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA
94132. E-mail:
[email protected]

THE JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN GROUP WORK, Vol.
34 No. 3, September 2009, 276–292
DOI: 10.1080/01933920903033495
# 2009 ASGW
276
decision-making—are basic to negotiating school, work, and
life
responsibilities effectively (Collaborative for Academic, Social,
and
Emotional Learning, 2000–2009).
Social and emotional intelligence, acquired through SEL, has
been
associated with various positive outcomes in school and life. A
socially
and emotionally intelligent child is less likely to develop
aggressive-
ness, depression, and=or violent behaviors (Poulou, 2005).
Children
who develop social and emotional intelligence are also more
resistant
to difficulties related to drugs, teen pregnancy, and gangs (Elias
et al.,
1997). Moreover, variations in children’s social and emotional
func-
tioning significantly predict current and later academic
achievement
(Greenberg, Kusché, & Riggs, 2004; Parker et al., 2004).
The small group in the school setting provides an excellent

opportu-
nity for counselors to enhance children’s positive mental health
through SEL. Children can better their social skills, unlearn
inappropriate social behaviors, and try out new skills in a safe
environment (Akos, Hamm, Mack, & Dunaway, 2007;
Thompson &
Henderson, 2006). Generally, the small group format used with
chil-
dren is psychoeducational (Corey & Corey, 2006) and a
common
approach to SEL in the schools is to pull targeted children out
of the
classroom to learn about appropriate skills and practice those
skills
in a small group. Another approach, however, is to make use of
the
task group, which focuses on the application of group process
princi-
ples to task completion (Corey & Corey, 2006). If used in the
classroom
setting, the task group can offer children the opportunity to
learn and
apply social and emotional skills and behaviors in a real life
situation
as they work together to accomplish an identified task.
Moreover,
when conducted in the classroom setting, all children can profit
from
the opportunity to enhance their social and emotional
intelligence. The
overall goal is to promote SEL for a broad range of children,
which in
turn can lead to other positive outcomes.
When considering the task group in the school setting, it makes
sense that students could benefit in three ways. First, the task

group
affords children the opportunity to learn about a topic as they
work
together on a project of educational importance. Second,
students have
the chance to acquire valuable social and emotional skills for
working
in groups related to cooperation, collaboration, and mutual
respect.
Third, students may well gain a sense of accomplishment when
the
task is completed, hopefully bolstering self-esteem.
The purpose of this article is to encourage counselors to
embrace the
task group model in the classroom setting to promote the SEL of
students in vivo and to help equip all students with the social
and
emotional tools necessary to work cooperatively and
collaboratively
in a group. In order to implement the task group, counselors
must
Van Velsor/TASK GROUPS IN THE SCHOOL SETTING 277
develop a clear understanding of this approach and its multiple
benefits in the classroom setting. With this knowledge,
counselors
can then determine ways to identify appropriate tasks for school
groups, and develop strategies to facilitate both task completion
and
group process for optimal SEL.
UNDERSTANDING THE TASK GROUP MODEL

AND ITS BENEFITS
Before initiating the task group in schools, it is important to
under-
stand the goals of a task group. The main goal of the group is
completing
a task (e.g., a work project, event planning) rather than
changing the
individual for therapeutic reasons or personal growth (Gladding,
2008).
However, successful functioning of the task group requires
attention
to the principles of group dynamics aimed at accomplishing the
task
and improving interpersonal interaction in the process (Corey &
Corey,
2006; Gladding, 2008). Although teachers may already assign
tasks to
small groups or make use of small group learning in the
classroom, they
may lack the necessary skills to facilitate SEL in the group
process
(Elias, Bruene-Butler, Blum, & Schuyler, 1997). Counselors,
however,
have training in group dynamics and process and can utilize that
knowl-
edge to promote SEL as children work together to complete a
task.
The task group in a school is different from the typical one in
an
organization where each member takes responsibility and is
accounta-
ble for his or her own contribution to the overall effort
(Katzenbach &
Smith, 2003). Instead children in the schools can benefit from

the task
group that operates like a team. Although teams, like other task
groups, focus on results and develop individual products, teams
are
more interdependent and more collaborative (Brown, 2009:
Gladding
2008; Stanley, 2006). In the team model, there are shared
leadership
responsibilities and accountability for the team product; that is,
the
team members do ‘‘real work together’’ (Johnson & Johnson,
2009,
p. 527). All students in the schools can benefit from working
together
and developing the abilities necessary to function as part of a
team.
Because all students can profit from refining their social and
emotional skills, the task group in the school does not
necessarily
target students with difficulties. Use of this approach is
predicated on
the idea that a primary goal of counseling is to help all children
‘‘learn
to deal with life’’ (T. Gutkin, personal communication,
December 2,
2008). Task groups are indeed a part of life; they are
omnipresent in
American culture and part of everyday experience (Conyne,
Crowell,
& Newmeyer, 2008) in schools, churches, work places, and
community
settings. The skills learned can help children fulfill their roles
278 THE JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN GROUP WORK /
September 2009

successfully in family, school, friend, and work groups
(Goleman,
1995). Promoting SEL for all students aligns with the Executive
Summary of the American School Counselor Association
(ASCA,
2005), which directs school counselors to ‘‘identify and deliver
the
knowledge and skills all students should acquire’’ (p. 1).
Additionally,
SEL aligns with the public school’s mission to ‘‘assist in the
socializa-
tion of the young,’’ identified in a U. S. Supreme Court case
(i.e.,
Wisconsin V. Yoder) (Adelman & Taylor, 2003, p. 85).
Another noteworthy benefit of the task group in the classroom
is
that it allows students to learn skills in vivo. Although teaching
social
and emotional skills is important; providing children the
opportunity
for ‘‘real-world application’’ of those skills is critical (Elias,
2004).
During transactions to complete a task, interpersonal exchanges
hap-
pen naturally in the classroom, that is, authentic interaction
occurs.
As differences in ideas and issues related to completing the task
surface and accompanying affect emerges, counselors can
facilitate
the interchanges quickly (Barratt & Kerman, 2001). The
counselor is
at hand to help children manage their emotions, effectively

navigate
their interactions, and successfully negotiate their differences
for opti-
mal SEL. For students with behavioral concerns, who may not
be able
to transfer skills from the counseling group to the classroom
(Clark &
Breman, 2009), this real world experience may be essential to
their
social and emotional development.
Students at risk for difficulties may benefit in other ways by
culti-
vating social and emotional abilities in the classroom. In a
counseling
group for social skill development, targeted students may have
similar
difficulties and inadvertently learn inappropriate behaviors from
each
other. In the classroom setting, however, students with less
developed
social and emotional skills interact with students at higher skill
levels
and can learn informally from the modeling of other students.
Lopes
and Salovey (2004) identified informal learning, where students
learn
behaviors through ‘‘experience, modeling, and observing’’ as a
valuable way to promote SEL (p. 78).
The task group as proposed here may also serve to highlight the
usefulness of group work in learning. Social factors often
influence
learning, because effective learning frequently involves the
ability to
communicate, interact, and collaborate with co-learners as well

as tea-
chers, peers, and families (McCombs, 2004; Zins et al., 2007).
The task
group offers a fertile environment for students to develop
positive
social relationships as they develop their academic skills. As
children
learn to collaborate and function interdependently in the task
group, a
better fit or ‘‘improved ecological concordance’’ between
students and
their school environment emerges, which in turn can improve
student
success both in and out of schools (Conyne & Mazza, 2007).
Successful
use of the task group by the counselor may then motivate
teachers
to adopt the small group as part of the learning environment for
children.
IDENTIFYING A FOCUS FOR THE TASK GROUP
Although a significant goal in utilizing the task group is to
promote
social and emotional learning, it is critical for the counselor to
identify
a project that clearly incorporates an aspect of the school
mission. For
example, a project might focus on an academic goal of a
particular
classroom or grade level (e.g., meeting a specific curriculum

objective),
or a school or community goal (e.g., conducting a service
learning
activity).
The list of projects that could be implemented to address SEL in
a
task group is endless and any activity that requires student
collabora-
tion in a small group could work. As an example, the literature
circle, a
language arts activity designed to engage students in reflection
and
critical thinking about reading (Daniels, 2001), could provide
an excel-
lent opportunity for incorporating SEL; because it can be
adapted for
all age levels, already uses a small group format, and has been
applied
in both mathematics (Kridler & Moyer-Packenham, 2008) and
science
(Straits, 2007). In a typical model, the teacher assigns roles
(e.g., facil-
itator, illustrator) and has students work on their tasks
independently
before coming together for discussion. In the task group model,
how-
ever, the teacher extends the process by assigning a project. The
task
can be as simple as making a poster to represent the feelings of
differ-
ent characters in a story or as involved as creating a video to
explore
character identity development related to the events in the
reading.
The students then decide on what roles are necessary and how

they
need to work together to complete the task. Although schools
most
likely will already have designated readings within their
curriculum,
the counselor may want to suggest books from the Bibliotherapy
Edu-
cation Project
(http://library.unlv.edu/faculty/research/bibliotherapy/),
which offers an excellent list of books that focus on both
counseling
and education topics.
Counselors who have not been teachers may balk at the idea of
focusing a group on an academic task; however, the counselor
need
not be an expert in an academic area. The teacher provides the
aca-
demic expertise while the counselor promotes the social and
emotional
development. The logistics will require close collaboration
between the
counselor and the teacher to create a suitable arrangement.
After the
task has been identified, the counselor may circulate among
various
task groups or work with one group at a time while the teacher
works
September 2009
with the remaining students. In the task group, the counselor
can

serve as a co-learner while he or she weaves SEL skill
development
into the process and facilitates group interactions aimed at
successful
task completion.
Working in the classroom may represent a paradigm shift for
counselors. However, it is consistent with a new ‘‘inclusion’’
model of
school counseling suggested by Clark and Breman (2009). This
model
requires that all students receive counseling support through
innova-
tive interventions in classroom settings and requires counselors
to col-
laborate and consult closely with teachers. The task group
model
proposed here complements the Clark and Breman model,
because it
necessitates collaboration with teachers and other school
personnel
to identify a suitable project and involves implementation of the
task
group in the classroom.
The best way to identify an appropriate task is through
familiarity
with the school context. The school counselor who has been in
the
school will already have intimate knowledge of school culture,
but will
still need to spend time observing school activities and
soliciting input
from others. The counselor new to the school, on the other
hand, must
become well acquainted with the school environment by getting

to
know, first students and school personnel (e.g., teachers,
administra-
tors, teachers), and then parents and community members. What
are the educational goals that the teachers share? What is
necessary
to promote the achievement of the student body? For example,
if there
are a large number of students living in poverty, what projects
would
support their unique needs—in the classroom, the school, and
the
community? Immersion in the culture—both school and
surrounding
community—allows the counselor not only to identify projects
that
support the school mission but also to design tasks that are
sensitive
to values of the population served. Service learning projects
that
require collaborative efforts offer excellent opportunities for
addres-
sing community needs and, at the same time, enhancing
students’
social and emotional abilities. For example, small groups of
younger
students may decide on a gift appropriate for a local senior
center,
design the necessary steps to make their gifts, and finally,
create
the gifts. Older students may research community needs and
then
work together in small groups to design and carry out
community pro-
jects. Although there are a variety of websites that describe
school

service learning projects, one particularly comprehensive list
for both
elementary and secondary levels comes from Mesa Service
Learning
(http://www2.mpsaz.org/msl/about/).
The most important school personnel with whom to collaborate
are
teachers, because counselors will need their support to carve out
time
and space for the task group. Common complaints of teachers
are that
SEL activities take time away from an already overloaded
academic
schedule (Elias, Bruene-Butler, Blum, & Schuyler, 2000;
Mildener &
Keane, 2006). Careful selection of task group focus, however,
helps
sidestep the criticism that time spent on social and emotional
skill
development usurps valuable academic time. Rather, teachers
view
the task as supporting their efforts rather than auxiliary to their
academic goals. At the same time, working closely with
teachers in
the classroom may stimulate more positive attitudes toward SEL
activities and small group learning.
With a task identified, a counselor must not only assist children
in
completing the task, but also help them to understand the

importance
of the group process in task completion. Effective SEL in the
task
group requires that children learn cooperation, social skills, and
prosocial values (Johnson & Johnson, 2004).
FACILITATING THE TASK GROUP FOR OPTIMAL SEL
A counselor facilitating a task group with children for optimal
SEL
must perform a variety of functions. Unfortunately, in a recent
survey
of 802 school counselors, many participants reported a lack of
group
training aimed at working with children and adolescents in the
schools (Steen, Bauman, & Smith, 2008). Although the
following infor-
mation is not meant to substitute for group training, it does
provide an
overview of functions that school counselors should feel
comfortable
performing in order to facilitate a task group successfully for
SEL.
The primary functions involve fostering positive
interdependence
through team building and promoting interpersonal process by
setting
appropriate structure and bolstering skill development. The
literature
on process in children’s groups is scant (Leichtentritt &
Shechtman,
1998; Shechtman & Yanov, 2001); however, along with the
literature
on task groups with adults, it provides some direction for the
counselor
carrying out these functions.

Building a Team
Simply assigning a task and asking children to work together
does not assure that they will become a team (Prichard, Bizo, &
Stratford, 2006). Therefore it is the responsibility of the
counselor to
incorporate ways to build group cohesiveness. In an
investigation of
children’s groups, child participants identified group
cohesiveness—
encouragement, support, and acceptance from others—as the
most
important factor in their group experience (Shechtman & Gluk,
2005). Thus, it is important to help children build new
relationships
September 2009
or strengthen existing relationships around working on the task.
So,
although task completion is primary, failure to attend to
relationships
of students could result in negative outcomes for task
completion and
learning.
Students in a school may already have formed relationships;
how-
ever, counselors will need to develop activities focused on
building
interdependent relationships and identifying appropriate norms
of

behavior. Effective task groups devote time to learning about
one
another, to culture building, and to nurturing collaboration and
coop-
eration (Hulse-Killacky, Killacky, & Donigian, 2001). Because
team
building involves learning prosocial behavior, norms should
include
discussion of respect for others and promotion of other
members’
efforts. Clear expectations for task completion and group
behavior will
enhance student learning related to completing the task and
acquiring
interpersonal skill in doing so.
Establishing Appropriate Structure
To promote SEL through the interpersonal process of the group,
counselors must establish appropriate structure. Counselors can
do
so by attending to the developmental level of the children in the
group
(Rosenthal, 2005); younger children need more structure. For
all chil-
dren, counselors need to provide more structure early in the
group’s
development. Group facilitators optimize children’s experiences
in
groups when they provide a safe environment for children to try
out
behaviors (Mayerson, 2000) and the appropriate level of
structure
helps provide that safe space.
An ideal structure for a task group involves balancing content

and
process (Hulse-Killacky, Kraus, & Schumacher, 1999). The
content
component of a group refers to the information shared; in a task
group,
the counselor should make sure that all children clearly
understand
the purpose of the group and the goals related to the task.
Addition-
ally, the counselor should pay attention to the content that
children
share to get a sense of each child’s strengths and how he or she
can
contribute to task completion. Too much attention to content in
a task
group, however, may actually interfere with progress toward
complet-
ing the task (Hulse-Killacky et al., 1999). The process
component of a
task group deserves equal attention. Yalom (2002) defines
process as,
‘‘the nature of the relationship between the people in the
interaction’’
(p. 109). As it applies to the task group, process refers to the
relation-
ships between and among children and how those relationships
promote or inhibit task completion. By attending to the process,
coun-
selors can make sure that all children share their ideas,
experiences,
and thoughts and contribute to accomplishing the task.

In a successful group, the counselor does not attend to the
process
alone; he or she makes sure that participants also attend to that
pro-
cess. From the onset of the group, the counselor structures a
reflective
environment in which children evaluate the interactions and
dynamics of the group (Barratt & Kerman, 2001). The counselor
fre-
quently encourages children to examine their relationships to
identify
how well they are working together and how they can better
their
effectiveness (Johnson & Johnson, 2009).
Although structure is essential to group work with children,
facili-
tators can best promote children’s SEL by knowing when to
allow free-
dom within the structure. An important value of group work—
that it
reflects real life most accurately (Akos, 2000)—is lost if a
group is too
structured. A challenge is finding the balance between
permissiveness
and appropriate structure and limits. In an exploratory study of
dynamics in children’s therapy groups, Mayerson (2000) found
that
facilitators’ willingness to join the play process, when
appropriate,
contributed to positive outcomes. Applying this to the task
group, a
counselor must be flexible and fluid in stepping forward to take
the
leadership role and stepping back to let the children lead.
Johnson

and Johnson (2009) maintain that facilitators must decide when
to
direct the children’s group, be ‘‘a sage on the stage,’’ or to be
their
assistant, ‘‘a guide on the side’’ (p. 497). Children can lead
their own
group when they have developed the ability to reflect on their
indivi-
dual and group behaviors and the skills necessary for working
with
others.
Bolstering Skill Development
Important for the task group is development of skill in giving
feed-
back, making decisions together, and solving problems and
resolving
conflict. The ability to give constructive feedback sets the stage
for
the other skills. In a task group, timely feedback fosters team
develop-
ment; because it increases member motivation and provides data
to
help members work together effectively (Birmingham &
McCord,
2004). In a study of interpretative responses—confrontation,
interpre-
tation, and feedback—of preadolescents in groups, Shechtman
and
Yanov (2001) found that high quality feedback (i.e., direct and
honest
personal reaction) precipitated productive responses (i.e.,
exploration,
insight, or change) while high quality interpretation (supportive
explanation of one’s behavior, feelings, or thoughts) or

confrontation
(highlighting incongruencies) precipitated unproductive
responses
(e.g., resistance, agreement). The authors concluded that
minimizing
confrontation and maximizing high-quality feedback was most
helpful
in group work with children.
September 2009
The challenge in the task group lies in helping children learn to
give
constructive feedback (i.e., direct and honest personal reaction)
that
supports task completion. This begins with counselor modeling;
simply
by listening, paraphrasing, asking open questions, that is, using
basic
counseling skills, counselors provide a positive example for
children
and promote SEL. In using these skills, it is important that
counselors
attend to the age of the children in the group to adapt those
skills
appropriately (see Van Velsor, 2004). If children learn these
skills,
they help to create a safe environment and set the stage for
giving con-
structive feedback to each other related to task completion.
Drawing
from several task group models, Hulse-Killacky et al. (1999)
suggest

that members create guidelines for giving and receiving
feedback,
reflect on behaviors and interactions that support or inhibit the
group
work, and give clear feedback (i.e., using ‘‘I’’ statements,
speaking
directly to others). Initially the counselor will model and direct
appro-
priate communications, but children should eventually learn to
provide their own feedback. According to Sonstegard and Bitter
(1998), accurate feedback from children may facilitate the
group pro-
cess better than feedback from counselors.
Along with communication skills, children need to develop the
abilities necessary for decision making in task groups. Because
good
decision making depends on effective processing of emotions
(Bechara,
Damasio, & Bar-On, 2007), an important step is helping
children
to develop skill in monitoring emotions that arise when
differences
occur. In the task group, counselors can guide children in
regulating
their emotional reactions and applying self-control in
interpersonal
communication. Regulating emotion and gaining control gives
chil-
dren access to the clear thinking needed for problem solving
(Elias,
2004). Johnson and Johnson (1995) identified a helpful process
for
problem-solving negotiation, in which children (a) describe
what they
want and feel along with the rationale for those, (b) listen and

commu-
nicate understanding of other children’s perspectives, (c)
formulate
three optional plans, and (d) select a plan from those options.
This
model provides the opportunity for children to practice
perspective-
taking, which is foundational to the development of empathy
(Shapiro,
1997).
When problem solving among children breaks down and conflict
arises, the counselor will need to serve as mediator allowing
time for
cooling off as necessary, ensuring commitment to mediation,
and guid-
ing children through the problem-solving process (Johnson &
Johnson,
1995). Formalizing the agreement (e.g., with a handshake) is
part of
both problem solving and conflict resolution procedures.
Once counselors have provided strategies for decision making,
problem-solving, and conflict resolution, they must decide when
to
let children direct the process and when they need to intercede.
Some
group facilitators may tend to intervene quickly in any disputes,
conflict, or disagreement among children (Rosenthal, 2005)
denying
them the experience of solving issues on their own, and in turn

inhibit-
ing their SEL from the process. On the other hand, an
environment
that encourages creative and collaborative decision making,
problem
solving, and conflict resolution by children promotes their
optimal
social and emotional development.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Designing a task group for the classroom will require
considerable
collaborative planning to identify what works with which
students
based on academic learning objectives as well as student
developmen-
tal level and culture. The counselor, in collaboration with the
teacher,
must decide how much advance psychoeducation the students
will
need related to decision making, problem solving, and conflict.
It is
always best to discuss conflict resolution procedures before a
heated
emotional situation arises.
Implementation would typically begin with a teacher describing
an
academic assignment. Using the literature circle example, the
teacher
asks students to rank a list of stories or books based on their
interests.
The teacher divides students into small groups determined by
their
choices and, after students have read the literature, they discuss

their
reactions to and understandings of the reading. Next, the teacher
assigns a task for the group focused on student discussion. The
scope
of the task (e.g., a map of the events of the story, a presentation
on the
themes in the book) will depend on the age of the students and
the
teacher’s learning objectives. This assigned task could take
place
during one class period or over the course of several weeks.
As students begin work on the task in their small groups, the
coun-
selor’s expertise is tapped. If students are new to teamwork, the
coun-
selor conducts team building exercises and explains how
students
must attend to the process as they complete their task. Schmuck
and Schmuck (2001) provide some simple process observation
sheets
for younger students, which could be adapted in various ways
for
many ages. These questionnaires ask students to identify
specific
instances of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors evident in the
group
and promote student analysis of their own experiences and
actions
(SEL self-awareness competency) and those of others (SEL
social
awareness competency). The observation sheets serve as stimuli
for
discussion on group process as students work on their project,
and,
in turn, the discussion serves as a learning ground for students

as
September 2009
counselors help them give constructive feedback to each other
(SEL
relationship skill competency).
Eventually, disagreements will arise in some groups over
procedures, goals, and relationships (Schmuck & Schmuck,
2001),
and such controversies offer, perhaps, the most valuable
opportunities
for SEL. When students are involved in a passionate discussion
that
appears to have the potential for escalation, the counselor must
decide
when, and if, to step in and what intervention might facilitate
optimal
SEL. Early in a disagreement, the counselor may ask students to
listen to each other and then verbalize the opposing perspective,
promoting student empathy and sensitivity to others (SEL social
awareness competency). If emotions are already heightened, the
coun-
selor may direct the students to self-monitor and share their
feelings
related to the interaction before tackling a problem solving
procedure.
This helps students to accurately assess their feelings (SEL self-
awareness competency) and to regulate their emotions (SEL
self-
management competency). As students become more skilled in
decision making and problem solving, the counselor may need

only
to refer students to the steps of these processes.
There, of course, will be times when conflict arises and students
need a cooling off period. In facilitating student cool down, the
counse-
lor must use a course of action that works harmoniously with
the tea-
cher’s approach to de-escalation. When students have regained
their
self-control sufficiently, the counselor secures the commitment
of all
group members to the negotiation process, leads students
through pro-
blem solving steps, and helps students formalize their
agreement
(Johnson & Johnson, 1995). Students in the group can practice a
wealth of SEL competencies, and the counselor is on-hand to
facilitate
the learning process. At the same time, the counselor can serve
as a
model and consultant to the teacher, who may want to use small
groups for cooperative learning at times when the counselor is
not pre-
sent. The overall goal is to encourage teachers to reinforce
student use
of SEL skills and attitudes throughout the day as well as in and
out of
the classroom.
CONCLUSION
Counselors in the schools are already aware of the connection
between social and emotional learning and positive outcomes in
school
and life. Individuals need social and emotional skills for

achieving
academic and workplace success and becoming informed and
responsi-
ble community members (Elias, Arnold, & Hussey, 2003).
Counselors’
efforts to promote social and emotional learning (SEL) for all
students,
however, are often thwarted by the view of other school
personnel that
SEL intrudes on the academic mission of the school. The task
group
proposed unites educational aims with SEL objectives. It
transcends
the psychoeducational group approach, which tends to focus on
cogni-
tive behavioral strategies and problem solving, and the
counseling
group approach, which tends to focus on affect; the task group
offers
an integrative approach. The counselor facilitates completion of
an
educational task, and, at the same time, facilitates social and
emo-
tional skill development in the task completion process. This
task
group model has benefits for all students and allows students to
learn
social and emotional skills from each other and practice them in
vivo.
A challenging aspect of the task group model is the need for

counse-
lors to identify and design a task through collaboration with
stake-
holders. Teachers’ input in this process is crucial because of
their
knowledge and needed cooperation. However, as counselors
become
more practiced in the task group, input by other stakeholders
(e.g.,
parents, community members) provides an opportunity to
strengthen
school-community connections to enhance the social and
emotional
development of children beyond the school.
Once a counselor has identified a task, he or she can best
promote
task completion and enhance student SEL through team
building,
appropriate structure, and skill development. Students can learn
the
skills of giving feedback, offering empathy, making decisions,
and
solving problems along with managing emotions and negotiating
conflict—skills necessary throughout life for working together
coop-
eratively and collaboratively to complete a task.
Use of the task group by counselors in the schools, however,
requires somewhat of a paradigm shift. Counselors typically
focus on
a small percentage of students with difficulties or at risk for
difficul-
ties, and offer group counseling to these students on a pull out
basis
(i.e., taking students out of class) (Clark & Breman, 2009). The

task
group is not meant to preclude the counseling group; there will
always
be a need for groups focused on topics such as divorce and
grief.
However, the task group in the classroom has potential for use
with all students, rather than only a small percentage of them;
for
promoting the use of the small group in learning; and, perhaps,
for
repositioning the counselor in a role more central to the
school’s
educational mission.
Moving from working with a small percentage of students to
work-
ing with the broader student body will prove challenging.
However,
counselors can expand their sphere of influence in promoting
SEL
by training teachers in group process strategies for use in
classroom
groups. Some teachers are already schooled in cooperative
learning
and may need only minimal training in group process. Other
teachers
September 2009
may need more extensive training to first understand the value
of
group work in education and then to learn how to effectively
facilitate

children’s group process in the classroom. Counselors may
begin this
process by first working with teachers who are already using
groups
and cooperative learning. Then, by making their efforts known
throughout the school, they can engage other teachers who may
be
skeptical of the importance of group work and SEL in
education.
Counseling in schools is often relegated to the status of an
ancillary
service (ASCA, 2003) and SEL is sometimes viewed as
intruding on
the current responsibility of schools for student performance on
test-
ing and standards (Mildener & Keane, 2006). Small groups in
the
classroom, and task groups in particular, have great potential
for
enhancing the learning environment in schools. Counselors with
training in group process are in an excellent position to promote
task
group work specifically, and small group work in general, as an
inte-
gral part of the school educational mission. The goal for
counselors
is to enhance student social and emotional development by
weaving
SEL and small group work into the fabric of the school. The
ultimate
goal is to provide students with the social and emotional skills
neces-
sary for success during their school years and beyond.
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September 2009
Discussion Forum
In team development, some team members prefer to take
initiative while others prefer to be told what to do.
· Identify benefits and drawbacks of each preference (consider
Cogs Ladder).
· Explain how these benefits and drawbacks may affect a team
members role within the team.
· As a team leader, how important would it be for you to
recognize these differences among team member preferences
and what could you do to help propel the team through higher
stages in team development?
Please make your initial post and two response posts
substantive. A substantive post will do at least TWO of the
following:
· Ask an interesting, thoughtful question pertaining to the topic.
· Answer a question (in detail) posted by another student or the
instructor.
· Provide extensive additional information on the topic.
· Explain, define, or analyze the topic in detail.
· Share an applicable personal experience.
· Provide an outside source (for example, a website) that applies

to the topic, along with additional information about the topic
or the source (please cite properly in APA).
· Make an argument concerning the topic.
Require:
One page with 2 references.
Hi tutor – Can you also include 2 questions for me to ask other
students about above same topic writing?
Thanks.
Barb.
TRAINING
When Leaders Are Challenged: Dealing
With Involuntary Members in Groups
Christine J. Schimmel
Ed E. Jacobs
West Virginia University
Leading groups can be challenging and difficult. Leading
groups in which
members are involuntary and negative increases the level of
difficulty and creates
new dynamics in the group leading process. This article
proposes specific skills
and strategies for dealing with three specific issues related to
involuntary members

in groups: groups where all members are involuntary; groups
where some members
are involuntary; and groups with open membership where
involuntary mem-
bers join groups that are already in progress. The emphasis is on
leaders using
creative and multi-sensory interventions to insure that members
are actively
engaged in the group process.
Keywords: group leading; involuntary; negative members
According to both Association for Specialists in Group Work
(ASGW) Best Practice Guidelines (2007) and the American
Counseling
Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics (2005), ‘‘Group leaders
screen pro-
spective group members if appropriate to the type of group
being
offered,’’ and ‘‘identify group members whose needs and goals
are com-
patible with the goals of the group’’ (p. 4). At times however
many
counselors find themselves leading very difficult groups that
involve
involuntary members—members who, as opposed to being
simply
recommended for a group and can choose whether or not to join
a
group, are mandated or assigned group membership. These types
of
groups are difficult primarily because the motivation of the
members
can be extremely low (Greenberg, 2003). Over the years when
Manuscript submitted July 14, 2010; final revision accepted

January 8, 2011.
Christine J. Schimmel, Ed.D., is an assistant professor, and Ed
E. Jacobs, Ph.D., an
associate professor in the Department of Counseling,
Rehabilitation Counseling, and
Counseling Psychology at West Virginia University.
Correspondence concerning this
article should be addressed to Christine J. Schimmel,
Department of Counseling,
Rehabilitation Counseling, and Counseling Psychology, West
Virginia University,
P.O. Box 6122, Morgantown, WV 26506. E-mail:
[email protected]
THE JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN GROUP WORK, Vol.
36 No. 2, June 2011, 144–158
DOI: 10.1080/01933922.2011.562345
# 2011 ASGW
144
conducting group training for agencies, school, and correctional
facili-
ties, many participants have expressed that leading involuntary
groups is their most difficult challenge. Involuntary groups
often
include mandated clients or clients who are required to attend
treat-
ment by a department of corrections or a judicial system and
include
DUI (driving under the influence) or long-term in-patient
groups such
as drug and alcohol treatment centers. Involuntary situations

also
include short-term in-patient groups where members have had
psy-
chotic breaks or tried to commit suicide, adolescent residential
treat-
ment centers, and school groups where students are in trouble
for
their behavior, truancy, or academic issues (DeLucia-Waack,
Gerrity,
Kalodner, & Riva, 2004; Greenberg, 2003). Anger management
groups, groups for batterers, and court mandated parenting
groups
usually are involuntary as well. In each of these groups, many if
not
all of the members are involuntary and this creates challenges
for
any group leader. Although Corey (2008) recommends only
accepting
involuntary group members for a limited amount of time,
involuntary
groups often permit open membership where members are
continu-
ously joining and leaving the group. This creates additional
difficult
dynamics with which the group leader must contend. It should
be
noted that leaders of involuntary groups should not always
assume
that group members are unmotivated or that they cannot benefit
from
a group counseling experience (Corey, 2008). When group
leaders
develop creative, active leadership techniques like those
outlined in
this article, involuntary groups can offer much needed help and
sup-

port for their members. (Fomme & Corbin, 2004; Morgan &
Flora,
2002).
Leaders of involuntary groups need to be dynamic, energetic,
and
engaging (Corey, 2008). They must be patient, flexible, and
thick
skinned; that is, they need to be prepared for negative reactions,
and not take them personally. According to Corey, Corey, and
Corey
(2008), leaders of involuntary groups must be perceptive
enough to
face the challenges that these groups present openly and be
open to
the idea that involuntary does not mean unmotivated.
Additionally,
leaders need to be prepared to cut off members when they are
being
negative or when they get off track. Finally, the leader of a
group con-
sisting of involuntary members needs to have numerous
techniques for
drawing out those members because involuntary members are
fre-
quently committed to not participating in protest to being
required
to be in the group (Jacobs, Masson, Harvill, & Schimmel, 2012;
Schimmel, Jacobs, & Adams, 2008). Corey (2008) states, ‘‘One
effective
way to create a therapeutic climate for participants in
involuntary
groups is for the leader to explain to members some specific
ways in
which the group process can be of personal value to them’’ (p.
427).

Schimmel and Jacobs/INVOLUNTARY MEMBERS IN
GROUPS 145
This article covers three kinds of situations where the leader has
to
deal with involuntary members: first, all members not wanting
to be in
the group; next, one or more members not wanting to be in the
group;
and lastly the open membership group where a new, negative
member
joins a group already in progress (Schimmel, Jacobs, & Adams,
2008).
Finally, while reviewing and processing the following exercises
and
ideas, group leaders should note that according to counselor
ethics
(ACA, 2005), group members must provide informed consent to
treat-
ment and thus must be made aware of their rights and
responsibilities
as group members (Erford, 2011).
Strategies and Skills for Dealing With Completely
Involuntary Groups
ASGW’s Best Practice Guidelines (2007) require that group
leaders
appropriately assess both their knowledge and skills as they
relate to
their ability to lead groups. According to Greenberg (2003),
among the
skills necessary to lead involuntary groups are the leader’s

willingness
to be more active and to be prepared to ‘‘exert greater control’’
of the
group (p. 39). In groups where the entire group does not want to
be
there, the leader must recognize that he or she has two
purposes:
(1) to try to cover the subject, such as anger, drinking and
driving,
new parenting skills, performing better in school; and (2) to try
to
get the members to become voluntary; that is, to get the
members to
invest in the group experience instead of resisting learning from
the
experience (Corey, 2008; Kottler, 2001). It is important for the
leader
to keep in mind that she cannot accomplish much if the
members have
a negative or bad attitude so the primary purpose of the first and
second session is to ‘‘hook’’ them. When a leader attempts to
‘‘hook’’
group members, she is actively working to get them interested
in what
is being said; engaging them, and convincing them that there is
some
value to the group and what is being shared. If the leader is
successful,
a group that began with involuntary members, then transforms
into
one in which members enjoy and look forward to participating.
The
examples that follow require a willingness to lead and be active.
Do the Unexpected

One of the best things that a leader can do with an involuntary
group is to do something out of the ordinary. For example, in a
manda-
tory group for teenagers who were caught using drugs at school,
one
leader started with:
Leader: I know you don’t want to be here so we’re going to use
the
first 10 minutes to bitch. (The leader used the term ‘‘bitch’’
June 2011
intentionally, believing that this may help with rapport since it
was obvious that none of these teenagers were at all interested
in being in the group. We do not ordinarily suggest the use of
bad language but in this case her use of certain words helped
her build some rapport with these involuntary members.) I
want you to get all your trash talking done with and put it in
this trash can (puts a large trash can in the center of the
group). You have 10 minutes and then we’re going to get down
to business. All of you can talk at once and say all the negative
things you are feeling about having to be here.
After 10 minutes, she dramatically put a lid on the trash can,
removed
the can, and firmly said,
Leader: Let’s begin. I’m going to tell you how this group can be
valu-
able. I want you to fill out this short sentence-completion form.
Starting with negative energy is generally a mistake. According

to
Erford (2011), it is usually best to limit the amount of time
devoted
to complaints. The uniqueness of this technique did much to
reduce
the negative feelings about being in the group. In this example
the
leader puts herself in control by using the garbage can and
solicit-
ing the negative thoughts which she brought to an immediate
end
by putting a lid on the garbage can and then turning to the
positive
ways the group could be helpful. She showed that she was in
charge.
When the leader knows a negative energy is present, she can
dissi-
pate that energy by using a technique like the one described in
the
example. In doing this, she wants to insure that she introduces
the
exercise in a way that does not set the tone for the group, but
rather
as an opening technique where she demonstrates a strong
leadership
approach. This is a way to dissipate some of the negative
energy. This
technique works only if the leader is a person who presents a
very
confident, take-charge leadership style. Inexperienced, less
confident
leaders may be inviting disaster by using such a technique
because
they would not be able to reverse the negative flow.

An additional unexpected strategy is to do something dramatic
such
as have someone dressed like a policeman come into the room
right
before the beginning of the group and fake an arrest or some
other dra-
matic scene. This can be a good technique if the unique strategy
is
related to the purpose and stimulates members to talk about the
desired topic (i.e., avoiding arrest, staying out trouble with the
law,
avoiding another DUI).
Using bold, vivid movie or television scenes is another way to
start
an involuntary group. If the clip is a good one, members tend to
forget
GROUPS 147
that they have all these negative feelings about being in the
group.
The key is to find something that is engaging and relevant to the
purpose of the group.
Use Written Exercises
One of the best ways to engage involuntary members is to give
them a brief writing task, such as to make a list or to complete
some
incomplete sentences. Members will usually make a list or
finish
some sentences if the list or sentences are interesting. When

mem-
bers are asked to read what they wrote, most will pay attention
because they are curious to hear what others said, and if other
mem-
bers had similar answers to their answers. Oftentimes, negative
members are reluctant to share when asked to simply answer
ques-
tions out loud; however, they may feel more comfortable
reading from
what they wrote and will therefore feel more comfortable
sharing.
Listed below are some potential sentences for use in involuntary
groups:
1. In order to stay out of trouble, I need to
__________________.
2. One thing I would like to know about others in this group is
______________.
3. Given that I have to be here, one thing I would like to hear
about is
______.
4. When I get angry, I ________.
5. When I drink, I ______________.
6. The toughest part of being a parent is _________________.
7. One reason I want to drop out of school is _______________.
8. One thing I worry about the leader of this group doing is
__________.
9. One thing I like about myself is ___________________.
10. One thing I don’t like about myself is
____________________.
11. One thing I would like to change is
_______________________.

It should be noted that these are examples of sentences that
could
be used in various involuntary groups. Leaders should only use
two
or three of these in any one session and the sentence stems
chosen
should be related to either the purpose of the group or the
members’
feelings about the group.
Using lists also can be effective. For example, having members
list
five things that they believe make them angry or list three
things they
like and three things they do not like about school can assist in
engag-
ing the involuntary member. With any writing activity, the
leader clo-
sely monitors the members to see that they are writing or
completing
the sentences. Additionally, it should be noted that leaders take
into
account that not all members may be able to read and write.
Leaders
can avoid the pitfalls of this by doing two things: first, read all
of the
June 2011
sentences out loud so that all members hear what the sentences
are
and secondly, assure the members that you are not going to
collect

their written answers.
Use Creative Props
One of the best ways to engage involuntary members is to use a
creative prop (Beaulieu, 2006; Gladding, 2005; Jacobs, 1992;
Ver-
non, 2010). Creative ‘‘prop’’ refers to any multi-sensory tool,
typi-
cally some easy to find or easy to make visual aide. Highlighted
below are some creative props that work well with involuntary
members and, when used appropriately, make the group more
interesting and engaging, therefore diffusing the negativity and
hostility.
Fuses. For involuntary groups where anger management is the
focus, the leader can introduce to the members the idea of
lengthening
their ‘‘anger’’ fuse so that it takes more to get angry. To do
this, the
leader would show the group some string of different lengths
and
ask the members to think of the string as their anger fuse (most
would
have a short fuse). The leader would lay on the floor many
different
lengths of thick string (e.g., 12 inch to 12 inches). The leader
then asks
the members to pick the string that represents the length of their
anger fuse and ask the members to comment regarding their
anger fuse. The simple act of having members identify how long
their fuse is usually gets them talking about the role anger plays
in their lives. The leader would then pick a very long fuse and
talk about the purpose of the group being to help the members
to lengthen their fuse. Using the members’ comments regarding
anger, the leader could teach cognitive behavioral techniques

for
lengthening one’s fuse. The leader would be listening for the
‘‘shoulds’’ that the members have that lead to a short fuse.
Usually, most members will relate to having a short fuse and the
need to lengthen their fuse. (Beaulieu, 2006; Jacobs, 1992;
Jacobs
et al., 2012).
Beer Bottle
For involuntary groups where alcohol use is the primary topic,
using a large (2 foot tall plastic bottle) beer bottle gets
members’ atten-
tion and the leader can show many ways where alcohol is a big
problem. Members can relate the size of the bottle to the size of
their
drinking problem. One way to get members attention regarding
their
denial that their drinking is a problem is the leader can place
the large
GROUPS 149
bottle in the center of the group along side a small empty beer
bottle to
show the relevant size of the members’ drinking problems.
Members
can see the difference and some usually begin to comment. If
the
members do not comment, the leader can use the difference in
size
of the two bottles to comment on how many with drinking
problems

think it is small when their love ones, employers, and friends
see it
as big. The large beer bottle helps with the discussion of denial
which
is such an important concept with those who have serious
drinking
problems.
The larger beer bottle can be used in groups to show the damage
to
relationships that excessive drinking can cause. The leader can
get
two members to stand and have one member represent the
spouse or
family member of the other and then place the large bottle
between
them and then ask them to hug. It quickly becomes obvious that
the
bottle is in the way and they cannot get close due to the bottle.
This
visual image generates much discussion about the effects that
drink-
ing has on relationships not only from the two members with the
bottle
between them but from many of the other members. (Jacobs et
al.,
2012; Jacobs & Smith, 1997).
Rubber Band
Trust is a common issue in groups where the members don’t
want
to be there. Using a large rubber band (a rubber band that has
the
potential to be stretched to over a foot in length) to get at the
trust

issues can be effective (Beaulieu, 2006; Jacobs, 1992; Jacobs et
al.,
2012). The leader asks one member to hold the opposite end of
a
rubber band and then pulls on it to lengthen it. Then the leader
says:
Leader: In a minute, I am going to let go, but I am not going to
hurt you.
(The leader then counts to three and gently releases the rubber
band by slowly closing the distance between the member and
himself) Did I do what I said I was going to do?
Member (nodding): Yes, but I thought you were going to pop
me with
that!
Leader: Right. I think all of you thought I was going to pop her
with the
rubber band. I know other folks have popped you in your lives,
but I am not going to pop you. I will do what I say I am going
to do.
Leaders should be prepared to be popped by the member. If this
occurs, the leader can simply say ‘‘That is OK. I am trained to
take
your pops, but I will never pop you. That is not my job; my job
is to
be helpful to you and all the group members.’’
June 2011
Use Rounds

Rounds are exercises where you ask each member to say some-
thing such as a word or phrase or a number on a 1–10 scale
(Jacobs et al., 2012). The value of rounds with involuntary
members
is that most members are willing to offer a word or a number
even though they are not willing to say much more than that.
Most
members will say something, and from this, the leader gains a
better
sense as to whether certain members will begin to become more
engaged in sharing. For example, when conducting a group for
students who are at risk of failing, the leader may say
something
like:
Leader: In a word or phrase, when you think of school, what
comes to
mind?
In a DUI group, the leader may say something like:
Leader: I want each of you to say how you see yourself in
regards to
alcohol by saying one of the following: ‘‘I have a serious prob-
lem with alcohol,’’ ‘‘I may have a problem,’’ or ‘‘I don’t have a
problem.’’
Another round that could be used in a DUI group is:
Leader: On a scale from 1–10, where 10 is ‘‘my drinking causes
me lots
of problems’’ and 1 is ‘‘my drinking causes me no problems at
all,’’ what number would you give yourself?
Use Movement Exercises

Since one major problem with involuntary members is getting
them engaged, the use of movement exercises can be very
helpful
in accomplishing this task. Movement exercises refer to any
activity
where the members have to be up, out of their seats moving
around
(Jacobs et al., 2012). It could mean moving along a continuum
such as:
not angry at all——————————very angry
math is easy————————————math is very hard.
The leader would have members stand in the center of the room
lined up behind each other and then on the count of three,
members
move either right or left depending on how they felt about the
issue being presented. Another movement activity involves
having
the members stand and show how they feel about the group
GROUPS 151
using their arms and positioning themselves like a sculpture.
For
example:
Leader: I want you all to stand in a circle and in a minute I’m
going to
ask you to sculpt how you feel about being in the group. That is
if you hate the group and feel closed off, you could turn away
from the circle with your arms folded (leader demonstrates

this); if you have some interest, you may put one foot forward
and stand sort of open; if you don’t like it, you can put your
hands over your ears. Sculpt how you feel. Do you understand
what I mean? (All nod) Okay, on the count of three, sculpt how
you feel.
Another movement exercise that could be conducted in a second
or
third session of an involuntary group involves having members
face
an imaginary line that represents their getting something
meaningful
out of participating in the group. Then, the leader asks members
to
physically move towards the line to represent how far they feel
they
are from that goal. For example:
Leader: I want you all to stand and face this imaginary line
(leader pre-
tends to draw a line in the middle of the room or actually draws
a line on the floor–the members are all lined up, side-by-side,
about 10–15 feet from the line). This line represents you reach-
ing the goal of getting something meaningful out of this group.
On three, I want each of you to move either towards or away
from the goal showing me where you think you are in terms
of getting something good out of this group. Again, the line
represents ‘‘getting something meaningful out of the group.’’
One, two, three. (Some members move and some stay station-
ary) Now let’s talk about how all of us can make some move-
ment towards that line.
These are just three examples of movement exercises. Many
more move-
ment exercises exist and leaders should feel encouraged to
create their

own. Movement activities have a better chance of engaging
involuntary
members than almost any other kind of exercise (Jacobs et al.,
2012).
Strategies and Skills for Dealing With a Few
Involuntary Members
There are many settings where members are required to attend
group counseling. Settings such as treatment centers and crisis
care
centers often have some group members who are involuntary.
When
leading groups with these difficult dynamics, it is important for
the
leader to pay close attention to each person’s level of interest or
investment in the group process. If the leader fails to recognize
the
varying levels of involvement, he may focus much of the
group’s energy
June 2011
on trying to get that one or two members invested. Leaders
often make
the mistake of focusing on the negative, involuntary members
when
these members are not ready or wanting to share. This causes
the
involuntary members to have more hostility about having to be
in
the group (Erford, 2011). A skilled leader focuses on those
members

wanting to gain from the experience, while at the same time
assessing
if the involuntary members seem ready to engage in the group.
Assess Member Readiness
Listed below are three means of assessing whether or not
members
are ready to work.
Pay attention to speech pattern, voice, and body language.
Skilled
leaders can usually read a member’s attitude towards the group
by read-
ing their non-verbal cues as well as by listening to their speech
pattern
and their voice. Negative members tend to look all around the
room, roll
their eyes, sit with arms crossed and generally look
disinterested. If
negative members say anything at all, their voice and speech is
usually
abrupt, argumentative, or even hostile. If the leader does not
pay atten-
tion to members for non-verbal gestures and voice and speech
patterns,
she may call on or focus on members who have negative energy
which in
turn negatively affects the group process. By paying careful
attention to
speech patterns and body language, the leader can focus on
those who
seem to have positive energy for the group.
Use dyads. Another technique that can be used to assess
members

level of willingness to participate is for the leader to put
themselves
into dyads with the negative member to talk about how the
member
is feeling about the group (this is while other members are
paired
together to discuss some relevant group topic). The leader asks
the
negative member(s) how they are feeling about the group and
how
they would like to participate if at all. By using dyads, the
leader
can talk with, encourage, and possibly confront the member(s)
some-
what privately. This way the group does not experience the
hostile
and negative reactions that can pollute the otherwise positive
energy.
Use inner circle, outer circle. As the group develops and the
leader
feels that most of the members are interested in talking, one
technique
that can be utilized is to have an inner circle and an outer circle.
Having hostile, involuntary members sit outside the group may
be of
benefit to both them and the larger group. The outside members
are
permitted to sit, read, or draw; however, at any time they can
request
to be part of the group if it is agreed that their participation will
not
be negative. The leader can say something like ‘‘For those of
you

GROUPS 153
wanting to work and get something out of group today, scoot
your
chairs to the middle and those of you who don’t can sit quietly
out of
the circle.’’ This serves a couple of purposes; mainly, members
who
want to gain from the group have the opportunity to do so, and
resistant
members don’t have a chance to disrupt the flow of the group.
Many
times when this technique is employed, members on the outside
circle
pay attention and may even ask to speak and join the group.
Even if
they don’t join, resistant members usually pay attention and
possibly
gain something of value.
Invite Positive Members to Question Negative Members
The leader can conduct an exercise that invites positive
members to ask questions of the negative members to assess if
they
are willing to work. This strategy removes the leader from
putting
resistant members on the spot. These questions may include
some-
thing like:
Leader: Is there anything you (to positive members) would like
to ask
Josie (negative member) about her ________________________

(drinking, relationship, job, etc)?
Leader: (to all positive members) I want to get some of you to
ask
Jeremy what we could do to get him more involved in the
group. Shelly (a positive member), let me start with you.
Conduct Feedback Exercises
There are a number of feedback exercises that may get the
involun-
tary member(s) interested or more involved. One simple
exercise
involves having members answer questions like ‘‘Who do you
trust
most in the group?’’ and ‘‘Who do you trust least?’’ or ‘‘Who
do you feel
most comfortable with?’’ and ‘‘Who do you feel least
comfortable with?’’
By having members do this, the involuntary member is involved
unless she leaves the room. She may not say anything but she
will
be listening to whether her name is called. The leader can then
ask
her how she feels about what was said.
Another feedback activity that may work is to have everyone
write a
word or a phrase on 3 � 5 cards for each member of the group
and then
give each member their feedback cards to read. Most of the
time, the
resistant member will read them and sometimes may react.
Caution
should be used with this technique in that the leader should only
do

this when she thinks there may be a chance that the member will
open
up or will react in a way that may start the process of him
becoming
involved in the group.
June 2011
In the example below, the leader attempts to give the negative
member(s) feedback by eliciting comments from the members
who
are more engaged:
Leader: (Knowing that four or five of the eight members are
now
actively engaging in the group and ready to work) Those of
you who are now more interested in getting something good
from our group (leader gestures towards the four or five mem-
bers who are engaged) do this for me. Talk to me about how
you are feeling about members who are not engaging or parti-
cipating in our group. What is your wish for them? How does
their sitting quietly and being negative affect you? What
would you like for them to do?
Finally, it should be noted that it is important to understand that
not
all people benefit from groups, especially those who are
mandated to
attend. Skilled leaders who make sure their groups are engaging
and relevant can frequently get members interested in a
mandatory
group, but there will be times when a mandated member refuses
to

buy into the group process and can potentially ruin the
experience
for the other members. Ideally the leader has the option to ask
nega-
tive members to leave the group, or screen them out of the
group, but,
many times, agency policy dictates that these members must
attend
the group. Leaders who do have authority to screen out
members
should do this privately, not during a group session, and with
com-
passion and empathy towards the member.
Working With Groups Where Involuntary Members Are
Joining an Existing Group
Many of the ideas presented in this article can be used in
situations
where the group is an open group and new, involuntary
members are
joining an established, ongoing group. The key to working with
groups
where open membership is the policy and new members are
frequently
involuntary and negative is to not cater the group to the new,
negative
member. Skilled leaders do not focus the energy of the group,
especially a group where the energy is good, on the new,
negative
member. Leaders also should avoid letting the new, negative
member
take over, sabotaging the group experience for all members.
Leaders
are encouraged to meet with new members prior to or following
their

first group session to gage their level of commitment and
attempt to
establish a positive attitude toward the group (Day, 2007).
With regards to introducing a new member into the group, it is
recommended that the leader get the existing members to briefly
introduce themselves, say something they are getting from the
group,
GROUPS 155
and let the new member say a little about herself. The leader
should
lead the group with a focus on the existing members and not
focus
the energy on the new, negative member. A common mistake
that
many leaders make is to ‘‘give the floor’’ to the new member
without
assessing whether or not the member is going to be positive.
Common Mistakes
Leaders faced with involuntary members frequently make a
num-
ber of mistakes in the beginning that make leading the group
much
more difficult than it should be. Screening group members and
plan-
ning group sessions are two areas that group leaders mistakenly
neglect prior to leading involuntary groups (ASGW, 2007;
Corey,
2008; Jacobs et al., 2012). Listed below are additional common

mistakes that leaders make with involuntary groups.
Allow negative tone to be established. Many leaders make the
mistake of letting members express their negative feelings in
the
beginning in such a way that a negative tone is set (Jacobs et
al.,
2012). Earlier in this article we gave the example of the leader
starting
with letting the members express their negativity by putting a
garbage
can in the center of the group. In that example, although
members
started negative, the leader had a definite plan for ending the
nega-
tivity by putting a lid on the garbage can. In other words, she
was in
charge the whole time. What we are referring to here is when
one mem-
ber says something negative and the others join in and the
leader does
nothing to stop the flow of negativity. Very quickly the group
can turn
into a gripe session. Often leaders make the mistake of asking
members
at the beginning what they expect or want and that opens the
flood
gates for all kinds of negative comments. The key is to try to set
a posi-
tive tone by using some of the ideas and techniques described in
this
article. It is especially important to make sure that members are
not
allowed to begin in such a way that a negative tone is
established.

Rely on members. Leaders who rely heavily on the members to
make something meaningful occur create a group that most
likely will
be unfocused, have argumentative members, and is
unproductive. In
an involuntary group, the leader should not put responsibility
for
the group in the hands of the members. To avoid this, the leader
should plan the sessions and be very active because members in
an
involuntary group will usually not have much positive to say
during
the first couple of sessions (Jacobs & Schimmel, 2008).
Not making the group interesting. The main purpose of any
invol-
untary group is to get some, if not all, members less resistant
and
June 2011
somewhat open to the idea that the group could be helpful. In
other
words, there should be a strong emphasis on altering the
negativity
in the group by making the group interesting and engaging, so
that
the negativity starts to lessen. Using the creative ideas outlined
in this
article will help to make groups more interesting and engaging.
Mem-
bers will not learn if they feel the group is not interesting and
not

relevant to them (Corey, 2008).
Engage in group negativity. Because these groups can be
intimidat-
ing, beginning leaders often get in arguments or put the
members
down, which, in turn, sets up dynamics which are usually
difficult to
overcome. The goal is to meet the members where they are and
to
move them in a positive direction. The leader should avoid
being angry
towards or judgmental of members for their negative feelings or
beha-
vior and should certainly not further engage the negativity by
getting
into any type of power struggle with the members (Corey,
2008).
SUMMARY
Working with involuntary members is a tremendous challenge
for
group leaders. One key is to use activities that are interesting
and
engaging. We suggest using props, movement, written activities,
and
rounds as ways to engage members. Doing the unexpected as a
leader
is often a good way to get involuntary members involved which
in turn
can lead to them becoming voluntary members. It is always
worth con-
sidering the use of unexpected interventions or activities during
the
early sessions with involuntary members. A key to leading

meaningful
groups with involuntary members is not allowing the negative
energy to
consume the group. The primary purpose of the first couple of
sessions
of a group where some or all members are involuntary is to
convince
some, if not all, of the members to believe that the group
experience
can be helpful to them. Always look for members who seem to
have some
positive energy and work with them initially rather than
focusing on
resistant members. Skilled leaders who are willing to think out
of the
box can usually turn involuntary members into voluntary
members.
REFERENCES
American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA code of ethics.
Retrieved from http://
www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP/Home/CT2.as
px
Association for Specialists in Group Work. (2007). ASGW best
practice guidelines.
Retrieved from http://www.asgw.org/PDF/Best_Practices.pdf
Beaulieu, D. (2006). Impact techniques for therapists. New
York, NY: Routledge.
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Corey, G. (2008). Theory and practice of group counseling (7th
ed.). Pacific Grove, CA:
Brooks=Cole.
Corey, G., Corey, C., & Corey, M. S. (2008). Groups: Process
and practice (8th ed.). Pacific
Grove, CA: Brooks=Cole.
Day, S. X. (2007). Groups in practice. Boston, MA: Lahaska
Press.
DeLucia-Waack, J. L., Gerrity, D. A., Kalodner, C. R., & Riva,
M. T. (Eds.). (2004). Hand-
book of group counseling and psychotherapy. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
Erford, B. T. (2011). Group work: Process and applications.
Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson.
Fromme, K., & Corbin, W. (2004). Prevention of heavy drinking
and associated negative
consequences among mandated and voluntary college students.
Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 1038–1049.
Gladding, S. (2005). Counseling as an art (3rd ed.). Alexandria,
VA: American Counsel-
ing Association.
Greenberg, K. R. (2003). Group counseling in K-12 schools: A
handbook for school
counselors. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Jacobs, E. E. (1992). Creative counseling techniques: An

illustrated guide. Odessa, FL:
Psychological Assessment Resources.
Jacobs, E. E., Masson, R. L., Harvill, R., & Schimmel, C. J.
(2012). Group counseling:
Strategies and Skills (7th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA:
Brooks=Cole.
Jacobs, E., & Schimmel, C. J. (2008). Working with individuals
in groups. In I. Marini &
M. Stebnicki (Eds.), The professional counselors desk reference
(pp. 605–614).
New York, NY: Springer.
Jacobs, E., & Smith, A. (1997). Listening is not enough. The
Drug and Alcohol Forum,
3, 3–4.
Kottler, J. A. (2001). Learning group leadership: An
experiential approach. Boston, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.
Morgan, R. D., & Flora, D. B. (2002). Group psychotherapy
with incarcerated offenders:
A research synthesis. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and
Practice, 6, 203–218.
Schimmel, C. J., Jacobs, E., & Adams, J. (2008). Involuntary
members in a group.
In I. Marini & M. Stebnicki (Eds.), The professional counselor’s
desk reference
(pp. 615–622). NewYork, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Vernon, A. (2010). More what works with children and
adolescents. Champaign, IL:
Research Press.

June 2011
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Discussion 1: Group Leadership Skills – Week 6
Leading a group of individuals who have suffered trauma can be
difficult because the shared stories may result in further trauma
to some of the members. Assessing the members and deciding
how they will introduce themselves at the first meeting can be a
difficult task. Helping these members begin the group therapy
process is the first step in facilitating the group.
For this Discussion, watch the video of the “Levy” group
session. The video can be watched by going to the following
website, clicking on Levy tab, and watching Episode 6:
http://mym.cdn.laureate-
media.com/2dett4d/Walden/SOCW/MSWP/CH/mm/homepage/ep
isodes.html.
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be
in APA format and include references and in text citations to
support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own
references and in text citations from 2013-present.:

· Your evaluation of the group’s social worker’s leadership
skills, using at least two items from each of the three categories
found in the Toseland & Rivas (2017) piece (facilitation of
group processes, data gathering and assessment, and action).
Utilize the internet to find data on Toseland & Rivas (2017)
piece (facilitation of group processes, data gathering and
assessment, and action).
· Suggest another way the social worker might have initiated the
group conversation.
Reference
Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to
group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
· Chapter 4, “Leadership” (pp. 97-134)
· Chapter 5, “Leadership and Diversity”
Discussion 2: Group Intervention – Week 6
When leading a group, it is the responsibility of the clinical
social worker to find a way to enable all members to benefit
from the experience. Although some members may not benefit,
it is important for the clinical social worker to identify the
positive aspects that he/she is witnessing. This strategy may
create a feeling of empowerment for the members.
For this Discussion, it may be helpful to review the video of the
“Levy” group session again. The video can be watched by going
to the following website, clicking on Levy tab, and watching
Episode 6: http://mym.cdn.laureate-
isodes.html.
· Your description of at least three benefits that are evident in

the “Levy” group video.
· Describe ways this group session has been effective in helping
the members of the group.
Discussion 3: Involuntary Group Members – Week 8
Involuntary members have been ordered to attend a group in
exchange for some reward. Many times, this is a result of
judicial system intervention. Often, these members are not
interested in participating and getting to know others. The
clinical social worker must understand the potential issues or
problems that arise within a group of involuntary members and
ways to address these issues. It can be especially difficult to
create a sense of empowerment when these members have been
mandated to attend.
For this Discussion, pay particular attention to the Schimmel &
Jacobs (2011) piece (in attachments).
· Your description of the strategies for working with
involuntary group members presented in the Schimmel & Jacobs
(2011) article.
· Describe ways you agree and/or disagree with their strategies.
· How might you handle the situations presented in the article
differently?
· Explain ways these strategies promote empowerment.
Reference
Schimmel, C. J., & Jacobs, E. (2011). When leaders are
challenged: Dealing with involuntary members in groups.
Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 36(2), 144–158.

Discussion 4: Positive Regard – Week 9
Carl Rogers, a humanistic psychologist, believed that
individuals must feel accepted for who they are in order to have
a high level of self-worth (Farber & Doolin, 2011). Rogers
coined the term “positive regard” to explain this concept of
feeling accepted. Also, he believed that positive regard is
essential to personal growth and self-actualization.
For this Discussion, view the “Johnson” video (Episode 3). The
video can be watched by going to the following website,
clicking on Johnson tab, and watching Episode 3:
http://mym.cdn.laureate-
isodes.html.
· Your description of the purpose of this group.
· Explain the use of empowerment and strengths-based
strategies.
· How does “positive regard” impact the group session in this
video?
· How might you respond to Talia when she voices her
skepticism of the usefulness of group sharing?
Discussion 5: Task Groups – Week 10
Group work is a commonly used method within school settings.
Because peer interaction is important in the emotional and
social development of children, the task group can serve as a
wonderful therapeutic setting and tool; however, many factors
should be considered when implementing this type of

intervention.
For this Discussion, read the Van Velsor (2009) article (in
atachments).
· Your understanding of task groups as an intervention for
children.
· Use the model for effective problem solving to compare and
contrast (how to identify the problem, develop goals, collect
data).
· How does this model differ from a traditional treatment
group?
· What are the advantages and possible disadvantages of this
model?
· Describe how you might use this model for adults.
· What populations would most benefit from this model?
Reference
Van Velsor, P. (2009). Task groups in the school setting:
Promoting children’s social and emotional learning. Journal for
Specialists in Group Work, 34(3), 276–292.
Discussion 6: Termination with Families and Group – Week 11
Intervention endings are a critical part of social work practice.
Because endings may create strong emotional reactions, the
termination process starts from the first session. Successfully
terminating family sessions or group sessions promotes learning
for clients to take with them moving forward.

· Include a comparison of the termination process between
treatment groups and family sessions.
· Explain how you would evaluate readiness to terminate group
and family treatment, identifying similarities and differences
between the evaluation of the two types of treatment.
· Describe the techniques you would use to terminate a
treatment group and how these may be the same or different
than the techniques you would use to terminate a family
intervention.

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