Deck 13: Ending the Groups Work

Question 1

During the last session of a treatment group the worker should not

A) Give positive feedback
B) Give feedback that is critical
C) Encourage members to do a go round discussing their experiences in the group
D) Encourage members to discuss what they learned from each other

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Factors that influence group endings do not include

A) Open and closed group membership
B) Attraction of the group to its members
C) Whether the group is a treatment or task group
D) Whether the group meets weekly

Answer 2

D

Question 3

To prevent setbacks it is least important to

A) Inform members how to contact on-call workers
B) Tell members to avoid stressful situations
C) Describe and talk about situations that may threaten treatment gains during group sessions
D) Link members to self-help groups

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Unplanned termination of members from a group

A) Is not very common
B) Is common
C) Is usually caused by the worker
D) Is affected by the length of the group

Question 5

Four generic worker tasks in ending a group meeting include

A) Arranging another meeting
B) Preparing a summary report of the group's work
C) Making sure all business is finished
D) Planning future group actions

Question 6

When members decide to form a self-help group and meet after the group ends the worker usually does not

A) Act as a consultant to the group
B) Continue to act as leader until indigenous leadership can be established
C) Provide material support to the group
D) Refer clients to the group

Question 7

The strongest reactions to ending treatment groups have not been found to be

A) Positive affect
B) Sadness
C) Positive flight to outside activities
D) Objective evaluations of treatment goals and processes

Question 8

Steps to reduce disruption when a worker has to terminate from a group do not include

A) Group members should be told only a couple of meetings ahead of time to avoid disruption
B) The reasons for termination should be shared with the group and members should be encouraged to discuss their feelings frankly
C) Unfinished business should be completed
D) The new worker should be introduced and if possible co-lead the group before the old worker terminates

Question 9

Group workers who lead treatment groups

A) Rarely have strong reactions to termination
B) Often have strong reactions to termination
C) Have mild reactions to termination
D) Usually only have reactions to termination if the group did not go well

Question 10

Principles for selecting program activities in the ending stage of group work do not include

A) Demonstrate or encourage reflection about the skills members have learned in the group
B) Encourage members to express their feelings about the group and each other
C) Focus on activities previously done in the group
D) Encourage participation in activities outside the group

Question 11

Tasks associated with ending the group as a whole do not include

A) Learning from members
B) Maintaining and generalizing change efforts
C) Increasing group attraction and cohesion
D) Helping members deal with their feelings about ending

Question 12

Factors leading to termination of group members do not usually include

A) Problems in developing intimate relationships
B) External factors such as scheduling
C) A cohesive group that may lead to conformity
D) Group deviancy

Question 13

Factors that can prevent premature termination do not usually include

A) Pregroup training
B) Pregroup screening
C) Finding out why previous group members left in a premature fashion
D) Scheduling of the group

Question 14

Follow-up sessions are not usually used to

A) Introduce new material that is relevant to maintenance and change efforts
B) Reinforce members' commitment to maintaining changes
C) Help maintain the gains members have already made
D) Identify the coping skills they have already learned to maintain changes made during treatment

Question 15

Using naturally occurring consequences does not usually include

A) Modifying environmental consequences
B) Help members experience the positive consequences of change
C) Let members know that any negative consequences of change will not last long
D) Modifying friendship patterns, social activities, or members' home environments

Question 16

Maintaining and generalizing change efforts do not include

A) Working on relevant situations
B) Helping members understand the limits of their abilities
C) Extending treatment through follow-up situations
D) Use a variety of naturally occurring consequences

Question 17

One of the primary reasons for contacting members who drop out prematurely is

A) To find out why they dropped out
B) To motivate them to seek further treatment
C) To make sure they don't feel abandoned
D) To ask them to fill out an evaluation form

Question 18

If, at termination, the group worker thinks that a group member needs additional services but the member is not motivated the worker should

A) Leave it up to the member
B) Refer the member to the appropriate service anyway
C) Explore the reasons for the resistance
D) Explain to the member why they need the service

Question 19

Referrals do not usually fail because

A) The member lacks motivation
B) The referral source has a change in policy
C) Family members or friends discourage the member from seeking the referral
D) The member lacks the necessary skills to obtain the needed resource

Question 20

In time-limited groups, when members ask to contract for additional services the group worker is least likely to consider

A) The goals they have achieved
B) Their continued needs
C) The duration of the new service period
D) Appropriate modifications to the original contract

Question 21

To move the group along so that it can end on time, it is least desirable for the worker to

A) Obtain closure on each issue as it is discussed
B) Limit the time each member has to discuss an issue
C) Summarize what has been said
D) Skip items

Question 22

The most important criteria for termination do not include

A) Improvement in coping
B) The client's wish to terminate
C) Improved intrapsychic functioning
D) Meeting long-term goals

Question 23

How would you assist a member of a residential group who started acting out when she learned that she will be leaving the facility after a one-and-a-half year stay for foster placement? What effects might her acting out behavior have on other members of the residence? How would you help the residents deal with these effects?

Question 24

Research does not show that

A) Positive changes in behavior can be difficult to maintain over time
B) Changes in specific behaviors will often generalize to other situations
C) Little has been written about maintaining and generalizing changes in group work
D) Helping members develop confidence in their abilities has little to do with maintaining and generalizing changes

Question 25

You have been leading a short-term social skills group designed to help psychiatric inpatients live independently in the community. In preparing for ending the group, describe four strategies that you could use to help members maintain their newly acquired skills.

Question 26

Design three program activities that would be useful for the ending stage of a treatment group. Describe the purpose of each activity. How would each activity help members end their group experience on a positive note? How would each activity help group members resolve their feelings about ending?

Question 27

It is best to plan future activities for the group

A) At the beginning of the group
B) During the middle of the group
C) At the end of the group
D) Between group meetings

Question 28

Terminating membership in task groups is

A) Quite different than terminating membership in treatment groups
B) Similar to terminating membership in treatment groups
C) Can be similar or different
D) Not as easy as one might think

Question 29

Imagine that you work in an intensive outpatient alcoholism rehabilitation program that relies on group treatment as the primary therapeutic modality. How would you help prepare the members of your group to maintain sobriety after they leave the program?

Question 30

Interview an experienced group worker. Ask the respondent to discuss personal experiences with members who drop out of treatment groups. Make a list and rank-order the reasons for unplanned termination of members. What might the group worker have done to reduce the number of unplanned terminations?