THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Course Number: SW 393R5 Instructor: D. W. Springer, PHD, LMSW-ACP, ACSW Unique Number: 61935 E-mail: [email protected] Semester: Fall 2001 Phone: (512) 471-0512 Meeting Time: Wednesday Office Room: 3.122D 2:30 - 5:30pm Meeting Place: SWB 2.130 Office Hours: Thursdays 10:00am to 11:00am Or by appointment THEORIES AND METHODS OF GROUP INTERVENTION WITH CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND FAMILIES I. COURSE DESCRIPTION The course will cover current group intervention approaches used with children, adolescents, and family systems in a variety of settings. Using a systemic task-oriented framework, this course will focus on critical and comparative analysis of cognitive-developmental, interactional and socio-behavioral approaches; short- and longer-term groups in various settings; and the role of groups in social work intervention, with emphasis on vulnerable and diverse populations. This is a required course for students in the Clinical Concentration. It is a specialized group methods course which builds on the foundation Methods I & II courses and Field Practicum I & II. Graduate standing and/or successful completion of the foundation year of the Master's program in social work is the prerequisite to enroll in the course. Other students are admitted with consent of the professor. II. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course the student will be able to: 1. Demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply knowledge of group dynamics, child and adolescent development, and family systems in selecting and using group approaches with children, adolescents, and families. 2. Demonstrate the ability to explore and resolve social work value and ethical dilemmas in 1selecting and implementing group approaches with child, adolescent, and family systems. 3. Demonstrate the ability to adapt group methods to activities and programs provided for children, adolescents, and families of diverse gender, socioeconomic, cultural or ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, and ability with emphasis on vulnerable populations. 4. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, select, and design group methods, activities and programs for children, adolescents, and families based upon their practice utility, potential, range of applicability and limitations. 5. Demonstrate an understanding of agency/organization policies, political climate, and their impact on provisions of group work to child, adolescent, and family systems. III. TEACHING METHODS This course is designed to include a variety of teaching methodologies to achieve the expectation of student mastery of theoretically-grounded advanced practice skill competencies in the group work method, with emphasis on children, adolescents, and families. Learning activities will include readings, writings, discussions, lectures, speakers, videos, and experiential exercises. The professor will model group work principles and strategies. The class will be organized as a skill laboratory, utilizing the small group context and role play for development of group leadership skills. Group work role play sessions will be monitored to facilitate the assessment of skill competencies applied differentially to vulnerable populations across the life cycle. IV. REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND COURSE MATERIALS Required Texts Donigan, J., & Hulse-Killacky, D. (1999). Critical incidents in group therapy (2nd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Yalom, I. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books. Required Readings A Course Packet (Springer) of required readings is available for purchase by enrolled students at Speedway Copy and Printing located in Dobie Mall, 2025 Guadalupe St., Phone # 478-3334. Optional Text 2Malekoff, A. (1997). Group work with adolescents: Principles and practice. New York: The Guilford Press. V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Students are expected to attend class sessions regularly and to participate in an interactive framework between collegiate students and professor. Students are expected to complete the readings prior to class, and should be well prepared to participate in discussions and experiential learning assignments. Failure to regularly attend the class and demonstrate through discussions that one has comprehended the readings will be considered in assigning the final grade. Students will be allowed one (1) unexcused absence (freebie). Role will be taken each class period. In cases where a student misses more than the allotted one freebie, the professor reserves the right to lower that student’s final grade by one point for each class missed beyond the one freebie. In extenuating circumstances of absence, students are to notify the professor. Students are responsible for any material missed due to absences. 2. Except in the case of extreme emergencies, and then only with the permission of the professor, late assignments will not be accepted without penalty. Students are expected to turn in all required assignments on the agreed upon due date at the beginning of class. Assignments turned in after class starts will be considered late. If accepted, late assignments will be assessed point penalties at the rate of four (4) points each day late. If the due date is a problem, then the student should see the professor and negotiate another due date well in advance. 3. Students are expected to both learn and demonstrate knowledge of groupwork intervention theories and skills. This requires a search of the literature in a defined area (as part of the researched group role play and the group intervention protocol) in order to develop specialized knowledge concerning the use of groupwork as treatment of a specific problem area for a specific population. In addition, students will demonstrate their level of applied knowledge of groupwork interventions and skills on one (1) essay exam and in a critical reflection/research paper. 4. Student feedback is welcome. Students are also encouraged to provide feedback during office hours, by phone, by e-mail, and by appointment if they desire. 5. If students are concerned about their class performance, the professor is more than willing to work with students to help them improve their course grades prior to the end of the semester. Final grades assigned in the course are not negotiable! 6. Small groups are expected to resolve challenges within their group context.