SOCW 6121 Week 11: The Ending Stage and Evaluation

The ending stage of a group is just as important as the beginning stage. Effective termination is an important part of the therapeutic process and an expectation of the NASW Code of Ethics (1996). Some members of the group may need further therapy or services, and it is the responsibility of the clinical social worker to assess every member’s needs. Also, the members should feel that some type of closure has occurred, and this is often done through ending exercises. These exercises help the members of the group say goodbye to one another and acknowledge the group’s accomplishments. Another important part of the ending stage is the evaluation of the group intervention. The NASW Code of Ethics (1996) requires that some type of evaluation method is implemented in clinical practice. The social worker should evaluate the group’s goals and the level of success of the group process.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze termination process with families and groups
• Evaluate appraisal methods for group process

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Chapter 13, “Ending the Group’s Work” (pp. 395-416)
Chapter 14, “Evaluation” (pp. 417-443)

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader].
“Working With Organizations: The Southeast Planning Group” (pp. 51–52)

London, M. (2007). Performance appraisal for groups: Models and methods for assessing group processes and outcomes for development and evaluation. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 59(3), 175–188.

Discussion: Termination with Families and Group

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.

By Day 3

Post 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.

response 1

 Darrell Morris RE: Discussion – Week 11

Termination is the final stage of counseling that marks the close of the therapeutic alliance. For the last interaction to be successful, the counselor must look at creating a good impression so that the counselee may associate the experience as a multiplying effect of improvement as their time is well spent. Termination is experienced only when the goals are reached, and specified working time has ended. Besides, termination also involves a follow-up program that is made to ensure that counseling clients have been able to adapt to a new living style as stability and wellbeing is guaranteed (Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen, 2014).

According to London (2007), assessing the group’s members through their reactions, behaviors, and performance help counselors to identify the ultimate time to terminate the therapeutic sessions. On the other hand, terminating a family treatment can only be done when the goal has been achieved and that counselees have attained stability.

One of the similarities of the two types of treatment is that terminations are done when progress has been made to assist the care seekers in returning to their initial wellbeing before the problem occurred. On the contrary, the family sessions are different from treatment groups as it involves altering the interactions between or among family members to improve the functionality of the family. Family sessions are aimed at providing therapies that solve problems that need changing or adjusting rather than viewing the problem as residing on a particular person. Besides, group counseling is done to assist in developing skills (Toseland & Rivas, 2017).

Closing a group or terminating a counseling session is critical to all individuals in any setting; however, examining the extent and the readiness to discontinue group treatment is complex. This is because the termination of groups is often evaluated through assessing the progress towards goal achievement. Unlike treatment groups, observation techniques can be utilized in family sessions as their cohesiveness to settle their differences for more exceptional outcomes can be easily analyzed.

References

London, M. (2007). Performance appraisal for groups: Models and methods for assessing group processes and outcomes for development and evaluation. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 59(3), 175–188.

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader].

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Response 2

 Tamara Travis RE: Discussion – Week 11

A comparison of the termination process between treatment groups and family sessions is that both groups need to be able to utilize the tools to problem solve on their own. Although both sessions are groups, each member should fully understand how to problem-solve independently. Toseland & Rivas noted that “members should learn how to solve their own problems independently” (2017). Mastering that technique early, will help with the members to not depend on the counselor but have the confidence to end treatment. 

I would use a questionnaire, periodically after the third or fourth session, to evaluate the group to hopefully determine if the members are ready termination and what is needed to prepare them for termination. A difference with evaluating treatment group and the family session is that within a family setting the worker will need to determine if that family can function individually and collectively whereas, in a group setting, the worker will need to determine if the individuals will be able to function independently. A similarity in evaluating both types is that results will always prove if the sessions were effective. Plummer, Makris, & Brocksen) highlighted that results from evaluations assist with identifying strategies to improve what is needed in a group (2014).

A technique I would use to terminate a treatment group make all members aware and understand, in the early phase, that treatment will end. This will allow for each not experience shock or have time to disconnect their dependence and connectedness of both leader and other members. This will be the same process in a family setting. Because in a family setting, members tend to depend on the worker to help, but if they are reminded early that treatment will end, they will begin to absorb and obtain the information needed to do better and be better after treatment. 

Reference:

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

• Chapter 13, “Ending the Group’s Work” (pp. 395-416)
• Chapter 14, “Evaluation” (pp. 417-443) 

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader].

• “Working With Organizations: The Southeast Planning Group” (pp. 51–52)

By Day 5

Respond to at least two colleagues by explaining whether you agree or disagree that the techniques identified by your colleague will result in successful termination. Identify potential consequences of early termination for families and groups.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:
Week 11 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:
Week 11 Discussion

Assignment: Assessing Group Process 5

For this Assignment, describe the overall process of the group and your feelings about the group experience.

• Choose an evaluation method described by Toseland & Rivas (2017) or London (2007), and use it to evaluate your group (i.e., analysis of the product, group questionnaire).
• Identify something you might have changed during this process and describe what you could have done differently.

Group Process Assignments should integrate course concepts related to group process. Assignments should demonstrate critical thought when applying course material to your group experience. Support ideas in your Assignment with APA citations from this week’s required resources.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment (2-3 pages).