COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES TO GROUPS
INTRODUCTION
• Emphasizes interaction among affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions • Comprised of a blend of cognitive and behavioral concepts and techniques • Basic assumptions – i)most problematic behaviours, cognitions, and emotions have been learned and can be modified by new learning, ii)the behaviours that client express are the problem • The practitioners use a brief, active, directive collaborative, psychoeducational model of therapy.
GOALS
• Teaching clients self-management skills and how to restructure their thoughts • To assist members in evaluating how their thinking influences how they are behaving • To help group members eliminate maladaptive behaviours and learn new and more effective behaviours
KEY CONCEPTS
• Behavioral assessment
– – – – – Gathering unique and detailed info about client’s problem Focus on client current functioning and life condition Concerned with taking samples of a client’s behaviours to provide info about how the client typically functions in many situations Narrowly focused on client’s problem An integral and continuous part of therapy
• Precise therapeutic goals
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Specific goals of change The goals determine the direction of the therapeutic process
Members take an active role The group leader with the group members develop plan together Evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment to find whether the objectives have been met
• Treatment plan
• Objective evaluation
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF A GROUP LEADER
• Act as a teacher and encourages members to learn and practice social skills in the group • Active, directive, supportive • Involve with the treatment activities • Conduct interviews • Draw on a wide array of techniques • Become a model of appropriate behaviours • Provide reinforcement to members
STRATEGIES
• • • • • • • • • • Reinforcement Contingency contract Modeling Behaviour Rehearsal Coaching Homework Feedback Cognitive Restructuring Problem Solving The Buddy System
THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURE
General approaches: 1. Social skills training groups 2. Cognitive therapy groups 3. Stress management groups 4. Multimodal group therapy 5. Mindfulness and acceptance-based cognitive behaviour therapy