NCJ Number
60937
Journal
Social Work With Groups Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (SUMMER 1979) Pages: 161-174
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
AN ATTEMPT TO APPLY THE SMALL GROUP APPROACH TO THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHILD ABUSE IS DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF ITS RATIONALE AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION WITH ONE GROUP OF CANADIAN WOMEN.
Abstract
GOALS OF THE PROJECT WERE TO OVERCOME TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS OF ABUSIVE PARENTS: SOCIAL ISOLATION AND INABILITY TO SEEK OUT HELP FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN. BASED ON RESEARCH INDICATING THAT ABUSIVE PARENTS LACK NURTURING SKILLS, HAIRDRESSING AND SERVING LUNCH WERE CHOSEN AS WAYS TO PROVIDE NURTURING FOR THE WOMEN, THEREBY HELPING THEM TO LEARN NURTURING RATHER THAN ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR. THE GROUP, WHICH CONSISTED OF SEVEN MOTHERS, MET WEEKLY FOR 4 HOURS DURING WHICH THEY HAD THEIR HAIR DONE BY A PROFESSIONAL HAIRDRESSER, TALKED WITH TWO SOCIAL WORKERS WHO WERE THE GROUP LEADERS, AND HAD LUNCH. ALL THE WOMEN WERE EMOTIONALLY, FINANCIALLY, AND SOCIALLY DEPRIVED AND HAD CHILDREN WHO HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY ABUSED. DURING THE EARLY GROUP SESSIONS, THE LEADERS ASSUMED CLEAR PARENTING, CAREGIVING, AND NURTURING ROLES, ENCOURAGING THE MOTHERS TO REGRESS TO THE CHILD ROLE UNTIL THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WERE READY TO START GIVING. LEADERS REINFORCED AND ENCOURAGED OTHER-CENTERED BEHAVIOR IN THE MOTHERS. THE HIGH GROUP ATTENDANCE DURING ITS FIRST YEAR AND A HALF AND FURTHER SOCIAL CONTACTS ARRANGED BY THE WOMEN INDICATED THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS IN REDUCING THE WOMEN'S SOCIAL ISOLATION. MOREOVER, FOUR OF THE MOTHERS DEVELOPED SOME ABILITY TO ASK FOR HELP. THE GROUP SURVIVED LEADERSHIP TURNOVER AND HAS BEGUN TO ASSUME SOME PLANNING AND DECISIONMAKING RESPONSIBILITY IN SEVERAL AREAS. A TRUSTFUL CLIMATE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, ALTHOUGH ONE MEMBER FREQUENTLY IS MADE THE GROUP SCAPEGOAT. NEARLY A YEAR WAS REQUIRED BEFORE THESE POSITIVE RESULTS WERE SEEN, THEREBY INDICATING THE PATIENCE AND SUPPORT NEEDED FOR GROUP WORKERS. THE GROUP WORKERS' CURRENT GOAL IS TO REORIENT THE GROUP SYSTEMATICALLY TOWARD BECOMING A MUTUAL AID SYSTEM. WHETHER THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED IS NOT YET CERTAIN, BUT SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO THE MOTHERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PRODUCED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.