Trauma/Grief-Focused Group Psychotherapy Module of an Elementary School-Based Violence Prevention/Intervention Program (From Children in a Violent Society, P 223-255, 1997, Joy D. Osofsky, ed. -- See NCJ-169092)

• NCJ Number: 169103
• Author(s): L Murphy; R S Pynoos; C B James
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 33 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: California Office of Criminal Justice Planning; Robert Ellis Simon Foundation
• Sale Source: Guilford Publications, Inc.
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper describes an elementary school-based violence prevention/intervention therapeutic program for children exposed to intra- and extrafamilial violence.

Abstract

It provides an overview of Project Intervention, a school- based program, including assessment and evaluation tools, and details the goals and session-by-session processes of the group psychotherapy component. The program staff consists of a unique interdisciplinary team that includes expertise on traumatic stress and grief reactions in children, as well as on the cultural aspects of violence, youth gangs, and the judicial system. A social historical perspective, coupled with a therapeutic one, ensures attention to both the psychological and social adjustment of children exposed to violence. The program is being conducted in an elementary school located in an inner-city area that has suffered chronically from extremely high rates of crime and gang-related violence to which community residents, including many children, are exposed. The intervention model has three phases: individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and mentorship. Each phase includes approximately 10-12 weekly sessions constructed around the all-year school schedule. Each phase includes pre-intervention and postintervention assessments. The individual therapy phase focuses on identifying and clarifying issues associated with exposure to violence and traumatic loss as well as exploring the meanings of the child's specific reactions and behaviors. A key goal of the individual phase is to increase parental responsiveness to the child. The goals of group therapy are to provide a greater acceptance of each child's experience, to increase affect tolerance and emotional responsiveness of the group participants, and enhance social skills and help the children speak with genuineness and integrity about their experiences. The mentorship intervention component has the primary goal of enhancing children's conception and sense of participation in the social contract. 2 figures and 33 references