Assignment: Group Processes and Stages of Formation
In your role, you must understand group processes and stages of formation, as this will help you develop groups and determine an individual’s appropriateness for group therapy. This understanding is crucial for tailoring interventions that meet the specific needs of the group. Whether you are at the beginning stages of group formation or facilitating a session for a developed group, it is important to consider factors that may influence individual client progress. These factors can include the group’s composition, the facilitator’s style, and the therapeutic environment. For this Assignment, as you examine the video Group Therapy: A Live Demonstration in this week’s Learning Resources, consider the group’s processes, stages of formation, and other factors that might impact the effectiveness of group therapy for clients. Observing these elements in action can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of group therapy.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze group processes and stages of formation. This analysis will deepen your understanding of how groups evolve over time. Analyze curative factors of groups. Identifying these factors can help in enhancing the therapeutic experience. Analyze the impact of curative factors on client progress. Understanding this impact is essential for evaluating the success of group therapy. Recommend strategies for managing intragroup conflict. Effective conflict management can significantly improve group cohesion and outcomes.
To prepare:
Review this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on the insights they provide on group processes. These resources offer a foundation for understanding the complexities of group dynamics. View the media, Group Therapy: A Live Demonstration, and consider the group dynamics. Pay attention to how the facilitator navigates different stages of group development.
The Assignment
In a 2- to 3-page paper, address the following:
Explain the group’s processes and stage of formation. Consider how these processes align with theoretical models of group development. Explain curative factors that occurred in the group. Include how these factors might impact client progress. Reflect on how these factors can be leveraged to enhance therapeutic outcomes. Explain intragroup conflict that occurred and recommend strategies for managing the conflict. Support your recommendations with evidence-based literature. This approach ensures that your strategies are grounded in proven methodologies.
Note: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. Adhering to these requirements ensures consistency and professionalism in academic writing. The sample paper provided by the Walden Writing Center provides examples of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). Reviewing this sample can guide you in structuring your paper effectively. All papers submitted must use this formatting. Proper formatting enhances readability and comprehension.
By Day 7
Submit your Assignment. Ensure that your submission reflects a thorough understanding of the assignment criteria.
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Group Processes and Stages of Formation
Introduction
Groups transition across various stages of formation from formation to adjourning. According to Bruce Tuckman, the stages include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning (Jones, 2019). The Group Therapy, A Live Demonstration video, shows two important curative factors, including universality, development of socializing techniques, and catharsis. During the healing process, groups can experience conflict. It is the therapists’ responsibility to resolve the conflicts by allowing the members to discuss the issues and recommend changes freely. The paper aims to examine the group processes and stages of formation, curative factors, and how to solve the intragroup conflict. Effective group leadership is crucial in navigating these stages and ensuring the group achieves its goals.
Group Processes and Formation
According to Bruce Tuckman, groups follow five stages in the formation process. The stages include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Forming stages comprises formation as the group has just been introduced (Jones, 2019). Everyone is polite, calm, and excited to join a new group. In the storming stage, the members realize the reality of the tasks they need to complete. Members disagree since the initial excitement is wearing off. The Norming stage involves settling down and appreciating everyone’s strengths and weaknesses (Jones, 2019). Everyone starts to work as a cohesive unit. It symbolizes a time to resolve the differences they experienced in the storming stage. A recent study by Lee et al. (2022) found that groups that successfully navigate the norming stage tend to have better outcomes.
The performing stage is another step in the group formation process. In this stage, the members are confident and energized to accomplish the task ahead. Everyone in the team is motivated to achieve the set goals (Jones, 2019). Performing is a critical stage since it is critical in the achievement of the goals. If the group does not make a successful transition from the norming stage to performing, it can delay the goals’ achievement. The next process is adjourning or mourning. Once the project ends, the members have to terminate the group (Jones, 2019). It is called the mourning stage since, after developing a close working relationship, the members have to part ways or start a new project. This stage can be particularly challenging for group members who have formed strong bonds.
Curative Factors of Groups and Impact
Curative factors are healing factors that are essential in the members’ interaction and the ability to overcome their challenges. The Group Therapy, A Live Demonstration video, shows two important curative factors, including universality and catharsis. Universality involves helping other people to realize that they are not alone (Gabel & Robb, 2017). Sitting in a group attracts a healing experience. For instance, Philip and Gill share their experiences, which shows that individuals are not alone in personal challenges (Gabel & Robb, 2017). Universality helps people to realize they are not alone and thus strive to overcome their challenges. Research has shown that universality is a key factor in promoting group cohesion and reducing feelings of isolation (Kim et al., 2023).
Catharsis is another curative factor that helps group members to express their deep emotional feelings. It provides an opportunity for healing when people express their frustrations or anger (Gabel & Robb, 2017). The curative factor is evident when Pam and Philip converse about an issue that occurred 15 years ago. Pam is angry about the sexual misconduct of Philip. She threatens to leave the group since it is not conducive to her. The healing factor provides Philip’s opportunity to apologize, an issue that resolves the difference between the two. The group provides an opportunity for developing socializing techniques (Gabel & Robb, 2017). It helps members to learn how to handle emotions and develop a cordial relationship. For instance, Philip learns to apologize for his sexual misconduct. Effective group leadership can facilitate the expression of emotions and promote healing.
Intragroup Conflict
Intragroup conflict is an experience that is common among groups. In the Group Therapy, A Live Demonstration video, conflict occurs between Pam and Philip. The two had a sexual encounter that Pam believes was against her wish. She threatens to leave the group if the issue is not resolved. The experience is normal among groups since members quit when they realize the environment is not conducive.
The strategies for managing the conflict include allowing the members to discuss the issue and provide recommendations. A therapist should not take the issue personally but should allow the group members to provide amicable responses to the issue (Fleury et al., 2017). For instance, in the issue between Pam and Philip, members encourage Philip to apologize to Pam. When Philip apologizes, Pam is happy and determined to stay in the group. The strategy effectively resolves conflicts in group therapy (Fleury et al., 2017). Resolving group conflict is important since groups can accomplish their goals without deep-seated unresolved emotional problems. A study by Patel et al. (2024) found that unresolved conflict can lead to decreased group cohesion and increased turnover.
Conclusion
Groups’ stages of formation include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. The Group Therapy, A Live Demonstration video demonstrates that the groups are transitioning across various stages to accomplish their goals. The video demonstrates curative factors essential in the members’ interaction and the ability to overcome their challenges. The healing factors evident in the group include universality, development of socializing techniques, and catharsis. The group process can present challenges due to conflict. It is the responsibility of a therapist and the group members to resolve the conflicts. Failure to resolve conflicts can present more problems in the future. The group processes and stages of formation are critical in accomplishing the set goals.
References
Fleury, M. J., Grenier, G., & Bamvita, J. M. (2017). A comparative study of job satisfaction among nurses, psychologists/psychotherapists and social workers working in Quebec mental health teams. BMC Nursing, 16(1), 62.
Gabel, A., & Robb, M. (2017). (Re) considering psychological constructs: A thematic synthesis defining five therapeutic factors in group art therapy. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 55, 126-135.
Jones, D. (2019). The Tuckman’s Model Implementation, Effect, and Analysis & the New Development of Jones LSI Model on a Small Group. Journal of Management, 6(4).
Lee, S., Kim, J., & Lee, Y. (2022). The effects of group cohesion on group performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(5), 831-844.
Kim, J., Lee, S., & Kim, B. (2023). The impact of universality on group cohesion and member satisfaction. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 73(2), 147-162.
Patel, R., Sharma, A., & Kumar, P. (2024). Conflict resolution in groups: A systematic review. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 68(1), 3-20.
