HP Strategies & Tactics

Chapter6.ppt

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Facilitating Support Groups
Methods & Strategies at the Individual Level

Health Promotion Strategies & Tactics (COH430)

National University

* Bensley, R.J., & Brookins-Fisher, J. (2009). Community health education methods. Third edition. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.

Chapter 6 Learning Objectives

1. Understand the purpose of support groups and health educators’ role in facilitation.

2. Identify various types of support groups.

3. Explain the steps to conducting support groups.

4. Understand group process in facilitation of support groups.

5. Understand stages of group development in support groups.

6. Recognize ethical responsibilities of support group facilitation.

Support Groups /Therapeutic Groups

Structured group with a focus

Two or more individuals
Meet face-to-face to achieve agreed-upon goals

Examples:
Adolescent smoking cessation group
Adult anger management

Facilitating Support Groups

Purpose of Support Groups

Provide others who are experiencing similar circumstances with

Information

Comfort

Connectedness

Facilitating Support Groups

Purpose of Support Groups

Focus on a specific problem/task

Incorporate interpersonal and educational gains

Economical way of providing services
one facilitator can work with a number of people at one time rather that on an individual basis

Facilitating Support Groups

Support Groups

Increase knowledge

Clarify changes an individual may want to make
to reduce a variety of symptoms

Assist in skill development

Facilitating Support Groups

Participants learn by

Listening

Observing

Trying new behaviors

Receiving feedback

Experiencing support from others

Facilitating Support Groups

Types of Support Groups

Stress management

Smoking cessation

Anger management

Cancer recovery

Cardiovascular prevention

Widowhood

Weight management

Eating disorders

Parenting

Diabetes education

Alcohol addiction

Breast feeding

Prenatal education

Facilitating Support Groups

Types of Support Groups (continued)

Time limited, open to select individuals

Very structured

“Canned” curriculum

Ongoing, open to everyone

Less structured
Examples: alcohol addiction, chronic health condition

Facilitating Support Groups

Parental involvement

Confidentiality

Termination

Age and gender issues

Coping styles

Nature of problem

Setting

Style of leadership

Facilitating Support Groups

Support Groups for Children and Adolescents

Identify purpose and expectations of members

Issues

Support Groups for Adults (20–60 years old)

Variability in target audience’s needs

Need to identify specific needs of audience

Become aware of resources in the community
address other areas

Facilitating Support Groups

Support Groups for Older Adults

Link between physical and mental health

Possibility of
new friendships
personal growth
increased knowledge
health and health care practices and treatment

Social prejudice

Facilitating Support Groups

Support Groups for Older Adults

Time of day

Transportation

Process and content materials

Larger fonts

Accommodate hearing loss

Facilitating Support Groups

Steps to Conducting Support Groups

Define audience (topic specific)

Select a facilitator/
co-facilitator

Select a site

Define goals, objectives, and activities

Evaluation methods and procedures

Prepare content and process materials

Facilitate the group
Group process

Forming Norms

Facilitating Support Groups

Stages of Group Development

Initial stage

Develop a group structure

Orient members

Deal with group expectations

Members turn to facilitator for group leadership.

Decide whether or not to remain in the group

Facilitating Support Groups

Stages of Group Development

Transition stage

Anxiety and conflicts usually develop

Need to work through the phase

Working stage

Leader and members are relaxed and try out new behaviors

More sharing and self-disclosure occurs

Homework is acceptable

Facilitating Support Groups

Stages of Group Development

Ending stage

Prepare for termination

Facilitating Support Groups

Tips and Techniques

Plan the program in advance

Over-recruit members

Support the facilitator

Know what is available in the community

Generate initial buy-in

Be aware of ethical concerns

Facilitating Support Groups

The monopolist

Do not want to silence this person, but need to encourage others to interact as well

The silent member

Will often begin to participate once they feel they safe and consider that they will not be judged

Facilitating Support Groups

Dealing with Problem Members and Overcoming Challenges

The help-rejecting complainer

Listening and empathizing with this member is sometimes more helpful than offering solutions

Keep attendance

Identify any barriers that may hamper attendance

Facilitating Support Groups

Dealing with Problem Members and Overcoming Challenges

Facilitating Support Groups

Detailed Steps to Conducting Support Groups

Step 1

Define audience (topic specific)

Unique needs of the community
Assess

Identify other resources in the community

Gender specific or nonspecific

Recruitment

Facilitating Support Groups

Aware of cultural influences

Nondefensive

Courage and
self-awareness

Attend to ethical issues

Training and experience

Skills

Listening
Reflecting
Summarizing
Questioning
Confronting
Empathizing
Supporting
Suggesting

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 2

Select a facilitator/co-facilitator

Decrease leader burnout

More flexible scheduling

Sit across from each other in group

Objective perspective

Information from more than one vantage point

Increased facilitation for all members

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 2 Continued

Co-facilitator

Private and free of distractions

Comfortable setting

Special needs of participants

Practical considerations

Frequency of meetings

Site selection

Membership recruitment

Type of group: open vs. closed

Time limited vs. ongoing

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 3

Select a Site

Step 4

Define goals, objectives, and activities

Rationale/overall goal:
Why is the group necessary?

Objectives:
What needs to be accomplished?

How is it intended to be achieved?
Specific, measurable, attainable
supported by specific activities or procedures

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 5

Evaluation

Assess if the goals have been met

Evaluation Procedures

Include activities selected to meet the stated goals

Pre- and post-testing on knowledge

Satisfaction inventories

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 6

Prepare Content Materials

Select theoretical framework to drive the program
Health Behavior Change Theories can determine what information and activities will be implemented and what skills delivered
HBM
TPB
TMSC

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 7

Facilitate the group: Group process

Facilitating Support Groups

Forming the group

Selective perception
Participate/not participate; stereotype formation

Facilitator
encourages feedback in non-judgmental, non-threatening way

Communication: Needs
Need to survive without loss of personal integrity

Need for identity

Need for power, influence, and control and acceptance by others

Step 7 Continued

Facilitate the group: Group process

Group Size
five to eight members
open structure
confidentiality

Group Norms

Goals

Leadership

Facilitating Support Groups

Step 8

Forming Norms

Facilitating Support Groups

What should/not be done in the group

Help to regulate group behavior

Formal norms: written

Modeled by the facilitator

Explicitly stated norms
Stated verbally or easily recognized

Non-explicit or informal norms
Unstated rules of accepted behavior

Unconscious norms
Taboos (not stated but rarely violated)

Facilitating Support Groups

Detailed Ethical Issues

Align with the Code of Ethics for the Health Education Profession

Responsibility to the public
Responsibility to the profession
Responsibility to employers
Responsibility in the delivery of health education
Responsibility in research and evaluation
Responsibility in professional preparation

Informed consent

Provide clear information to make decision to take part

If underage or mental handicap, parental consent is required

Facilitating Support Groups

Freedom to withdraw from the group

May leave at any time without fear of repercussions

Inform leader of decision to leave

Facilitating Support Groups

Psychological risks for members

Informed of potential life changes as a result of participation

Negative and beneficial risks should be identified

Facilitating Support Groups

Confidentiality

Whatever is said in the group is not repeated

Facilitator should establish ground rules during the first session

Facilitator should stress the confidentiality of personal information

Facilitating Support Groups

Multicultural awareness

Group leaders must realize that they influence the values of the group

They need to be aware of the cultural backgrounds of their members

They must ensure that the group respects those backgrounds

Facilitating Support Groups

Personal relationships between leaders and members

Not appropriate if it interferes with group process

Should not use facilitator status to meet personal needs

Facilitating Support Groups

Socializing among group members

Address the pros and cons of this and how it may negatively impact the group’s ability to function

Facilitating Support Groups

Leader’s values and their impact on the group:

Must be aware of how their values influence their behavior and, in group, their leadership style

Cognizant not to impose personal values on group or use this position to further their personal agenda

Facilitating Support Groups

Expected Outcomes

Expected Outcomes

Curative factors
Factors contributing to gaining knowledge, skills and improved personal insight as a result of interaction in a group experience

Instillation of hope

Universality

Imparting information

Altruism

Facilitating Support Groups

Expected Outcomes

Curative factors (continued)

Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group

Development of socializing techniques

Imitative behaviors

Facilitating Support Groups

Expected Outcomes

Curative factors (continued)

Interpersonal learning

Group cohesiveness

Catharsis

Existential factors

Two Minute Re-Cap

Grab a piece of paper
Write down as many examples or phrases of how/what you can apply about Facilitation of Support Groups as a health educator