For Ann Harris

[Unit and Assignment Title]

[Learner Name]

[COURSE NUMBER – NAME]

[Date]

[Instructor Name]

Unit and Assignment Title

Start writing your introduction here (1–2 paragraphs). An effective introduction prepares the reader by identifying the purpose of the paper and providing the organization of the paper. Please double-space and remember to indent all paragraphs throughout your paper. Aim to keep your writing objective using third person. Unless citing a classic work, tap research articles and texts published within the past 5 years. Please use headings throughout your paper that are consistent with the paper’s scoring guide that way you ensure you are adequately addressing all required areas.

When you finish writing your paper, re-read it to check for errors and make sure your ideas flow well. A helpful tip is to read your paper aloud to yourself. If it does not sound right to your ear – it is not working on paper! Please submit your papers to Turnitin (link in the course homepage) to check for plagiarism and increase the originality in your writing. Also, remember as a Capella learner you have FREE access through Campus to personal tutoring services with smarthinking.com.

Presenting Issue and Type of Group

In this section, identify the topic you selected from the list of topics in the assignment instructions and briefly describe how it impacts a specific population. The population should be defined by age and may also include gender or other specific demographic descriptors such as ethnicity or sexual identity. You will need to decide whether a counselor or psychotherapy group is more appropriate. The Distinguished criterion is, “Describes a specific group type appropriate for an identified group topic and population and includes why it is more effective than other types of groups”. Present a rationale to address why either a counseling or psychotherapy group is more effective for the topic. You may want to explore why a psychoeducational group would not offer as much to the group members in comparison.

Applicability of Group Leadership Styles and Approaches

In this section, review articles that are focused upon specific group leadership styles and compare them based upon their strength. The Distinguished criterion is, “Evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, and applicability of sources to contrast the applicability of different group leadership or facilitation styles and approaches”. Note that simply summarizing what the articles include would be assessed at the Basic level. Focus upon the relative merits of the literature that include group leadership or facilitation. Effective comparisons are structured by citing the sources as specific themes within the same paragraph. For example, you may have sources that support the use of co-leaders or the degree of active or directive leadership style with differing conclusions. Note - This section will be the first section of u09a1. This section is going to be the longest and is weighted more heavily. Assume it will require at least 3 pages with sub-headings as needed. This section is weighted to be 30 percent of the assignment grade because it will require the most development.

Legal and Ethical Issues

Legal and ethical issues may be addressed in multiple articles for groups for your topic or population even if it is not the primary focus for the article.  Provide an evaluation just as you did in the previous section. The Distinguished criterion is, “Evaluates sources that identify the legal and ethical implications pertinent to a specific group therapy model and an identified population”. Relevant ethical or legal issues can arise because of the topic of the group (for example, mandated clients for anger management) or the population (issues related to consent for minors). Cite the relevant ethical standards to support your evaluation. This section can be adequately addressed in a few well-developed paragraphs.

Cultural Factors

Cultural factors are a second theme that will likely be addressed in multiple articles even if it is not the main topic.  Provide an evaluation just as you did in the previous section. The Distinguished criterion is, “Analyzes research on cultural factors relevant to planning for a specific group therapy model and an identified population, and justifies source selection and credibility”. Just like ethical and legal issues, issues related to culture and diversity may be raised because of the presenting issue (vulnerable populations at risk for HIV) or diversity within the group itself. You may locate articles that address how to be mindful of diversity in groups in general to support the analysis of how the concepts inform the proposed group. This section can also be adequately addressed in a few well-developed paragraphs.

Conclusion

Please provide a conclusion that summarizes the main ideas of your paper.

References

Berg, R. C., Landreth, G. L., & Fall, K. A. (2018). Group counseling: Concepts and procedures (6th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

NOTE: Consult your APA manual for proper examples on citing and referencing APA style. The Capella Writing Center also has helpful tutorials.