Opportunistic group work: service-based and community support group examples

2018 ◽  
pp. 245-253
Author(s):  
Stephen Weatherhead ◽  
Bernie Walsh ◽  
Phillippa Calvert ◽  
Gavin Newby
Keyword(s):  
Support Group ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Community Support

Professionally Led Peer Support Group Process After the School Shooting in Finland

2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuija Turunen ◽  
Raija-Leena Punamäki
Keyword(s):  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Group Process ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
School Shooting ◽  
Traumatic Loss ◽  
Traumatic Grief ◽  
Peer Support Group ◽  
Bereaved Family

Background Traumatic grief is a risk factor for psychological and physiological impairment. In a school shooting incident in Finland, several people lost their lives, and a large number of bereaved family members were at risk for traumatic grief. Psychosocial support for these bereaved was therefore essential, and this article describes a program that was developed for that purpose. Method Professionally led peer support group process was provided for the relatives of the deceased in the school shooting in Kauhajoki, Finland, 2008. The 2-year-long process consisted of five weekend gatherings with psychoeducative and group-work elements. The content of the process was based on the existing knowledge of and recommendations for enhancing recovery after a traumatic loss. Results On the average, 50 relatives of the deceased in the school shooting participated in the process. The process was based on the principles of (a) timing of the group work and interventions according to stages of bereavement, (b) psychoeducation, awareness rising, and recognizing the signs of posttraumatic symptoms, (c) attachment theory-based elements in parents' and siblings' grief and group work, and (d) encouraging cohesion and strength of families' natural networks and support systems. Conclusion Professionally led peer support group process is a trauma-theory-based intervention, which reaches a large number of the bereaved with similar loss. Via group work, psychoeducation, and shared rituals, the bereaved have an opportunity to share and express emotions and experiences, as well as increase their skills in psychological recovery after a violent death of a family member.

Children of Divorce-a Community Support Group

1979 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Guerney ◽  
Lucy Jordon
Keyword(s):  
Support Group ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Children Of Divorce

scholarly journals Online peer support groups for family caregivers: are they reaching the caregivers with the greatest needs?

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 1130-1136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther M Friedman ◽  
Thomas E Trail ◽  
Christine Anne Vaughan ◽  
Terri Tanielian
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Logistic Regression Models

Abstract Background Online peer support groups are an increasingly common venue for caregivers supporting disabled family members to exchange informational, emotional, and instrumental support. We know very little, however, about who uses these groups and whether they are reaching those with the greatest needs. Objective To examine whether caregiving factors (ie, caregiving demands and strain, competing demands, access to support and services, and other caregiving characteristics) are related to online community support use and intensity of use. Method This study used data from a new survey of family caregivers who provide care to disabled military veterans. We used logistic regression models to examine the likelihood of online community support group usage and intensity of use as a function of a variety of caregiving factors. Results Those with greater caregiving demands were more likely to use online peer support. Specifically, helping the care recipient with more activities was associated with a statistically significantly greater likelihood of visiting an online community support group. Caring for a veteran with a neurological or psychological condition, which, in prior work, suggests more complex care needs, was also positively and significantly related to visiting an online community support group. Hours of care and several other caregiving factors were related to intensity of use. Conclusions We show that family caregivers with the most caregiving demands are most engaged with online support communities. This suggests that online communities could be used to support the most vulnerable family caregivers. The implications of this work for online support systems are discussed.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploration of Some Unresolved Clinical Issues

1990 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 480-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Julian Hafner ◽  
Robyn J. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Significant Excess ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Australian Community

The study data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of a South Australian community support group for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The response rate was 47%, yielding 81 questionnaire sets completed by members who, on the basis of their questionnaire responses, were judged to meet DSM-Ill-R criteria for OCD. The clinical and demographic characteristics of the respondents were very similar to those of previously reported clinical populations. Mean age at onset of OCD was 18 years and mean duration 17 years; 55% of respondents rated their current OCD as extremely or very severe. Seventy-seven percent had received psychiatric treatment (mean 55 occasions) and 47% had attended clinical psychologists or professional counsellors (mean 20 occasions). Those who reported prominent fears of losing control of motor behaviours had received a significant excess of outpatient and inpatient psychiatric treatment. Most respondents reported the presence of all 4 identified components of OCD, of which the obsession/rumination component was central. Levels of OCD correlated strongly with levels of overall psychopathology, and fertility rates were significantly reduced in those patients who reported the most symptoms.

Observations From an Empirical Study of the Workspaced Activity of Design Teams

1989 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Tang ◽  
L. J. Leifer
Keyword(s):  
Support Group ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Video Data ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Group Design ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Small group design sessions were studied empirically to better understand collaborative work. Shared workspace activity — the listing, drawing and gesturing of the group — was studied in order to guide the design, development, and introduction of tools to support group work. An understanding of workspace activity needs to include the role of gestures, the use of the workspace to develop ideas, and the use of the workspace to help mediate interaction. The following observations of group workspace activity are reported: • gestures, and the relationship of gestures to the workspace, convey important information • the process of storing information can be problematic • the process of expressing ideas conveys information beyond the resulting artifacts created • listing, drawing, and gesturing activities fluently intermix • orientation, amount of simultaneous access, and proximity to the workspace structure the use of the workspace These observations are illustrated with examples from the video data.

A community support group for HIV-seropositive drug users: Is attendance associated with reductions in risk behaviour?

AIDS Care ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 716-716
Author(s):  
J. B. Greenberg ◽  
W. D. Johnson ◽  
R. R. Fichtner
Keyword(s):  
Support Group ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Risk Behaviour ◽  
Hiv Seropositive
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document