Ethical and Cultural Issues in Group Work

As a human and social services professional, it is likely that you will often be called upon to work within a group. Whether in your organization or within your community, the ability to successfully work within a group setting and to navigate group dynamics is essential to providing services to your clients.

For this Assignment, you consider ethical and cultural issues that may present when working with groups, such as pre-existing relationships within the group, hierarchy or seniority of members, and traditional roles and expectations of inclusion in the process.

To Prepare:

• Choose a specific group work scenario that you either encounter regularly or that is of particular professional interest to you (e.g., group social work within hospitals, youth groups in schools, substance abuse co-led groups in prisons).
• Review Chapter 12, “Ethical Issues in Group Work,” in the Corey course text, and reflect on the guidelines related to your chosen scenario.

The Assignment (3–4 pages):

• Briefly describe the group scenario that you are using for the Assignment.
• Explain the skills necessary to be a successful group facilitator for this population and/or issue type and within your chosen setting.
• Explain the ethical and cultural issues that must be addressed before you can begin a group in this scenario.
• Identify the three most important guidelines for multicultural and social justice competence that would guide you professionally and ethically once the group was underway. Explain why you selected these guidelines in particular.
• Of the three guidelines you described, explain which one(s) you believe you need to develop additional knowledge or experience with as part of your professional development and why.

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Scenario 1:

Elida assumes that the more information about group process she provides to group members, the more the members will attempt to please her. To avoid this, Elida does not give information out before members actually meet, either in writing or orally, nor does she establish group rules and group norms. This leader is convinced that informed consent is not really possible, and she prefers to have an open discussion in the group that allows members to formulate rules that make sense to them. If members flounder in defining goals, Elida believes this is part of the group process; therefore, she does not expect members to identify specific goals to guide their participation in a group. Elida thinks members should follow their own spontaneous paths rather than learning about group norms and other expected group behavior from the group leader.

What do you think of Elida’s approach to formulating group rules and norms with the group members?

Scenario 2:

Angela is a counselor in a busy community agency that is understaffed, and counselors are increasingly expected to design groups as a way to meet the diverse needs of clients in the agency. Angela decides to organize a personal-growth group by sending colleagues a memorandum asking for candidates for her group. There are no provisions for individual screening of potential members, no written announcement informing the members of the goals and purposes of the group, and no preparation for incoming members. No information is given to the members about the leader’s background, possible techniques to be used, expectations for participation, or how to get the most from the group experience. Angela asks the receptionist to admit the first 10 people who come to enroll, assuming that the interest of these people is a sign that they are ready for a group experience. The receptionist puts people into the group as they inquire, irrespective of the nature of their problems, and they are told when to come in for the first meeting.

What issues pertaining to informed consent do you believe Angela needs to address before the group begins?