Synopses & Reviews
Group Work With Populations at Risk covers many of the specific populations that students, social workers, and other mental health professionals are likely to encounter in group work. Accessible and practical as well as scientifically and theoretically sound, the text provides a set of guidelines for students who will be called upon to work with groups of people facing important, contemporary problems. The text opens with an introductory chapter summarizing the generic core of group work method followed by 21 chapters, each written by a renowned expert who blends a detailed discussion of the needs and characteristics of a population at risk with theory and practice principles. Aiming to provide the necessary background for those who may not have much experience in working with groups or specific populations, the authors cover a wide range of populations, including substance abusers, juvenile offenders, abused women and children, their abusers, mentally ill and physically ill people, with separate chapters about people with AIDS and women with breast cancer. Each chapter presents basic information about the key issues for a specific population and outlines the ways in which general group work techniques can be applied to this population. A list of up-to-date references and current resources are also included.
Review
"Essential reading for students and practitioners working with vulnerable client populations."--Jonathan Lebolt,
Adelphi UniversitySynopsis
Group Work with Populations at Risk, Second Edition is a fundamental resource for social workers and those in related health professions. Accessible and practical as well as theoretically sound, it is an essential reference for students and practitioners with little specific training in group work. This extensively revised edition provides tangible techniques and concrete guidelines on applying group work skills to a variety of situations. It is a comprehensive guidebook for those working directly with clients facing social problems or health conditions such as AIDS, cancer, addiction, head injury, divorce, mental illness, or abuse. Specific resources for further study and materials for use with each population are essential chapter components. With new chapters on internet self-help groups, group work with Asian-American immigrants, community and organizational factors, victims of school and community violence, and evidence-based practice, this nuts-and-bolts resource offers students and professionals clear, practical guidelines for applying specific skills and assessment measures to a broad range of group work environments.
About the Author
Larry J. Reynolds is Professor of English and Thomas Franklin Mayon Professor of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University. He is a former President of the Nathaniel Hawthorne Society and iscurrently the Executive Secretary of the Margaret Fuller Society.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Basic Principles of Group Work Practice,
Paul H. Ephross