Group work is used in many arenas from Mental Health through to personal development, and varies in delivery from entirely verbal to physical and theatrical. Within the UK criminal justice system, group work is seen as an effective option for tackling offending behaviour, if delivering a structured cognitive-behavioural programme and following Effective Practice guidelines (Chapman & Hough 1997, Furniss 2000).
However, simply ‘following the manual’ ignores many of the crucial process issues to do with therapist characteristics and group atmosphere. Home Office research on effectiveness also argues that programmes which ‘...match staff and offenders learning styles and engage the active participation of offenders...” as motivational group work does are likely to be more effective (Chapman & Hough 1997 p6).
So what is Motivational Group Work?
ignition training in Motivational Group Work complies with useful Home Office recommendations on ‘what works’, but delivers a more sophisticated model of offending behaviour group work. It is founded on principles of Motivational Interviewing and provides the basis for positive group outcomes.
Process issues
Beech & Scott Fordham (1997) have shown that a primary factor in successful groups - i.e. those which promote the greatest amount of (hopefully long term) change in offenders - is group cohesiveness and engagement by the members with the group. Group cohesiveness is in turn facilitated by a group leader style which demonstrates certain therapist characteristics: these including clear boundaries, positive regard and respect for the individual(s), warmth, and a non judgmental attitude. Workers or therapists having these characteristics are demonstrated and described as being effective with client groups from female sex offenders to male drug users (Van Bilsen 1991, Kinder Matthews 1993). Such group cohesiveness is developed through workers applying the spirit and techniques of Forensic Motivational Interviewing specifically to the overall group work context.
Delivery issues
What do we know of offenders in general terms? That many of them are not comfortable with abstract discussion and do not learn best when faced with paper based exercises (Blud 1999). ignition group work teaches active and participatory ways to engage offenders which are challenging but safe, and aid the development of group cohesiveness as mentioned above. They are a powerful tool in the worker’s armoury and build upon ignition training in Forensic Motivational Interviewing.
Course contents include
- rolling with group resistance
- keeping things on track
- respectfully shutting down diversions
- challenging without raising defensiveness
- using the group as a resource
Who is the training suitable for?
Motivational Group Work is a Level 2 course intended for workers with experience of group work programmes and some experience of or training in Motivational Interviewing skills.
References
Beech, A.R. & Scott Fordham, A. (1997) ‘Therapeutic Climate of Sexual Offender Treatment Programs’. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 9, (3) pp219-237.
Blud, L. (1999) ‘Cognitive skills Programmes’. Issues in Forensic Psychology 1. Leicester:British Psychological Society.
Chapman, T. & Hough, M (1997) Evidence Based Practice. London: Home Office Publications Unit.
Furniss, J. (Ed.) (2000) Cognitive Behavioural Approaches. An Introduction To Theory and Research. Home Office Publications t
van Bilsen, Henck P.J.G. (1991) ‘Motivational Interviewing: Perspectives from the Netherlands with Particular Emphasis on Heroin Dependent Clients’. In Miller, W.R. & Rollnick, S. (Eds.) Motivational Interviewing. New York: The Guilford Press.
Kinder Matthews, J. (1993) ‘Working with female sexual abusers’ in M. Elliott (Ed.) Female Sexual Abuse of Children. New York: Wiley.
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