Mary F. Maples

Group development: Extending tuckman's theory

Abstract Graduate students in group work find Tuckmans theory of the stages of group development too limiting. In this article the author adds a second level to clarify the stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.

A Comparative Study of Psychosocial Development in Nontraditional and Traditional College Students

Students who do not fit the definition of the traditional student are becoming an increasingly large segment of the college population. In order to effectively promote retention in todays college students, the student development professional must understand these changing demographic and academic characteristics. This study compared student development in nontraditional and traditional college students. Student development was measured using the Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA). Nontraditional students were defined by the degree to which they ascribed to a set of nontraditional characteristics. This study of 163 students found that nontraditional students scored significantly lower than traditional students on all three Tasks measured by the SDTLA—Establishing and Clarifying Purpose, Developing Autonomy, and Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships. In addition, the more nontraditional characteristics the student ascribed to, the lower the reported level of development. Implications for student development practice are discussed.

Steamwork: An effective approach to team building

Abstract Changes in leadership of organizations will affect many people. This article suggests an approach that can effect positive transitions through team building. An application of the model is presented.

Group Conflict Resolution: An Organization Development Approach

Whenever two or more people exist together in a close relationship, conflict is inevitable. Counselors labor intensively to help those in conflict arrive at viable and acceptable solutions. This article contains an adaptation of an organization development approach used successfully in recent years in business and industry. This model can supply counselors in group settings with a systematic approach to effective group conflict resolution.