Susan T. Dennison

Enhancing the Integration of Group Theory with Practice: A Five-Part Teaching Strategy

Group work is one of the areas of practice in which social workers have had unique strengths and advanced skills. However, for the past 20 years there has been a steady decline in group-work conten...

Measuring the Treatment Outcome of Short-Term School-Based Social Skills Groups

ABSTRACT Short-term groups are frequently being used in schools today to address the ever-increasing needs among at-risk students. This research was intended to address some of the current gaps in our understanding of how short-term groups affect the functioning of children and adolescents. A combination of qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods was utilized in the study to measure the treatment outcome of these school-based groups. A comparison of the results surfaced from this two evaluation methods was very informative and adds to our current knowledge and understanding of the treatment impact of short-term groups. Study participants and the group facilitators reported more internal areas of change as opposed to external behavioral changes. Future research questions and suggestions for designing more rigorous studies of short-term groups for at-risk students are delineated based on the results of this study.

Research literature review on social work education instructional methods: 1998-2008.

This article presents a review of research studies examining instructional methods reported in the social work education literature published between 1998 and 2008. From a sample of 91 studies, 31 were identified as having used either a single group pre/post test design or a comparison of two or more groups and inclusion of a learning outcome measure. Most of the studies were deficient in either the employment of comparison groups, pre/post designs, utilization of multiple learning outcome measures, or a clear delineation of the connection between teaching methods and learning outcomes. Very few studies were based on previous work. A challenge is made to the field to conduct better designed studies and several suggestions for doing so are offered.

Foster Care Chronicles: Use of the Arts for Teens Aging Out of the Foster Care System

This article describes the use of narrative and drama therapies as creative therapeutic interventions to engage and assist vulnerable youth. Foster Care Chronicles was a collaboration between a state university social work program and a local department of social services in a child welfare unit. This 2-year exploratory project employed an innovative approach to work with foster care youth, all of whom were within 2 years of “aging out” of care. The project utilized narrative therapy and drama therapy in a group setting by building on youths’ individual and collective strengths in writing, speaking, and acting. As these youth assessed their participation in this program, their reflections addressed developing aspects of self-image, self-healing, self-efficacy, and lessons learned.

Interdisciplinary Role Play Between Social Work and Theater Students

Teaching BSW and MSW students beginning interviewing and relationship-building skills is essential in order to prepare them for practice with clients. In social work methods courses, role plays are commonly-used instructional strategies for helping foundation-level students acquire these initial practice skills. Despite the popularity of this teaching method, the social work literature contains limited studies on the use of role play. In this study, 2 role-play methods are compared, a traditional one in which social work students act out the role of client and social worker and a nontraditional one where the only difference was that theater students role-played the client. Findings revealed that social work students perceived the nontraditional role play as providing a more realistic experience that more closely approximates actual work with clients. Many unanticipated benefits for both sets of students surfaced as a result of this research. Implications for ways to improve this pedagogical tool are discu...

Therapist: Heal Thyself with Poetry

The author shares a personal experience of writing a poem to her dying mother as a way of saying good-bye, expressing what her mother has meant to her, and sharing the grieving experience with family members and friends. The article goes on to address the impact this experience of using poetry in the healing process has had both on the authors personal and professional growth.

A Leadership Training Group for at Risk Fifth & Seventh Graders: Results from A Brief Strength-Based Group Program

ABSTRACT An increasing number of youth are exhibiting social, emotional, and behavioral problems that hinder their ability to function at grade level. Subsequently, school mental health services have not been able to address the need for services particularly among students who are minority and poor. A mixed methodology study was conducted to determine the treatment outcomes from a brief strength-based leadership training group for primarily students who are African American and poor. Pre–post scores on three scales and focus group data revealed significant positive changes in regard to internal areas of functioning and social skills, anger management skills, and school attitude. Gender and age significantly impacted outcomes.