Learning Objectives

  1. Analyze one’s own emotional and cognitive reactions to a case study.
  2. Define small groups and identify some of their uses in social work practice.
  3. Summarize and give examples of three dimensions of group structure.
  4. Compare the benefits and drawbacks of heterogeneity and homogeneity in group membership.
  5. Analyze the potential usefulness for social work practice of five theories of group process: psy-chodynamic theory, symbolic interaction the-ory, status characteristics and expectation states theory, exchange theory, and self-categorization theory.
  6. Describe four characteristics of group dynamics
  7. Summarize the role of social workers in interdisciplinary teams.
  8. Apply knowledge of small groups to recommend guidelines for social work engagement, assess-ment, intervention, and evaluation.