Running head: Group process recording

Group Process Recording

Kelly E. Burg
Wayne State University

Group process recording

Background Information
The group session took place on a Wednesday evening. The group session took place in a
classroom setting. The group was made up of five group members and one social worker. The
chairs were set up in a rainbow shape, with the social worker directly sitting in front of the group
with his chair slightly raised higher then rest of the group members. The group session was
regarding drug and alcohol abuse.
Assessment Middle Phase
When the group members walked in, they all seemed very nervous and anxious. All the
group members didnt know where to sit or who to begin having a conversation with. The
significance of this session and the groups development as a whole was that all of the women sat
next to each other. They all seemed to have pushed aside the only male that was in the group,
leaving him to sitting by himself on the end. Group member A (Karlie) was in the group because
she knows she has a problem with drugs and alcohol and wants to get help. Group member B
(Rachel) doesnt think that she should be there, she doesnt think she has a problem. Her mother
dropped her off there and she has no choice in being there. Group member C (Reim) wants to be
there because she knows she has a drug/alcohol problem and wants to get her children back.
Group member D (Sheila) doesnt think that she should be there at all because she doesnt think
that she has a drug and alcohol problem. Group member E (Josh) knows that he has a problem
but thinks he can figure it out on his own because he knows everything. The social worker
wasnt very engaged within the group. He walked in and didnt have the group do introductions
with each other. They just started talking about the session immediately and saying why they
were attending the group session. It was very unorganized and unprofessional.

Group process recording

There were roles that were automatically set once the group began. The social worker
showed his power by having his chair put up higher then everyone elses chair, he seemed to
have been him looking down at the group as if they were all in trouble and he was better than rest
of the group. During the session, there was conflict that had occurred. This showed change
within the group. The members began to argue with one another because they didnt agree with
what was being said by another group member. An example of a conflict that occurred was the
reason in being there. Some thought that all the group members belonged there, while there were
other group members who didnt think it mattered if anyone was there or not. There were some
group members that wanted to keep talking, while there were other members that were not
interested in saying a single word. The change in the middle phase seemed to become negative
within the groups development. There was hardly any mutual aid that occurred between group
members. There was a development of a bond between group member A and the social worker.
Group member A was very involved in the group the entire time. She and the social worker kept
conversation going which showed a bond between them. She kept asking questions to other
group members. She wanted to make sure that she would get all the information that was needed
to get a better understand of addiction. She seemed to be the natural leader, among the group
members.
Group Dynamic in Session
The group goals and the hidden agendas showed right from when the group members first
met. There didnt seem to be any trust among group members. The group norms were not present
in the group session because the group members were unable to show any development of a bond
between one another. This showed during the group session because there was not any social
support with group members, there were no group members that showed any form giving advice

Group process recording

to any group members or showing any form of empathy toward one another. There was no level
of cohesiveness within the group. They did not show any sort of bond within the group. The only
bond that was shown was with the two women Group member B and Group member D who did
not want to be there. The social worker showed a little bit of leadership within in the group. He
did this when the group began to get off track. He was able to redirect the group to have the
members each say why they were there. Some of the members did not want any part of this,
while other members shared the reasons why they were there. This was the first time that some
of the group members began to talk with each other and share any type of information with
group members. The group climate was very high the entire time. There was a lot of conflict that
was occurring between group members. The tension of the group climate showed especially
when group member D did not want to share any sort of information. She sat on her phone the
entire time because she didnt feel like there was any certain need for her to be a part of the
group session. Group member A and C began to yell at group member D about being on her
phone. The group culture of a first time meeting was normal. Many people can come into group
sessions and be extremely nervous to talk to other members. They may not be able to trust just
anyone when it comes to talking about their own personal life situations.
Impressions
In the group, I feel like the empathy that came from the social worker was very limited.
Empathy is important within a group because it shows that he is understanding and that he cares
about the group members. By showing empathy, it may get the group members to begin to want
to talk while they are there. Showing empathy makes group members feel important and
comfortable. The social worker should have expressed his skills by being very attentive in the
group session. He also didnt try to involve group members. As time went on throughout the

Group process recording

session, the several members that didnt want to speak at all remained the same. The social
worker should have tried to get the members to engage in the session. He hardly offered any
social support to the members. I believe the social worker could have been able to engage more
group interaction if he would have went a different way with handling the group. When the
session first started, he should have noticed the group norms and tried to get more group
involvement. The members that didnt want to be at the session began to get upset because the
social worker began to make racial comments toward them by calling them lazy. There was no
structure during the session.
Plan of Action
If I was the social worker in the group, I would have tried to get more group involvement.
As a social worker, they should go into the group sessions by sitting down and trying to explain
the reasons on why the members are there such as talking about addiction and what they can do
to try to prevent addictions. I would also have each member introduce themselves. By doing an
icebreaker, this could have got the group to begin to talk with one another and get the group
members to be able to trust each other. I would have used different problem solving strategies
such as brainstorming, sorting out the best solution, and trying to form a plan of action,
especially when the group members seemed to get off track and begin fighting with each other.
The group was ineffective and dysfunctional because of the tone that was set from the start of the
group session. The social worker was also on his cell phone during the session. It showed that it
was handled very unprofessionally. The group needs to develop a bond. The group members
need to be able to speak to each other and share their stories.
Middle/End Assessment

Group process recording

As the session went on, the social worker tried to get the members to start talking more
with each other. The scene between the group members was set up the same. All of the members
remained in the same seats. All the women sat next to each other, while the only man that was in
the group session, sat by himself on the end. The social workers chair seemed to remain at the
same height sitting in his chair. During the session he would lower the seat then push it back up
when he was getting angry at the group. The group seemed to keep the same roles during the
group session. The change within the group seemed to be a more positive change, then from the
beginning phase. The members began to get more comfortable with each other. This showed
even if there was conflict among the members. If a group member got angry at another group
member he or she would not be afraid to let them know by voicing what they may think.
Group Dynamics
The group goals began to show different social support. This would occur when group
member A was trying to get every group member to begin talking. She would do this by asking
the group members questions. This would them talking. The group norms began to start showing
in the ending phase. This allowed the members to begin to get comfortable with one another. It
started to become normal to them. The level of cohesiveness greatly improved toward the end,
the group members started to interact with each other more and show a form of a bond. The
social worker showed a little more focus toward the group. He was able to get the members to
use mutual aid with one another, they would interact with each other and try to solve different
reasons as to why the group members are all there and how they should improve their habits.
Group member A and group member E, seemed to be the ones that were involved almost the
whole group session. They were able to negotiate about the reasons they were both attending the
group session. The group climate remained the same the whole session. The group session was at

Group process recording

a very high level due to the structure that was given by the social worker and the involvement of
the group members. The group culture remained the same, they didnt share any norms within
the group. It may take some group members part of the session to be able to warm up to the
social worker and the other group members. It can be a difficult thing to come into a group and
admit to being an addict or having a certain issues that one may need help dealing with.
Impressions
As the group session went on, the social worker began to be able to maintain the group
culture of the group. He began to show empathy toward some group members. The social worker
also was able to give some resources and insight to the group by being able to redirect the group
back on topic. This began to use structure with the group. Once the structure began to show in
the group session, the groups climate turned into a brand new group. This didnt include the
members that did not want to be there. Group members D and D did not want to engage. Group
member B was convinced that she shouldnt have been placed in the group in the first place.
Group member D continued to sit on her cell phone with her arms crossed the entire time. She
didnt show any want to be there, she continued to give the social worker attitude because she
was court ordered to be there.
Plan of Action
For the next session, I plan to change my groups behavior by coming in and making it a
comfortable atmosphere for all group members. Once again, I will use an ice breaker. Using the
ice breakers even a second time, allows the members to find out more information about each
other. Having an ice breaker a second time allows the group to open up even more. They may
feel more comfortable sharing a little more information than they did the first time. For my group
to be more effective I need to have more mutual aid and more social support. There needs to be

Group process recording

cohesion throughout the group. The group members should try to support one another to become
a whole group. The social workers role needs to show a little less power. This can happen by
having the social worker lower his chair and be on the same level of the group members. This
shows that there can be more engagement with the social worker and the members of the group.
Based on the diversity of the group, I would try to make sure that everyone in the group has their
own opportunity to share their story. I would want to make sure that everyone is engaged in the
group and they want to be there. Although there are sometimes members that dont want to be
there at all because they are court ordered, I would try to make the group interesting and helpful
to all the members. By sharing different stories allows to show the different diversity among the
group members. Each group member will be able to take something from the group and apply it
to their lives to help better themselves.
Ending Phase
The social workers behaviors changed throughout the whole session. In the beginning he
was not showing any types of skills he had such as attending the involvement of the group
members, being responsive, focusing on the members, or giving any feedback. He seemed to just
be interested in the power that he had as a social worker. He would make comments that he was
smarter than them and on a higher level in life. As the session went on, he tried to be more
engaging with the clients by getting the ones who wouldnt talk to actually talk. This showed
validation about him being a social worker. The members showed both denial and acceptance of
the group. Group members B and D were in denial the whole session. Group members A, C, and
E were engaged and at least showing acceptance to the group. By showing acceptance to the
group this can help a group member be able to express their stories and get the help they need.

Group process recording

Conclusion
Overall the group session showed great improvement between the middle phase and the
ending phase. The social worker became more professional as the sessions went on. He showed
more engagement within the group session. The group members engaged more and began to
share stories. There was still cohesion within the group. After a few sessions, the social worker
should be able to try to work with the group members conflicts. Since they all share the same
addiction the social worker should have used ice breakers to make the group members begin to
speak to one another. There is still room for growth between the group members and the social
worker.