GROUPS FOR

ADULTS
Mohd Zaliridzal Zakaria Ph. D.; K.B.; P.A.
Roadmap
◦ Adulthood
◦ Setting up Groups for Adults
◦ Types of Groups with Adults
◦ Strengths and Limitations of
Group Work with Adults
 Implies that a person has reached physical, mental,
social, and emotional maturity

In reality, it is a multidimensional stage of growth

often characterized by a certain unevenness and
unpredictability (Santrock, 2013)

Adulthood Conceptualized as the age period between 20 and 65

years.

Includes young adulthood (20 to 40 years) and midlife

(40-65 years).
 Coming up with a theme for
the group

Setting Up
Groups for Identifying necessities or
obligations

Adults
Making clear the purpose of
the group
 ◦ Probably more types of groups available and run for adults
than for any other age or stage of the population

Types of ◦ Work and task groups are a primary type of groups

conducted for adults (Hulse-Killacky et al., 2001)

Groups for ◦ Counseling groups also are used with adults to explore
personal issues of adulthood and to help with lifestyle
Adults transitions
◦ Psychotherapy groups are employed for adults on inpatient
and outpatient bases (Yalom & Leszcz, 2005)
 Formal and informal groups are found
many places on campus.

Groups for Millennial students tend to use college

counseling centers more frequently and for
College more severe problems than previous
generations
Students Groups on college campuses for
prevention and remediation
 Groups for College Students
Psychoeducational Psychotherapeutic
Counseling groups
Groups Types of Groups

• Self-esteem • Helpful for • Helpful for adult

• Depression excessively self- children of
management critical students alcoholics
• Career-awareness (Phelps & Luke, • Survivors of sexual
and self-exploration 1995) abuse
 Groups for Adults in Midlife
Psychoeducational Groups
• With the exception of task/work
groups, these the most common
• Geared toward learning and
wellness
Counseling and
Psychotherapeutic
• Focused on making choices and
changes
• Common types of groups
include grief/loss, career and job
support, survivors of suicide,
victims of abuse groups
Groups for Men
◦ Types of groups
◦ Consciousness-raising (C-R) Group
(Garfield, 2010)
◦ Support and psychoeducational groups
for single, custodial fathers

◦ Groups can help men identify

personal and general concerns of
being male and ways to deal
constructively with issues and
problems they face
◦ Can be difficult to get men to
participate in groups
 Groups for Women
◦ “Traced to the consciousness-raising groups
of the 1960s and 1970s” (Horne, 1999, p.
232)
◦ For certain issues, women do better in
women-only treatment groups (Kauffman et
al., 1995; Singh & Hofsess, 2011)
◦ Chemical dependency
◦ Empowerment
 Rape survivors’ groups

Groups for
Women Relationship groups

Eating disorders groups

Groups for Couples and Families

Parent Education Groups

Couples and Family Group Therapy

Multiple-Family Group Therapy

 Group related to the emotional
impact of separation (Addington,
1992)
Groups for
Groups related to the emotional
the Divorced response of separation
and
Widowed Parents Without Partners (PWP)
 ◦ Michael’s (2006) six-session group
◦ Emphasizes the following bonds:
◦ Developmental
Groups for
◦ Nurturing
Remarried
◦ Strengthening
Couples
◦ Utilizes group problem-solving
as well as couples-focused
activities
 Offenders
• “People involved in the criminal
justice system”
• “Includes both incarcerated and
Groups for nonincarcerated offenders”
(Morgan et al., 2014, p. 441)
Adult
Offenders Problematic areas:
• Low level of trust
• High levels of anger, frustration,
and sense of deprivation
Groups for Adult Offenders
Common groups
• Groups for individuals found guilty of sexual
offense
• Grief counseling groups
• Cognitive psychotherapeutic groups
 Life-Threatening
Illnesses
◦ Groups have been employed as a way
of treating people with life-
threatening diseases
◦ Offer the following:
◦ Education
◦ Support
◦ Release from stress and emotion that has
built up
 Save money

Are effective
Strengths of
Adult Groups Help to alter nonproductive
behavior
Motivate adults to work on
concerns
 Challenges with scheduling

Difficulties associated with passive-aggressive

behavior
Limitations of
Adult Groups
Difficulties in Screening and assembling group
members who have a common focus

Challenges associated with past beliefs and

behavioral problems