Week 4
History, present reality and trends in groups
S. Gladding
Page | 1
From beginning of humankind – individuals have gathered together to create,
achieve + resolve matters not possible otherwise > natural way for people to
communicate + interrelate with one another
USES OF GROUPS BEFORE 1900
Generally formed for functional + pragmatic reasons
Primary emphasis: distributing information
Group structure as a means to gain knowledge about themselves + their
surroundings, resources + other = similar structure to social group work
Emphasis on larger social community – group members with common origins, goals
+ needs
Development on groups in this era was dynamic movement including contributions
from disciplines like psychology, sociology, philosophy + education
o Need for social reform + education
Use of large groups for instructional purposes evolved to use of small groups for
various purposes
GROWTH OF WORK WITH GROUPS: 1900 TO PRESENT
1900 to 1909
Joseph Hersey Pratt – organized 1st formal group experience NOT primarily
educational or task/work oriented RATHER for humane + economic reasons
Started psychotherapy group for TB patients in 1905
Group: source of support + inspiration for TB patients whose conditions were chronic
+ cyclical + circumstances led to personal discouragement + depression
Group interventions as a prevention/intervention strategy
, Week 4
Provided information + encouragement in commons setting opposed to individual
patients
Pratt began to recognize therapeutic power of groups
Jesse Davis – establish groups in public schools Page | 2
o Emphasis on functionality of group as environment in which to learn life skills,
values + importance of citizenship
Use of groups as way of dispensing information + providing educational + vocational
assistance
1910 to 1919
Psychological group tests developed + administered
Group work slowed down – focus in U.S. was on individual + individual achievement
1920 to 1929
Important events in development of groups:
➢ 1922: Alfred Adler – new systematic form of group guidance + counselling
[collective counselling]
➢ Employed treatment with prison + child guidance populations
➢ Family councils – means of getting input from everyone in family on
how to resolve difficulties + improve family relations
➢ His work – forerunner of applying group techniques to natural group
[family]
➢ 1921: Jacob L. Moreno – Theatre of Spontaneity [psychodrama]
➢ Role playing
➢ Taking of “stage center”
➢ Here-and-now interaction
➢ Promotion of catharsis
➢ Focus on empathy
➢ Encouragement of group members helping one another
Group interventions as a prevention/intervention strategy
, Week 4
➢ 1928: Trigant Burrow – focus on interpersonal relationships of individuals
➢ Relationships play crucial role in formation + enactment of
psychotherapy [isolation = detrimental to mental health]
➢ Finally: investigation of small groups
Page | 3
➢ Beginning to learn which types of interactions were the norm in small
group settings + how groups influence individuals
➢ Due to scientific approach: concept of groups gained respect + their
power became more recognized
1930 to 1939
Five major events:
1. Group guidance + educational publications + practices increased
o In schools
o Teacher’s responsibilities: establish friendly relationships, discover
abilities + needs + develop right attitudes toward school, home +
community
2. Jacob Moreno – more writing + making of creative presentations
o Introduced terms group therapy + group psychotherapy + psychodrama
o Psychodrama: interpersonal approach in which participants act out
their feelings regarding past or present events + attempt to clarify
conflicts
3. Increase in number + quality of fieldwork by sociologists [studies of
groups in natural settings]
o Investigative methods to gather data
4. Founding of 1st major self-help group in America [Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA)]
o Founded by individuals who came to realize potency of individuals
meeting together + interacting in supportive way to produce change
o Listening, empathizing, supporting + teaching
Group interventions as a prevention/intervention strategy
History, present reality and trends in groups
S. Gladding
Page | 1
From beginning of humankind – individuals have gathered together to create,
achieve + resolve matters not possible otherwise > natural way for people to
communicate + interrelate with one another
USES OF GROUPS BEFORE 1900
Generally formed for functional + pragmatic reasons
Primary emphasis: distributing information
Group structure as a means to gain knowledge about themselves + their
surroundings, resources + other = similar structure to social group work
Emphasis on larger social community – group members with common origins, goals
+ needs
Development on groups in this era was dynamic movement including contributions
from disciplines like psychology, sociology, philosophy + education
o Need for social reform + education
Use of large groups for instructional purposes evolved to use of small groups for
various purposes
GROWTH OF WORK WITH GROUPS: 1900 TO PRESENT
1900 to 1909
Joseph Hersey Pratt – organized 1st formal group experience NOT primarily
educational or task/work oriented RATHER for humane + economic reasons
Started psychotherapy group for TB patients in 1905
Group: source of support + inspiration for TB patients whose conditions were chronic
+ cyclical + circumstances led to personal discouragement + depression
Group interventions as a prevention/intervention strategy
, Week 4
Provided information + encouragement in commons setting opposed to individual
patients
Pratt began to recognize therapeutic power of groups
Jesse Davis – establish groups in public schools Page | 2
o Emphasis on functionality of group as environment in which to learn life skills,
values + importance of citizenship
Use of groups as way of dispensing information + providing educational + vocational
assistance
1910 to 1919
Psychological group tests developed + administered
Group work slowed down – focus in U.S. was on individual + individual achievement
1920 to 1929
Important events in development of groups:
➢ 1922: Alfred Adler – new systematic form of group guidance + counselling
[collective counselling]
➢ Employed treatment with prison + child guidance populations
➢ Family councils – means of getting input from everyone in family on
how to resolve difficulties + improve family relations
➢ His work – forerunner of applying group techniques to natural group
[family]
➢ 1921: Jacob L. Moreno – Theatre of Spontaneity [psychodrama]
➢ Role playing
➢ Taking of “stage center”
➢ Here-and-now interaction
➢ Promotion of catharsis
➢ Focus on empathy
➢ Encouragement of group members helping one another
Group interventions as a prevention/intervention strategy
, Week 4
➢ 1928: Trigant Burrow – focus on interpersonal relationships of individuals
➢ Relationships play crucial role in formation + enactment of
psychotherapy [isolation = detrimental to mental health]
➢ Finally: investigation of small groups
Page | 3
➢ Beginning to learn which types of interactions were the norm in small
group settings + how groups influence individuals
➢ Due to scientific approach: concept of groups gained respect + their
power became more recognized
1930 to 1939
Five major events:
1. Group guidance + educational publications + practices increased
o In schools
o Teacher’s responsibilities: establish friendly relationships, discover
abilities + needs + develop right attitudes toward school, home +
community
2. Jacob Moreno – more writing + making of creative presentations
o Introduced terms group therapy + group psychotherapy + psychodrama
o Psychodrama: interpersonal approach in which participants act out
their feelings regarding past or present events + attempt to clarify
conflicts
3. Increase in number + quality of fieldwork by sociologists [studies of
groups in natural settings]
o Investigative methods to gather data
4. Founding of 1st major self-help group in America [Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA)]
o Founded by individuals who came to realize potency of individuals
meeting together + interacting in supportive way to produce change
o Listening, empathizing, supporting + teaching
Group interventions as a prevention/intervention strategy
