Social Justice in Group Work by Anneliese A. Singh Carmen F. Salazar

Author:Anneliese A. Singh, Carmen F. Salazar [Anneliese A. Singh, Carmen F. Salazar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780415576819
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2011-02-10T00:00:00+00:00

Social Class in Group Assessment and Planning

Developing the ability to assess the impact of classism and plan corrective experiences can enhance the work of even the most skilled group worker. Liu et al.’s (2004) Modern Classism Theory (MCT) and Social Class Worldview Model (SCWM) provide helpful frameworks that can be used both for assessment and for intervention purposes.

Assessing group dynamics. Liu et al.’s (2004) MCT describes cognitive and behavioral strategies people use to reinforce personal identity as well as to meet relational and resource needs. Interpreting group dynamics through this theoretical perspective may help group workers identify instances in which classism is an underlying dynamic in subgrouping, member marginalization, and group conflict. Brown and Mistry (2005) recommended group workers pay particular attention to members who are perceived to be, or who experience themselves as, a class minority. Liu et al.’s (2004) SCWM provides a useful structure for assessing the influence of social class and classism on individual group members. The model is comprised of five domains: awareness and salience of social class; past, present, and future referent groups; property relationships; lifestyle; and social class behaviors. Group workers may find it helpful to integrate these domains in member screening as well as in group interventions.

Planning and implementing interventions. When selecting interventions aimed at addressing social class, group workers will want to consider the type of group and group purpose. Members of psycho-educational and life skills groups may benefit from being introduced to the SCWM (Liu et al., 2004) and using the model to identify overt and covert motivating factors. In therapeutic groups, the SCWM domains related to personal awareness, class attitudes, and social class referent groups may be of particular value for assessing the role of classism in group dynamics. Resources covered in the earlier section on group worker self-awareness are equally effective for group members and can be used in a variety of groups.

The following case study illustrates the integration of social class awareness in both assessment and interventions processes. Antonia is a social worker and career development consultant who has initiated an eight-week support group for professional women transitioning back into the workforce after several years caring for young children. She knows from member screening that the group includes women of diverse ethnic and class backgrounds, and that all are struggling to balance personal, family, and professional goals.

In the first meeting Antonia facilitates a discussion of different cultural norms related to women and work. The discussion includes not only social class, but also gender, age, ethnicity, and ability-based norms. She then has members complete an inventory of class values and behaviors (“Self-Awareness,” n.d.). As the group discusses the inventory, Antonia supports members in identifying class values at the personal, family, and societal level as well as ways in which these values are reinforcing or contradictory.

In the second meeting, Antonia introduces Liu et al.’s (2004) SCWM as a tool for exploring aspects of class identity that may impede career development, especially beliefs about self, influence of referent groups, and lifestyle needs and wants.

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