Group-Centered Prevention in Mental Health: Theory, Training, and Practice

This book presents the concept of group-centered prevention and provides explanations and exercises for learning the method and teaching it to others. Detailed studies offer evidence for the continuing importance of prevention in mental well-being and distinguishes group-centered prevention from other group interventions by its ability to resolve incipient mental health issues and emotional problems. Case examples with adults, children, couples, and others demonstrate successful uses of group-centered techniques as well as illustrate the problems that arise in group settings. The book's ready-to-apply training exercises give prospective group leaders practice in starting new groups, fostering cohesion, integrating therapeutic factors into sessions, and other core skills.

Featured topics include:

• Group-centered prevention in contrast with other group interventions.
• Characteristics of effective leaders in group-centered prevention.
• Benefits of prevention groups as opposed to those gained in counseling and therapy.
• Key constructs of self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation in group-centered prevention.
• Stages of development in new groups.
• Formats for developing training exercises.

Group-Centered Prevention in Mental Health is an essential resource for scientist-practitioners, clinicians, and researchers as well as graduate students in such disciplines as school psychology, social work, and public health. Its educational uses span classroom, workshop, and training settings across the health and healing disciplines.