Support Group Intervention
Intervention
Participants in a study conducted by Toseland (1990) selected personally beneficial outcomes of attending a support group including: (1) realizing that they were not alone with their concerns, problems, and pressures, (2) receiving encouragement and understanding; and (3) gaining the ability to understand and communicate personal feelings. Another project conducted by Toseland and his colleagues Rossiter & Labrecque, asked group members what the most helpful aspects of peer-led and professionally-led support groups (1989). The response was an appreciation of the opportunity to share feelings, gain insight into problems, and reduce guilt. Participants in both conditions also said the groups helped them emotionally by reducing their …show more content…
They are a popular intervention because they are relatively inexpensive to implement and are considered highly effective by service providers (Ramsey, 1992). Researchers regularly report that foster families perceive support groups as highly beneficial and satisfying (MacGregor, Rodger, Cummings & Leschied, 2006). Due to the nature of these groups, members feel more comfortable sharing their feelings and experiences out in the open because they are surrounded by others who have experienced similar situations. Tosland suggests future interventions should consider offering ongoing groups or periodic "booster" sessions after initial weekly support group meetings have ended to maintain improvements in social supports and knowledge of community resources over time (Toseland, 1990). Advice and tangible suggestions may be welcomed and sought from persons who have experienced the same stressor. Findings by Strozier (2012) indicate that caregivers attending support groups and receiving case management had decreased levels of depression, and increased sense of empowerment.
Limitations. Despite the hypothesized benefits of support groups, there is little scientific documentation of their effectiveness for resource parents. Two possible explanations for this lack of research are: (1) support groups often vary by size, participation rate, goals, outcomes, facilitation, and methodology and (2) support groups are often one part of a larger intervention program design so that controlling for all variables and other program effects can be difficult (Strozier,
Participants in a study conducted by Toseland (1990) selected personally beneficial outcomes of attending a support group including: (1) realizing that they were not alone with their concerns, problems, and pressures, (2) receiving encouragement and understanding; and (3) gaining the ability to understand and communicate personal feelings. Another project conducted by Toseland and his colleagues Rossiter & Labrecque, asked group members what the most helpful aspects of peer-led and professionally-led support groups (1989). The response was an appreciation of the opportunity to share feelings, gain insight into problems, and reduce guilt. Participants in both conditions also said the groups helped them emotionally by reducing their …show more content…
They are a popular intervention because they are relatively inexpensive to implement and are considered highly effective by service providers (Ramsey, 1992). Researchers regularly report that foster families perceive support groups as highly beneficial and satisfying (MacGregor, Rodger, Cummings & Leschied, 2006). Due to the nature of these groups, members feel more comfortable sharing their feelings and experiences out in the open because they are surrounded by others who have experienced similar situations. Tosland suggests future interventions should consider offering ongoing groups or periodic "booster" sessions after initial weekly support group meetings have ended to maintain improvements in social supports and knowledge of community resources over time (Toseland, 1990). Advice and tangible suggestions may be welcomed and sought from persons who have experienced the same stressor. Findings by Strozier (2012) indicate that caregivers attending support groups and receiving case management had decreased levels of depression, and increased sense of empowerment.
Limitations. Despite the hypothesized benefits of support groups, there is little scientific documentation of their effectiveness for resource parents. Two possible explanations for this lack of research are: (1) support groups often vary by size, participation rate, goals, outcomes, facilitation, and methodology and (2) support groups are often one part of a larger intervention program design so that controlling for all variables and other program effects can be difficult (Strozier,