Search

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss the reports within the issue on topics including the practical considerations for working with youth populations, the use of virtual platforms for working with diverse populations and the training of counseling students in neuroscience-informed competencies.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked new challenges that disrupt both individual daily routines and the collective ability for people to collaborate through group work. As the necessity of technological integration expands throughout all occupational fields, group workers and helping professional must also adapt to new virtual landscapes. The ten tips included in this article were created by the ASGW Special Initiatives Committee to provide useful considerations and practical strategies that will aid in the facilitation of ethical, effective virtual groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including evidence-based building community group curriculum that can be used by group workers to facilitate multiculturalism, social justice advocacy and civic engagement, how counselors can utilize a neuroscience-informed framework to facilitate groups for children and adolescents and the impact of groups that were offered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association for Specialists in Group Work's (ASGW) Special Initiatives Committee created a document offering 10 strategies for intentionally using group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous conversations, and enhance community building. Group workers can utilize these methods and resources to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among group members in all types of groups and in various settings. These strategies provide a road map for group workers to use in navigating the complex process of unifying diverse individuals in a way that celebrates their commonalities and differences, while fostering difficult conversations in various group settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers 10 guidelines for conducting international group work research. These guidelines include the importance of establishing relationships, conducting a needs assessment, co-constructing the research questions/design, determining the approach, choosing culturally relevant instruments, choosing culturally responsive group interventions, following required/ethical research procedures, determining data analysis/dissemination plan, engaging in effective communication, and practicing cultural humility throughout the process. Using a group stage conceptualization, a case study focusing on an international group work research effort being conducted in 2 primary schools in Malawi is given to highlight the guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights the development and implementation of an international counseling outreach program in Bhutan using a group stage conceptualization that includes the initial, transition, working, and final stages. The initial stage included a counseling initiative started by one of the queens as well as meetings with key leaders from the National Board for Certified Counselors International and Bhutan. The transition stage involved developing plans for an international counseling outreach effort in Bhutan that involved formal collaborations between the two countries. The working stage included selecting counselors/educators from the United States who provided counseling/training in Bhutan. Future work is discussed, and also implications for the counseling profession. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The literature is unclear regarding the appropriate medical and psychological treatment of intersexuality: people who have genital, gonadal, or chromosomal characteristics that are neither all female nor all male. Medical and psychosocial management of such individuals is being reevaluated. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), the most common cause of intersexual development among genetic females, is an inherited disorder that leads to varying degrees of masculinization of the external genitalia while internal genitals (ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and uterus) are typically female. The purpose of this study was to explore self-perceptions of adult women who have CAH and the impact of the condition on their relationships, sexuality, gender identity, gender roles, and self-concept. In addition, their perceptions of medical treatment were examined. Five women with CAH chose to participate. Participants reported: (a) a sense of isolation and embarrassment about sharing information concerning their condition with others; (b) discomfort and embarrassment about certain aspects of their medical treatment; and (c) varying experiences and perceptions of their gender identity and gender roles. Recommendations are provided to assist psychotherapists in their work with people who have intersex conditions and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study on language used in middle and high schools. Overview of people first language; Results of the readability study; Lists of readability and usability recommendations that can be adopted by schools.