Search

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a world wide organization that is a social support group for people with a desire to quit alcohol. The primary purpose of the organization is to [...]

Taken among parents who sustained the loss of a child to suicide this study explores the participation of parents in Internet support groups, comparing their demographic and loss-related characteristics (N = 104) to other parent [+ or -]vors participating in face-to-face support groups (N = 297). Contrary to expectations that Internet affiliates would be concentrated in under-served rural areas, we found similar levels of urban, suburban, small city and rural residents in both Internet and face-to-face subsamples. Bivariate and multivariate analyses suggested several important factors contributing to interest in Internet grief support including: 24/7 availability and opportunities to invest more time into this type of support group experience. Compared to their face-to-face group counterparts, Internet affiliates experienced greater suicide stigmatization from their families and other associates. Unable to find ready comfort and support from their personal communities, Internet users--and especially highly depressed survivors--sought and obtained valuable help from the Internet support resource.

As the roles and demands on social workers increase in their agencies and their personal lives, there is a greater chance that they will need to take a leave of absence. This is also true for social workers who lead groups. This article presents a process to allow the primary worker to take a leave of absence while the group continues with an interim worker. The author's personal experience of a leave of absence from a HIV+ adolescent support group will be used to illustrate this transfer process. In providing ample time and a thoughtful process of transfer, this leave of absence was successful in maintaining group attendance and participation. KEYWORDS. Stage of development, HIV/AIDS, adolescents, termination, transfer, support groups

Purpose The feasibility and acceptability of using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR)-based platform to facilitate peer support among older adults with diabetes was evaluated. Methods Diabetes patients with poor glycemic [...]

While benefits and limitations of support groups have been well described, there are few reports of open-ended hospital-based programs for adults in paediatric settings. This paper discusses challenges for such groups, highlighting experiences from a psycho-education peer-support program for parents of children diagnosed with serious oncology and haematology conditions. Program feedback was collected from participants, facilitators, and nurses via written evaluations and post-group reflections. Despite lower than anticipated parental attendance, findings indicated that open-ended hospital-based groups have specific relevance for families dealing with diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer, providing a sale thrum for support, information provision and knowledge-sharing. KEYWORDS. Support group, parent, pediatric oncology, hospital

Byline: Friedhelm Meyer (1), Jurgen Matzat (2), Anke Hoflich (1), Sigrid Scholz (1), Manfred E. Beutel (1) Keywords: Self-help groups; Psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders; Care system Abstract: Self-help groups have found increasing recognition by health professionals in recent years. However, considerable research deficits remain, particularly regarding self-help groups for persons with psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders. We present a survey on the dissemination and differentiation of such groups in Germany and their support by self-help advice centres. Most likely, more than 5,000 of these groups exist covering a broad range of psychiatric disorders, particularly groups for families and partners, bereavement, anxiety disorders, depression, and eating disorders. These groups are supported by self-help advice centres in various ways from information to group counselling in difficult periods. The results of the survey encourage further in depth study of self-help groups, their cooperation with psychotherapists, and their health promoting potentials. Author Affiliation: (1) Klinik fur Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Friedrichstrasse 28, , 35392, Giessen, Germany (2) Kontaktstelle fur Selbsthilfegruppen, Friedrichstrasse 33, 35392 , Giessen, Germany Article History: Registration Date: 13/09/2004 Received Date: 22/03/2004 Accepted Date: 10/08/2004 Online Date: 21/10/2004 Article note: Funded by BKK Bundesverband, project grant 'Self-help groups for psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders'.

Byline: Janet L. Thomas (1), Christi A. Patten (1), Kenneth P. Offord (2), Paul A. Decker (2) Keywords: social support; smoking cessation; validity; measurement Abstract: Although studies indicate a positive association between social support and smoking cessation, clinic-based interventions to increase support for stopping smoking have had limited success. Prior studies have primarily assessed the smokers' perceptions of support received with little attention paid to the support person's reports of support provided. To address this limitation, this study reports on the development and testing of the 22-item Support Interview, a process measure designed to assess supportive behaviors provided to a smoker. The rationale for the conceptual underpinning of the measure and item selection is provided. Preliminary psychometric properties of the instrument (i.e., internal consistency reliability, item-change scores, factor structure) are described. Clinical and public health implications for the use of measures of support provided for behavior change are discussed. Author Affiliation: (1) Nicotine Dependence Center Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (2) Division of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Article History: Registration Date: 30/12/2004

Objective: Few low-income and minority caregivers of persons with serious mental illness participate in support groups. This study examined the facilitators and barriers to participation in support groups for families of persons with serious mental illness among lower socioeconomic African-American and Caucasian family caregivers. Three hypotheses were tested in a multivariate model which included need, enabling and predisposing variables utilizing a revised version of the Andersen model. Support group membership was hypothesized to be predicted by a higher perceived cost-benefit ratio (benefits minus costs) of group participation, fewer numbers of access barriers and higher levels of service use. Methods: A non-experimental cross-sectional design was used. Subjects were 145 lower socioeconomic status African-American and Caucasian family caregivers, 65 of whom were current support group members and 80 of whom had never participated in support groups. Results: Findings confirmed that support group members reported a more favorable cost-benefit ratio and fewer access barriers than did non-support group members, controlling for other variables. Level of non-support group service use was not significantly different for support and nonsupport group members. Conclusions: Non-members' assessments of support group participation may be based on inaccurate perceptions and/or incomplete knowledge. Educational campaigns, sponsored by support groups and mental health authorities focusing on both perceptions about support groups as well as structural impediments to participation, such as access barriers, should be undertaken. KEY WORDS: support groups; family caregivers; facilitators; barriers.

A theoretical framework and practical guidelines are provided for practitioners to implement online groups to address issues related to race, culture, class, gender, and sexuality in working with Asian American men. Specific gender, racial, and cultural considerations are presented for working with Asian American men. Ethical guidelines are discussed in reference to American Psychological Association (2002) principles, and practical guidelines are given for facilitating online groups that provide support, guidance, and information to Asian American men. Finally, treatment and research implications are discussed for providing online groups to diverse populations so that practitioners will be able to apply these guidelines in working with other groups.

Elder abuse reporting laws exist in every state to protect elderly people being abused physically or emotionally, suffering from neglect, or experiencing financial exploitation. Support groups for care givers of elderly individuals may help prevent elder abuse by reducing caregiver stress and linking care givers to community services. Using case illustrations, the authors raise the dilemmas that group facilitators face when deciding whether to report a group member suspected of abusing his or her elder care recipient. The ethical concerns of reporting or withholding a report are discussed, and recommendations to assist facilitators in this complex decision process are presented. Key words: care giver support groups; elder abuse; elder abuse reporting law; ethics, In a caregiver support group for the elderly people, group members were discussing stressful caregiving situations. Mr. Smith began talking about how he sometimes became frustrated with his wife, a […]

Predictors of benefits derived from participating in support groups for families of persons with mental illness were examined A survey of 131 families indicated that social support resources outside the group, as well as support received from and provided by the group, were associated with information acquired by the participant. Improved relationships with family and the ill relative were predicted by the participant's health and provision of support in the group.

The last two decades have witnessed a vast expansion in the activities of groups devoted to self-help and mutual aid. This comes at a time when the search is on [...]

Support groups can help counselors both as a referral source and as an adjunct in counseling. This report describes 3 approaches to job support groups and compares them on a number of key dimensions to assist counselors in identifying attributes of job support groups that can be most helpful to different clients.

This study investigated a computer-mediated support group for six breast cancer patients. For a three-month period, patients used home computers to connect to a computer bulletin board on which they read messages from and posted messages to each other. The patients had no difficulty learning to use the computer and used it an average of one hour a week. The patients discussed their medical conditions, shared personal concerns, and offered support. This online approach provided many features of traditional face-to-face support groups. Key words breast cancer computers patients support group women, Cancer, a stressful illness of major proportions, is the second leading cause of death in the United States (American Cancer Society, 1994). One-third of all Americans will be diagnosed with [...]

The Voldendam, a 63-ton five-star hotel, plowed through Caribbean waters at 22 knots pet hour carrying 16 assistance dogs accompanied by 57 caring, dog loving humans, all intent on having [...]

During the past 15 years, there has been tremendous growth in the number of self-help groups and agencies for mental health clients. This article examines the self-help perspective in relation to problems with traditional mental health services and the need for client-run services. Self-help agencies see their goal as empowerment on an individual, organizational, and societal level. They strive to accomplish this by helping members obtain needed resources and develop coping skills; providing means of enhancing members' self-concept and lessening the stigma of perceived mental disability; giving members control in the agencies' governance, administration, and service delivery; and furthering member involvement in social policy-making. The goal of this article is not to endorse the self-help perspective but to use it as the basis for raising research questions that will further the mental health practitioner's understanding of this service modality., Self-help is an attempt by people with a mutual problem to take control over the circumstances of their lives. Founded on the principle that people who share a disability have [...]

The value of group work for divorcing families has been documented. In particular, research has shown that support groups for children of divorce may serve an important function in lessening the negative effects of divorce processes on children. At the same time, there are few published protocols as to how to populate and organize these groups. This article describes the model for these groups developed at the Marriage Council of Philadelphia. Details about group organization are given, as is illustrative case material and typical concerns group members work with throughout the life of the group. Reported effects of support group involvement are summarized, and concluding attention is paid to the need to look at ways of intervening in the larger context of the postseparation/divorce process.

The loss of their son to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) inspired a Montgomery, AL, physician and his wife to establish a local chapter of SIDS Alliance, a support group for families victimized by the malady. But their efforts did not end there. The couple launched a petition campaign to get the government to increase funding for SIDS research, and they even wrote a letter to First Lady Barbara Bush, asking her to endorse their cause., our tragic thanksgiving of 1989 began like any other family holiday, with much talk and laughter amid the food preparation at my parents' home in Florida. Around 11 a.m., I [...]

Also referred to as "mutual-help" or "self-help" groups, support groups come in all shapes and sizes from the four-person get-together with little structure and a wide focus to the 200-plus-person [...]