This case study examines the role of a school social worker in developing a group intervention plan for a developmentally disabled student with a history of aggressive behavior. The paper addresses the most appropriate group type (emotionally focused), optimal group size, conflict negotiation strategies, potential difficulties, member task assignments, and future therapeutic recommendations. Drawing on Toseland and Rivas's group work practice framework, the paper argues that Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) offers the most promising long-term approach for helping the student manage aggression, develop coping skills, and reintegrate successfully into an appropriate educational environment.
The student in this case has undergone treatment for over six years, during which he managed to reduce the frequency of his aggressive behavior. However, there were still occasions when he would become aggressive toward peers and adults. This pattern indicates a person who requires more emotional support than academic intervention. The group formed to address his needs should therefore be emotionally focused, enabling members to address the emotional challenges and aggressive behavior he continues to display.
Even if the student is placed in a mainstream classroom, he may face challenges that cause him to lose self-control and potentially harm other students or teachers. He is developmentally disabled, and while he may be academically stronger than some peers in the special education class, he has not yet matured emotionally. By focusing on how the group can help him develop strategies for managing his behavior at school, it becomes possible to address the current situation constructively.
The school social worker must also work to shift the perspective of school personnel, who view the student as having serious emotional and behavioral problems, by helping them better understand his specific needs. The group's goal should be to create an environment in which he can coexist with other students and learn to regulate his emotions. The student must also be willing to engage in weekly counseling or meet with a counselor daily to discuss his classroom experiences. He needs to understand why he currently requires a special education setting and that the school cannot immediately establish new services to accommodate a standard placement. The emotional challenges he faces can be meaningfully addressed through the school social worker's involvement. For broader context on the role of social work in school settings, Britannica offers a useful overview.
A small brainstorming group would best suit the student's needs. Brainstorming can be applied to groups of various sizes, and the current group comprises ten members, making this approach particularly viable. Because group members already have a shared understanding of the problem, brainstorming is useful for expanding the range of ideas generated (Toseland & Rivas, 2013). Through this method, members can define the problem, examine its different dimensions, generate potential solutions for each dimension, and then select the most promising idea for discussion and implementation.
The group includes representatives from several different areas, so it is important that each member contributes their perspective. Brainstorming allows these ideas to be evaluated collectively, with members selecting the best option for implementation. The role of the school social worker is to ensure that each idea is fully considered before the group moves on to the next one.
Conflict within a group is unavoidable. Understanding that members will hold differing opinions — and knowing how to manage that conflict constructively — is essential. According to Toseland and Rivas (2013), the school social worker should help members reframe conflict as an opportunity to gather additional information and share perspectives. Using this approach, the worker can shift the dynamic from personal disagreement to consensus building.
The worker should encourage members to recognize the legitimacy of one another's viewpoints and interests. In this way, the group can remain focused on what is best for all parties rather than on individual positions. A second strategy recommended by Toseland and Rivas (2013) is to help members avoid turning disagreements into personal attacks. Members should be encouraged to remain respectful of differing opinions, keeping their comments focused on the issues at hand rather than on personal characteristics. Conflict resolution frameworks consistently emphasize this distinction between positional and interest-based approaches.
"School resistance and funding barriers identified"
"Research, advocacy, and aide-search tasks assigned"
"CBGT recommended for long-term anger management"
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