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Practice
Tips Tips
for Using Activities for Adolescents© 2005
by Andrew Malekoff* REFERENCES
FOR ACTIVITIES IN GROUP WORK
Listed below are a variety of activities
manuals for group work with adolescents (ages nine years old and older). Some
contain thematic curricula. The manuals are organized topically. Some activities
manuals contain theoretical frameworks and are carefully structured to be sensitive
to phases of group development. Others are not as well grounded and contain only
a loosely structured compendium of activities. In
using manuals or in creating their own activities group workers should take care
deciding what activities they will use, in what context, and for what purpose.
A few important questions to consider include: how prescriptive should the activity
be? (i.e. is it a free wheeling activity like a game of tag or one that requires
detailed instruction like chess?); how is the activity regulated or controlled?
(i.e. does the activity allow for some autonomy and control among the members
or is it purely leader controlled?); what are the relationship demands or levesl
of interaction required? (i.e. is it a side-by-side arts and crafts activity or
a face-to-face intense role playing exercise); and what is the level of competence
required? (i.e. is it an activity that will leave anyone feeling incompetent or
inferior or does everyone have a reasonable chance at feeling they have successfully
participated; or is it an activity that might frustrate a bit, in an attempt to
help members, in part, to develop greater frustration tolerance, for example).
Please keep the
following cautionary notes in mind for the use of these manuals:
- Activities should not be
used to keep kids busy and group worker's anxiety-free.
-
When using curricula (i.e. anger management, conflict resolution) activities should
not be curriculum-driven, rather curriculum-guided so as not to minimize opportunities
for interaction, mutual aid, and spontaneity.
- Have
a clear and above board purpose for the use of activities and no hidden agendas
(i.e. don't use activities to "get them to talk about their feelings,"
unless group members understand that it is an activity might promote conversation
and expression of emotion, for example).
- Be
conscious that the outside world might devalue the use of activities with kids,
especially when the groups are noisy or messy (i.e. there is a tendency to trivialize
as frivolous, anything that is not particularly psychological and anything that
looks like good fun).
General
- Barlow, C., Blythe, J.,
& Edmonds, M. (1999). A Handbook of Interactive Exercises for Groups. Boston:
Allyn and Bacon.
- Brandes,
B. & Ingold, J. (1997). Get Real: A Practical Guide to Leading Adolescent
Groups. Milwaukee, WI: Families International, Inc.
- Carrell,
S. (2000). Group Exercises for Adolescents: A Manual for Therapists (Second Edition).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Jennings,
S. (1994). Creative Drama in Groupwork. Bicester-Oxon, United Kingdom: Winslow
Press.
- Karp,
C., Butler, T., & Bergstrom, S. (1998). Activity Manual for Adolescents. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
- McManus,
R. & Jennings, G. (1996). Structured Exercises for Promoting Family and Group
Strengths: A Handbook for Group Leaders, Trainers, Educators, Counselors, and
Therapists. Binghamton, NY: Haworth.
- Smead,
R. (2000). Skills for Living: Group Counseling Activities for Young Adolescents
(Volume Two). Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
- Smead,
R. (1995). Skills and Techniques for Group Work with Children and Adolescents.
Champaign, Illinois: Research Press. Anger
and Aggression
· Gibbs, J., Potter, G., & Goldstein, A. (1995).
The Equip Program: Teaching Youth to Think and Act Responsibly Through a Peer-Helping
Approach. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press. - Gibbs,
J., Potter, G., & Goldstein, A. (1995). The Equip Program: Teaching Youth
to Think and Act Responsibly Through a Peer-Helping Approach. Champaign, Illinois:
Research Press.
- Goldstein,
A., Glick, B., & Gibbs, J. (1998). Aggression Replacement Training: A Comprehensive
Intervention for Aggressive Youth. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
- Kellner,
M. (2001). In Control: A Skill-Building Program for Teaching Young Adolescents
to Manage Anger. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
At-Risk
Youth - Dennison,
S. (1998). Activities for Adolescents in Therapy: A Handbook of Facilitating Guidelines
and Planning Ideas for Group Therapy with Troubled Adolescents. (Second Edition).
Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas.
- Waterman,
J. & Walker, E. (2001). Helping At-Risk Students: A Group Counseling Approach
for Grades 6-9. New York: Guilford Press.
Bullying
- Horne, A., Bartolomucci,
C., & Newman-Carlson, D. Bully Busters: A Teacher's Maual for Helping Bullies,
Victims, and Bystanders (Grades K-5). Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
Conflict
Resolution - Bodine,
R., Crawford, D, & Schrumpf, F. (1994). Creating the Peaceable School: A Comprehensive
Guide for Teaching Conflict Resolution. (Program Guide & Student Manual).
Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
- Guerra,
N., Moore, A., & Slaby, R. (1995). Viewpoints: A Guide to Conflict Resolution
and Decision Making for Adolescents. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
- Schrumpf,
F., Crawford, D., & Bodine, R. (1997). Peer Mediation: Conflict Resolution
in Schools, Program Guide and Student Manual (Revised Edition). Champaign, Illinois:
Research Press.
- Shure,
M. & Degeronimo, T. (2000). Raising a Thinking Child Workbook: Teaching Young
Children How to Resolve Everyday Conflicts and Get Along with Others. Champaign,
Illinois: Research Press.
Eating
Disorders - Goodman,
L. & Villapiano, M. (2001). Eating Disorders: The Journey to Recovery Workbook.
Philadephia, PA: Brunner-Routledge.
- Villapiano,
M. & Goodman, L. (2001). Eating Disorders: Time for Change (Plans, Strategies,
and Worksheets). Philadephia, PA: Brunner-Routledge.
Grief
and Trauma - Cohen,
J., Stubenbort, K., Greenberg, T., Padlo, S, Shipley, C., Mannarino, A., and Deblinger,
E. (2001). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Traumatic Bereavement in Children:
Group Treatment Manual. Pittsburgh, PA: Center for Traumatic Stress in Children
and Adolescents, Department of Psychiatry, Allegheny General Hospital.
- Gurwitch,
R. & Messenbaugh, A. (1995). Healing After Trauma Skills: A Manual for Professionals,
Teachers, and Families Working with Children After Trauma and Disaster. Oklahoma
City, OK: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
- Layne,
C., Saltzman, W., and Pynoos, R. (2002). Trauma/Grief-Focused Group Psychotherapy
Program, Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Trauma Psychiatry Service (Unpublished manuscript).
- Perschy,
M. (1997). Helping Teens Work Through Grief. Bristol, PA: Accelerated Development
(Taylor & Francis Group).
Sexual
AbuseTreatment and Prevention - Grotsky,
L., Camerer, C., & Damiano, L. (2000). Group Work with Sexually Abused Children:
A Practitioner's Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Wolfe,
D., Wekerle, C., Gough, R., Reitzel-Jaffe, D, Grasley, C., Pittman, A., Lefebvre,
L., & Stumpf, J. (1996). The Youth Relationships Manual: A Group Approach
with Adolescents for the Prevention of Woman Abuse and the Promotion of Healthy
Relationships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Spirituality
- Stuecker, R. & Rutherford,
S. (2001). Reviving the Wonder: 76 Activities That Touch the Inner Spirit of Youth.
Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
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