Self-Modification in Groups: A Student Training Method for Social Groupwork

Abstract

When insufficient opportunities exist for using new practice procedures in fieldwork a viable alternative can be found by incorporating experiential training in a methods course. In order to teach an innovative approach to behavior modification with groups, the authors organized students of their methods courses into self-modification groups. The students engaged in procedures with each other that were similar to those used with real clients. This paper describes how these student groups were conducted, identifies major difficulties encountered, and suggests ways to increase the probability of a successful learning experience.