CADC Group Counseling Dynamics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A group member repeatedly monopolizes sessions by talking for extended periods. The most therapeutic counselor intervention is to:
- Ask the member to leave the group temporarily
- Gently interrupt and invite other members to respond (Correct answer)
- Ignore the behavior to avoid shaming the member
- Schedule an individual session to address it privately only
Correct answer: Gently interrupt and invite other members to respond
Gently interrupting and inviting others to respond addresses monopolizing behavior while maintaining group cohesion and modeling healthy boundaries.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the 'working stage' of group development according to Yalom?
- Members are polite and test the group's safety
- Trust is established and members engage in deeper therapeutic work (Correct answer)
- The group focuses primarily on logistics and rule-setting
- Conflict arises as members challenge the leader's authority
Correct answer: Trust is established and members engage in deeper therapeutic work
The working stage is characterized by established trust, cohesion, and members engaging in meaningful therapeutic exploration.
Question 3: When a group member discloses that another member shared confidential group information outside, the counselor should FIRST:
- Immediately remove the disclosing member from the group
- Acknowledge the concern and address the confidentiality norm with the full group (Correct answer)
- Report the violation to licensing authorities
- Ignore it unless it happens again
Correct answer: Acknowledge the concern and address the confidentiality norm with the full group
Addressing the confidentiality norm with the full group reinforces group agreements and provides an opportunity for collective problem-solving.
Question 4: The term 'scapegoating' in a group context refers to:
- A member who always brings snacks to group sessions
- A leader who favors certain members over others
- The group directing hostility or blame onto one member (Correct answer)
- A technique for resolving interpersonal conflict
Correct answer: The group directing hostility or blame onto one member
Scapegoating occurs when a group projects its collective anxiety or conflict onto a single member, making that person the target of blame.
Question 5: A counselor notices that group members are all agreeing with each other and avoiding conflict. This phenomenon is best described as:
- Universality
- Altruism
- Groupthink (Correct answer)
- Cohesion
Correct answer: Groupthink
Groupthink occurs when the desire for harmony suppresses disagreement, leading to poor decision-making and lack of authentic exploration.
Question 6: Which leadership style is generally most effective during the early stages of a counseling group?
- Laissez-faire, allowing members full autonomy
- Highly structured and directive to establish safety and norms (Correct answer)
- Confrontational to break down defenses quickly
- Passive observer who rarely intervenes
Correct answer: Highly structured and directive to establish safety and norms
During early stages, more directive leadership helps establish safety, clarify expectations, and build the structure members need to engage.
Question 7: In Yalom's model, 'instillation of hope' as a curative factor refers to:
- Teaching members relaxation techniques
- Members believing that the group will help them change (Correct answer)
- The leader providing direct solutions to members' problems
- Encouraging members to hope for better relationships outside group
Correct answer: Members believing that the group will help them change
Instillation of hope occurs when members observe others' progress and come to believe that recovery and change are possible for themselves.
CADC Group Counseling Dynamics 2
A group member repeatedly monopolizes sessions by talking for extended periods.
The most therapeutic counselor intervention is to: