Victims of verbal abuse rarely seek psychological help for fear of exposing the perpetrators, who are mostly close family members or acquaintances. A failure to seek help means that these victims are forced to suffer in silence, thus paving psychological disorders. This outcome implies that social workers have a significant role to play to encourage victims of verbal abuse to realize that they are in great danger if they do not express their fears. Essentially, social workers can approach verbal abuse from the mezzo or macro-level depending on the outcomes they want to achieve. The mezzo level perspective would apply to a 40-year old female victim of abuse that her father has occasioned. While this approach is effective, it would be better to have a group-focused approach that would allow for the inclusion of several verbal victims. This strategy would go a long way in creating robust support systems that would improve the members’ confidence when they realize that they are not alone.
Recruitment of Group Members
The decision to engage in group counseling sessions that include victims of verbal abuse would be an arduous task considering that it elicits stigma. This reality means that the recruitment process would be characterized by numerous hurdles that must be handled to succeed. Currently, I have one member, a 40-year-old female, who I have been counseling to ensure that she regains her self-esteem. While this is a start, I need to recruit other people who have had similar experiences as a way of incorporating a mezzo-approach into group counseling. The recruitment process would entail conducting interviews on the people who would volunteer for the group to ensure that they fit within the inclusion criteria. Patino & Ferreira (2018) assert that inclusion criteria are of significant importance since it impacts the intervention's external validity. The inclusion criteria for this group are that the abuse has been going, severed relationships, and negatively impacted victims' psychological well-being. I will include both men and women aged 21 and above since they are most likely to be in serious relationships or are working. Individuals who meet this criterion would be required to fill out a consent form where they will agree to share their experiences with other group members.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Preference for Closed Group
The group which would bring together victims of verbal abuse in the locality I am focusing on aims at helping the members develop a reliable social support system. If we have to achieve this objective, we need to determine whether we will opt for a closed or open group. Going by the need to improve the members’ psychological well-being, I would go for a closed group so that I am in a position to track their progress. Ezhumalai et al. (2018) note that closed groups which restrict additional members from joining once the session has begun are associated with improved outcomes. Essentially, group members are better positioned to become familiar with the therapist and their peers, which improves chances for success. This positive indicator for a closed group means that group members will have a better chance of following up on others to achieve our objectives. In the same manner, a closed group would be a practical framework that would facilitate time management and other norms that we agree on before beginning our sessions.
Duration of the Group
Verbal abuse has significant psychological implications for reducing the quality of one's life if victims do not seek mental health services. The nature and severity of these implications mean that it is vital to establish the sessions' duration. The personal experience I have had with the 40-year old female client who is a victim of verbal abuse has made me realize that it is not easy to go past the pains. So far I have had about 10 sessions with this client but I still feel that she is yet to reconcile with the events that led to the verbal abuse episodes. For this reason, I believe that if the mezzo-group approach that I am adapting to help my clients is to yield the desired effects it has to be long-term and ongoing for the foreseeable future. Lorentzen et al. (2018) conducted a randomized control trial to compare the effects of both short and long-term group psychotherapy on 167 individuals presenting with anxiety, mood, and personality disorders. The authors concluded that long-term therapy was a practical approach for improving patients' psychosocial function and dealing with their interpersonal problems. This assertion is crucial since it forms the basis for developing ongoing group counseling to ensure that the clients report better outcomes. While an ongoing group is associated with improved outcomes, I fear that some members may get tired and drop out along the way. They may become fatigued because they may feel that they have exhausted the help that they would offer others or the one they require. The fact that the group is closed means that there is a possibility that the number of active members would reduce drastically. Without a provision to let in new members, I fear that I may be forced to break it and start another one which in turn would negate the intervention that we have initiated.
Preference for Virtual Group as Compared to In-Person Group
Technological advances have brought about a shift in group counseling in that it is now possible to have virtual groups in place of in-person groups. Victims of verbal abuse are in a unique position considering that they are prone to stigmatization from their relatives or colleagues. Virtual groups would be a practical approach, especially at this time that is marked by restrictions in movement to curb the spread of COVID-19. According to Botta et al. (2020), virtual groups that are closed are an opportunity for members to deepen their relationship with each other when social structure and routine have been destabilized. The authors assert that virtual groups are a platform through which members develop a more profound sense of emotional intimacy. This positive impact is one reason why I would prefer virtual groups to deal with the adverse effects of verbal abuse.
Victims of verbal abuse tend to become alienated and isolated for fear of being exposed to additional abuse. This aspect means that they are the best candidates for virtual groups, considering that they will participate from the safety of their homes. The sense of security would have significant implications on the efficacy of the group as they would be freer to talk about their experiences without fear of reprisal. Kaye-Tzadok (2020) affirms this assertion through her personal experience with clients in the post-COVID era, where they use the joint virtual space to express their concerns regarding the pandemic. The fact that virtual groups eliminate face-to-face interactions improves the members’ confidence when they know their counterparts are far from them. These lessons from social workers who have embraced virtual groups have made me decide that we should adopt the same approach since it has proven to be practical and effective.
Analysis of Whether I Need Staff or Not
Group therapy is a tedious undertaking that could overwhelm the facilitators and members, especially if it is going to be operational in the foreseeable future. This reality means that there is a need to hire additional staff who would be responsible for handling different responsibilities in the counseling process. Having a virtual group means that we will need a technician and an IT technician who would help us set our online space. Apart from allowing us to set up, these staff would be required to train us on the basics of Zoom and other virtual spaces that we will use for the entire period. More so, these staff will continue being part of the group in troubleshooting, which would require to be rectified from time to time. The other staff that I will need is a facilitator responsible for ensuring that the sessions go on as planned. This role is crucial to the group's success, meaning that I will have to ensure that I hire a person with requisite social and interpersonal skills, most notably communication, time management, and empathy. Moreover, the facilitator would be an individual who understands the group dynamics and process, considering that we will be dealing with people who are drawn from diverse backgrounds.
Victims of verbal abuse may be reluctant to open up to other people for fear of being viewed as cowards or vulnerable. This reality means that I have to engage in a comprehensive intervention program that increases the likelihood of achieving the desired clinical outcomes. For this reason, I will solicit the services of different counselors who are capable of designing both group-focused and individualized interventions. The reason for hiring several counselors is the need to have them provide the members with varied perspectives and coping mechanisms (Schulman, 2016). Similarly, these counselors will provide the members with follow-up services to increase the likelihood of success. Apart from hiring counselors, I will also involve social workers who will also conduct follow-ups for group members, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. This responsibility is of uttermost importance since it is a way of cushioning the members against additional abuse. In my experience with the 40-year old client, I realized that if I had not involved his father, her fellow employees, and social work agencies, she would still suffer from low self-esteem. Involving her father was the best decision that I made since I helped him realize the negative impacts of constant abuse on his daughter. I plan on applying the lessons that I have learned in the field exercise to the mezzo-group program to ensure the members' psychological wellbeing. The inclusion of social workers in the intervention programs means I have more people to focus on improving the relationships between members and their families and colleagues.
Conclusion
Social work is a discipline that emphasizes the need for practical interventions that have the potential to improve outcomes for populations that face significant challenges. Verbal abuse is one such issue that has not received much attention because it elicits stigma, which may affect victims’ wellbeing. Despite these implications, it is possible to improve victims’ outcomes, especially if social workers adopt practical interventions. Mezzo-group work is one of the most effective approaches that would bring together verbal abuse victims keen on dealing with anxiety and depression. However, for this group to be effective, it needs to adopt a closed framework which means that no new members will be accommodated. The group should be a long-term intervention since there is proof that such an approach would translate to better outcomes. In the same manner, I would prefer a virtual group, especially in the post-COVID-19 pandemic, which is characterized by restrictions in movement. Apart from adopting this approach, there is a need to involve various staff members, most notably social workers, technicians, counselors, and facilitators. The integration of various aspects of group work would be a practical approach in helping verbal abuse victims to move beyond their emotional pain.
References
Botta, A. A., Holmes-Maxwell, T., & Williams, C. R. (2020). Reflections on virtual group work with transgender and gender diverse youth during the pandemic. Social Work with Groups , 44 (2), 11-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2020.1868693
Ezhumalai, S., Muralidhar, D., Dhanasekarapandian, R., & Nikketha, B. S. (2018). Group interventions . Indian Journal of Psychiatry , 60 (4), 514–521. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_42_18
Kaye-Tzadok, A. (2020). Human connection: Is it possible in the era of virtual groups and social distancing? One group worker’s journey through the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Work with Groups, 44 (2), 132-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2020.1866821
Lorentzen, S., Ruud, T., Fjeldstad, A., & Hoglend, P. (2013). Comparison of short- and long-term dynamic group psychotherapy: Randomized clinical trial. British Journal of Psychiatry, 203 (4), 280-287. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.112.113688
Patino, C. M., & Ferreira, J. C. (2018). Inclusion and exclusion criteria in research studies: definitions and why they matter. The Brazilian Journal of Pulmonology, 44 (2), 84-96. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1806-37562018000000088
Shulman, L. (2016). The skills of helping individuals, families, groups, and communities (8th ed.). Cengage Learning
