MGA0008

Child and adolescent group psychotherapy including ethics

15 seminars of 1.25 hours

Objectives On completion of this subject students will be aware of specialised aspects of group psychotherapy with children and adolescents and the application of this understanding to assessing their involvement in peer groups. They will have techniques to assist them in managing difficult group situations in these age groups. They will also be aware of ethical issues related to children, their parents, adolescents and adults and have an understanding of how to manage these.

Synopsis Topics to be covered include the role of social and peer groups in psychological development; the structure and dynamics of the peer group; the interpersonal dimension of group attachments; the therapeutic group and its dimension of functioning; group processes and typical phenomena of child and adolescent therapy groups; therapeutic aims and techniques in child and adolescent groups; managing problems in the group - limits, controls and rules; transference phenomena in child and adolescent groups; selection, preparation and termination; special problems in child and adolescent groups; ethical issues in the group context; the role of the therapist's views: theory versus ideology; protection of patients in groups: defining the boundary between therapeutic process and abuse; managing seduction and sexuality in groups; and ethical principles in therapeutic work.

Assessment Written assessment: 100%

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