NRNP 6650 Group Therapy With Children and Adolescents
NRNP 6650 Group Therapy With Children and Adolescents
Effective group treatment with children and adolescents rests upon three essential
considerations: the clients that compose the group, the therapists responsible for
conducting the group, and the setting in which the group occurs.
—Dr. Mark Stone, Cognitive-Behavior Group Therapy with Children and Adolescents
Group therapy may be beneficial for children and adolescents, because it often provides an
environment that normalizes clients’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. However, as with
any therapeutic approach, group therapy might not be appropriate for every client, every
setting, or even every therapist. When selecting therapies, you must always consider the
psychodynamics of the client and your own skill set.
This week, as you assess and develop diagnoses for clients presenting for child and
adolescent group psychotherapy, you examine the effectiveness of this therapeutic
approach. You also consider legal and ethical implications of counseling children and
adolescent clients with psychiatric disorders.
Learning Resources
Required Readings
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
NRNP 6650 Group Therapy With Children and Adolescents
McGillivray, J. A., & Evert, H. T. (2014). Group cognitive behavioural therapy program
shows potential in reducing symptoms of depression and stress among young people with
ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(8), 2041-2051. doi:10.1007/s10803-
014-2087-9
Restek-Petrović, B., Bogović, A., Mihanović, M., Grah, M., Mayer, N., & Ivezić, E. (2014).
Changes in aspects of cognitive functioning in young patients with schizophrenia during
group psychodynamic psychotherapy: A preliminary study. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry,
68(5), 333-340. doi:10.3109/08039488.2013.839738
Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-
to guide for evidence-based practice. New York, NY: Springer.
Chapter 17, “Psychotherapy with Children” (pp. 597–624)
Chapter 20, “Termination and Outcome Evaluation” (pp. 693–712)
Document: Group Therapy Progress Note
Document: I am Feeling Like I'm Going Crazy
Required Media
Microtraining Associates (Producer). (2009). Leading groups with adolescents [Video file].
Alexandria, VA: Author.
Psychotherapy.net (Producer). (2002). Adlerian parent consultation [Video file]. Mill Valley,
CA: Author.
The approximate length of this media pice is 117 minutes.
Optional Resources
Psychotherapy.net (Producer). (2012). Group counseling with adolescents: A multicultural
approach [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Author.