Behavioral Group Therapy with Children and Youth

Description of the Strategy

Be havioral group therapy (BGT) is a major vehicle for the delivery of cognitive-behavioral treatment to children and adolescents. There are a number of advantages of working with children in groups. The peer group is a natural part of child and adolescent development, and as such, the treatment more nearly simulates their real world than the client-adult dyad. Groups also represent a more efficient way of delivering interventions than in dyads. Group membership commonly ends the sense of isolation and lack of understanding many clients experience, since they are surrounded by other children who are dealing with similar issues and problems. Groups may be divided into subgroups for certain exercises and as a way of increasing the amount and ...