Development and Application of a Standards-Based Inventory of Foundation Competencies in Social Work with Groups

Abstract

However, surveys have reported that many group workers know little about the Standards or about how to teach or apply group work knowledge and skills. This article summarizes the research on the development of a reliable and valid inventory based on the Standards and an effective teaching strategy to improve learning about the Standards. The inventory and teaching method provide tools for advancing evidence-based practice and teaching.

Social Work With Groups’ Practice Ethics and Standards

“…The challenges the students experienced were consistent with what other scholars found. Macgowan (2012Macgowan ( , 2013 also demonstrated that students rated working in mandated groups and promoting group exploration of nonproductive norms when they arise to be among the most challenging group worker responsibilities. In this study, participants also identified the middle stage tasks of mediating conflict and identifying obstacles that interfere with the group's or its members' ability to reach goals to be among their most challenging skills.…”

“…Participants who matriculated in the new curriculum did better on the IC-SWG than students under the old curriculum. Group work scholars recommend that the Standards be part of social work with groups' curriculum (C. S. Cohen & Olshever, 2013;Macgowan, 2012Macgowan, , 2013Macgowan & Vakharia, 2012;Macgowan & Wong, 2015;Shera et al, 2013).…”

“…The IC-SWG, a 70-item instrument, was used in the study (Macgowan, 2012). Macgowan who developed the IC-SWG based on the IASWG Standards extensively evaluated the instrument with colleagues to determine its reliability and validity (2012, 2013, 2014; Macgowan & Vakharia, 2012; Macgowan & Wong, 2015). The instrument was found to have excellent reliability, Cronbach’s α = .98 (Macgowan, 2012).…”