Group Counseling for People With Physical Disabilities

Abstract

The origins of group work as applied to individuals with physical disabilities can be traced to the pioneering work of Joseph Pratt, a physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital, who, as early as 1905, used group methods to assist patients with tuberculosis (Gust, 1970; Miller, Wolfe, & Spiegel, 1975). Upon noticing the role group members played in positively affecting one another's emotional adjustment to their illnesses, Pratt later expanded his work to include patients with other chronic illnesses (Durkin, 1972). Pratt's approach valued two e:.:omponents embedded in group methods-support and inspiration-as being of particular importance in light of the feelings of depression and isolation often associated with long-term disabling conditions. MERITS OF GROUP COUNSELING Group counseling with individuals who have physical disabilities has much to offer.

Development of a Cognitive Therapy Module to Enhance Self-Esteem for Youth With Physical Disabilities in Malaysia

“…Among the advantages of group counselling with PWPD are that groups can assist them to strive towards the resolution of a common problem (i.e., self-esteem), provide them with the opportunity to learn from one another, develop a social support network and ease their transition to the able-bodied community (24). Prior work has shown that youth respond better in a group of peers than in individual counselling, especially if the participants are within the same age bracket (25,26).…”