Participant Observation Paper

In this paper, I discuss my experience with observing a group counseling session with the purpose of evaluating it in terms of how it is set up, how it is run, interventions used, culturally sensitivity, and the contribution toward my professional development as a social worker. The group setting plays a critical role in social work outside of the individual session and can be largely beneficial for clients in the forms of therapy, counseling, self-help, and support. By attempting to better understand group interventions, I will learn how to apply this strategy in aiding clients for whom this method is appropriate by increasing their social supports.

In this group there were no disruptive members. I filled the role of an observer, I offered feedback at the end of the session. The counselor filled the role of standard setter. There was an encourager, a harmonizer, an expediter, and a follower.

When entering the social work program I never gave much thought to who I did not want to work with, rather my focus was entirely on what population I do want to work with. After long thought, I decided I do not want to work with sex offenders, I’d rather work with children and perhaps that is where I get my bias against sex offenders or perhaps it stems from other reasons. Through my research, I am hoping to discover new information about sex offenders that may change my opinion and help me to see them in a new light.

d. Survey research is one of the best methods for gathering a vast amount of original data on a large population.

The researchers goal was to know if the effects of small-group reading interventions implemented positive behavior in support model, on elementary students that show any emotional and behavior disorders or that do not show any emotional and behavior disorders. The following are the research questions they addressed: (a) the differences in reading instruction in a general classroom for students at risk and to compare schools that combine behavior/reading risk. (b) differential effects with small-group instruction. (c) how do any of the observable differences translate to the outcome of students’ growth in reading.

I decided for my social observation the mall would be a good place to start. I came there on a Friday evening when there should be plenty of people to watch. I also sat in the Barnes and Noble café after that to observe. I expected to see a lot of people shopping and conversing. A few things did stand out to me within the few hours I was there. Some things I didn’t expect to see. We are expected to behave a certain way in public determined by our culture as to what is acceptable. Some people stay well within the lines while some might stray outside the norms but never too far typically. Usually the ones to travel to the extremes are adolescents and teenagers. This is what I observed.

The first method the textbook brings up is surveys. The textbook describes this method as being a way to reach a larger number participants, and is used to see patterns and relationships among

This transformative design focuses on the well being and negative stigma placed on female registered sex offenders after they have completed their sentences and how it effects their position in society. The mixing of both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this inductive/deductive oriented research. ‘An investigation of intersubjective reality may require both qualitative and quantitative methods’. (Bachman & Schutt, 2004 p.352). The vulnerability of the participants can be improved with this mixed methods research

My views of offenders have changed since I have got to understand not all offenders have the same thoughts and feelings. Offenders characteristics and values depend on what they see as motivation and satisfaction for them as an individual. Some factors why offenders abuse include over usage of drugs or alcohol, past history of seeing their family doing the same actions, psychological problems, or intimacy

Sex offender treatment programs target factors for sexual reoffending they include cognitive distortions and schemas, emotion dysregulation, deviant sexual behaivor, and deficities of interpersonal skills and empathy (Schaffer, Jeglic, Moster, & Wnuk, 2010).

Sex offenders tend to blend in to society virtually unnoticed until they offend or reoffend (Polizzi, MacKenzie, & Hickman, 1999). Currently, there is a large group of mental health professionals representing a variety of disciplines, including psychology, psychiatry clinical social work, counseling, and medicine, that continue to believe in the potential efficacy of treating sex offenders. Over the past decade, the sex offender treatment field has grown rapidly and the treatment of juvenile sex offenders is on the rise (Parks & Bard, 2006). The rationale for treating juvenile offenders is based on research which indicates that inappropriate sexual behavior patterns develop early and a failure to intervene and change behavior early often means that the offender will continue to escalate his/her inappropriate behavior, which could present an even greater danger to society (Ayland & West, 2006). Vivian-Bryne, (2004) suggests that professionals who treat adult sex offenders report that offenders who are incarcerated will eventually return to the community and therefore, therapeutic measures should be taken to reduce the likelihood that they will reoffend even if those measures have not conclusively been identified as effective. Sexual offenders may find therapy valuable because it can allow them to retrace their upbringing to help them identify and understand the roots of their

When working with this specific population mental health professionals are often called on to evaluate and manage sex offender’s behavior. There are also times when individuals may be asked to give an opinion as to if the offender will repeat the behavior. Often times people that work with this population are referred to as (SOSs) Sex Offender Specialists. They have a specific group of diverse training and background. Some of these trainings incIude but are not limited to cognitive-behavioral, psychopharmacological, and therapeutic orientations.

According to Van Voorhis in chapter 12, “Treating Sex Offenders,” of Correctional Counseling and Rehabilitation, a meta-analysis of 43 research studies on sex offender treatment concluded that, “in total, the researchers compared 5078 treated offenders to 4376 untreated ones and found that the treated offenders had a recidivism rate of 12%, versus 17% for the untreated offenders” (281). Though this does not account for all sex offenders, these statistics presents evidence that rehabilitation is possible. However, it is important to establish separations between types of sex offenders in order to effectively treat the individuals that are capable of recovery. To illustrate Groth, Hobson, and Gary thoroughly explore two distinct typologies in “The Child Molesters: Clinical Observations,” including fixated child molesters, his or her essential sexual orientation revolves around children, and regressed child molesters, occurs when stress regarding the primary sexual attraction to age appropriate peers causes him or her to be intimately involved with children (Groth, Hobson, Gary 3). As reported by the authors, the individual needs to be defined by one of these typologies in order to determine course of treatment considering the uniqueness of each

The purpose of the research paper is to discuss the types of punishments and treatments sexual offenders should receive even though there might not be a cure for it.

My practicum took place on September 7,2016 from nine thirty to ten thirty. The practicum took place at Impact Early College High School in Baytown. The class I observed was Ms. Nguyen’s class of juniors and seniors that contained twenty students, seven boys and thirteen girls. The class appeared to be alert and ready to learn. Since this was their second period class they already had enough time to shake off their fatigue. The subject was Pre-Calculous and the topic was operations of functions. Students entered the classroom in a calm manner and socialized until it was time to start class. The teacher instructed the students to take their seats and take five minutes to write their assignments into their academic calendar. The teacher went