Group Counseling: Techniques for Teaching Social Skills to Students with Special Needs.

Children with special needs experience difficulty in a wide variety of areas, all of which can influence their ability to learn and to use social skills. Some of these deficits can include; hyperactivity, distractibility, impulsivity, anxiety, emotional lability, low self-esteem, aggressive behaviors, difficulty recognizing the emotions of others, and other socially unacceptable behaviors. Emotional difficulties and interpersonal difficulties affect others perceptions of them, as well as the child's own self-perception. Often, the difficulties they have, and the expectations of themselves and others, act as a and increase the likelihood that a child will experience social failures. Amerikaner and Summerlin (2001) drew attention to this spiral of continuing social/academic failure (p. 340), and offered group counseling as one method of effectively addressing this issue. Authors will explore how group counseling can be effective in teaching social skills to children, in a school setting. They will also discuss the implications the research has for counselors working in the schools, as well as some cautions and considerations to take when using group counseling methods with children. With the increased emphasis on results, and the use of research based interventions, school counselors must find effective ways to help students who are experiencing social problems. Counselors' ability to meet the needs of larger numbers of students is significantly enhanced by the use of group counseling techniques (Cook & Weldon, 2006). Johnson and Johnson (2005) claim that group counseling is one way that has been shown by research to be effective in school settings, and needs to be implemented more often. They state that One of the major sets of skills that are necessary for all school counselors is the use of group processes in a variety of situations (p. 400). They hail group counseling skills, for school counselors, as to developing comprehensive programs (p. 400). The benefits of using groups are numerous. Livneh, Wilson, and Pullo (2004) emphasized some of the benefits of using groups to help children with special needs. According to them, groups give individuals the opportunity to learn from one another, and a chance to generate solutions together. Groups also provide a safe place for emotional release. In a group setting, children can learn that others face similar problems, and this can help to lessen anxiety or fears that they may have, especially in social situations. Groups are also a great place to practice social building skills in an environment that approximates genuine social settings, and a place where children can develop a social network. Johnson and Johnson (2004) also explain why group counseling is a great way to work with children with disabilities. In the group setting, children can learn to cope with their disabilities and with the limitations that come from it. Since work with children with disabilities often entails the teaching of new skills, Milsom (2007) feel that groups are the most effective place for these children to practice and rehearse what they are learning. Bringing these children out of an environment that is stigmatizing of them, into one that is more accepting is a great way for children with disabilities to feels safe to practice social skills. Since the push in schools is to integrate students with disabilities into the general education environment it becomes necessary to help them adjust socially. Court and Givon (2003) note that, adolescence is a critical time in the social world (p. 50). They remind us that the earlier we can intervene with these children and teach the necessary social skills, the more likely it is that they will become adjusted and socially competent young adults and adults. They also remind us that the converse is true: that social isolation will deepen over time. Mehaffey and Sandberg (1992) support this claim. …