A group has two more sessions before it ends. One member was previously vocal and has shown much progress but has now grown silent. What explanation most likely underlies this behavior? The silent member:

Question

a. has participated in the group and now has nothing more to offer.
b. is having trouble dealing with feelings about termination of this group.
c. wants to give quieter members a chance to talk in the remaining sessions.
d. is engaging in attention-seeking behavior aimed at continuation of the group.

Answer 1

ANS: B
A chief task during the termination phase of a group is to take what has been learned in group and transition to life without the group. The end of a group can be a significant loss for members, who may experience loss and grief and respond with sadness or anger. It is unlikely he would have nothing to say; at the very least, he could be responding to the comments of others even if not focusing on his own issues. He may wish to give quieter members a chance to talk, but again, this would not require or explain his complete silence. Some members, faced with only two remaining sessions, may be becoming more dominant under this pressure of time, but here too this is unlikely to lead a previously active participant to fall completely silent. The member is not attention-seeking.