Identify and discuss the three steps used in diagnosing a challenging group member

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The three steps used in diagnosing a challenging group member are:
Step 1: Determine what is happening. The first step in assessing this question is to clearly identify any critical incidents in the group’s functioning. A critical incident can be simply defined as a shift in the group’s energy or progress. What impact the incident is having on the group as a whole is of the utmost consideration because group members who are considered challenging invariably affect overall group dynamics.

Step 2: Determine who is involved. What are the leader characteristics and how do those impact the group? What are the individual group members’ roles in the group? Characterizing members roles and who those members are in the terms of critical incident can contextualize why the incident has occurred and potentially provide insight on how to react. The final area to assess in determining who is involved in the critical incident are factors related to power, privilege, and oppression and it is perhaps the most self-evident and potentially the most critical.

Step 3: Determine where the group is at in its development. The final question to consider in diagnosing challenging group members relates to assessing the stage of the group and evaluating ecological variables that interact with the group. Accurately recognizing unexpected or atypical member behavior based on group stage is a crucial skill for diagnosing challenging group members. Also assessing for potential ecological factors that could play a role in the group member’s behavior.