One of the realities of being in a mentoring relationship is that, like all human relationships, it will have its ups and downs, moments of joy and moments of challenge. Mentors are not simply friends to young people, nor are they simply "authority figures." They show up to these relationships with purpose and a desire to help that young…

The general goal of Danish residential care institutions with a therapeutic objective is to change children's behaviour and redirect their identity formation. This goal is pursued through an individualized focus on development. Dynamics of the resident group is rarely targeted directly in the pedagogical work. This article challenges the implicit…

The Challenge Process is a problem-solving strategy for groups of four to six participants to assist group counseling clients in translating self-understanding into appropriate behavioral changes. This three-step process (challenge, brainstorming suggestions, and contract) is described and illustrated with examples from a "Stress and the…

Creativity is the ultimate therapeutic experience because it validates the creator's abilities and allows the risk taking that enables growth. An adventure therapy session involving a group of recovering adult substance abusers illustrates how creativity is used to organize the group, determine the group's needs, generate meaning, and translate…

Group and organizational cultures play an important role in helping people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Culture can be assessed by looking at social expectations for behavior, called group norms. Cultural norms can be changed to support healthy lifestyles through a systematic and participatory process. Such a change effort would modify: (1)…

The consequences of gender social and learning interactions in the classroom are of interest to parents, policy makers, and researchers. However, little is known about gender peer effects in schools and their operational channels. In this paper, we estimate the effects of classroom gender composition on scholastic achievements of boys and girls in…

Describes how the faculty in the geography department at University College London used group analysis to improve discussion about their teaching objectives in an effort to change their undergraduate teaching program. (RM)

This paper presents a model for implementation of behavior therapies in adventure programs that use Group Adventure Initiative Tasks (GAITs) to promote personal development. Behavior therapies include various techniques and processes based in learning and pedagogical theory and used to promote changes in behavioral responses to environmental…

A child's peers may influence his behavior for better or for worse. By involving a child's peers in his therapy, their influence can be made to be consistently positive. By establishing tailor-made peer-therapy groups, the child psychologist will increase his therapeutic impact. Among the possible formats for involving peers in a child's treatment…

This paper describes a collaborative approach toward preventing and intervening in abusive behaviors among youth. Outdoor leaders may be caught off guard by abusive behavior during outdoor courses and may be uncertain how to work with groups in which such behavior is the norm. The concept of "dominant discourse" is useful for…

A group approach to dealing with stress is the basis for a series of workshops outlined in this paper. The stress management program materials, especially suitable for those in the helping professions, identifies the nature and causes of stress, and uses group supports to target and work to change counter-productive stress-related behaviors. The…

Stress management training contributes to weight loss, maintenance of weight loss and improved social and occupational functioning in obese women. Data from the Beck Depression Inventory and the Assertiveness Questionnaire indicate that obese persons have poor self-concepts which result in depression which is inversely related to assertiveness.…

An Oregon elementary-school principal describes her experience of creating a peaceful school. To create the safe environment needed for learning, teachers taught students conflict-resolution skills; 15 life skills, such as integrity, initiative, flexibility, and humor; and a three-step problem-solving model. Students are taking their new skills…

In the first of a three-part series, the authors examine the origin of the organizational development movement, instrumented team learning seminars for managers, their experimental programs for industry at various locations, the development of the "managerial grid," management by objectives, behavior modification, and other approaches to…

This paper describes Peer Culture Development, Inc., a private, non-profit agency which provides a school-based delinquency prevention program to public schools. The basic components of the program are described along with the selection and role of student leaders in the program. The dynamics of the group meetings are discussed and seven…