Johnny Rider

Tiffany Poon

General Functional Group Model Protocol:

Name of Group: Express Yourself

Time/length of meetings:
o 1 hour a week meeting for a 24 week period.

Place/Location:
o Community Mental Health Clinic

Group Format:
o This group is designed specifically for adolescents with autism struggling with
communication and managing their anger. For the group meetings to be successful, all
members must have a common goal and having a closed group of members with shared
experiences and frustrations creates group solidarity. We want the members to feel safe
and know that there will not be surprises or additional stress when it is already hard for
them to communicate. We also want the members to feel secure in this closed group to
promote continuity of attendance and continuity of skills-building together. (Type:
Project Group)

Statement of rationale for group:

o This group will provide an environment for adolescents with autism to initiate and
respond to communication with other individuals with similar goals and skill level.
Group interaction will facilitate appropriate communication, turn-taking, social norms,
and elicit adaptive responses from members encouraging participation. Members will
participate in functional activities to help regulate emotions and control anger. Members
will also participate in Meditation on the Soles of the Feet as a method to calm
themselves and control aggressive outbursts. Also, this group will promote success in
school and maintaining relationships in life.

Frame of reference or practice model.

o

Cognitive Behavior frame of reference will be used. Using the members cognitive
function to influence and change their behavior through self-reflection, practice, roleplaying, self-monitoring, and understanding how to manage emotion appropriately during
emotionally charged situations. Social cognitive theories fall under the cognitive behavior
frame of reference and posit that adolescents learn concepts by using: observation,
imitation, role playing and interaction with others. It is expected that both self-efficacy
and motivation will increase when adolescents learn the concepts stated above.

Group goals:
o Primary Goals (behaviors you wish to increase/decrease):

Group members will establish a baseline for aggression incidences during the
first month of Meditation of the Soles of the Feet and mindfulness-based
training and by the fourth month incidents of aggression will be decreased by
50% and will be documented in a daily log.
Group members will communicate during group through initiating a conversation
by asking how the other person is doing and responding appropriately with a peer
or group leader once during each session.
Group members will verbally communicate what makes them angry within the
group at least once during each session.
Secondary Objectives (shorter term and leading up to goal achievement):
Group members will call a friend once per week and share the experiences in
class the following week.
Group members will contribute verbally to the group at least one time per session
by introducing his or herself, asking a question, expressing his or her thoughts
and feelings in a positive manner to another group member or commenting to the
group leaders about an activity.
Group members will participate in Meditation of the Soles of the Feet in
sessions each week and in home daily, documented in a daily log.
Rationale for goal selection
Many of the group members struggle with controlling their anger and resort to
verbal and/or physical aggressions. By establishing a baseline for their
aggression incidences and monitoring them we can better understand which
techniques or strategies taught in group are effective. Expressing themselves
verbally is another challenge and practicing both inside and outside of group will
help them get more comfortable communicating with others and better
understand the turn-taking and initiation of conversations. Modeling and roleplaying will allow them to practice with feedback and in turn help them initiate
conversation outside of the group. (cite ref)

Outcome criteria for successful goal attainment in session(s) stated in behavioral terms
o For every session, each member will be able to name one new anger management
strategy, feel a sense of control over their feelings of anger, and be able to understand
which situations cause certain feelings of anger. Each member will participate in
meditation and activities to the best of their abilities. Each member will initiate and
participate in dialogue with another person each session.

Group composition or criteria for selecting members.

o Adolescents with autism between the ages of 16 and 19 wanting to improve their social
skills, specifically communication with others and managing their anger.

Leadership roles and functions.

o To establish a group structure that encourages social participation and communication
between group members
o To encourage communication skill development in team members
o To identify strategies to manage anger

Modeling desired group behavior including: listening, verbally participating, asking for
help, being supportive of everyone and giving appropriate feedback.

Characteristics of group contract, if using.

o RULES OF GROUP

Group methods and procedures to be employed: Briefly describe or list methods, techniques,
modalities.
o Group meditation lead by therapists. Partner activities requiring initiating and
maintaining interaction. Self-reflection and group sharing of feelings. Role-play activities
in front of group.

Specific Functional Group Model Session Plan Protocol:

Name of Group: It Will Be Ok

Date to be led: January 28th, 2014

Stage of Group Development: (Group formation, Building of relationships, Deciding aims and
procedures, Accomplishing tasks, Terminating)
o Building of Relationships

Specific goals for the group session:

o To build group cohesiveness while assisting members to identify their anger management
issues and help strategize for ways to cope with anger.
o Members will:

Identify at least one situation that involved anger outbursts and identify
alternate outcomes

Learn calming strategies through meditation

Identify areas that causes anger

Identify strategies to cool off

Identify self-control goals

Communicate feelings of anger with other group members

Learn to express feelings of anger

Specific goals for group members if different from those mentioned already and goals for each
group member
o N/A

Description and rationale for methods and procedures

o Description: Meditation, expressive anger management activities, role playing scenarios
o Rationale: To increase member sharing of anger feelings and coping strategies to foster
group support, problem solving, and goal setting. Also, to increase feelings of
competence in controlling anger

Description and rationale for leadership role

o Encourage expression of anger triggers and ways to cope with those feelings either
through verbal expression or non-verbal strategies.
o Support and facilitate member communication as much as possible

Describe necessary preparations

o Preparation for teaching Meditation on the Soles of the Feet and training materials.
o Make copies of the Choices worksheet for each group member.
o Bring pens/pencils for everyone to use.
o Prepare role-play scenarios for backup in case group members cant think of any.

List material, equipment and budget needed

o Large bag of M&Ms ($5)

Copies of the choices worksheet for each group member ($1)

Time and sequence outline for sessions, including what you will do and say as leader and what
the group will do; consider both content and process
o Introduce todays session and each other (5 min) (Tiffany)
o Discuss Anger and how it affects us (5 min) (Johnny)
Group will actively participate in the discussion of anger
o Teach Meditation on the Soles of the Feet (Johnny) (15 min)
Group will actively participate in meditation
o M&M Activity (Tiffany) (10 min)
Group will actively participate
Activity will be done with a partner
o Choices Activity and share with group (Johnny) (10 min)
Group will independently fill out the worksheet
Members will individually share the worksheet with the group members
o Role play (Tiffany) (10 min)
Group will actively participate with a partner or in a group of three
o Wrap up session and reminder of homework (daily log) (Johnny) (5 min)

Other information pertinent to the specific session: for example: Will there be any new members,
co-leaders, or guests? Is there an unusual tone on the unit or special event that is about to occur or
just occurred for the individual member or group?
o No special circumstances.

Anger: Anger is a normal response. We all get upset, angry, mad, unhappy and aggressive. It
happens to everyone and it is ok to feel this way. These are emotions and emotions are important.
We need to be able to express those emotions appropriately. We cant throw things or hurt people
every time we get upset. We cant yell at people when we are mad. We have to learn what makes

us angry and how to deal with it. We are not trying to get rid of anger. Like I said, angry thoughts
occur to everyone but not everyone acts on them. Sometimes, anger is justifiable and necessary
depending on the context. When a situation happens that typically makes you angry and you feel
like yelling or hitting someone, it is important to control these feelings. We try not to threaten or
hurt people when we disagree with them. There is a simple way of calming yourself and we will
practice it today and at the beginning of each session.