The experience of infertility creates negative economic, physical, ,social, and psychological effects, especially for women, This often results in multiple stresses and needs for coping in these women. Because the manner in which women cope with these experiences are not fully understood, existing counseling interventions fail to adequately meet the needs of women experiencing infertility. Eighty-three women receiving varied services at assisted reproduction clinics participated in a study of the relationship between the use of social coping resources, growth fostering relationships, and infertility stress. The results support the use of social coping resources for coping with infertility stress. In addition, the results indicate the usefulness of understanding the types of growth-fostering relationships that can be an additional resource for helping counselors conceptualize women’s experiences an design effective interventions to kelp women rope with infertility stress

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The effect of social coping resources and growth-fostering relationships on infertility stress in women

Much of the research on infertility reinforces differing effects for women and men, with women reporting more serious repercussions
medically. psychologically. and socially. However. the unique counseling needs of infertile women have not been addressed
through traditional counseling theory. The Relational Model (J. V. Jordan, 1995) of women's development is a theory that explains
women's development in a context of relationships, specifically relationships that promote growth for self and others. This model
is applied to counseling women who are experiencing infertility. and a case presentation is provided to illustrate the approach.

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Gender and Infertility: A Relational Approach to Counseling Women

The purpose of this study was to further understanding of group supervision in field education. The goal was to illuminate factors that students identified as important for a group climate that facilitated learning. A qualitative interview methodology was used to explore the experiences of 18 MSW students who received group supervision as the primary method of field instruction. Numerous factors influence students' ability to participate in group learning, such as their previous experiences with each other, level of competence, and skill as a group member. The respondents also described specific behaviors of the field instructor as group supervisor that they valued.

The Field Instructor as Group Worker: Managing Trust and Competition in Group Supervision

There is a growing consensus in the literature that co-facilitation can be effective if it is well planned and characterized by close communication among co-workers of equal status. The authors of ...

Training in Tandem: Co-Facilitation and Role Modeling in a Group Work Course

Marcia B. Cohen is an Associate Professor al the University of New England in the United States where she teaches graduate courses in group work, generalist social work practice and social welfare policy. Her professional interests include recipient-run services and organisations, issues relating to poverty, homelessness and mental health, and diverse aspects of social group work. Kendra J. Garrett is an Assistant Professor at the University of St Thomas in the United States where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in generalist social work practice, group work and research. Her professional interests include social work ethics, school social work, research methodology and social work practice with groups. SUMMARY Focus groups, originally used in fields such as marketing and consumer research, are rapidly gaining popularity as a research methodology in the social sciences. It is interesting to note that most of the scholarly work on focus groups continues to come from business rather than the social sciences. Few researchers have discussed the differing purposes and goals in social science and consumer research (Ospina, 1994; Moore, 19%). Furthermore, the literature on focus group research rarely utilizes social work knowledge of group dynamics or group facilitation skills. Rather, the literature on focus groups tends to give guidelines for leading groups, telling focus group facilitators what to do and what not to do in leading such groups. We believe that these guidelines, while generally helpful, can lead to rigidity on the part of focus group leaders. We suggest that, in social work research, focus group facilitators should use their knowledge of group dynamics and the values of individualization and empathy to modify focus group rules where appropriate. This paper describes part of a qualitative study of client/worker relationships in residential mental health settings. During the course of this research, group work principles came into conflict, at limes, with recommended guidelines for focus group leaders. The paper illustrates how insights gleaned from group work theory and practice can enable a researcher to break focus group rules responsibly, thus bringing greater depth to the data gathered and allowing the researcher to be more sensitive to the needs of focus group participants.

Breaking the Rules: A Group Work Perspective on Focus Group Research

This article explores the relational model, a formulation for stages of development in women's groups that is rooted in recent feminist scholarship. Implications for worker interventions are discussed, especially in regard to the timing of themes of connection and conflict. Examples from group work practice illustrate the discussion.

Rethinking Stages of Development in Women's Groups: Implications for Practice

This article presents and illustrates the application of the relational model of group development (Schiller, 1995, 1997), originally formulated to address a differential developmental pathway observed in groups comprising women, to address vulnerable populations. Following a review of group developmental theory, the article discusses the importance of practitioners moving from observation to application in the use of a group stages model for groups impacted by trauma, oppression, and loss.

Linda Yael Schiller Msw and Licsw

Papers

Rethinking Stages of Development in Women's Groups: Implications for Practice

Not for Women Only: Applying the Relational Model of Group Development with Vulnerable Populations