Running head: GROUP ANALYSIS 1

Group Analysis
Jessica Clow
Darice Collier
Janice Hanna
Tori-Ann Williams
Shalanda Wright
Wayne State University






GROUP ANALYSIS 2
Group Analysis
PART 1 - Assessment
From the initial session with Dr. Bruh, all members seem generally apprehensive in
relationship to the reasoning or purpose of their attendance and participation. Moreover, Jay is
evidently going to be the most difficult member to work with due to his vocal negativism and
criticism. His repeated outbursts and interruptions during sessions are detracting. However, they
do add a certain element to the overall group dynamics as some members are reluctant to voice
their opinions which consequently presents a learning opportunity for all. Mr. Clyde not
surprisingly emerges as the most socially disconnected individual. He will over time however
become more engaged with what other members are talking about and begin to have
considerable input into the groups development. What is significant in these sessions is that the
individuals change in behaviors and attitudes throughout the group process is observable. As the
group evolves, it is evident that members are becoming more engaged in the group discussions
through mutual aid, encouragement and support.
The group changed though activities such as the discussions about personal relationships.
Each member needed to consider and assess what has brought them to where they are today in
their lives. To this point, all members were asked to speak about some of the influential
relationships they have had. Significantly, this group topic requires all members to reflect and
analyze why they believe they are where they are and subsequently, why they are in the group.
During this time some members were able to relate information regarding difficult relationships
that they had during their childhood. By providing opportunities such as this, it further promotes
interpersonal reflection.
GROUP ANALYSIS 3
A case in point can be seen when Jay discusses the struggles he has gone through trying
to maintain a relationship with his mother. Although he concludes that he loves his mother, he
noticeably shows signs of stress when talking about his relationship with her. This type of open
discussion encourages all members to consider the relationships and associations they have had,
and the impact it has made on their lives- thus prompting the possibility for individual
transformations.
The group dynamics consistently illustrates positive and affirmative changes with
progression of the sessions. Members become more open to sharing their feelings and are
beginning to get to know their fellow group members on more intimate levels. Positive
interactions and overall cooperative group development is witnessed though all member-to-
member communications. This moreover is apparent when members voluntarily agree to aid
each other in situational circumstances.
Group Dynamics Evident in These Sessions.
On this note, the topic of child support is brought forth during the session when Mr.
Grace is conversing about his relationship about his eight children. While Mr. Grace is
discussing his relationship with his children, he shares with the group that he does not have a
strong relationship with any of them. Jay inserts from his personal experience, coming from a
single parent household, that he (Mr. Grace) needs to be a part of his childrens lives.
Furthermore, Mr. Clyde addresses Mr. Grace regarding the decision to have children and the
responsibility associated with his actions in terms of child support. This discussion demonstrates
a goal for the group as members help each other by relating themselves to something they have
in common and opinions about the content.
GROUP ANALYSIS 4
One focal point activity of the group centers on the discussions about personal
relationships. Members needed to consider and assess what has brought them to where they are
in their lives. To this point, all members were asked to speak about some of the influential
relationships they have had. Significantly, this group topic required all members to reflect and
analyze why they believe they are where they are in their lives and subsequently in this particular
group. Interestingly enough, during this time some members were able to relate information
regarding difficult relationships that they had during their childhood. In essence, by providing
opportunities such as this it further promotes interpersonal reflection while meeting hidden
agendas for the group.
Group norms need to be established for cohesiveness of member behaviors within the
group. To this effect, the position of Dr. Bruh functions as a mediator, guide, and facilitator. It is
understandable that from the onset of the first session (after multiple outbursts of either
comments and or laughter from members) that Dr. Buth must set boundaries and parameters for
the group that all members can comprehend. There is an internal and external part of the Systems
Theory that relates to these norms. The external part is how the group handles demands brought
on by the social and physical environment. The internal system on the other hand is the
interactions and norms that occur within the group. Patterns in the interactions and norms can be
seen when the group gets in conflict when they hear something they do not approve of. An
example of this can be Mr. Clyde telling J Smooth that he does not approve of what he does.
These external and internal environments are witnessed from the start of the group to the end of
the sessions. (Rivas & Toseland, 2012, p. 58).
Whereas the standards for each member of the group needs to be emphasized as being
open-minded, nonjudgmental, and receptive to new and different ideas and beliefs. I deem that
GROUP ANALYSIS 5
Mr. Grace should also be viewed as one of the leaders of this group and that he can be
instrumental in conveying information along with reinforcing group norms. He is perceived as a
respectful group member and has the ability to identify and comprehend when it is time to talk.
For example, when members speak out of turn, Mr. Grace aids in intervening and redirecting.
Having members like Mr. Grace is not only advantageous to group dynamics, but greatly
benefits the entire cohesive process.
A poignant highlight that exemplifies the groups atmosphere was illustrated during the
second session when all group members agreed to view something precisely the same way. More
specifically, this was the first time when all members agreed in total, and emotionally connected
to one another. This occurrence happened when Mr. Clyde brought up the topic of wanting a
hand out providing a perfect opportunity for Dr. Bruh to inquire what the other members
thoughts on the topic were. As a result of the discussion, unanimously all members agreed that
that they do not want a hand out. Consequently, the groups climate is developing into one that is
cooperative, mutually supportive, and constructive.
It is evident that this group is very diverse and comes from an array of different
backgrounds. With that being said, understanding that all of these male members have
commonalities they are also able to relate to each on other levels that are conducive to their
situations. In particular the different cultures of the group can be seen when they discuss their
particular types of employment. Becoming aware of each other's situation regardless of what
they do for employment can open and stimulate lines of communication on a variety of levels
validating the diversity of the group.
GROUP ANALYSIS 6
Many of these men come from all ranges of income levels and experiences. This can be
seen when, Mr. Clyde verbally presents to everyone that he has a 400-fortune company and
stresses that he is a very successful man. Being able to identify differences in the members
makes it easier in the overall process of setting individual and group goals. Moreover,
comprehending the differences of why each of these men is in the group is imperative to their
success.
Plan of Action
It is important for the leader of the group to facilitate change in group members
behaviors so that members of the group are working cohesively to achieve the groups goal as
well as individual ones. During the beginning phases of group sessions members lack unity and
have more individual identity versus a group identity. In the beginning phases of group sessions
we are unaware of members thoughts, beliefs and feeling which impacts their behavior during
group meetings. Unfamiliar with group members it can be hard for leaders to promote change in
members behavior. One way leaders can facilitate change in behavior is through different
activities. Members can do this by examining the experiences on which thoughts and beliefs are
based on, looking at past experiences, and getting feedback from others in the group. During the
session, it is observable that Dr. Bruh leads many activities that encourage the change in
behavior of members. An example of how Dr. Bruh does this is through discussions such as
asking members how the view the women in their lives. Each member gave their own personal
experiences with women and shared information about how they viewed them. While every
member had a different perspective on the topic of women, it was obvious that each member was
dealing with some form of issue with the women in their lives. Through the various discussions,
members shared their past experiences and gave one another feedback. During this phase the
GROUP ANALYSIS 7
members are just getting to know each other, and much of the feedback they are displaying is
more judgmental than supportive.
In the groups session, there are several things that need to occur in order for the group to
become more effective. One way the group could become more effective is by improving group
interaction and communication. Immediately when the group started their session, there were
issues between Jerome and other members such as Mickey and Mr. Clyde. Although power
struggles are necessary for the group to reach some levels of cohesiveness the group needs to
learn to communicate effectively in order to move forward and achieve the group goal. Another
way the group can become more effect is by providing mutual aid for one another. Each member
is there for a certain reason and need one another to help themselves. By providing support,
understanding each other, as well as constructive criticism for fellow group members the group
can achieve their group goals successfully.
PART 2 - Assessment
The significance of this session to the groups development of its members and as a
whole is very beneficial. The middle and ending phase of the session could also be referred to as
the working phases of the group. In the beginning phase of the group members did not want to
be in the session, they were not familiar with one another and often times when there were
problems amongst the group members, Dr. Bruh had to step in and remind the men to respect
one another. At the start of the middle phase, the group members begin to establish their roles
within the group, and their behaviors became more and more predictable. For example, J
Smooth makes outbursts while others are speaking especially when topics are touchy and he has
heard something he does not agree with. He often diverts attention away from the group and
GROUP ANALYSIS 8
brings it to himself, which the group views as disruptive most of the time. While Dr. Bruh used
to have to control J Smooth by reminding him to respect other members, during the middle and
ending phases the group manages his outbursts and they seem to be more controlled. The group
is now able to work independently of Dr. Bruh and focus on reaching their goals.
The change that the group has experienced in comparison with the beginning phase of the
group has been significant. The group is no longer dependent upon Dr. Bruh to make the group
work to meet goals. They are able to talk to one another, provide mutual aid, group cohesion, and
group sanctions when necessary.
Group dynamics evident in these sessions.
The group goals main goal is for the individuals to become better men; family men,
independent men, and have confidence within themselves. All of the men who have been sent to
the session are there because they are not living up to their full potential. While all of the
members personal issues may vary, the group is able to work in a way where everyone can grow
from the conversations about various topics. Some of the norms that are seen in the group are the
frequent power struggles between Mr. Clyde and J Smooth. J Smooth sees Mr. Clyde as being
affiliated with White America (which he is not too fond of), sees him as a business man
instead of the family man he should be, and thinks that Mr. Clyde looks down on him/judges him.
Mr. Clyde on the other hand thinks that J Smooth is pathetic for living at home on his mothers
couch, playing the victim black man role, and sees him as constantly disrespecting women. Most
of the time Mr. Clyde wins the power struggle, but J Smooth is able to win a couple of times.
Mickey is the group member who is dependent on others for support when he wants to make a
point. Being that Mr. Clyde is the group member that seems most respected, Mickey often
GROUP ANALYSIS 9
chooses to be vocal on topics that he knows Mr. Clyde agrees with. When group members
challenge Mickey and bring up his current circumstances he becomes silent once again. J
Smooth is the most vocal of the group and makes a point to interrupt group members while they
are talking. He diverts attention to himself by being disruptive and despite group members
comments he continues this behavior. Herb is quiet and generally does not talk unless he is
spoken to. Mr. Divine works as a mediator during the middle and ending phase of the session.
While Mr. Divine sometimes succeeds at having power by proclaiming his love for everyone, he
is shut down by the ending phase of the session by Mr. Clyde.
The level of cohesiveness in the group is much higher than it was in the beginning phase
of the session. The group is now able to work together to address problems. When a group
member says or does something that the majority of the group does not agree with, group
sanctions are produced. Discussing the common topic of women is something that helps to bring
the group together by sharing different beliefs. When group members are sanctioned by others
they usually back down or shy away as they have realized it was something they said or did that
was unacceptable. While all of the members of the group have things that they need to work on
they are able to learn from one another. When Mickey broke down at the end of the session when
talking about his girlfriend, several members of the group offered advice to him. This shows that
the group is starting to care about other members and their well-being. The group climate can be
supportive at times and defensive at other times depending on the topic and what a member has
to say. During the middle phase when J Smooth asked Mr. Clyde how his wife would react to
him talking about her to the group, the climate became defensive. Not only did Mr. Clyde not
acknowledge the question, but other group members began to see his weakness which resulted in
him losing power at that moment. The culture of the group is very predictable. There are five
GROUP ANALYSIS 10
men with various personalities and beliefs. There are often times power struggles throughout the
session with some members, while one group member is not as headstrong and follows behind
whoever holds the control. There is one group member who sits completely quiet while there is
another who could often times be looked at as obnoxious. Although everyone has their own
unique role, the culture of the group helps in allowing it to work.
Impressions
During the middle and ending phases my impression of the group is that they developed
into a successful group and helped aid one another. The group displayed a sense of cohesion with
each other. There was not as many interruptions and conflicts compared to the beginning phase
of the group. Dr. Bruh had to remind the group about respect a few times and for them to show
it to each other. Group members were more open with each other, trusted each other, and there
was a high level of self-disclosure. Dr. Bruh wanted the group to meet their goals together and
constantly remind them of teamwork. He also wanted the group to pay attention to each other
and learn from everyone. There was more verbal communication than non-verbal
communication during the middle and ending phases. The group started talking and interacting
with each other more while using non-verbal communication. Dr. Bruh used non-verbal
communication with his hands while he talked to the group members.
Plan of Action
Dr. Bruh changed the group behavior by constantly making them aware of how they
needed to work together as a group to meet their individual goals. Dr. Bruh also helped the
group members with their conflict and told them the importance of working as a team. Dr. Bruh
worked in an enabler role to make the group successful. Dr. Bruh redirected the group a few
GROUP ANALYSIS 11
times to guide them. Dr. Bruh used the skill of a positive enabler to keep the group moving
towards their goal and to not be stuck on conflict.
For the group to be more effective Dr. Bruh exemplified great communication and
remedial skills with the group. The group bonded and developed a sense of cohesion, this
allowed the group to work together and achieve their goals in the middle and ending phases.
Based upon the observation of the group having diversity, Dr. Bruh responded to the
group as a group leader and redirected them to focus on their goal. There were fewer times in
the middle and ending phases that Dr. Bruh had to redirect the group back on topic due to it
being diverse. All the members were involved in group discussions, developed a sense of mutual
aid, and encouraged shared ideas.
Ending Phase
During the ending phase, Dr. Bruh did not have much interaction with the men. In the
middle phase of the session, he had to remind them that they are all in the session because
something in their life is holding them back from their full potential. There are many times that
he would let the men work the conflict and disagreements that they were having amongst
themselves. This is different from the beginning of the session when he had to remind the men of
why it is important to respect one another. Towards the end of the session, the men start to get
more in depth with one another. Mr. Clyde expresses how distant he is from his children while
Mickey expresses the love he has for his girlfriend and how he wants it back. There are sub-
groups within the group that offer mutual aid to one another. The more the men are opening, the
more they are able to trust one another and offer this aid when it is needed.

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Works Cited
Toseland, Ronald W., and Robert F. Rivas. An Introduction to Group Work Practice. Boston:
Allyn & Bacon, 2012. Print.