Social Work in Groups and Individually: A Comparison

There are certain advantages to be found both in doing work in groups and doing it in individual settings. Certain methods can be applied in a group setting that cannot be applied when working one on one with clients. On the other hand, the focus of the practitioner in an individual setting is completely on just one client, which helps concentrate her efforts and may produce better or faster results. The role of the social work professional also changes somewhat between the two settings, with the one-on-one work requiring a more hands-on approach.

One of the advantages of group work is that one practitioner is able to help a significant number of clients at the same time. This is certainly an advantageous concentration of resources in terms of both time and manpower. Another advantage is in the application of certain methods that cannot be easily applied in an individual setting. For example, it is considerably easier to conduct assertiveness exercises in a group setting, where interactive situations can be arranged between the group members. In an individual setting, an assertiveness exercise remains mostly a theoretical approach. It can be practiced between the practitioner and the client, but since the dynamic of this relationship is different from the client-client relationship in a group setting, the effectiveness of this method in an individual setting would be questionable.

The low practitioner-to-client ratio of a group setting can be a disadvantage, however, since the social worker's attention is naturally diffused among all the group members rather than completely focused on just one, as it happens in an individual setting. If the practitioner is unable to involve all the clients in the workings of the group, a group setting may be detrimental to some clients who might feel neglected and resentful. It is equally impracticable for clients who are particularly timid, for example because of high levels of social anxiety. Those are less likely to participate equally in group exercises and activities, and by trying to give these clients more attention, the practitioner might neglect other members of the group. This is where an individual setting has an advantage over the group setting.

While the social worker's role as a leader is similar in both settings, the details of interactive dynamics differ between the group and individual work. In other words, the practitioner is a different kind of leader depending on the setting. In a one-on-one setting, the social worker is more of a teacher, explaining approaches, distributing assignments, and checking on the client's progress regularly. In a group setting, the practitioner facilitates discussions and other interactions without becoming the center of attention. While there are times when the practitioner is called to explain certain things or to direct the discussion when, in her opinion, it gets off track, the social worker facilitating a group session generally lets the group members take turns being the center of attention. This does not mean, however, that the job of a group facilitator is easier than that of a social worker in an individual setting. In fact, it is most likely harder, as the practitioner has to learn the specifics of personalities of a larger number of people and coordinate their interactions. Overall, however, whether to conduct group or individual work should probably depend on what both the clients and the practitioner are most comfortable with.