ABSTRACT
Groupwork was one of the earliest forms of social work practice. Within social work practice, groups provide individuals with the opportunity to develop skills and to function in relation to others. This chapter highlights three major theoretical perspectives on groups: person or client centered, behavioral, and feminist. Issues of group boundaries are particularly important in certain group settings, especially residential or institutional settings. Fatout organized behavioral groups into two major types. The first is organized around principles of reinforcement management. The second type of behavioral group uses the cognitive–behavioral approach that places a greater emphasis on the cognitive process that accompanies difficulties in functioning. Feminism can be described as "certain ways of thinking and of acting that are designed to achieve women's liberation by eliminating the oppression of women in society". From a social work perspective, a primary goal of feminist approaches is to reconfigure power within social relationships.
