1st Edition

Self-Help and Mutual Aid Groups International and Multicultural Perspectives

By Francine Lavoie, Benjamin Gidron Copyright 1994
    384 Pages
    by Routledge

    384 Pages
    by Routledge

    Here is new information on the development of international and intercultural research on self-help groups. This book reflects the many developments which have occurred in the field over the past decade, emphasizing empirical research. Self-Help and Mutual Aid Groups provides specific research findings and honed concepts to help health professionals learn more about self-help groups and work effectively with such groups. More countries and ethnic groups are now involved in the self-help movement, and this volume increases knowledge of how different cultures react to and participate in self-help mutual aid and how self-help groups can be adapted to fit different racial or ethnic populations.

    Self-Help and Mutual Aid Groups explores the definition of self-help, the centrality of culture as a major factor explaining variability in self-help, the development of appropriate methodological tools, and the role and involvement of professionals. It brings together different traditions of research for the study of cross- and intercultural and inter- and intraorganizational aspects of self-help groups. Contributors who represent various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, social work, and nursing, discuss:

    • a paradigm for research in self-help
    • the development of self-help groups in Japan, Hong Kong, and the former East Germany
    • the participation of blacks in Alcoholics Anonymous
    • the participation of Mexican Americans in groups for parents of the mentally ill
    • relationships between self-help groups and health professionals
    • predictors of burnout in self-help group leaders
    • characteristics of effective groups
    • ways individuals change their world view through self-help participation

      Self-Help and Mutual Aid Groups is an informative and helpful resource for self-help researchers and teachers, students, and professionals who want to be more effective in their work with self-help groups across cultural and national lines.

    Contents Preface
    • Universal and Particular Attributes of Self-Help: A Framework for International and Intranational Analysis
    • Participatory Action Research as a Strategy for Studying Self-Help Groups Internationally
    • Self-Help Groups in Japan: Trends and Traditions
    • The Development of Self-Help in Germany’s New Provinces (Former East Germany): The Case of Schwerin
    • Advocacy on Self-Help for Patients With Chronic Illness: The Hong Kong Experience
    • Mexican American and Anglo American Parents of the Mentally Ill: Attitudes and Participation in Family Support Groups
    • Are Twelve Step Programs Appropriate for Disenfranchised Groups? Evidence From a Study of Posttreatment Mutual Help Involvement
    • Understanding Worldview Transformation in Members of Mutual Help Groups
    • Partnerships Between Health Professionals and Self-Help Groups: Meanings and Mechanisms
    • Predictors of Burnout Among Self-Help Group Leaders
    • Social Climate Correlates of Effectiveness in Alliance for the Mentally Ill Groups
    • The Involvement of Self-Help Groups With Mental Health and Medical Professionals: The Self-Helpers’ Perspective
    • Workshop on “Good Practice” in the Collaboration Between Professionals and Mutual Aid Groups
    • Self-Help Group Participation Among People With Severe Mental Illness
    • Conclusion
    • Index
    • Reference Notes Included

    Biography

    Francine Lavoie, Benjamin Gidron