Review

Getting it together

SURVIVAL IN GROUPS
Tom Douglas
Open University Press, 1995, £13.99

Survival in groups is a useful handbook about groupwork from the perspectives of both group members and those seeking to lead groups or initiate groupwork. The style of the book gives a sense of the author’s long experience in this field as it avoids overly complicated analyses and focuses instead on straightforward examples of common situations. Because of this the book is not ideal, perhaps, for those who would like a more in-depth exploration of some of the theory about groups – group dynamics for example – but is a very good introduction for anyone looking to increase their confidence in working within groups.

Although much of what is written in the book comes across as ‘common sense’ thanks to the accessible writing, there are some insights that are particularly useful. Perhaps the commonest temptation for group members is to interpret someone’s responses or posture as a reaction to the group situation, whereas Douglas points out that these are far more likely to be related to external factors which are often overlooked. Developing an understanding of group processes is encouraged throughout the book by the use of case studies and exercises which could be useful tools for those wishing to facilitate training in groupwork.