Introduction
In
contemporary society, despite the considerable progress that has been made when
it comes to the status of minority groups, children from the latter communities
tend to remain vulnerable to a number of issues. Among these is that they have
a higher chance of getting involved in substance abuse, being victims of
various forms of abuse, and have poor academic performance. These circumstances
come about mainly because of the development of the considerable disadvantage
that members of these communities have in society. most members of minority
communities tend to live in areas that are not only poorer, but are also prone
to crime because of the considerable unemployment rate as well as the lack of
education for many individuals; most of who dropped out of school early.
These
communities are also often victims of discrimination based on their backgrounds
and this creates a situation where their children end up growing up at a
disadvantage because they do not have the same privileges that their
counterparts from the majority communities have. A result of this situation is
that these children are forced into crime and substance abuse at a very early
stage in their lives because not only do they not have role models within their
own communities to motivate them towards achieving more, but they end up
feeling that it is the expectation that they get involved in such activities.
furthermore, these children, because of their backgrounds where they witness
their parents and other adults abuse substances, end up not being able to concentrate
on their academics and their performance in the latter is often below average.
This paper seeks to show that while minority children are more vulnerable to
substance abuse and poor academic performance, steps to ensure that there is prevention
and interventions can help to bring an end to such problems.
Group Leadership Approaches
Group
leadership is a critical aspect of making sure that there is the advancement of
preventive measures for the problems that minority children are vulnerable to.
One of the most pertinent approaches is charismatic leadership, which is aimed
at making sure that the children involved are motivated towards not only being
a part of the group, but are also encouraged to open up concerning their
backgrounds and the difficulties that they have face in their lives. It is also
an essential means of helping promote greater participation in group activities
in such a way that they are able to overcome their vulnerabilities and instead
achieve the assistance that they need. Another form of leadership that is
essential in the achievement of the stated goal of preventing substance abuse
and the improvement of academic performance among minority children is
mentorship, which can be brought about through transformational leadership (Perreault, Cohen, & Blanchard, 2016). It is critical that those
individuals that are selected to spearhead interventions are those that are not
only from within their own communities, but have also achieved success in their
lives. This ensures that they have a role model that can be used to promote a
situation where they realize that they are also capable of achieving similar
success. It is also pertinent that these children are mentored by those
individuals in whom they have confidence and is from a similar background so
that it becomes possible for them to be motivated towards the achievement of an
improved status of life than they have currently (Slater, Evans, & Turner, 2016). The achievement of these
goals through the leadership styles mentioned has the potential of improving
the lives of the children involved to such an extent that they are better able
to avoid those instances where they are attracted to substance abuse while at
the same time focusing more on their academics as a means of improving their
circumstances.
Legal and Ethical Issues
It
is critical that during therapy, there is recognition that knowledge is no
longer absolute and that all decisions that are made should be based on the
benefits that are going to be derived from the process. Furthermore, the
participant in the therapy, rather than being subordinate to the therapist, are
supposed to be considered equal partners because it ensures that there is the
advancement of confidence in the patient concerning the entire process while at
the same time promoting a situation where there is greater openness (Sori & Hecker, 2015). The therapist no longer has
absolute authority over their patient, and instead, it is critical that there
is the advancement of the patient-therapist relationship. The group therapy
process is one that has to be considered extremely confidential, especially
when it comes to the therapist, because it involves a considerable number of
individuals who are essentially opening up their private lives to one another.
In addition, under such circumstances, the therapist has to recognize that he
is no longer the exclusive agent of each patient because in a group therapy, he
ends up acting as the facilitator rather than the agent (Boniolo & Sanchini, 2016). Instead, there is need to
make sure that the interests of the entire group are considered at all times
because it leads to a situation where there is the improvement of the lives of
all participants in the group. It is also critical that the therapist conducts
himself in the most professional manner possible and to avoid any malpractices
that might end up hindering the recovery of their patients. Among the most
significant ethical issues is based on the need to avoid such instances as
patient abandonment, which might end up hindering or interfering with the
process that will promote the healing of the patients involved.
Cultural Factors
It
is essential to make sure that when handling cases concerning minority
children, there is consideration of the cultural backgrounds of the individuals
involved. This is especially the case considering that these children come from
cultures that are for the most part not integrated into the mainstream and are
only practiced within their respective communities. It is critical that there
is constant consideration of the unique background of each of the individuals
involved in the group therapy because it ensures that there is not only
cultural sensitivity, but also a greater understanding of these cultures (Hook et al., 2016). Furthermore, it is essential that there is the
advancement of initiatives aimed at bringing about a greater understanding of
the cultural sensitivities themselves and through this understanding creates
means through which to conduct the group therapy itself. It is also critical
that the therapist puts cultural relativism in mind during the group therapy
process in such a way that promotes a situation where there is an understanding
of the way that different communities consider life. Rather than being critical
of the different viewpoints of the participants based on their own cultures,
the therapist has the responsibility of making sure that these viewpoints are
integrated into the therapy with the aim of helping these children come to
terms with their own culture and how the latter can help them advance in life (Ratts, Singh, Nassar‐McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2016). The achievement of cultural
relativity ensures that no culture is made superior to the other and instead,
the participants come to feel that their cultures are on an equal footing to
the mainstream one. This provides them with the confidence to not only continue
with the therapy sessions, but also allows them to become active participants
in such a way that enhances their recovery process and giving them confidence
concerning how to conduct their lives.
Conclusion
This
paper seeks to show that while minority children may be at risk of substance
abuse and poor academic performance, interventions can help them recover from
such incidents. The interventions that are proposed are based on the need to
make sure that these children are involved in group therapy sessions which have
the ability to make them meet individuals facing the same situations and come
to terms with them. Furthermore, it is important that the therapist observes
both the legal and ethical issues that might arise during the therapy sessions
and take into consideration the consequences of all their actions on the
welfare of their patients. Finally, it will be necessary to put into
consideration all the cultural factors that might affect the therapy. This can
be done through the practice of cultural relativism, which has the potential of
making all the participants feel confident in themselves so that they are more
forthcoming with information that can help them recover more efficiently.
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