Introduction
Social workers are responsible for selecting the most suitable and effective interventions for their clients. These professionals should be aware of various types of groups because it is an efficient approach to promoting individual and collective change. Treatment, self-help, and task groups are the most common examples of this intervention, and each works best under different conditions. It is reasonable to look at Marta Ramirez’s case to see how it is possible to help an undocumented migrant cope with her socioeconomic status, mental health issues, and school difficulties of her children. Available evidence demonstrates that a self-help group (SHG) is beneficial for the client and more effective than the other two options.
Discussion
To begin with, one should explain what an SHG is and how it works. According to Hepworth et al. (2023), this group type unites people with similar issues and concerns and allows them to share their experiences and thoughts. Such interventions are typically led by clients, contributing to mutual support and finding internal resources to cope with the existing challenges (Hepworth et al., 2023). Multiple scholars focus on this intervention and highlight its positive consequences.
On the one hand, a scholarly article by Mills et al. (2020) demonstrates that SHGs provide individuals with the required assistance to cope with anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and self-stigma. These advantages are achieved because people with similar problems share their successful coping strategies, which allows other participants to follow their advice. On the other hand, this intervention type has proved its effectiveness with migrants considering their challenging socioeconomic conditions (Purgato et al., 2021). This information demonstrates that SHGs can provide people with essential benefits.
It is now reasonable to explain why the selected group is perfectly suitable for the client and the selected community of Phoenix, Arizona. The description above is aligned with the case study under analysis. Ramirez is a Mexican migrant, and all the stipulated problems arise from her undocumented status in the United States (Hepworth et al., 2023). Thus, she needs to learn practical strategies on how to deal with these challenges and what interventions can mitigate her mental health conditions.
In addition to that, participating in the SHG can help the client become aware of the existing programs and resources for people with such problems. The proposed group seems appropriate and effective for Phoenix, Arizona. This community suffers from a high number of illegal migrants from Mexico, and this fact results in problems for these individuals and the entire community (Perez & Gonzalez, 2023). That is why SHGs can generate enormous advantages for various stakeholders.
It is additionally essential to explain why the SHG is better than the other two group types. Ramirez suffers from parenting difficulties, mental and physical health issues, and her socioeconomic status (Hepworth et al., 2023). This information denotes that the client needs support and internal resources to manage all these conditions. Even though treatment groups can help Marta address the challenges, the lack of shared experience can deprive the client of essential benefits in the community (Purgato et al., 2021). Task groups offer a limited focus that does not allow the client to receive sufficient emotional and social support (Hepworth et al., 2023). In addition, SHGs are more appropriate because the other two options neither promote the client’s empowerment nor disclose effective strategies to cope with the specific challenges of the client’s environment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the essay demonstrated that Marta Ramirez experiences multiple issues and requires suitable professional assistance. The available evidence demonstrates that participation in an SHG can benefit the individual. This intervention is peculiar because it allows people with similar problems to gather and share their experiences. During this activity, participants disclose their concerns, learn practical insights on coping with them, and obtain more information about the existing supporting resources in the community.
All these features are perfectly suitable for Ramirez, who can overcome her problems with the help of this intervention. Finally, the SHG is even better than task and treatment groups since it meets the specific case requirements. In particular, this intervention is characterized by emotional and social support, empowerment, and receiving important information. At the same time, the other two types do not offer any features that would be beneficial for the client.
References
Hepworth, D. H., Vang, P. D., Blakey, J. M., Schwalbe, C., Evans, C. B. R., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom, K. (2023). Direct social work practice: Theory and skills (11th ed.). Cengage.
Mills, H., Mulfinger, N., Raeder, S., Rüsch, N., Clements, H., & Scior, K. (2020). Self-help interventions to reduce self-stigma in people with mental health problems: A systematic literature review. Psychiatry Research, 284. Web.
Perez, J. I. C., & Gonzalez, D. (2023). ‘Heroic efforts’: How Arizona counties, nonprofits are responding to migrant street releases. AZ Central. Web.
Purgato, M., Carswell, K., Tedeschi, F., Acarturk, C., Anttila, M., Au, T., Bajbouj, M., Baumgartner, J., Biondi, M., Churchill, R., Cujipers, P., Koesters, M., Gastaldon, C., Ilkkursun, Z., Lantta, T., Nose, M., Ostuzzi, G., Papola, D., … Barbui, C. (2021). Effectiveness of self-help plus in preventing mental disorders in refugees and asylum seekers in Western Europe: A multinational randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 90(6), 403-414. Web.