Recruitment and screening of minors for group counseling

Group counseling with minors requires special considerations in the recruitment and screening process. Recruiting members involves advertising the group and soliciting referrals. Suggestions are offered to ensure that potential members are not labeled during recruitment. Pregroup screening may involve individual or group interviews. Counselors must ensure that prospective members will cooperate with one another and benefit from group counseling. General and specific characteristics for screening are discussed, as are contraindications for group counseling with children and adolescents. Ethical and legal issues involving informed consent, privacy, and parental involvement are discussed as they relate to treating minors in groups.