Group Interventions for Dual Disorders

1. Group Interventions for Dual Disorders Resources What are social skills? Logistics of skills training groups Steps of social skills training Skills training and stages of treatment

2. Social Skills Training Resources Bellack, A. S., Mueser, K. T., Gingerich, S., & Agresta, J. (2004). Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia: A Step-by-Step Guide (Second ed.). New York: Guilford Press. Liberman, R. P., DeRisi, W. J., & Mueser, K. T. (1989). Social Skills Training for Psychiatric Patients. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Monti, P. M., Abrams, D. B., Kadden, R. M., & Cooney, N. L. (2002). Treating Alcohol Dependence. (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Publications. Mueser, K. T., Noordsy, D. L., Drake, R. E., & Fox, L. (2003). Integrated Treatment for Dual Disorders: A Guide to Effective Practice. New York: Guilford Press. Roberts, L. J., Shaner, A., & Eckman, T. A. (1999). Overcoming Addictions: Skills Training for People with Schizophrenia. New York: W.W. Norton.

3. What are Social Skills? Interpersonal skills necessary for effective communication Abilities and behaviors that help people achieve instrumental and interpersonal goals Broad categories of social skill include nonverbal, paralinguistic, verbal content, and interactive balance

4. Nonverbal Social Skills Eye contact Body posture Body orientation Facial expression Gestures Interpersonal distance

5. Paralinguistic Skills Voice volume Intonation, inflection Speed and pace Clarity

6. Verbal Content Specific verbal components of skill, such as: Use of feeling statements Behavioral specificity Appropriateness of content

7. Expressing Positive Feelings Look at the person Say exactly what they did that pleased you Tell them how it made you feel

8. Expressing Negative Feelings Look at the person: speak firmly Say exactly what they did that upset you Tell them how it made you feel Suggest how person might prevent this happening in future

9. Starting A Conversation Choose the right time and place Introduce yourself or greet the person you want to talk with Make small talk (for example the weather or sports) Decide if the other person is listening or wants to talk

10. Refusing Drinks Or Drugs Say “No” first Suggest an alternative Request the person to stop asking if they persist Avoid making excuses

11. Interactive Balance Response latency, including either delays or interruptions when responding to another person Amount of speech by each person Responsiveness to other’s speech and affect

12. Social Skills Training (SST) Systematic approach to teaching new skills based on social learning theory Skills taught gradually over time with extensive practice both in session and out of session Broad range of applications of SST to both clinical and non-clinical populations

13. Relevance of Social Skills Training to Dual Disorders Poor premorbid functioning often precedes onset of mental illness Interpersonal dysfunction common in addiction Substance use provides opportunities for socialization People with mental illness may use substances to initiate or maintain relationships Relationships may be coercive Basic friendship skills needed as well as substance refusal

14. More Facts about Social Skills Clients most often have mild skill impairments across multiple skill areas Meshing (interactive balance) is on common focal skill deficit in many clients (due to slower information processing) Social skills are strong predictors of community functioning, including relationships, work, independent living

15. Social Skills Training Groups Primary goal is to teach new skills, not foster insight Multiple training sessions often conducted weekly Sessions usually conducted by 2 leaders following preplanned curriculum Generalization of skills into clients’ natural environment is planned

16. Logistical Considerations Duration and frequency of sessions Number of clients (5-8) Reinforcement for participation (e.g., refreshments) Competing demands (e.g., not having group at same time as a recreational activity) Staff support

17. Leader Qualifications Enthusiasm Behavioral orientation Patience Ability to take a “shaping” approach to reinforcing gradual change Knowledgeable about dual disorders Socially skilled

18. Principles of Learning Modeling Reinforcement Shaping Generalization

19. Assessing Clients Does the client make others feel uncomfortable? Is the client able to initiate and maintain conversations? Can he/she express feelings? Can he/she get others to respond positively? Is he/she socially isolated?

20. Rules for Social Skills Group Stay on the group topic No interrupting No name calling or cursing Respect confidentiality

21. Steps of Social Skills Training 1. Establish rationale for the skill Elicit reasons for learning the skill from group participants Acknowledge all contributions Provide additional reasons not mentioned by group members

22. Steps (cont.) 2. Discuss steps of the skill Break the skill down into 3 or 4 steps Write the steps on a board or poster Discuss the reason for each step Check for understanding of each step

23. Steps (cont.) 3. Model the skill in a role play Explain that you will demonstrate the skill in a role play Plan out the role play in advance Use two leaders to model the skill Keep the role play short and simple

24. Steps (cont.) 4. Review the role play with the participants Discuss whether each step of the skill was used in the role play Ask group members to evaluate the effectiveness of the role play Keep the review brief and to the point

25. Steps (cont.) 5. Engage a client in a role play of the same situation Request the client to try the skill in a role play with one of the leaders Ask the client questions to make sure he or she understands their goal Instruct members to observe the client Start with a client who is more skilled or is likely to be compliant

26. Steps (cont.) 6. Provide positive feedback Elicit positive feedback from group members about the client’s skills Encourage feedback that is specific Cut off any negative feedback Praise effort and provide hints to group members about good performance

27. Steps (cont.) 7. Proved corrective feedback Elicit suggestions for how client could do the skill better next time Limit feedback to one or two suggestions Strive to communicate the suggestion in a positive, upbeat manner

28. Steps (cont.) Engage the client in another role play of the same situation Request that the client change one behavior in the role play Check by asking questions to make sure the client understands the suggestion Try to work on behaviors that are salient and changeable

29. Steps (cont.) 9. Provide additional feedback Focus first on the behavior that the client was requested to change Engage client in 2-4 role plays with feedback after each one Use other behavior shaping strategies to improve skills, such as coaching, prompting, supplemental modeling Be generous but specific when providing positive feedback

30. Steps (cont.) 10. Assign homework Give an assignment to practice the skill Ask group members to identify situations in which they could use the skill When possible, tailor the assignment to each client’s level of skill

31. Follow-Up Sessions Review homework Set up role plays based on client’s personal experiences-actual or anticipated If no experiences, use other role play situations For each client, engage in 1-4 role plays Use positive feedback and other teaching strategies to improve skill over several role plays

32. Supplementary Skills Training Techniques Coaching Prompting Contrast modeling Discrimination training

33. Curriculum for SST Starting & maintaining conversations Conflict management Assertiveness Community living Friendship and dating Medication management Vocational / work Drug and alcohol abuse

34. Additional Skills Social-sexual skills (e.g., asking a partner to wear a condom) Avoiding stressful situations Discussing health concerns with a doctor or nurse Telephone skills (e.g., making appointments, leaving messages, dealing with telemarketers) Leisure & recreation skills

35. CONVERSATION SKILLS Listening to others Starting conversations Maintaining conversations by: asking questions giving factual information expressing feelings Ending conversations Staying on the topic set by another person What to do when someone goes off the topic Getting your point across

36. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS Compromise and negotiation Disagreeing with another’s opinion without arguing Responding to untrue accusations Leaving stressful situations

37. Stage-wise Skills Training for Dual Disorders Appropriate at all stages of treatment Early stages (engagement, persuasion) focus on motives for using substances Later stages (active tx., relapse prevention) also address high risk situations, including refusal skills

38. What Do We Do During Engagement? Goal: To establish a working alliance with the client Clinical Strategies 1. Outreach 2. Practical assistance 3. Crisis intervention 4. Social network support 5. Legal constraints

39. What Do We Do During Persuasion? Goal: To motivate the client to address substance abuse as a problem Clinical Strategies 1. Psychiatric stabilization 2. “Persuasion” groups 3. Family psychoeducation 4. Rehabilitation 5. Structured activity 6. Education 7. Motivational interviewing

40. What Do We Do During Active Treatment? Goal: To reduce client’s use/abuse of substance Clinical Strategies 1. Self-monitoring 2. Social skills training 3. Social network interventions 4. Self-help groups

41. 5. Substitute activities 6. Close monitoring 7. Cognitive-behavioral techniques to address: High risk situations Craving Motives for substance use Socialization Persistent symptoms Pleasure enhancement

42. What Do We Do During Relapse Prevention? Goals: To maintain awareness of vulnerability and expand recovery to other areas Clinical Strategies 1. Self-help groups 2. Cognitive-behavioral and supportive interventions to enhance functioning in: Work, relationships, leisure activities, health, and quality of life

43. Motives for Substance Use and Relevant Skills Socialization: conversational skills, making friends Leisure & recreation: developing new recreational activities Coping: expressing negative feelings, cognitive restructuring to address anxiety & depression

44. High Risk Situations Offers to use at a party Running into a former dealer Feeling depressed or anxious Invitation to use with boy/girlfriend Money or paycheck in pocket

45. Curriculum for SST for DD Conversational skills Friendship and intimacy skills Expressing negative feelings Conflict management Relapse prevention planning Dealing with offers to use substances from friends, family, dealers

46. Persuasion Groups Primarily for persuasion stage Keep short (or take a break) Co-facilitated Open format Non-confrontational Recurrent use common Refreshments

47. Persuasion Groups Peer role models Self-help materials not useful Psychoeducation about substance abuse and mental illness Weekly meetings Use of hospitalizations, trouble with the law, etc.

48. Curriculum-based Persuasion Groups (Mueser et al., 2003) 21-sessions Psychoeducational/motivational Focus initially on mental illness, then substance abuse, then recovery Combines education with group process Geared for persuasion stage, but appropriate for later stages of treatment

49. Group Session Outline #1: Intro to group members & facilitators #2: Introduction to concept of recovery #3:Schizophrenia & related disorders #4: Mood disorders #5: Anxiety disorders #6: Stress-vulnerability model

51. Group Session Outline (cont.) #7: Medications for psychiatric disorders #8: Substance use: Introduction #9: Substance use: Motives & consequences #10: Substance use: Treatment #11: Coping with negative feelings: Anxiety/fear #12: Coping: Depression/sadness

52. Group Session Outline (cont.) #13: Coping: Anger #14: Coping: Guilt & shame #15: Dealing with social situations: Alternatives to social use #16: Dealing with social situations: Substance use situations #17: Leisure & recreation #18: Health & wellness

53. Group Session Outline (cont.) #19: Goal setting & recovery I: Building confidence to change #20: Goal setting & recovery II: Establishing a personal recovery plan #21: Termination

54. Conclusions SST is economical & provides opportunities for social support for clients with DD SST can be combined with psychoeducation and persuasion methods Extensive curriculum to draw upon for providing skills training interventions “A Better Life” (SST for DD) translated into Norwegian & piloted successfully