CPSS Group Facilitation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does it mean to facilitate a group using a trauma-informed approach?
- Avoiding all discussion of past experiences to prevent re-traumatization
- Creating a safe, trustworthy environment that recognizes the potential impact of trauma on participants (Correct answer)
- Requiring members to disclose their trauma histories before joining
- Focusing group discussions exclusively on traumatic events to process them
Correct answer: Creating a safe, trustworthy environment that recognizes the potential impact of trauma on participants
Trauma-informed facilitation prioritizes safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment for all members.
Question 2: A group member discloses information suggesting they may be at risk of harming themselves. What is the peer support specialist's responsibility?
- Keep the disclosure confidential to maintain group trust
- Follow the organization's safety protocols, which may include notifying a supervisor or clinical staff (Correct answer)
- Ask the group to help talk the person out of it
- Document the disclosure but take no immediate action
Correct answer: Follow the organization's safety protocols, which may include notifying a supervisor or clinical staff
Safety disclosures are a recognized exception to confidentiality and require immediate action per organizational and legal protocols.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of using open-ended questions effectively in a peer support group?
- 'Did you have a good week?'
- 'What has been on your mind this week that you'd like to share?' (Correct answer)
- 'Are you taking your medications?'
- 'Do you agree with what she just said?'
Correct answer: 'What has been on your mind this week that you'd like to share?'
Open-ended questions invite deeper reflection and sharing rather than simple yes/no responses.
Question 4: In group facilitation, what is 'active listening'?
- Writing down everything group members say verbatim
- Fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to what members share, including nonverbal cues (Correct answer)
- Repeating every statement back to the speaker word for word
- Listening only to the loudest or most vocal group members
Correct answer: Fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to what members share, including nonverbal cues
Active listening involves attention to verbal and nonverbal communication and responses that validate the speaker.
Question 5: A peer support specialist notices that one member dominates every group session, speaking for most of the allotted time. What technique should the facilitator use?
- Allow it, since peer specialists should not limit sharing
- Use structured turn-taking or time limits to ensure equitable participation (Correct answer)
- Ask the dominant member to leave and join a different group
- Reduce the session length to minimize the problem
Correct answer: Use structured turn-taking or time limits to ensure equitable participation
Structured participation techniques ensure every member has equitable access to group time and voice.
Question 6: What is the concept of 'holding the space' in peer support group facilitation?
- Physically arranging the room so all members can see each other
- Creating and maintaining an emotionally safe container where members feel free to be authentic (Correct answer)
- Keeping the group discussion strictly on-topic at all times
- Recording the session so members can review it later
Correct answer: Creating and maintaining an emotionally safe container where members feel free to be authentic
Holding the space means the facilitator maintains an atmosphere where vulnerability and authentic sharing are welcomed without judgment.
Question 7: Which group stage, according to Tuckman's model, is characterized by conflict and competition among members?
- Forming
- Storming (Correct answer)
- Norming
- Performing
Correct answer: Storming
The Storming stage involves members testing boundaries and navigating differences, which can produce conflict.
CPSS Group Facilitation 3
What does it mean to facilitate a group using a trauma-informed approach?