Many social workers are prone to using an individualistic understanding of situations. The predominance of individual psychological theory in professional training makes this bias unavoidable. Past training notwithstanding, it is inevitable that problems will emerge defying an adequate understanding using individual concepts. Many such problems occur at the group level. It is important that social workers be able to extend their thinking so problems can be understood at the group, as well as individual level.

Group-level problems occur in all areas of professional life. Social workers spend their professional careers as members of groups. Agencies, community groups, work teams, committees, case conferences, educational groups, and social networks all exemplify unavoidable groups. Concurrently, social workers intervene with groups of clients. Regardless of the type and purpose of the group, problems at the group level will occur. This chapter explores empirical group-focused knowledge that can be used to understand and assess group-level problems.