The process of interviewing potential group members before the group's first meeting is called?

• A. Pretraining
• B. Selection
• C. Screening
• D. Contracting

Answer: (C)

Screening is the process of interviewing prospective group members before the first meeting to assess fit, readiness, and safety for participation. This step helps ensure a member’s goals align with the group’s purpose, that they can commit to confidentiality and attendance, and that their needs can be addressed within the group’s scope. It also allows the facilitator to spot any safety concerns or potential dynamics that could disrupt the group, so appropriate referrals or adjustments can be made if needed. Contracting, which sets rules and expectations after membership is determined, happens later, while pretraining isn’t the standard term for this stage and selection refers more broadly to choosing people for a program rather than evaluating suitability for a specific group.