week 4: group dynamics

Group Development and Dynamics

•Group & Individual Roles

•Leadership Style

•Group Goals

•Group Cohesiveness

•Degree of Assessment, Planning, and Design

•Group Membership

•Group Norms

initiater-contributor

suggests new ideas, innovative solutions to problems, unique procedures, and new ways to organize

information seeker

asks for clarification of suggestions, focuses on facts

opinion seeker

seeks clarification of values and attitudes presented

information giver

offers. facts or generalizations “automatically”

opinion giver

states beliefs or opinions

elaborator

spells out suggestions and gives examples

coordinator

clarifies relatioknships among various ideas

orienter

defines position of group with respect to its goals

evaluator-critic

subjects accomplishments of group to some standard of group functioning

energizer

prods the group into action or decision

procedural technician

expedites group’s movement by doing things for the group, such as distributing materials, arranging seating

recorder

writes down suggestions and group decisions, acts as the “group memory”

encourager

praises, agrees with, and accepts the contributions of others

harmonizer

mediates the differences between other members

compromiser

modifies his or her own position in the interest of group harmony

gatekeeper/expediter

keeps communication channels open by regulating its flow and facilitating participation of others

standard setter

expresses ideal standards for the group to aspire to

group observer/commentator

comments on and interprets the process of the group

follower

passively accepts the ideas of others and goes along with the movement of the group

aggressor

deflates the status of others; expresses disapproval of the values, acts, or feelings of others; attacks the group or group task

blocker

tends to be negativistic or stubbornly resistant, opposing beyond reason or maintaining issues the group has rejected

recognition seeker

calls attention to self through boasting, acting in unusual ways, or struggling to remain in the limelight

self-confessor

uses group as an audience for expressing non-group-oriented feelings, insights, or ideologies

playboy

displays lack of involvement through joking, cynicism, or nonchalance

dominator

monopolozies group through manipulation, flattery, giving directions authoritatively, or interrupting the contributions of others

help-seeker

looks for sympathy from the group through unreasonable insecurity, personal confusion, or self-deprecation

special interest pleader

cloaks his or her own biases in the stereotypes of social causes, such as the laborer, housewife, the homeless, or the small businessperson

group task roles

initiator-contributor

information seeker

opinion seeker

information giver

opinion giver

elaborator

coordinator

orienter

evaluator-critic

energizer

procedural technician

recorder

group building and maintenance roles

encourager

harmonizer

compromiser

gatekeeper/expediter

standard setter

group observer/commentator

follower

individual roles

aggressor

blocker

recogniton-seeker

self-confessor

playboy

dominator

help-seeker

special interest pleader

A Reminder of Why OT Practitioners Use Groups

Group interventions can offer occupation-based experiences that are reality-oriented (because you are doing a very real occupation) and that promotes adaptive functioning/skills

Groups can naturally provide feedback and support for individuals

Occupation-based group activities are a mechanism for promoting change and growth

A Reminder of Why OT Practitioners Use Groups

Groups can be a useful context for EVALUATION

OT groups intentionally explore the here-and-now and provide an opportunity for members to deal with real-life issues and objects which can help them maintain, improve, or enhance their occupational nature and performance in fulfilling social demands (role tasks). (Scaffa, 2014)

Clinical rationale has to include why the process (doing with others) is likely to be more clinically therapeutic than a 1:1 intervention!!

when to use a group

Would a 1:1 intervention work better?

if yes: no group

if no: maybe → Will group interaction increase the likelihood of therapeutic Change? → if yes = group, if no = try something else first

Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors

•Instillation of hope

•Imparting information

•Altruism

•Development of socializing techniques

•Imitative behavior

•Interpersonal learning

•Cohesiveness

Group Protocol -akin to treatment plan

A written plan that outlines the goals of a group and the methods by which goals will be addressed and achieved.

Think of it as the clinical reasoning backdrop or the justification piece that supports the session plan. It will explicitly note the integrated chain of logic or “red thread.”

An exercise in CREATIVITY and PROBLEM SOLVING

Group Protocol

Provides a framework for the entire group program.

Developed based on population or group needs and evidence.

Establishes the long-term goals

If the original leader cannot run the group, a new person uses the protocol to help plan and run the group in their absence.

This is a living document and will likely need to be reformulated periodically.

Used to create documentation process

Anatomy of a Group Protocol

•Create a name that represents the group and encourages people to attend

•Rationale can be pulled from your assessment

•Frequency and Length of Meetings – First open or closed and the length.  Then if closed, how many groups will you do total.

•Meeting space can be pulled from assessment.

•Goals – we will come back to

•Composition – need to decide who's in and who's not.

•Leadership is simple – OT – also OTA or OTS.  I would also consider others here.

•References for your intervention – reflects goals

•Group Methods and Procedures – Use Cole steps here.  In each section list some of the things you might use for that section. 

Intervention (therefore Facilitation) is about the GOAL

The group program, the session plan, the process, the monitoring and response to the dynamics and the interpersonal events, are all done to facilitate successful goal achievement.

Every session must start with a goal.

Group Long Term Objectives

What are the long-term objectives for your group – what do you want them to be able to do in their lives after leaving your group (that they struggle with now)

Objectives will drive the goals

Goals will direct the session goals and plans

Session goals and activities are designed to work together to support participants in meeting the long-term objectives (when they leave your group, will they have the knowledge and skills to do what you identified in those initial objectives.).

Goals

the specific actions that the individuals in the group are expected to be able to do, that they cannot do now, when your group is concluded.

These goals are a direct reflection of the barriers you identified to the Role Tasks

Protocol goals will lead directly to the outcomes you identified in your population assessment.

Parts of a Goal

1. •The action, task, behavior, skill, ability, that the group or members do not have now that they will have when you are done with therapy!

2. •Any conditions that might be in place as the participants work through the goals.

3. •The criteria – what do you have to observe to know they have made a change?

   •No Target dates needed for protocol goals. 

Group Member Criteria and Composition

A portion of the protocol

Sets minimum criteria for who is included in the group (and who isn’t – exclusion criteria).

By setting criteria you will be more likely to have a group that is cohesive and works well together

You will also be able to plan for challenges that can come with people who have the same diagnosis, or cognitive challenges, etc.

Group Size

•Optimal size – 7 – 9 members for a group that is functioning at a higher cognitive level.

•May be smaller depending on the needs of the members

•Could be bigger depending on the program or facility procedures.