Intentional Relationships: Working With Children and Families

Vocabulary flashcards covering core terms, therapeutic modes, characteristics, and concepts from the Intentional Relationship Model (IRM) in pediatric occupational therapy.

Therapeutic Use of Self

An integral part of the occupational therapy process that encompasses professional reasoning, empathy, and a client-centered, collaborative approach to service delivery.

Activity Focus

An emphasis in occupational therapy practice on "doing" and progressing toward therapeutic goals.

Interpersonal Focus

An emphasis in occupational therapy practice on "feeling" and "relating" with the client.

Intentional Relationship Model (IRM)

The guiding model for therapeutic use of self in occupational therapy practice, which views the therapeutic relationship as a dynamic interaction between client interpersonal characteristics, therapist interpersonal skill base and reasoning, inevitable interpersonal events, and occupational engagement.

Interpersonal Reasoning

A highly individualized, subjective decision-making process grounded in the disciplined application of a set of concepts aimed at meeting the client's interpersonal needs.

Enduring Interpersonal Characteristics

Persistent aspects of a client's interpersonal behavior and tendencies that are typical for them across a variety of situations.

Situational Characteristics

An acute interpersonal reaction to a specific event or situation that is uncharacteristic or not typical of how the client generally interacts with others.

Advocating Mode

A therapeutic communication mode focused on working with the client to overcome physical, social, and environmental barriers, promoting access to resources and services, and encouraging self-advocacy.

Collaborating Mode

A therapeutic communication mode focused on supporting client autonomy, independence in decision-making, and ensuring the client has an active lead role throughout treatment.

Empathizing Mode

A therapeutic communication mode focused on understanding and validating the client's physical, psychological, and emotional experiences using active listening and observation.

Encouraging Mode

A therapeutic communication mode focused on fostering hope, celebrating client successes, and instilling motivation through positive reinforcement, praise, and preferred activities.

Instructing Mode

A therapeutic communication mode where the practitioner assumes the role of an expert guide or teacher, providing clear structure, explicit feedback, boundary setting, and client education.

Problem-Solving Mode

A therapeutic communication mode utilizing logic, analytical reasoning, Socratic questioning, and discussions of options and outcomes to guide client decisions.

Therapeutic Relationship

An interpersonal connection connecting the practitioner, child, and family that facilitates trust, open communication, a safe social environment, and collaborative goal-setting.

Inevitable Interpersonal Events

Emotionally charged or otherwise challenging moments that emerge naturally during therapy, having the potential to strengthen or damage the therapeutic relationship depending on the therapist's response.

Mode Shift

An intentional change from one therapeutic mode to another based on the client's interpersonal needs in a given situation.

Mode Incongruence

A communication roadblock where the therapist's verbal and nonverbal communication are not aligned, causing the mode to be perceived as insincere by the client.

Mixed Mode Use

A communication roadblock involving the blending of modes in a way that creates confusion regarding the message being communicated to the client.

Mode Mismatch

A communication roadblock occurring when the selected therapeutic mode is not well matched to the interpersonal needs of the client.

Multimodal Interpersonal Style

The capacity of a therapist to comfortably and effectively apply a wide variety of therapeutic communication modes based on client needs.

Mindful Empathy

The capacity to feel and understand another person's underlying emotions and feelings while remaining objective and putting personal needs aside.

Empathic Breaks

Occurrences in therapy where a therapist misses an opportunity to notice communication from the client or approaches the client in a manner perceived as insensitive or hurtful.

Difficult Behavior

Recurring, enduring, or high-intensity interpersonal behavior that prompts one or more negative emotional reactions in another individual.

Teach-Back Method

An educational strategy within the instructing mode where the practitioner asks the client to demonstrate or explain a learned task or strategy back to ensure complete understanding.

Therapeutic Modes (IRM)

The six distinct interpersonal communication approaches defined by the Intentional Relationship Model: Advocating, Collaborating, Empathizing, Encouraging, Instructing, and Problem-solving.