Occupational Analysis Week 5: Analysing Groups Study Groups

Administrative Procedures and Session Policies

  • Online Attendance Submission:     * Attendance must be registered online through the Jisc Study Goal portal: https://bournemouth.studygoal.jisc.ac.uk.     * Users must log in with their Bournemouth University (BU) username and password.     * The specific Checkin code is active for a duration of only one hour.     * Students requiring technical support should contact the IT Service Desk: https://itservices.bournemouth.ac.uk.

  • Recording and Data Protection Notice:     * The lecture is recorded for educational purposes, specifically to support accessibility, inclusion, review, and revision.     * Data Processing: Personal information in the recording is processed according to the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Information is available at: https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/governance/access-information/data-protection-privacy.     * Security Policies: Recordings may not be uploaded to public websites (e.g., YouTube). Doing so is classified as a serious breach of BU information security and the Acceptable Use Policy.     * Audience Participation: Voice recordings of students may occur during questions or comments. Students may request the recording be paused to avoid being recorded.

Session Overview and Aims

  • Speaker: Rosie Thurlow, Lecturer in Occupational Analysis (Week 5: Analysing Groups).

  • Core Objectives:     * Establish a formal definition of the term "group."     * Identify the rationales for Occupational Therapists (OTs) to analyze and utilize groups in clinical practice.     * Discuss the group work continuum used in OT practice.     * Demonstrate the ability to conduct an Occupational Analysis (OA) for a specific group.

Defining "Group" and "Occupation"

  • Defining a Group:     * "A group consists of two or more people who meet to address a specific task or goal" (Clifford O’Brien & Solomon 2013, p. 11).     * Groups are described as being "more than a collection of individuals" and are recognized as being "intrinsic to our existence" (Blair as cited in Finlay 1993).

  • Defining Occupation:     * According to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT 2021):         * Occupations are "everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life."         * This includes everything people "need to, want to and are expected to do."

Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice

  • RCOT Standards (2021) - Standard 4.1: Focusing on Occupation:     * 4.1.1: Practice is underpinned by the belief that engagement in occupation is fundamental to health and wellbeing.     * 4.1.1.1: The ultimate rationale for intervention is the enhancement of health and wellbeing through promotion of occupational performance and participation in life roles.     * 4.1.1.2: Practitioners must understand the dynamic relationship between the person, the occupation, and the environment.     * 4.1.1.3: Therapists enable individuals, groups, and communities to change aspects of these categories to enhance performance.     * 4.1.1.4: All assessment, interventions, outcomes, and documentation must be centered on occupational performance and participation.

  • HCPC Standards (2023) - Standard 8.17:     * Occupational therapists must understand group dynamics and roles and facilitate group work to maximize support, learning, and change within groups and communities.

The Significance of Groups in Society and Therapy

  • Social Context: Human life is mediated through various groups, including Birth, School, Work, Social groups, and broader Society.

  • Rationale for Group Analysis (Finlay 2003):     * Occupations occur naturally within groups.     * Social development takes place in group settings.     * A sense of identity is derived from group membership.     * Human survival is dependent on the ability to cooperate with others.     * Groups serve as a valuable vehicle for learning and therapeutic interventions.

  • Potential Benefits of Group Work (Clifford O’Brien & Solomon 2021):     * Address specific intervention goals for multiple clients simultaneously.     * Increased creativity and productivity.     * Provision of shared experiences, interaction, support, and learning opportunities.     * Effective for clients with similar age cohorts, specific diagnoses, or shared issues.

Frameworks and Categorization for Group Analysis

  • OA Framework: Lock and Key Framework (MacKenzie and O’Toole 2011):     * Analysis focuses on: The individual within the group, the context of the group, the activities within the group, and the properties of tools, materials, equipment, and the environment.

  • Group Continuum and Skill Types (Finlay 2003):     * Task/Skills Focus (Activity Groups): Targets transferable skills like concentration, coordination, sequencing, memory, and work ability. Examples include woodwork, baking, craft/pottery, IT, dance, football, bingo, and meal clubs.     * Social/Communication Focus: Focuses on experiencing interaction and leisure interests. Examples include singing, memory cafes, drama, and social skills groups.     * Personal Growth Focus (Support Groups): Targets expressing feelings, self-awareness, insight, education, and mutual help. Examples include discussion groups, projective art, and health education/promotion groups.

  • Common OT Group Classifications (Clifford O’Brien & Solomon 2021):     * Task Groups: Aimed at specific outcomes (e.g., cooking, mobility, project work).     * Functional Groups: Aimed at accomplishing goals within an unspecified timeframe, often serving institutional purposes (e.g., publicity or fundraising groups).     * Interest Groups: Informal groups formed around common interests (e.g., walking, parenting support, veterans groups).

Developmental Levels of Teaching and Learning in Groups

  • Mosey (1981) Developmental Hierarchy:     * Parallel: Individuals work side-by-side on similar tasks with no interaction.     * Project: Individuals work side-by-side; there is no sharing of materials, but there may be minimal social interaction.     * Egocentric Cooperative: Members share materials to complete a group project, but individuals do not yet share similar perceptions of the process outcomes.     * Cooperative: Members share materials and interactions to complete a shared or group project.     * Mature: Members work together collaboratively to reach common goals and objectives.

Group Planning and Examples

  • Planning Considerations:     * Must consider general population information, occupational strengths and weaknesses, client factors, teaching/learning methods, context, feedback mechanisms, and reflection.

  • Visual Examples of OT Groups Provided:     * Art group.     * Baking group.     * Motor skills group.     * Armchair keep fit (notated with specific value 68).     * Creative skills group.

Bibliographic References

  • Clifford O’Brien, J. and Solomon, J.W., 2021. Occupational analysis and group process. 2nd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

  • Duncan, E., ed., 2021. Foundations for practice in occupational therapy. 6th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

  • Finlay, L., 1993. Groupwork in Occupational Therapy. London: Chapman & Hall.

  • HCPC, 2023. Standards of proficiency: Occupational therapists. Available at: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/resources/standards/standards-of-proficiency-occupational-therapists/.

  • MacKenzie, L. and O’Toole, G., 2011. Occupation Analysis in practice. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Royal College of Occupational Therapists, 2022. Professional standards for OT practice, conduct and ethics. London: RCOT.

  • WFOT, 2021. Definition “occupation”. Available at: https://wfot.org/about/about-occupational-therapy.