Occupational and Group Analysis: Children

Chapter 8


Occupational and Group Analysis


Children





Chapter Objectives



1 Discuss and describe the classifications of the types of groups.


2 Discuss the differences and similarities of task-(performance component) and occupation-based groups.


3 Develop long-term goals and short-term objectives for task- and occupation-based groups.


4 List and describe target outcomes for task- and occupation-based groups.



Key Terms



Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners enable children to develop skills and abilities for play, education, and self-care. While engaging in small group activities, children interact with peers and develop abilities.


This chapter presents a variety of types of small groups effective in improving young children’s motor, cognitive, and social-emotional developmental skills. The areas of occupations addressed in these groups are prewriting, handwriting, and activities of daily living (e.g., feeding, dressing, bathing). The chapter describes the process of developing groups for children with special consideration and how to integrate groups in the educational system.



Types of Groups


Children participate in groups at school, at home, and in the community. They enjoy interacting with other children and learning. Thus, OT practitioners may use groups to engage children in a variety of activities that promote development. Functional groups refer to groups that result in end products or help members achieve desired skills and abilities. In OT, functional groups can be used to help members develop motor, cognitive, or social skills. Process groups refer to groups that work on the members’ interpersonal abilities. Process groups can be used to help children play with other children. These groups are interested in using the process of being involved in a group to address the member’s goals.


Groups can be classified as parallel, cooperative, and collaborative. In a parallel group the members work in close proximity to each other, but do not share materials or interact with each other. The only thing that is shared is the physical space. Each group member interacts with separate materials and supplies and works for individual outcomes. For example, children exploring activities in a “sensory room” are engaged in a parallel group. Each child seeks out the sensory input he or she requires. The children do not need to interact with each other to have their needs met or to achieve the goals of the group.



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Wiggle or sensory rooms can be designed to promote individual sensory experiences that help a child to be focused and on task in a school setting. Equipment, materials, and supplies are available to meet individual sensory needs or “diets.” Sensory rooms typically have suspension systems with a variety of swing options. Trampolines or other bouncing options (e.g., balls or other inflatable items) are available to promote body awareness. Other materials and supplies to address sensory seeking and sensory avoidance behaviors in the tactile, visual, auditory, and olfactory sensory systems are also available based on the needs of the individual children in the group.


Cooperative group members share materials and supplies while striving for individual projects as the outcome. For example, children making bird seed pine cones share the peanut butter, spreading utensils, and other media, but each child completes an end product (i.e., a bird seed pine cone).



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The bird seed pine cones can be hung outside the classroom and used as unique educational tools to reinforce knowledge of colors, numbers, and other concepts when birds are eating.


During a collaborative group members share materials and supplies while working on a single project as the final group outcome. An example is a group of adolescents making a poster board collage sharing magazines, scissors, glue, and other materials and supplies to make one collage that represents the group’s thoughts and feelings. A variety of types of groups for adolescents is discussed in Chapter 9.



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Cooperative and collaborative groups promote the development of socialization skills (e.g., taking turns, requesting items to be passed along to another child).


Groups are also classified by tasks, activity, or occupations being addressed. Occupation-based groups focus on an area of occupation, such as activities of daily living (e.g., feeding, dressing, bathing), instrumental activities of daily living (i.e., care of pets, meal preparation and cleanup), education, rest and sleep, work, and play. Occupation-based groups engage in activities that give children meaning in the natural context. Engaging children in a play group on the school playground with peers to promote playfulness and socialization skills is an example of an occupation-based group. The OT practitioner leads the group, paying attention to facilitating play and playfulness in a nonobtrusive manner with the children.


Activity groups engage children in meaningful activity but may not necessarily occur within the context of the actual occupation. For example, a practitioner may work on socialization skills in a small-group setting in the clinic instead of within the natural context of the playground. Helping children develop skills and abilities through activity groups is often a precursor to the occupation-based group.


Task-focused groups address specific client factors and performance skills such as sensory processing, fine motor skills, strength, endurance, and range of motion. The OT practitioner analyzes the activity at the very basic level and designs group activities to address the performance components.



Planning Pediatric Groups


Although a pediatric group session can appear fun, spontaneous, and effortless, OT practitioners must consider a variety of issues to lead such a group. Those groups that appear effortless and spontaneous are actually well planned and organized. Effective planning and flexibility are critical when designing groups for children. Gaining experience in adapting and modifying activities quickly is essential to effective intervention. Having materials and directions for alternative activities readily available helps the practitioner skillfully adjust the plan when needed. For example, the practitioner may need additional activities when he or she realizes that the planned activity is completed too quickly or that the children are not invested in continuing the group activity.


The OT practitioner leading groups for children must preplan all aspects of the group to ensure success by considering the following:



Understanding and defining the OT goals and objectives for each child help the practitioner design activities that meet the children’s needs. One group activity may address multiple objectives. The practitioner must be aware of the individual objectives to arrange materials and steps to facilitate the requested performance. (See Chapter 7 for a description of how to address individual goals in group sessions).


OT practitioners identify the present functional levels of the group members to determine the fit of each member or to decide if additional personnel are needed for the group to convene. Groups may function more efficiently if members are of similar functional levels. However, practitioners may decide that having children at different functional levels can be effective, because members work to help each other. Peer role models may facilitate skills and abilities. This has been shown to be exceptionally true for social behavior. The practitioner considers the functional level of the group members and explores the activity requirements. For example, the practitioner may decide that a handwriting group is too advanced for the group members and change the activity to a prewriting group.


Factoring in the physical, social, and personality traits of group members is necessary when planning groups for children. The practitioner attempts to create a group that will support each member and allow each member to achieve his or her goals. Placing children together who can physically complete similar activities allows the practitioner to plan group activities that challenge children. Understanding the social skills of each member provides the practitioner with information on how to most successfully group children. For example, the practitioner may decide to position an outgoing and verbal child next to a shy and timid child as a way to encourage interactions, whereas positioning a child who is apt to misbehave next to a timid and shy child may result in disruptions to the group process. Understanding the personality traits of the children in the group helps the practitioner develop strategies prior to the implementation of the session.


While considering the children’s functional levels and objectives, the practitioner also examines the materials, supplies, and equipment needs for the group activity. Determining how the children may respond to the materials helps the practitioner plan alternative ways of completing the activity. The practitioner secures the equipment and supplies prior to the group and becomes familiar with the variety of ways the activity can be accomplished. For example, in an obstacle course a trampoline activity may be overwhelming for some children. The practitioner may decide that those children bounce only once on their way to another activity. Some children may bounce longer and others may throw a ball to a peer who is bouncing. In this example, all children are engaged in the obstacle course, yet they are bouncing on the trampoline in a variety of ways that are appropriate for them.


The physical environment can have an influence on the success of group activity for children. Settings that are overstimulating or unwelcoming may cause children to experience stress and anxiety, affecting the group process. Children may not want to participate in groups that are not viewed as fun. Therefore, practitioners set up playful environments that are structured and welcoming. Having a space that allows children to move and interact is important. Allowing children the opportunity for choice and time to explore may be beneficial.

Related posts:

  1. Emerging Occupational Therapy Practice Areas
  2. Occupational and Group Analysis: Adults
  3. Therapeutic Use of Self: Applying the Intentional Relationship Model in Group Therapy
  4. Interpersonal Relationships and Communication

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Apr 12, 2017 | Posted by in MEDICAL ASSISSTANT | Comments Off on Occupational and Group Analysis: Children

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