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Group Dynamicsin Recreational Therapy Created by: Heather R. Porter, PhD, CTRS

+Defining Terms

Group A number of individuals assembled together or having some

common identity or shared purpose

Group Dynamics The meaningful interactions within a small human group.

Content What is the focus in a group

Process All that happens in a group

+Groups in RT

Shared experiences (e.g., sport, hobby, interest, support groups)

Functional Skills & Developmental groups (e.g., team building groups, hospital therapy groups)

Psychoeducational groups (e.g., learning and discussion groups, growth and counseling groups))

+ Common Problems with RT Groups

Working within an evolving group Shortened lengths of stay “Revolving door syndrome”

Observing multiple stages of change

Leader imbalances

New clients interacting with established group members

Inconsistencies with leader

Difficult personalities

+Stages of Group Development Model(Tuckman & Jensen)

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Adjourning

+Group “Forming”

Acceptance of Task

Dependency on Facilitator

Social Exploration

Forming Relationships

Forming Expectations

+Group “Storming”

Identification of Interpersonal issues

Group conflicts and leadership struggles

Task promotes possible resistance to roles & responsibilities

Group conflict (polarization) around issues

Personal agendas revealed

Group power & anxiety surfaces

+Group “Norming”

New social rules (hope)

Increased compliance with group tasks

Team identity

Group purpose comes into focus

“We” instead of “me”

Mutually accepted operating principles

+Group “Performing”

Tasks are competently accomplished

Group focus on task

Group cohesion

Commitment to the group

Roles less rigid (respect for strengths & weaknesses of others)

+Group “Adjourning”

Adjournment anxiety

Establishing group support after the completion of treatment

Transfer (preparation) of skills to “real world”

+Leadership Styles

1. Autocratic- facilitator makes decisions

2. Democratic- shared responsibilities

3. Abdicratic- decisions responsibilities are given to the group, facilitator remains closely involved

+Modifying Leadership Roles in Therapeutic Groups

Forming Examining goals & expectations Explore individual differences _______________leadership

Storming Clarify purpose of group Clarify appropriate behavior Purposeful rules _______________ leadership

Norming Diagnose problem areas Clarify & confront _______________leadership

Performing Clarify progress Transfer of learning ______________ leadership

Adjourning Clarify therapeutic gains Resource support _______________ leadership

+Group Influences

Individual needs

Variation in skills and abilities

Group expectations/dynamics

Unique personality of members

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Working with Challenging Behaviors in group settings Passive un-involvement

Turning away from group; not participating, paying attention, or bringing work/materials; saying little; no enthusiasm

Active Un-involvement Talking about everything but work, leaving the group,

attempting to sabotage the group by giving wrong answers or destroying the group’s product, refusing to do work, refusing to work with another group member

+ Challenging Behaviors: Group Member Involvement

Jigsaw materials so that each group member has info the others need. If the passive and uninvolved member does not voluntarily contribute info, the other members will actively involve the person

Divide up roles and assign to the passive, uninvolved member a role that is essential to the group’s success

Reward the group on the basis of its average performance, which will encourage other group members to derive strategies for increasing the problem member’s involvement

+ Challenging Behaviors: Group Member Involvement

Give a reward that this member or group finds especially attractive and structure the task so that all members must work steadily and contribute in order for the group to succeed and attain the reward

Assign the member a specific role to fulfill

Make the member a group observer with high accountability to collect data about group functioning

Confronting the member

+ Challenging Behaviors: Group Member Involvement Independence

Working alone and ignoring the group discussion

Limit the resources of the group. If there is only one answer sheet or pencil, the member will be unable to work independently

Jigsaw the materials so that the member cannot do the work without the other member’s information

+ Challenging Behaviors: Group Member Involvement Taking charge

Member is doing all the work, refusing to let others participate, ordering members around, bullying others, making decisions for the group without checking to see if the others agreeJigsaw resources

Assign roles so that other group members have the most powerful and dominant roles

Reward the group on the basis of the lowest two performances by group members. This will place pressure on the person taking charge to encourage and help other members learn the material and complete the task.