The use of group intervention by occupational therapists under a cognitive behavioural framework. Groups A group, as defined by AOTA (2014), is a collective of individuals who share a common goal or purpose. Examples include students, workers and families. Groups are organised systems within society consisting of intermingling, inter-reliant and interrelated individuals (Scaffa, 2014). Group intervention Group intervention has been proven to be an effective form of treatment for clients. Group treatment has many advantages, from its pragmatic use within practice to its therapeutic benefits (Gleitman, Reisberg & Gross, 2007). Group treatment in occupational therapy has been utilised since its very beginnings (Bruce, Borg & Bruce, 2002). The …show more content…
As described by Scaffa (2014), “a role is a set of socially agreed on behavioural expectations, rights, and responsibilities for a specific position of status in a group or in society” (p. 439). Group roles are essential for effective functioning and group development (Cole, 2012). Roles can be either a social-emotional role which involves tasks such as offering support and encouragement, or they can be closely related to accomplishment of the task. In order to have a positive outcome, group roles must be congruent with the task. Examples of roles include coordinator, opinion seeker, energiser, encourager and follower (Scaffa, …show more content…
As well as this, providing intervention in groups creates the opportunity to work on a variety of individual goals. One may work towards increasing structure and routine while engaging in meaningful activities. This in turn allows them to develop their strengths, confidence and social skills (Rouse & Hitch, 2014). Providing intervention in groups provides an interaction with others who have similar experiences and difficulties – something that individual intervention cannot. This social experience decreases isolation and shame that clients can feel. According to Kosslyn, Rosenbery and Lambert (2014), through revealing experiences and engaging with others, clients can often reframe their thinking and come to see their own lives in a different way. In addition, a study on a CBT group on increasing levels of self-esteem and reducing levels of depression in individuals with cardiac disease found that the participants placed high value on the interaction with others who have similar experiences (Edelman, Lemon & Kidman,