group work in their programmes to move to a higher and more dynamic level of therapeutic intervention, particularly in the use of occupation in their groups. For example, techniques such as assertiveness training and stress management can be mundane ordinary groups with the occupational therapist handing out notes at the end, or they can be experiential, meaningful, active techniques which have lasting effects on clients. Examples of these effects may be the ability to communicate more effectively or to develop interpersonal relationships, to relieve anxiety or even bring about changes in behaviour.
Working at a higher level of therapeutic intervention does not always require postgraduate training, but attending workshops and established professional groups can be very helpful in gaining confidence and skill. Not many of these opportunities are available and therefore this book is designed to possibly partly fill this gap, and encourage occupational therapists to employ a deeper level of working with groups and feel more confident about it.
Ideas and techniques are presented in each chapter, which lift the leadership and the group process to a higher level of intervention. Every occupational therapist interested in group work has the potential, backed up by their training, to use and develop their skills creatively and make a difference in their clients' lives. In this book the author is encouraging group leaders using this book to get involved in effective ‘therapy’ and design group experiences for their clients which will allow them to work on themselves.
This book does not address the dynamics of group work separately as they should have been entrenched in the study of group work at an undergraduate level. Dynamics are however woven into the techniques described.
It is also important to note that the author has not included material on groups with children. It is however recommended that the reader refer to the book ‘Occupational Therapy in Psychiatry and Mental Health’ Fifth Edition, Edited by Rosemary Crouch and Vivyan Alers in 2014 and published by Wiley and Blackwell in London.
In Part three of this book there are excellent chapters which refer to group work with children. The chapter ‘Interdisciplinary Group Therapy with Children’ by Marita Rademeyer and Diedre Niehaus is particularly recommended.
The author would like to acknowledge a significant contribution to this book by a very revered colleague and friend, Louise Fouché who has made a real change to the way occupational therapists in South Africa think and practise their profession as regards occupational group therapy. Her contribution to the training of occupational therapy students and graduates has been significant. She has also contributed to the statements made by the Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA).
It should be noted that some of the concepts discussed by Louise as part of her specific model of group work, the Occupational Therapy Interactive Group Model (OTIGM) will be discussed again in various contexts in other chapters. The purpose is to consolidate the reader's understanding of the concepts within different occupational therapy interventions.
The author would also like to mention Dr Enos Romano who has also generously shared his research in occupational group therapy with the author for inclusion in the research chapter of this book. It is very valuable and highly recommended for occupational therapists to read his published articles in the journals as referenced.
The first section of the book deals with the theoretical underpinning of occupational group therapy, and the second part gives practical advice on certain well‐used group techniques in the profession of occupational therapy. It is hoped that the addendums will be widely used by occupational group therapists in the field. The author acknowledges that Appendix A is colloquial in nature as the stress programmes that were specifically developed for an African rural environment. It is hoped that the reader can change them to suit the environment in which she/he is working. The actual programmes have been proved to be sound by scientific research.
CHAPTER 1 Frames of Reference Relevant to Occupational Group Therapy and the Classification of Groups
1.1 FRAMES OF REFERENCE
What is a group? ‘A small group is a collection of individuals who influence one another, derive some satisfaction from maintaining membership in the group, interact for some purpose, assume special roles, are dependent on one another and communicate face to face’ (Tubbs 1978).
Borg and Bruce (1991) intimated that group work is an established treatment medium within occupational therapy. Group work has provided a focus for therapeutic intervention and broadly the aims are as follows:
To develop a milieu where clients feel accepted and that they belong.
Facilitation of sharing of ideas, emotions and problems.
Influence on the changing of attitudes.
Development of identity, confidence and self‐esteem.
Stimulation of motivation to carry out a task.
Conflict resolution.
Effective resource utilisation.
Cost‐effectiveness.
At the very beginning of the development of the profession of occupational therapy Anne Mosey put together some exciting concepts such as ‘A group is more than a collection of individuals. Members of a group are bonded together by their group identity and shared purposes which will be realised by interacting and working together’ (Mosey 1973).
Why Groups? What is it that actually makes group therapy an occupational therapists' choice of intervention when there are other methods available? Does one look at personal preference, or suitability in a particular clinical area which is related to curative factors for particular clients? It has to be a combination of both. ‘We use groups because they are a naturally occurring phenomenon, which are known to have good and bad effects on people’ Bundey et al. (1984). Fouché (2020) describes a group as part of a microcosm and states that ‘The way you interact with others in the outside world will be the same way in which you will act and treat others in the group’ (p. 14, Chapter 4). She also states that ‘groups present a small society and have the same ingredients as any community’.
What are the curative factors? These are the specific aspects of groups that make them therapeutic and conducive to good health. Fouché in 2020 stated that ‘As occupational therapists, we are goal‐directed and therefore need to select appropriate curative factors which we would like to facilitate within each group’ (See Chapter 4).
Theorists such as Yalom (1975) and Rogers (1961) have laid down the basic premises of the curative factors which are to be found within the processes of the group. Curative factors are strongly related to the dynamics of a group; for example cohesiveness, a basic dynamic which is essential to any group work, is the curative factor which allows members to be understood and feel safe. They also feel they are of value to the group.
Other curative factors are well defined by Yalom (1975) and include:
Instillation of hope.
Universality.
Imparting of information.
Altruism.
The
