Cole Chapter 11 Writing a Group Protocol: (Jennifer Kohn)

● The group protocol is a detailed outline of a group to be planned by the

occupational therapist for a specific client population.- careful planning
greatly influences group outcome
● The members selected for groups should have common population
characteristics (ex: young mothers with arthritis or unemployed workers
with depression) so their occupational needs and priorities can be
evaluated as a group, and interventions can be designed that will have
meaning for all members.
● Orient each member to the format and purpose of the group prior to its
inception, leaving no doubt as to why he or she has been assigned to a
particular group
● Steps outlined to clarify clinical thinking about groups:
● Identifying your client population
● Selecting a frame of reference
● Selecting a focus for intervention
● Writing a group intervention outline
● Planning individual sessions
How to do a Needs Assessment:
● When working with organizations in the community or nontraditional
populations- should use a needs assessment in lieu of a population
worksheet.
● Brownson outlines helpful steps in performing needs assessment at
schools. Worksites, community agencies, & assisted living or other health
care environment. The purpose of community interventions with well
populations is to educate and strive to achieve preplanned objectives
such as changes in lifestyle; changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, or
behaviors; and maintenance of improvement in function and health. A
needs assessment is a systematic set of procedures to identify and
describe areas of need for a given population, which leads to a clear set
of goals and objectives for the program. Steps are:
1. Gather background data – internet search, literature search on
organization, research various aspects of population-
● such as adolescent and discipline problems- if working with local
high school.
● (Choose at least three topics to summarize)
2. Identify participants for a survey: involve the potential participants by
collaborating with them concerning their perception of the needs,
problems or circumstances that you might potentially address. Methods
for eliciting potential participant input:
a. Written survey: one page survey – containing both closed (yes/no)
and open ended questions about the topics (send 20 exact less than
half come back since voluntary)
 b. Face to face interviews: arrange to meet with a limited number (5
or 6) of potential participants one at a time. Come prepared with
specific questions as guideline and a reminder to gather all the info
you intended.
c. Telephone interviews- not preferred method but may be more time
efficient. Have specific questions and quick way to record the
answers before calling. (Interviews 10 people and keep track of
answers to consider for later analysis).
d. Key informants: ask your contact person to identify people who
would be most helpful in identifying needs of your potential
population and limit your survey or interviews to just a few people
(3 or 4)
e. Focus group: invite a small group (8 or less) of potential
participants to meet for a brief discussion of their perceptions,
problems, and needs relative to your group intervention idea.
Preferred way to assess the needs of a group of participants
because you can also observe their social skills and modes of
interaction in a group.
3. Use Secondary data: such as archives, prior surveys and reports by
related organizations
4. Analyze the data: Look at answers to survey/interview questions and
summarize the info for purpose of group planning. Charts and graphs are
helpful (look at paper for examples)
5. Write a profile of the “typical” participant—include gender, age,
educational and cultural factors , diversity factors, family background,
and client factors such as verbal and problem-solving skill, functional
capacities, and barriers to participation.
● Can use the needs assessment as a possible alternative to the population
worksheet- look at doc
Selecting a frame of reference:
● After describing client population the next decision is what frame of
reference to use. There are many frames of references in OT-lists 7.
● The major factor in selection should be what is likely to work best for the
client.
● Sometimes the intervention setting has an identified frame of
reference- if there is the OT should find an OT frame of reference
that is compatible with it.
● Some helpful factors to consider are:
● View of function and dysfunction
● Client physical and cognitive level of function
● Change strategies
● View of motivation
● Intervention time frame
● Intervention options
● View of Function and dysfunction: Each frame of reference has its unique
point of view of disability. Looking at your client population, compare
their abilities and disabilities with the explanations of functions and
dysfunction given in each frame of reference. – Which frame best
explains the function and dysfunction you see in your clients? Why?
● Client physical and cognitive level of functioning: some frames of
reference greater usefulness for higher functioning clients, while some
relate better to lower levels of functioning.
● Change strategies: Frames of reference differ in their view of the change
process. Some depends on the therapeutic relationship or on group
interaction to facilitate change, while others rely more heavily on the
components of task and activities or on the environment. What changes
might your client need to make? Then look at how the frames of
reference make change.
● View of motivation: How motivated are your clients? What forces might
motivate them? Each frame of reference explains motivations differently.
The existential/humanistic view is freedom from anxiety and self
actualization. The ego adaptive, developmental, and neurophysiological
frames of reference and Model of Human Occupation describe a drive
toward mastery, each defines something different to be mastered. The
cognitive behavioral approach looks at various forms of reinforcements
the motivator. The goal of most of our OT groups is to help clients
achieve a higher level of function or adaptation. Both therapist and client
need to be motivated. Which frame of reference best explains how our
clients could be motivated?
● Intervention Time Frame: some frames of reference work best for long-
term intervention (that encourages the development of relationships and
insight), while others are better for more immediate goals.
● Acute- 10 days to 2 weeks
● Substance abuse programs- 1 to 4 weeks of intensive intervention
● Day treatment- year or more
● Chronic condition- treated for lifetime
● Which frame of reference f best fits the time frame for treatment?
● Intervention Options: Each frame of reference has diff guidelines for
activity selection. Some have specific suggestions, while others are more
flexible and able to be adapted. Which best?
Selecting a Focus for Intervention:
● OT Practice Framework list 6 categories related to human occupation:
1. Performance in areas of occupation activities of daily living, instrumental
activities of dally living, education, work, play, leisure, and social
participation.
2. Performance skills include motor skills, process skills and
communication/interaction skills.
3. Performance patterns include habits, routines, roles
4. 7 specific contexts: cultural, physical, social, personal, spiritual, temporal,
and virtual.
5. Activity demands: objects used and their properties, space demands,
social demands, sequencing and timing, required actions, required body
functions, and required body structures.
6. Client factors are specified as body functions and body structures-
includes both mental and physical functions or capacities.
● OT in practice would collaborate with clients in choosing the most
meaningful options.
● OT Practice Framework 5 intervention approaches:
1. Create, promote (health promotion)
2. Establish, restore (remediation, restoration)
3. Maintain
4. Modify (compensation, adaptation)
5. Prevent ( disability prevention)
● Look at doc for the example about writing a statement. Can be general or
specific.
● Ex: Can include several instrumental activities of daily living – like
child rearing, home establishment and management, shopping,
meal preparation and cleanup, care of pets, or its focus may be
modifying the activity demands for only one of these areas such as
meal preparation and cleanup for all 6 sessions.
Writing a Group Intervention Outline:
● Once client population is chosen and frame of reference and aspects of
intervention have been identified, the next step is to write a general
outline- which should includes all the factors inherent in designing a
group:
o Group title
o Author
o Frame of reference
o Purpose
o Group membership and size
o Group goals and rationale
o Outcome criteria
o Method
o Time and place of meeting
o Supplies and cost
o References
▪ Outline intended- ingredients of effective group intervention
protocol and also factors that will be of interest to
administrators
▪ Often O.T. are asked to present a group protocol to
administrators prior to implantation- needs to not only be
therapeutically sound, but also cost-effective.
● Group title-name of group is clients first impression of role of O.T. will
play in treatment. Choose carefully. Title should reflect the goals and
content of the group, and attract client’s interest. Ex:”Re-entering your
kitchen”
● Author-name and professional title
● Frame of Reference-frame of reference you have decided to use to guide
your approach to clients, organization of intervention groups, and
selection of activities. Single sentence of why appropriate frame of
reference.
● Purpose-overall goals of the group, general nature of the activities to be
used. No longer than 3 sentences.
● Group membership and size-client population should be described in
detail- not only general diagnostic factors but also age, functional level,
gender, and role identity might be included. Inclusionary and exclusionary
criteria (characteristics not appropriate)
● Size of group will depend on many factors. Degree of impairment, the
need for individual attention and the complexity of the tasks.
● Group membership may be open or closed. Closed- includes all the same
clients every session for the duration of the group. Open – allow
members to be added or dropped from session to session.
o Easier to plan for closed groups since membership predictable.
o Open more practical and necessary in acute settings
● Time and place of meeting- A good room description will take into
consideration the characteristics of the client population and activities
included-
o include size of room, contents (tables, chairs, sink, cabinets etc) ,
lighting , windows, door opened or closed, visual factors, noise
factors (not next to gym or bathroom), accessibility of medical
assistant , safety factors.
● Supplies and cost-sum total of all material and supplies and total cost.
(don’t list paper , pencils, pens- generally available in most settings at no
cost). Source any vidoes or assessment materials.
● References- list all references used to create material for the group
Planning Individual Sessions:
● Group session outline should be written for each of the six sessions :
● Headings are as follows:
o Session
o Group title
o Session title
o Format (time sequence)
o Supplies
 o Description: 1) Introduction, including warm up, educational
concepts or purpose 2) activity including instructions 3) sharing
including procedures used 4-7) discussion questions in processing,
generalizing, application and summary
● Session-sessions should be planned in logical order. First session – more
introductory- so get to know each other and subject. Last – summary and
termination of group.
● Group title-title of group as a whole
● Session title-each session labeled with word or phrase describing either
the content or the goal for that session
● Format- short outline stating what will happen when. – Time increments
of how much time will spend on which activity.
● Supplies-complete list of what needed to complete group.
● Description- step by step description of what will be included- look at doc
for:
1. The introduction- should be fully described, including warm up,
explanation of purpose, expectations and time frame. Outline any
educational concepts (if applicable).
2. Activity: attach worksheets, fully describe activities including
directions, choices, timing. Reference should be given.
3. Sharing: procedures for how member individual work is to be
shared/discussed with the group is given.
4. -6. Discussion part: list questions for each of the categories:
processing, generalizing, and application.
○ Discussions will vary depending on the frame of reference you
are using.
○ Prepare more questions than you need.
○ Keep in mind the goals of the group when choosing discussion
questions- An activity is more meaningful when the clients feel it
has meaning for them.
7. A verbal summary at end of each session is important.
Howe & Schwartzberg (24-33)
Overview of Models of Group Treatment
● Four main categories of treatment groups
○ Activity groups
○ Intrapsychic groups
○ Social systems groups
○ Growth groups
● Types of groups are not mutually exclusive, some groups may be a combination of two types
● Each group is examined according to four factors:
○ Group goals and structures
○ Theoretical perspective
○ Role of the leader
○ Group membership
Activity Groups
● Group goals and structure
○ Small, primary groups where members are engaged in a common activity or task
directed toward learning/maintaining occupational practice
○ Fidler (1969):
■ Intent is to provide a shared working experience
■ View and explore the relationships between feeling, thinking and behavior
■ Purpose is realized through the task accomplishment but the end goal is not the
task accomplishment
■ Task accomplishment elicits behaviors and interactions that allow the
observation of functional capacities and limitations, encourages collaboration
and a means to measure learning and achievement
○ Inherent structures and goals with therapeutic value for the members through different
activities
○ Main focus of activity groups is function relating to the task at hand
■ Replicating living at home or in community
○ Task has clear organization and form so the skills and roles necessary to meet the goals
is evident
○ Members can work on specific parts that may play to their strengths
■ Verbal, physical etc.
■ Given task will serve needs of members in different ways
■ Some may work on task skills (i.e handling nonhuman objects), some may work
on interpersonal relationships
○ Learning occurs in the shared process of "doing" and discussion
■ Members work together with different skill sets to accomplish single goal
 ○ Activity also provides concrete measure of progress
■ Of group task and goal
■ Of individual growth and achievement over time
○ Mosey describes 6 major types of activity groups:
■ Evaluation groups
■ Assess individuals areas of function and dysfunction within group setting
■ Evaluating interpersonal AND activity skills
■ Role of therapist is to be observer
■ Chooses the task
■ Task oriented groups
■ Increase members awareness of themselves and others as well as their
interactions
■ Role of therapist is to help members explore the relationships between
thoughts, feelings and actions
■ Developmental groups
■ Teach only group interaction skills
■ Role of therapist varies with developmental level of the group
■ Thematic groups
■ Help members learn the skills, attitudes and knowledge necessary for
accomplishing a specific set of activities
■ Instrumental groups
■ Assist members to maintain their level of function and meet health
needs
■ Change is not expected (can occur)
■ Role of leader is to select activities with goals in mind
○ Educational groups are popular in psychiatric and physical dysfunction settings
■ Fit under thematic groups
■ Use a psychoeducational model and teaching strategies
■ Include performance components such as occupational performances or
sensory integration
○ Structured Five-Stage Approach is aimed at physical/perceptual motor, cognitive and
psychiatric conditions
○ The "directive group" blends many of Mosey's groups together
■ Aimed at helping psychiatric patients adjust to group regimens
■ Participation, interaction, initiation and attention
● Theroretical perspective:
○ Curative factors in small group dynamics bring about positive behavioral change
○ Importance of "doing" to maintain and develop skills
● Leader role
○ Vary according to the specific group's goals
○ Create a group climate that facilitates interaction, provides support and relates
processes to concerns of the members
 ○ Select or help members select appropriate activities
○ Structure activities for group's level
○ Role model
○ Guide the learning of interpersonal and task skills
● Group membership
○ Prospective member's cognitive, social, emotional and perceptual-sensory skills are
considered in selecting group members
○ Consider ability of member to function in work, play and self-care spheres
○ Factors may include age, sex, sociocultural background, educational level, identified
problem areas
Intrapsychic Groups
● Group goals and structure
○ Achieve characterological and personality changes in each member by working through
the personal, intrapsychic and historical antecedents of personality patterns
○ Intrapsychic: processes and conflict that occur within the individual
○ Goal is to gain insight into unconscious and self as well as meeting group needs and
providing ego support for members
○ Groups of this type include psychoanalytic therapy groups, projective occupational
therapy groups, art therapy groups and psycho drama groups
● Theoretical perspective
○ Based mainly on psychoanalytic theory (applied to group setting but with focus on
observation and analysis on individual member)
○ Transference is major phenomenon
○ Insight
● Leader role
○ To guide members in their exploration, interpretation and working through of personal
conflicts
○ Validate and clarify member's perceptions of reality
○ Encourage free association and analysis of transference
○ Encourage member participation
○ Members depend on leader to analyze and interpret their behavior
● Group membership
○ Members must have a clear ego identity and cognitive ability to develop insight from
the group
○ Be able to deal with abstract realms
○ Membership is usually homogenous in age, sex and socioeconomic status
○ Carefully constructed to have a balance of problem areas
Social Systems Groups
● Group goals and structure
○ General aim is to help members learn about group processes and dynamics through
participation in task experience collectively
 ○ Pay attention to how relationships are formed and stabilized within the group, how
decisions are made, how patterns of behavior emerge and how parts of the group fit
together to form the whole group
○ Includes T-groups, laboratory methods groups and educational group laboratories
● Theoretical perspective:
○ Drawn from system theory and applied to concepts of group process and dynamics
○ Kurt Lewin (1951
■ Often identified as founder of this theoretical perspective
■ Described behavior of people in terms of a system of paths, barriers, forces and
goals
■ Life space: environment experienced by the individual or the group
● Leader role
○ Participate in the group as a member-expert
○ Establish an appropriate environment
○ Keep member attention focused on the "how" and not the "why"
■ Keep attention on the here-and-now events and not intrapsychic issues
○ Members dependence on leader is situational and transiet
● Group membership
○ Changing membership
○ Varies because social system groups are educational and don't focus on individual
member concerns
Growth Groups
● Group goals and structure
○ Aimed at increasing member's sensitivity to feelings or ability to help themselves
through the power of the group
○ Methods to accomplish the goals vary by group but all aimed at personal growth
through action-oriented and instructional experiences
○ Put individual in closer contact with himself, others and world of nature/sensation
○ Groups in this category include encounter groups, sensitivity training groups and
marathon groups
■ Self-help groups as well but they are usually leaderless
○ Peer support is a distinctive feature of this group type
○ Educational aspect, get advice, share experiences and attempt problem solving
○ Occupational therapist acts as a consultant to support groups
■ Facilitator, consultant and resource person
● Theoretical perspective
○ Based on principles of humanistic and existential philosophy and psychology
■ Seek to fulfill potential inherent in each person
○ Carl Rogers, William Schutz, Fritz Perls and Abraham Maslow
● Leader Role
○ Facilitate interaction, learning and experience
○ Often teaches through a modeling process
 ■ Model openness, expression of feelings and mutual aid
○ Group members are dependent on leader as a teacher or contributor
● Group membership
○ Members are individuals who seek group experiences and share a desire for growth
○ Range in age from adolescence to older adulthood
Natural Groups
● Not included in overview of group treatment models but offers therapeutic properties
● Part of intervention and prevention programs
● Families, church groups, work groups, community living groups, recreational groups
● Found mainly in the community and are interactive in nature
● Memberships are usually not determined by the leader and can be all ages
● Group structure is informal
● Role of leader is to facilitate interaction, support participation and act as a teacher/contributor
to help the group achieve it's goals

Davis Ch 4 – “The Nature of Effective Helping”

Objectives:
1) To consider the overall aim of helping
2) To explore the behaviors that interfere with effective helping
3) To describe the characteristics of helping communication
4) To distinguish empathy from related interpersonal interaction processes.
5) To reveal the characteristics of effective helpers.

Children need help fixing problems because they are not capable, but adults appreciate their own
independence and having all of their problems fixed for them can be a point of frustration. We need to
help by making the helpee self sufficient.
Our behavior is an expression of our values and beliefs. You can be well-meaning, but not all help is
helpful. (ie: being overconcerned with matters that are none of your business.) No person can take
responsibility for another person (with some exceptions).
Effective helping is primarily problem identification and problem solving. We need to allow patients to
identify their own goals and then we provide knowledge and skill to advise them. Ask “what are the
problems from the patients perspective?”
Therapeutic Use of Self: The better view we have of ourselves the better we will come off to our
patients.
Therapeutic Communication:
-Speaks: Talks but with clarity and can explain what they mean
-Is fully present
-Listens
-Develops Trust: Resists trying to influence the patient, communicates the patient is worth listening to
Interpersonal Interactions:
- Listening with the third ear means understanding what they are saying on level that is not just
superficial
- Sympathy is normal in the healing relationship with the patient
- Do not pity
- Identifying with your patient can lead to assumptions and misunderstandings
- Putting yourself in their shoes can be an effective tool
- Stages of Empathy
o Listen carefully and put yourself in their place
o Cross over into their frame of reference, forget you are two separate entities
o Sympathy as you come back to your own skin
- Empathy is a moment of shared understanding with another person
- Encourages holistic listening
Levels of Intimacy in Professional Interactions
Level 5: Cliché Conversation
Level 4: Reporting Facts
Level 3: Personal Ideas and Judgement
Level 2: Feelings and Emotions
Level 1: Peak Communication
- Completely Open and honest and loving, usually involves relating sexually. This is the deepest and
most minority of human interaction

In therapy we have to have boundaries or we will confuse patients. Levels 5, 4, and 3 are most common
for therapeutic interactions. Stay professional, don’t let being a new therapist lead to inappropriate
behavior to make a patient feel more at ease.

Beliefs of Effective Helpers

- Deeply personal exploration and discovery of unique individuals learning over a period of time
- Need to allow one’s self to grow, mature, and become aware of feelings
- Your job includes:
o Listening with the third ear
o Evaluate
o Assist
o Support
o Help problem solve
o Apply therapeutic measures
o Teach
o Help others maneuver the world and solve their own problems
Ch. 13 Observation and Analysis

A. Purpose of Self- Analysis

a. Evaluate how you performed as a leader of the group
B. Gains of self evaluation
a. Identity processes and factors contributing to both positive and negative outcomes
b. Identify personal skills and weaknesses
c. Gain more perspective on group process
d. Evaluate the success of the group clarify ideas for leading future groups
e. Gain affirmation that efforts have been worthwhile
C. Analysis should include info about observations and info about two aspects of the group
a. Content
i. The initial task
ii. What is being said
iii. Must be in line with goals
iv. Group members focus on content rather than process
b. Process
i. Must be helping the members achieve their goals
c. The leader
i. Must monitor and be aware of both content and the process
ii. Observations and sensitivity to dynamics of group are vital to following and
understanding the meaning of the process
1. This allows you to diagnosis issues and problems early
2. Facilitate dealing with problems more efficiently
d. Factors that need to be analyzed during activity
i. The members
ii. Nonverbal and verbal participation
iii. Influence
iv. Atmosphere
v. Feelings
D. What to look for
a. Members
i. All members should feel included in the group
b. Subgrouping
i. When two or three members form a clique and deliberately or not behave in
ways that exclude the others
ii. This can cause resentment and may cause some of the members to not want
to return for the next session
 iii. May even have multiple subgroups that formed before group and may be in
conflict with one another
1. It is important to have some discussion about conflict btw the groups in
order to try and resolve or dissipate the antagonism
2. If not resolve subgroupings can have bad effects on the group
experience
c. In vs. out
i. Leaders should always be aware of members you are “in” and those who are
“out”
1. This is especially important for multicultural groups
ii. If person is left out, find out why
1. Is it by choice
2. Dynamics occurring in the group
a. E.g. subgrouping
iii. Supportive intervention may be required to involve the member
d. Analyze Tone of group
i. Alienation
1. Groups that only operate in only one sphere of existence
a. E.g. group is “emotionally dead” and suffering from alienation
intellect
i. This is when discussion is primarily cognitive tone
ii. Focused on generalities and life outside of group
b. E.g. groups are “alienation if affect”
i. Groups immersed in heavy emotional content do not
benefit from reflection or thinking
ii. Therapist role
1. Should try and avoid norms
2. Create a more balanced atmosphere
e. Framework for processing experiences in group
i. Focus Grid
1. Created by Conyne
2. Represents 4 levels of interactions
a. I
b. You
c. We
d. Us
3. Each level is separated into what and how
 a. E.g. under “we” level, what: loneliness, How: is it being
discussed
4. Grid should give leader a picture of what and how thins are happening
in the group
5. Use grid at end of sessions, during unproductive times and at
termination of group
f. Charting membership roles
i. Contributions of members to group
ii. help get an overall view of group
g. focus on discrete behaviors
i. who is interrupting
ii. who fidgets
iii. who talks/silent
iv. who questions/answers
v. who is open/closed
vi. discerning roles helps analyze the process
h. Mood
i. Changes with each new experience in each session
ii. Behaviors change from time to time
iii. Focus beginning of each session and initial questions on finding out how each
person feeling
1. An early check can prevent possibility of problems occurring later in
session
iv. Vigilance is needed for session in order to be aware of affective changes in any
of the members
v. MAIN POINT
1. Watch for changes in behavior especially ABRUPT changes
2. Try to establish causes and meanings through observations
E. Nonverbal and Verbal Communication
a. Observing verbal communication is straight forward
i. Who is talking to who
ii. Seating
iii. Who keeps the ball rolling
b. Observing nonverbal requires sensitive awareness
i. Constantly scanning group
ii. Watching for changes in facial expression and postures
iii. Listening to changes in voice tones and being alert to gestures
 c. Behaviors of others can influence participation
i. E.g. compulsive talking, scapegoating, and attention seeking – impede
participation
ii. E.g. encouragement, support, interest (positive behaviors) – enhance
participation
iii. Content can affect participation
1. Dislikes and likes of activity will determine amount of participation
d. Therapist role
i. Generating questions answers will influence analysis and direct the types of
interventions
ii. Analyze the task as being appropriate it or inappropriate for the group at that
time
1. Too easy or too complex; not any interest; not relevant in context
iii. Analysis of situation may suggest change or adaptation of task is needed
F. Influence
a. Members with influence emerge as LEADERS
i. This status affords them the ultimate power in the group
ii. If influence is bad, it can present problems
iii. Other members may assume that member has the “he/she-knows-best-
attitude” so they are reluctant to disagree or to promote their own ideas
1. Gatekeeping strategy is used to combat this
a. Therapist will have to facilitate participation of other members
b. The group as a whole usually has more influence than any individual member
c. Therapist role
i. Determine how and why the members or certain members are being
influenced
1. E.g group may respond to influnce because they see possibility of
achieving desired outcomes
2. Members may want to stay on good terms with person of influence
3. Members may genuinely agree with the ideas of influential member
ii. When observing how members are being influenced, focus on the effects of
the influence to determine if results are productive or destructive to well
being of all members
iii. Influential members can be key figures in your group
G. Climate
a. Events that can occur and cause emotions to stir in group
i. E.g. upsetting events within the facility that make members nervous and tense
 ii. E.g. new members joining the group can cause tension
iii. E.g. Conflicts among members
iv. E.g experiencing extreme emotional upset
b. Positive energy that effects the group
i. Elevated spirits are contagious and makes it hard to focus on task and
discussion
ii. When this occurs you need to make a plan to keep them calm and on task
1. E.g. do some exercises to dissipate some of their excess energy
c. Abrupt changes in mood are usually indicative of something going on among members
d. Leader plays a key role in establishing the atmosphere of any group
i. E.g. if you are down, the group then maybe become down
e. Not all members enjoy the same affective atmosphere
i. Some suppress any conflict, while other thrive on disagreement
H. Feelings
a. Known as “emotional problems”
i. Stem from person’s controlling of his or her emotions through defense
mechanisms such as repression or suppression
b. Goal for this is to purposely precipitate the sharing of emotions b the members as a way
to help them learn how to express their feelings
c. Feelings can be generated by the interactions among members during group sessions
d. Observations should focus on quality of the experience of the member
i. E.g. are other members supportive, is care shown, how intense are the
feelings
e. Analysis of the situation will tell you when and if you should intervene
i. Watch for buildup of emotions, if member is aware of the buildup, feelings
can be expressed in a relatively calm way, however if buildup occurs there is a
risk of a more explosive reaction
ii. As the group leader, make sure to ask members how they are feeling
1. This tells if your observations are accurate
2. Allows members to focus and think about how they are really feeling
f. End goal
i. For members to transfer skills of recognizing, expressing and checking out
feelings to their relationships outside of the group setting
g. Monitoring feelings
i. Observing facial expressions, gestures, voice tone, change in posture and
other nonverbal cues
 h. If feelings are not brought out into the open, withdrawal of a member can have a
negative effect on the group
i. Group may try to remedy this by starting a new conversation
i. Monitoring and looking out for pent up feelings serves both as facilitative and
preventive measure
I. Interaction process Analysis
a. SYMLOG
i. A system for multiple level observation of groups
ii. Made by Bales
1. Believes in evaluation the “how” of the communication the observer
can obtain important info about the members and what is happening in
the group
iii. Method of analyzing interactions based on task and maintenance issues
iv. Organizes all member contributions and reactions into three basic categories
1. Positive social/emotional area
a. Gives help
b. Agrees
c. Concurs
d. Complies
e. Shows understanding
2. Negative social/emotional area
a. Withholds help
b. Disagrees
c. Withdraws
d. Rejects
e. Deflates others
3. Neutral task area
a. Asks for and gives info and opinions
b. Clarifies
c. Expresses feelings
d. Asks for and gives direction
J. Evaluation Forms
a. Helps leader to more accurately reflect the process and purpose pf a particular group
b. Can use these to look at individual members or dimensions of group
K. Interaction Diagrams
a. Useful in showing the frequency of interactions and who speaks to whom
b. Show diversity and direction of participation
 c. Demonstrate changes in the interaction process of the group
d. To be aware of these can help in analyzing the process in a group
e. Max length of time for noting the interactions in a your group should be 3-5mins
i. Any longer does not provide time for comparison and usually results in such a
mass of lines that a clear picture does not emerge
f. These diagrams are usually completed by an observer sitting outside the group
i. It is inhibiting and disruptive to have someone within the group noting each
time a member speaks
g. Each time a person speaks an arrow is drawn from the speaking member to the member
to whom the remark is directed
h. Use these diagrams for future interventions on the process observed or use it for
feedback to the members
i. Checking the group process through use of interaction diagrams allows the leader to
compare personal perceptions of the interactive process with pattern that appears on
the diagram
j. Make sure verbal people are spread around the room to prevent interactions from
being confined
i. However this can result in a problem if two verbal people on opposite of the
rooms have opposing opinions and cause a divide in the room, making it
difficult for members on either side to interact

REFERNCE pgs. 217-220 for visual of interaction diagrams***