Article Summary

     The article journal I chose to review examined the Effectiveness of Activity-Based Group Work in Community Mental Health: A Systematic Review.  This study was a systematic review of  136 potential articles, and a full text review of 27 articles.  After reviewing the final 27 articles and adhering to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only 3 articles were left to use for this review.  In the introduction of the study, the researchers discuss how all occupational therapists serving in mental health that they surveyed responded stating that they all used group interventions in their practice, which were more often than not activity based group interventions.  This journal article advocates for community mental health, and for the lack of research that has been done to prove how truly effective activity based group interventions can be for clients with mental health in an occupational therapy group.

     The study identified three qualified articles after the systematic review was conducted.  For me the most important part of this study is that each article had the same thing in common, which was activity based groups are more effective than verbal based groups but for different reasons such as: improving self-perceptions of social interaction skills, improving social behavior, providing greater symptom reduction, and increasing levels of community functioning.  The results of the studies also showed a statistical significance in social interaction skills for the group members.  This study strives to collect relevant, valid, and reliable articles to support the evidence of activity based intervention groups in occupational therapy. 

 

     Having read this article, as I move into my 3 month mental health rotation (now set to be in a court/justice system) I further feel it is important to acknowledge the importance and power that activity based group interventions may have on our clients.  I now know moving forward as a future practitioner that thinking, planning, and executing an activity based group, I can refer to this article to remind/inform myself and my employers of the benefits that activity based interventions may have.  I know often outsiders that look into our activity based groups think that we are just using "another worksheet" or "making another craft" however this research is showing that activity interventions are more effective than simple verbal groups for our clients with mental health diagnosis.  Having research to support this will assign reason to the activity for the individuals that are not occupational therapists.  If we could prove nothing more from this article, we could prove that activity based interventions increase and positively support social interaction skills.  Many mental health disorders present with an occupational barrier of social interaction skills, and to identify that activity based group interventions help support the goal of social interaction is huge for OT!  Moving forward, I will keep this article readily available to evidence my future practice in fieldwork (and possibly my future job)! 

References 

Bullock, A., & Bannigan, K. (2011). Effectiveness of activity-based group work in community      mental health: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy,65(3), 257-266. doi:10.5014/ajot.2011.001305 

12 Step Meeting Experience

     On Sunday evening, 2/24/18, I attended a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting at Hope Church accompanied by one of my classmates, Katelyn Grammes.  This was a rich OT student experience for me because this was the first 12-step meeting I have attended.  I had the opportunity to not only see how a real life group meeting is conducted, but further had the chance to hear the group members personal stories, struggles, and successes.  There was a great sense of community during this meeting, bringing an element of comfort to each group member.  I watched most every group members occupational role shift during the session from identifying as a narcotic user to the role of a friend and a group member.  The group members did a great job identifying why and how narcotics have effected their occupational performance and daily roles, and how without the narcotics their quality of life is much greater and more productive.  

     The group leader used a facilitative group leader style.  He began by discussing what would be covered during the session and then preceded to hand out the reading materials to group members, got the names and information of the new attendees, and then he took suggestions for the group topic(s) for the session.  I feel like he handed out the materials to group members that he felt would be comfortable reading out loud and would participate without being embarrassed or hesitant.  The assigned group members then read the papers (ground rules and other materials) to the rest of the group members.  The group leader let the group members go around and freely speak out and say what topics they wanted to talk about.  From there he said, "Ok, this is your meeting, with these topics".  He then turned the group meeting over to the members to run until the end, and then he wrapped up the session and asked for any announcements the members may have.  The members showed a sense of community by sharing who had been "clean" or "sober" for x amount of time, celebrating my saying congratulations or cheering when they heard the news.  Kate and I chose not to speak up because upon our arrival we discussed with one of the group leaders that we were there to observe.  He said it was an open meeting, and that would be fine, but to not introduce ourselves or to participate in the discussion.  I think this was our best choice because the other group members may have felt like they were being "spied on" or judged by us if we announced to the group session what we were there for and we were just "observing". 

     The environment was relaxed!  They made coffee for the group members before their arrival, which I thought gave the environment a coffee shop vibe in a church helping it seem less judgmental .  The chairs were set up in a circle in the middle of the room for anyone who wanted to sit there, and there were also many other chairs in rows to choose to sit in (this is where Kate and I sat, along with the majority of the other group members).  I observed the more regular and secure group members were the ones to sit in the circle (maybe 8 people).  Where the group members sat did not influence how much or little they spoke, members from within the circle and the rows both spoke equally. 

     This was a thriving therapeutic group and setting!  I was delighted that the group leader allowed the group members to decide which topics they wanted to chat about.  The members would use one another as support during therapeutic conversation by making eye contact, shaking their heads in approval, and beginning a new discussion or thought off of another group members thoughts or comments.  The group members appeared to leave with full hearts and weightless minds like they had been refueled and motivated for another week until next weeks meeting. This therapeutic group used a Cognitive Behavioral approach, focusing on changing and shaping the way the group members thought about narcotic use.  The group members were beginning to change their thoughts towards narcotics as one of harm versus pleasure.  The group members were focused on changing their occupational performance patterns from no longer using narcotics, to pursuing a fulfilling life without the narcotics and with the hope of creating new roles, routines, and patterns moving toward a narcotic free life.