THE SOCIAL PROFILES OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL GROUPS

Background: Performance in occupations are influenced by context. For students in a group-based study module, the group is an important part of the context. There has been a lack of instruments available for assessing group... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Performance in occupations are influenced by context. For students in a group-based study module, the group is an important part of the context. There has been a lack of instruments available for assessing group level functioning and participation. This study utilised a new instrument to examine occupational therapy students’ perceptions of their group’s level of functioning and two-months course of development (1).
Method:
A mixed methods research design was used. Four students assessed their respective group with the “Social Profile” (SP) (2) at four time points during a study module. Subsequently, the students were interviewed about their recent group experiences. The SP results were analysed descriptively, whereas the interviews were analysed with a view to verifying, extending, and contrasting the SP results.
Results:
Four students, all females between 22 and 31 years of age, participated in the study. Their total scores on the SP at baseline varied substantially. Two students indicated stable patterns of group functioning over time, whereas two other students indicated oppositely directed change: one with increasing and one with decreasing group functioning (Figure 1). The interview results supported the main results from the SP.
Conclusion:
The participants’ statements about their groups’ functioning showed varying degrees of connection with the SP items. Descriptions of stability and change, however, corresponded well with the students’ SP trajectories, indicating content validity of the assessment as a whole.
Application to Practice:
This study provides support for further research and exploration with the SP in various contexts, including occupational therapy education.