Sections of Website:       Questions  *  Definitions  *  Sample Items  *  Populations  *    

                                               Level Descriptions  *  Training  *  Research  *  References

                                                                         Social Profile ^{ã 2007}                                        

        Individual and Group Assessment of Social and Activity Participation – for Clinical and Educational Settings

                                                                        Mary V. Donohue, Ph.D., OT, FAOTA

                                                                                               Mvd1@nyu.

         QUESTIONS ^©

        What is your group’s participation profile?

                                                         This website and all its contents are Copyright © 2007.

                                                                  Mary V. Donohue, PhD, OT, FAOTA

                                                                              All rights reserved.

                                                                       Webmaster: MVD1@nyu.edu

                      Social Profile ©          

  Assessment of Activity Participation, Social Interaction, and Membership Roles in a Group

                           DEFINITIONS OF FIVE LEVELS OF SOCIAL PARTICIPATION:

Parallel Participation:  The members of the group play, move, or work side by side, but do not interact with each other. 

Associative Participation:  The members of the group approach each other briefly in verbal and non-verbal interactions during play, activity, or work. 

Basic Cooperative Participation:  The members of the group jointly select, implement and execute longer play, activity or work tasks for reasons of mutual self-interest in the goal, project or fellow members.

Supportive Cooperative Participation:  The members of the group are homogeneous, and aim to fulfill their needs of mutual emotional satisfaction, with the goals of play, activity or work viewed as secondary.  Feelings are frequently expressed.

Mature Participation:  The members of the group are heterogeneous, taking turns in a variety of complimentary roles in order to achieve the goals of the activity harmoniously and efficiently.

                                                       Sample Items

Parallel Items:                  The solitary activities provide little participation with group members.

                                       Members interact very little with other people.

Associative Items:           The activities include engagement in brief interaction.

                                       There is enjoyment of activities between group members.

Basic Cooperative:           Members begin to express ideas and try to meet the needs of others.

                                       Members respect others' rights and follow group rules.

Supportive Cooperative:   The activties focus on attempts to satisfy other's emotional needs by words or by actions.

                                        Members select the activities.

Mature Group Items:         The activities provide balance between emotional and performance needs of members.

                                        The activities usually provide high level of performance, discussion or product.

                                                                                    POPULATIONS

Groups of varying compositions, cultures, business, political, religious, sports, and social organizations may be assessed using the Social Profile (2007). Because its levels span developmental group interaction skill abilities from 18 months, through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, groups of all ages can be assessed using the Profile. While children typically exhibit age appropriate behaviors at progressive levels, adults may interact using any group level skills, depending on the activity's dimensions. For example, adults in exercise, movement, work or dance groups exhibit Parallel behaviors.

                        The Social Profile will enable you to evaluate:

                        1) The level of group iparticipation skill in a single session

                        2) The highest group behavioral skills and range of skills achieved by a group

                        3) The over-all profile of group participation levels across a number of

                            sessions

                                                                                                                                                                              (Donohue, 2007)

                         FIVE LEVELS OF SOCIAL PARTICIPATION

         1. Parallel level: The ability to participate in a parallel group consists of  the capacity to be in an aggregate

           of individuals who are working or playing in the presence of others with minimal sharing of tasks and with some

           mutual stimulation. The members show some awareness of others, and a minimal verbal or nonverbal interaction

           with each other.

         2. Associative level: The ability to approach others for brief verbal interactions and to work or play with others

            with minimal interaction. Members show ability to manifest some beginnings of cooperation and competition,

            with the task as being paramount. There is minimal interaction outside the task. Members demonstrate the

            ability to engage in short term tasks, and that to receive help from others they must give help to others.

        3. Basic cooperative level: The ability to select, implement and execute longer tasks through joint interaction.

            Individual response within the group is based on enlightened self-interest. The members of the group

            understand that their rights and needs will be acknowledged through respect and recognition of the rights of

            others. Members can identify group norms and goals. The group experiments with some membership roles.

            The members perceive themselves as having a right to belong to the group.

       4. Supportive cooperative level: The members of this group share emotions and experiences in order to satisfy

           psychosocial needs to problem-solve and grow in personal and interpersonal insight. They are homogeneous 

           which meets the needs of mutual satisfaction to the extent that the task is often considered to be secondary to

           the fulfillment of needs. Members consist of compatible participants who relate to each other with comradery

           and cooperation.

       5. Mature level: The members of this group are heterogeneous participants whose various roles interact in a

         complementary manner. The members are flexible enough to take on a  variety of roles. They are comfortable

         with higher and lower level group skill positions. The members balance task accomplishment and members

         socio-emotional needs. The members take turns teaching and learning, parenting, mentoring and experimenting

         with new skills and roles.  ( Mosey, 1986; Donohue, 1999)

                                                                        References      

 Donohue, M. V. & Greer, E. (2004). Designing group activities to meet individual and group goals. In J. Hinojosa & M. L. Blount,

      (Eds.)  The texture of life. Purposeful activities in occupational therapy, (pp. 226-261). Bethesda, M.D.: AOTA Press.

                                              TRAINING

1) Viewing videotapes/DVD's of groups of various participation levels

2) Discussing observations with a partner, colleague or supervisor

3) Using worksheets to identify videotape/DVD's of behaviors

4) Reviewing case studies of groups for their level of participation

5) Exploratory observations of groups jointly with an experienced Social Profile rater for interrater reliability

                   

                 COMMUNICATION EXCHANGE

What is your interest in levels of social activity participation?

What other information would you like?

Do you have any suggestions?

                   E-mail: MaryVDonohue@att.net  Or mvd1@nyu.edu