Oliviah Marshall

Course 4010
Paper 1
6 November 2014

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Introduction
Throughout this paper, I will address and analyze different techniques and
theories used during my group session as a Social Worker. To review: the group is called
Hobby Group. There are 4 members joining this session, aging from 12-17 years old.

Planning
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 68
children have Autism (US Dept of Health & Human Services, CDC, 2014). To work one
on one with ASD client needs, Hobby Group was created. Though it began before I
started interning at the Judson Center, its focus was to help improve social skills for
young adults through games and activities (hobbies) and I will get to assist with
coordinating the remaining sessions. Hobby Group is composed of 4 members and 2
leaders (myself and the social worker). The members of the group have therapy at the
center, which is how they heard about joining. The group meets weekly, on Wednesday
nights from 6:30-7:30pm; each session lasting 7 weeks. Before the initial meeting, the
Social Worker addresses 3 goals for each group member to work on during the session.
The goals are tracked by behavior in 5 minute charting scales. For instance, there are 12
blocks of 5 minutes in the one hour session, each member will be given a positive or
negative mark determining if in that time, the goal was met or not. Each meeting has a
different topic focus, and a correlating activity for the topic. We start with a quick
icebreaker, then a discussion to lead into the activity and again with a quick discussion
after the activity. My process recording was related to Hobby Group, session 1, week 3.

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What Happened in your Group
Please see attached file of Process Recording.

Assessment
This week in group, members discussed the changing seasons and what it means
to them. The members went outside to collect 3 different pieces of nature that changethen were asked to do rubbings onto paper of their findings. This particular group
meeting allowed the boys to venture into open spaces instead of the same dynamic and
routine of circle group. Allowing them the opportunity to find their own pieces of nature
gave them the opportunity to be independent, which they appeared to enjoy. As group
leaders, we used the change in season to begin to address how the members view change
and their reactions to it. It was a meeting with an underlying focus of coping
mechanisms. Also, allowing the boys to go outside provided them with the opportunity to
display how they can actively listen appropriately attend and cope in new situations. As a
whole, the group averaged more positive behaviors than negative with the activity.

Group Dynamics
The group dynamics for this meeting were positive. The climate was
warm, and members were engaged with activity. There was not an issue with culture in
this meeting, although the differences in personal values to change differed. The group
came together and completed the activity, working with one another to help with finding
objects outside, rules for the rubbing activity, and most of all-discussion. Each member

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interacted with one another; they were able to provide feedback and compliments to each
other.
Impressions
This meeting was in the middle sessions of group. Since beginning stages have already
been accomplished, social workers focused on exploring and testing situations. This was
done by moving the meeting outside, and allowing freedom for independence to the
members. Also, the members are now at the point in time where they can recognize
similarities and differences with one another, they understand that they each contribute to
group in unique ways and work with one another to finish tasks. Another point to address
is that 2 members have formed a subgroup with another, sometimes excluding the other 2
members from their conversations. At this point in time, the Social Worker could review
rules and expectations for group, making sure everyone is included. The social worker
can also assess at this time which activities are bringing positive behaviors, and how they
can improve future activities to meet the members goals. The role of the social worker
during Hobby Group is to provide active listening. Though being a leader is a role model
for the group members, the focus is to have the members improve and achieve their own
goals, so positive reinforcement and flexible conversations are used mostly.

Plan of Action
As a social work intern, and co-leader for Hobby Group, I feel like I am getting
great experience. I enjoy working with small groups, and the population brings a whole
new way of learning and engaging with my clients This session I helped co-lead,

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however, next session I will actively lead group. Knowing this, I will observe and make it
important goal for myself to get to know the members likes/dislikes and goals to achieve.

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Reference
Appendix G. Stages of group development: Middle. WSU Blackboard.

US Department of Human Services. CDC: Center for Disease Control and

Prevention. CDC Newsroom. Autism 1out of 68. March 2014
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0327-autism-spectrumdisorder.html