Developmental

Approach
Developmental Approach

In the Development Approach, the

worker has three basic areas of
operation:
(a)the group goal-achieving process;
(b) interpersonal relations; and
(c) individual self-actualization.
Group goal-achieving
process.
Such goal becomes converted into
the program content of the group
experience during the session(s) and
can be in the form of counseling,
activity, or action. Such program
content is planned jointly by the
group and the leader/practitioner so
that they have a mutually-agreed
path to follow.”
Interpersonal relations

In the group members’

engagement with each other
as they pursue their common
goal, they are involved in
two forms of behavior:
1) Instrumental behavior
These are the behaviors that are
consciously directed toward
common-goal efforts.
Because they are observable
behaviors, they can be used as basis
for evaluating the performance of
any member, i.e., in terms of
contributions to the group in relation
to needs.”
2) Expressive behaviors
These are unintended behavior which
are
emotional in nature that individual
members manifest in the course of
performing instrumental behaviors.
They include expressions of likes and
dislikes, approval and disapproval,
affection, concern for others,
pleasure, interest, enthusiasm,
apathy, fear, insistence, criticism,
guilt, hostility and blame.
Individual self-actualization

Tropp underscores the point that the major

gains in social functioning for individual group
members in the Developmental Approach are
derived primarily through the medium of the
goal-achieving process. The worker’s most
productive efforts are those that are invested in
the group as a whole, which make for the gains
in social growth which individual members
achieve, i.e., release, support, reality-
orientation, and self-appraisal
The following are criteria that can be used by
the leader/worker in deciding which
individual behaviors do not call for any
special intervention:
1) when the behavior is not interfering with
group goal- achieving;
2) when the behavior is being handled
satisfactorily by the group;
3) when it is being handled by the member.
Tropp considers the following as the
three criteria or categories of
problematic behavior.
1) those that hinder group efforts
and must be handled for the good of
the group;
2) those that harm individual others;
and
3) those that create problems for the
individual who initiates them