Peer-Reviewed Journal Article

This was an integrated literature review of studies conducted with children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) who are negatively impacted by limited participation in daily occupations. This study looked at one-on-one treatment versus group therapy interventions for children with DCD. 192 studies of children with DCD receiving group therapy were examined, resulting in the following themes: achieving a new level of perceived competence, feeling a sense of belonging, and learning how the condition affects them and strategies to overcome challenges. 

The findings of this review suggest that when the CO-OP (group) approach is administered in a group therapy format and process, it has the potential to benefit children with motor difficulties in both physical and psycho-social domains. 

I think this article is extremely interesting. We often only hear of using the group process in mental health settings, but this article looked at using it as an alternative intervention to one-on-one therapy for children diagnosed with DCD. The group process provided these children with social support and a sense of belonging through experiencing the intervention and group dynamics with others of the same diagnosis. I think it's really important for us as future practitioners to keep in mind that group therapy is effective for increasing self-esteem and decreasing feelings of isolation in many populations, including children with physical impairments. 

Individuals with disabilities can often experience forming, storming, norming, and performing of their own - between themselves and learning to live with their disability. By providing these individuals with a group intervention with others of the same diagnosis, this allows them to experience forming, storming, norming, and performing with each other. Most importantly, it provides them a community to support them through whatever stage of the group process they are experiencing with their disability. 

References

Anderson, L., Wilson, J., & Williams, G. (2017). Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance ( CO- OP) as group therapy for children living with motor coordination difficulties: An integrated literature review. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 64(2), 170. doi:10.1111/1440-1630.12333

Cole, M. B. (2018). Group dynamics in occupational therapy (5th ed.). Thorofare, NJ: SLACK.