Group activities for inhibited and withdrawn intermediate aged elementary school children

• Main Author: Franken, Sheldon
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/14046

The Group Activities Program for Inhibited and Withdrawn Intermediate Aged School Children was implemented with four grades three - five male students. The program consisted of nine activities that took place over six sessions. The group activities program was constructed based on a Group Activity Therapeutic model, otherwise known as AGT. The research purpose of implementing the activity group program for inhibited and withdrawn intermediate aged students was to study, describe and, observe the experiences of the participants while taking part in the group activity therapy program. The experiences of the participants were qualitatively explored, documented, and triangulated using a variety of means including video and audiotapes, participant feedback, facilitator observations, and field notes. The resulting data from the activity group study extrapolated eight fundamental factors of the group activity experience. Those factors consisted of: interest of the activities, leadership opportunities, opportunities to express oneself, small group size, confidentiality, supportive group environment, trustworthiness, and, originality of the activities. The significance of each factor was discussed as to their respective relationship and influence to the activity group participants' experiences during the program. The various factors' authority was also discussed in relation to previous AGT and, inhibited and withdrawn child research. Furthermore, supported by the collected research, proposals for possible adaptations to the activity group program and potential future educational and counselling applications were presented. === Education, Faculty of === Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of === Graduate