What is a Group?

What is a group and what is its' purpose? This article will go into the types of groups and the purpose of each group. A basic definition of a group is where three or more people gather to discuss an issue or plan some sort of activity or even receive help of some kind.

When I was a LPN (licensed practical nurse) I worked in a geriatric psychiatric ward or another name for this area is behavioral health. Besides passing medications and performing basic nursing duties I also assisted or lead many group activities using a variety of modalities. The types of groups I lead or assisted with are Reality Orientation groups, Resocialization groups, Didactic groups, and Relaxation groups. These groups were to either re-orient the patient to current happenings like the date (day, month and even the year at times. This is a chance to try and talk about current events.

The resocialization groups were where I either used art, music, literature, physical exercise activities that would allow the patients to try and have fun and still relax. Some of these groups use music and some would be arts and crafts and still some others would be movement and exercise activities.

The Relaxation groups would be usually in the late afternoon or the evening either just listening to music or watching a television show that they would remember. Sometimes, we were able to play a good game of cards or just tell stories that they could remember. There were times that I even read the Bible if it was a Sunday evening or just any story.

The Didactic education group were mainly to try and teach the patients about their medications, proper nutrition, self-care activities and basic health topics like trying to understand what is going on with their bodies. Mainly, I cared for patients with Alzheimer's and/or Dementia, but at times there were patients that were able to understand what is going on with them physically and mentally and wanted to understand and then there were others that was just trying to keep them calm and steady.

_________________________

Now formally what is a group? A group is made up of many characteristics. One is that they are made up of two or more people in a social interaction. Two is that they are of a stable structure. Three is that there are common interests and goals. Four is that where the individuals of the group perceive themselves as a group.

Now what isn't a group. When there is no interaction between the people, as in example of people waiting for a bus. There may be small talk, but no meaningful interaction. There is no stable environment and no working on a common goal working together, and they do not see themselves as a group.

What is a group suppose to do? What are the group dynamics which are suppose to bring understanding to the various interactions that occur between group members. So, what is group interaction? There is a man who goes by the name of Tubbs and in 2001 that shares that a group interaction is the process by which members of a group exchange verbal and nonverbal messages in attempt to influence one another.

In general there primary groups, secondary groups, and reference groups that are either formal and/or informal groups. Informal groups are say when your group of friends gather and talk about whatever is going on at work, in relationships and so on. Formal groups are the ones that follow specific rules and usually perform a function to solve a problem or work on an issue. The groups that I lead or assisted in as part of my nursing career would fall under formal groups for we were trying to decrease various behaviors or just improve social skills and communication skills.

The next article dealing with Groups will be about group formations and other types of groups.