Reviewer: Pam Stephenson, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA (Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences)
Description: This book provides a thorough examination of occupational analysis and uses this key element of clinical practice as a foundation for applying group processes across the lifespan. Each chapter adopts a consistent format that includes key terms, ice breakers, learning activities, clinical "pearls," and review questions, making the information accessible for readers. This book expands on the first edition (2012) by providing a wealth of customizable templates, resources, and application activities in the final chapter.
Purpose: The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive examination of two essential features of occupational therapy: occupational analysis and group process. The authors advocate for the need to understand occupational analysis as a precursor to implementing effective group interventions. The book meets its objectives of explaining these features and providing examples of their application in clinical practice. While this book is primarily an introductory text focused on students, it provides comprehensive information that will be useful to both new and seasoned practitioners. Given the resurgence of group interventions, this book is a timely publication.
Audience: While this book is primarily written for occupational therapy students, it will be a valuable asset to a variety of audiences including practitioners and educators alike. It provides the foundational knowledge students need when entering the profession and preparing for fieldwork. It is also a repository of knowledge and strategies for seasoned practitioners and educators. It will be useful for practitioners who are considering using more group-based interventions or expanding their practice in emerging areas such as population health, primary care, or health promotion. While the book provides comprehensive information, the structure allows readers to easily dip in and out of it depending on their unique contexts. In addition to co-authoring several chapters, the editors have compiled an array of additional authors with demonstrated expertise in their respective areas.
Features: This book is clearly written and colorfully organized. Each chapter has "chunks" of text that are easy to read and visually appealing on the page (in other words, there are no pages of dense text!). The first 15 chapters provide content related to occupational analysis and group process, while the final 16th chapter is a repository of clinical applications that include templates and resources. The early chapters explore topics that are essential for occupational therapy practice in any context and include occupational and activity analysis, therapeutic use of self, and teaching and learning. There are three chapters that consider different lifespan stages and provide helpful clinical examples of both occupational analysis and group process. In contrast to other books, the authors provide a variety of perspectives on the group process and provide succinct summaries of the key points. They also offer numerous examples of how to apply the group process across the lifespan. The book flows well across and within the chapters. The consistent chapter framework helps readers to locate specific activities of interest, e.g., clinical pearls, review questions, or key terms. The use of color draws readers' eyes to section headings and there is effective use of photos, figures, and tables. In some chapters, the graphics in the figures are more high contrast than others, which may impact accessibility for readers (e.g., contrast p. 71 and p. 86). The chapter on ethics (chapter 14) provides valuable information and may have been more effectively placed at the start of the book with the other foundational content. Overall, while this is a comprehensive text, there is limited consideration of cultural contexts and the book would be stronger with this addition. It would also have been helpful if the book had included a link to digital copies or downloads of the forms for ease of use.
Assessment: This unique book is a comprehensive exploration of two key elements of occupational therapy practice. It is helpful and cost-effective to have these topics combined in the same book, rather than having to purchase separate texts on occupational analysis and group process. Due to the wealth and breadth of information that are synthesized in this singular text, the book will be helpful to students, practitioners, and educators in all practice contexts. This updated edition builds on the success of the first edition and is a welcome addition to any bookshelf.
