THE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH
What is Development?
"Causing something to unfold, to grow, to change for the better, to be realized."
- Webster
• This basic idea about development is inherent in Troop's Developmental Approach to social
work with groups.
What is Developmental Approach?
People are not seen as being sick or healthy, but on scale ranging from socially
functional (adequate) to dysfunctional (inadequate) to eufunctional (good functioning)
continually able to move up this scale in a life-long developmental process of self-realization.
Social work practitioners aim to help individuals achieve self-realization by tapping
into their unused potential in physical, intellectual, aesthetic, and interpersonal development.
Two Essential Features
1. Recognition of the human being as the main resource to be utilized
2. Interpersonal relationships, more specifically social role performance, as the focus
concern.
Three Major Themes Characterize the Developmental Approach
1. HUMANISTIC
A view of one human being by another, troop elaborates on this theme by how the
worker functions and relates with the group. The worker respects the group's common
purpose and integrity as a group, deals with the members for what they are and what they do
and respects the members for what they are and what they do and respects the member to
member helping phenomenon as key principle to their growth.
2. PHENOMENOLOGICAL
The main concern is what is happening at present, whether in the group or outside of
it, or both. The approach is reality-oriented, focusing on current group and individual rather
than on past personality diagnosis and interpretations of behavior.
3. DEVELOPMENTAL
It sees people as being able to move forward in a life-long process of self-
actualization or fulfilment of potential in social functioning.
Characteristics of Developmental Approach
1. Specific kinds of group experiences are viewed as most effective in the attainment
of enhanced social functioning. The content of group experience called program
which emanates from the group's function which Troop calls the "functional
modes", in group practice are the following:
a. Counseling - group to discuss common life situations or common concern
b. Activity group - to pursue a common interest
Group Five: AYAT, Klaiza Alexandra; BAYANI, Veronica; ELEJER, Franklin Ace;
JARAMILLO, Sherelyn Jo-ee; REBAULA, Ian Kenneth
THE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH
c. Action group - to effect some improvement in its social environment.
2. Common-goal groups are viewed as the kinds of experiences that are most
productive of enhanced social functioning.
3. The common goal may take the form of common concern or common interest or
common life situation, each of which results in a peer relationship among
members.
4. The effectiveness of the group goal-achieving process is the primary target for
both the members and the worker.
5. The group members achieve different individual gains in social growth within the
context of the group goal-achieving process. Troop describes as the 4 basic
purposive processes:
a. Release of Feeling – anger, fear, guilt and affection – that tend to block
effective social task performance if not unburdened, preferably in the
presence of others who are in comparable situation.
b. Support - which means a receiving of acceptance and affection through
belonging a group recognition of self-expression that is translated into
achievement, which encourages the tapping of further strengths, with a
resultant gain in self- esteem.
c. Reality Orientation - wherein through seeing others in similar situations,
seeing how others see oneself, each member can gain a clearer orientation
to his own behavior among peers
d. Self-appraisal - which involves attaining from all the foregoing a clearer
perspective of one's self and others, new option for handling situations,
increased ability to make judgements, and a more responsible taking hold
of one's own life in relation to the reasons for being in the group.
6. The group becomes the medium for the member's actions, for the perception of
each other's action, an for the worker's perception of both.
7. The group goal-achieving process is carried out on the basis of open agreements
8. The group is essentially self-directing
THE HELPING PROCESS IN THE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH
- Tropp describes events and worker activities during the work with developmental groups
which evidence group development and the basic social work helping process.
Three Types of stages in the Developmental Approach.
1. Beginning Stage
Group Five: AYAT, Klaiza Alexandra; BAYANI, Veronica; ELEJER, Franklin Ace;
JARAMILLO, Sherelyn Jo-ee; REBAULA, Ian Kenneth
THE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH
Members:
a. Become oriented to the new situation
b. Understand reason(s) for group membership and the work to be done.
c. Experience some doubts or enthusiasm membership.
Worker:
1. Clarifies purpose and structure of the group
2. Establishes a contract with the group
3. Facilitates/supports task-selection
4. Supports initial efforts of the group
5. Facilitates climate conducive to unity/cooperation
2. Middle Stage
Members:
a. More open expression by members
b. Increasing understanding and acceptance of values of group experience
by member
c. Roles and statuses evolve
d. Group demonstrates greater ability to plan and function
e. Group shows greater stability and cohesiveness f. Group is working
towards goal achievement
Workers:
1. Guides group toward its defined goals
2. Clarifies tasks completed and tasks still to be done
3. Provides continuing support to enable group to be self-directing
4. Helps group to work within time frame 5. Assesses gains in relation to
goal achievement.
3. Ending Stage
Members:
a. Show varying degrees of task accomplishment
b. Inventory gains from group experience
c. Show varying levels of satisfaction from
accomplishment
d. Show some concern/anxiety about ending group membership and being
separated from members, worker and agency
e. Accept the reality of ending group experience
Workers:
1. Helps the group with task accomplishment
2. Evaluates gains made from group experience
Group Five: AYAT, Klaiza Alexandra; BAYANI, Veronica; ELEJER, Franklin Ace;
JARAMILLO, Sherelyn Jo-ee; REBAULA, Ian Kenneth
THE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH
3. Makes objective appraisal of any goals/tasks not accomplished
4. Helps effect smooth ending of group membership
5. Helps the group with post-termination plans as a self-help or mutual aid
group.
REFERENCES:
Thelma Lee-Mendoza, (2022). Social Welfare & Social Work. Quezon City: Central Book
Supply, Inc.
Thelma Lee-Mendoza, (2015). Social Work With Groups. Quezon City: Central Book
Supply, Inc
Group Five: AYAT, Klaiza Alexandra; BAYANI, Veronica; ELEJER, Franklin Ace;
JARAMILLO, Sherelyn Jo-ee; REBAULA, Ian Kenneth