Assessing Strengths in TR/RT: Tools for Positive Change Part I

1. Assessing Strengths in TR/RT: Tools for Positive Change Part I Dr. Lynn Anderson, CTRS, SUNY Cortland Dr. Linda Heyne, CTRS, Ithaca College 2014 ATRA Webinar L1 October 1, 2014

2. Session Description • At the heart of therapeutic recreation practice is the art of building strengths in the individuals we serve. • Therapeutic recreation is historically grounded in the medical model of practice. • A sea change has occurred in health and human services which focuses on orienting services toward people’s individual strengths, assets, talents, and aspirations. • In order to systematically build strengths, we must systematically assess them. • These webinars (Part I and II) focus on some of the assessment tools and approaches that can be used to assess the internal and external strengths of our participants. • The session will help orient TR/RT toward strengths-based practice by giving them practical tools for positive change.

3. Webinar Outlines • Webinar L1: Part I (today) • Webinar L2: Part II (October 8)

4. Session Objectives • Define the strengths approach in health, recreation, and human services and its impact on practice • Compare and contrast TR/RT assessment from a strengths versus a deficits approach and identify important differences • Identify internal and external strengths and at least six assessment tools to measure and describe them, using an ecological approach

5. Principles of a Strengths-Based Approach • Every individual, group, family, and community has strengths • Difficulties are also sources of opportunity and challenge • We do not know the upper limits of a participant’s capacity to grow and change – never assume we do! • Collaboration (not expert domination) with participants • Every environment is full of resources • Context matters • Hopefulness matters • Strengths can be nurtured (thus, must be assessed, planned, focused on, and evaluated)

6. Deficits versus StrengthsApproach (Anderson & Heyne, 2012;Saleeby, 2006)

7. Deficits versus Strengths Approach (Anderson & Heyne, 2012;Saleeby, 2006)

8. Strengths – The Heart of TR Practice • A definition of strength: • The quality or state of being strong; vigor; power of resistance; vigor of action; a strong or valuable attribute; a source of power or encouragement; sustenance. (Webster’s Dictionary) • Internal strengths • External strengths and resources

9. Internal Strengths • Aspirations and goals • Interests and preferences • Passions • Talents • Skills and competencies • Knowledge • Character strengths and virtues

10. External Strengths & Resources • Family support • Social support, friends • Community resources • Home resources • Opportunities for participation and contribution (inclusive communities) • High expectations and positive attitudes

11. THE ENVIRONMENT External Strengths and Resources Internal Strengths • Interests and preferences • Attitudes and beliefs • Talents and abilities • Skills and competencies • Knowledge • Aspirations and goals • Character strengths/virtues THEPERSON • Home resources • Family support and involvement • Community and environmental resources • Friendships and social support Recreation as a strength • High expectations and positive attitudes • Opportunities for participation and contribution (inclusive communities) Recreation as a context to build strengths Internal and External Strengths

12. Strengths-Based Assessment • Focus is on internal and external strengths • Participant is potential waiting to be developed • A framework is used to assess and describe strengths • Understanding strengths leads to understanding how to plan • Ecological approach

15. Examples of how assessment shiftsin the strengths approach

16. Rationale for Strengths-Based Assessment • To get to know the individual – what makes this person tick? What is meaningful to this person? • To begin to develop a positive relationship with the individual and her/his support system • To establish baseline • To measure outcomes • To provide the “right” services • To focus on solutions, not on problems

17. How does new research on brain functioning inform TR assessment practice? • Integration of psychology and neurology (fMRI, PET, QEEG…..) • Focus is power • The act of paying attention creates chemical and physical changes in the brain. • Expectation shapes reality • People’s preconceptions have a significant impact on what they perceive. • Attention density shapes identity • Repeated, purposeful, and focused attention can lead to long-lasting personal evolution.

18. Definition of Assessment • Assessment is a treasure hunt! • Therapeutic recreation assessment is the systematic process of learning about a person, his or her strengths, and his or her aspirations for recreation and well-being. • Through assessment, collaborative planning about the person’s future goals and dreams in relation to leisure becomes possible.

19. Principles in Strength-Based Assessment Assessment …… • is strengths-based and person-centered • is individualized, based on the participant’s world view • focuses on well-being and quality of life through leisure • is based on the aspirations and goals of the participant • uses multiple methods and seeks to understand multiple variables • always involves the participant and his or her circle of support • looks at the whole person in her or his environment (authentic and ecological) Assessment is a treasure hunt!

20. Ecological Approach to Assessment Participants viewed as part of their larger environments Search for internal strengths and external strengths and resources in social and physical environments Spend time getting to know not only the participant, but the participant’s home, school, work, community, and other contexts of his or her life Understand how participants interact with the context of their lives Learn what changes need to be made on the part of the participant or the environment to help him or her reach goals and achieve well-being

21. Ecological Assessment

22. What is the participant’s current situation? What are the participant’s internal and external strengths and resources? What are the participant’s goals, dreams, and aspirations? Where does the participant want to be? What will it take to reach the dream? Development of a Plan Components of Strengths-Based Assessment

23. What to Assess:Use Strengths-Based Models as an Assessment Framework

24. Other Models to Frame Assessment • Leisure & Well-Being Model • ICF

25. Domains for Assessment

26. Domains for Assessment

27. Domains for Assessment:Leisure

28. Leisure Diagnostic Battery Leisure Diagnostic Battery Assesses an individual's "leisure functioning” Perceived freedom in leisure Perceived Leisure Competence Perceived Leisure Control Leisure Needs Depth of Involvement in Leisure Playfulness Scale Barriers to Leisure Involvement Knowledge of Leisure Opportunities Test Leisure Preference Inventory

29. Discover Your Passions Interview • Interview questions designed to ascertain what most interests and excites a participant in leisure • For example: • What lights you up? • When do you seem and feel most alive? • What helps you feel a sense of purpose? • When do you seem most focused and unaware of distractions? • What inspires you to talk or get excited? • When was a time you felt at peace with yourself?

30. Strength Discovery Assessment • Process for uncovering and identifying young people’s strengths and resources • Informal semi-structured interviews with participant, family member, and key support personnel – “strengths chats”

31. Strength Discovery Assessment • Interests and preferences • Values and traditions in one’s life • Skills, abilities, and competencies • Personal attributes (e.g., sense of humor, resilient) • Dreams/aspirations • Strategies in the past that have worked best at home, school, or in the community • Settings that are most comfortable • Family members, relatives, friends, and other informal key players valued by and/or in this young person’s life • Formal key players involved in his/her life • Priority needs and goals across transition domains

32. PEAT • Pittsburgh Enjoyable Activities Test • A brief index that assesses the frequency of engagement in a spectrum of enjoyable activities that could be done alone or with others, in an array of locations, and are both active and inactive • Breathers and restorers • We are interested in how often in the last month you were able to spend time in activities that you enjoyed. Over the past month, how often have you been able to spend time doing the following? • Never ……. to ……………Every day Pressman, S., et al. (2009). Association of enjoyable leisure activities with psychological and physical well-being. Psychosom Med., 71(7): 725–732

33. Recreation Inventory for Inclusive Participation • Part I: Appropriateness of recreation activity/setting • Part II: Activity/discrepancy analysis • PART III: Specific activity requirements (adaptations and teaching procedures)

34. Recreation Inventory for Inclusive Participation

35. Inclusivity Assessment Tool Measures the physical and social aspects of inclusion at a recreation agency Inclusion U Online training qualifies you as a “CIA” (Certified Inclusivity Assessor) to use the IAT

36. IAT Checklists, User Manual, and Tool Kit 60” circle

37. Leisure Resource Asset Mapping Creates a visual map of the recreation resources available to a participant

38. Domains for Assessment:Overall Well-Being

39. Satisfaction with Life Scale Measure of general life satisfaction

40. Subjective Happiness Scale • A single composite score for global subjective happiness • Available online and in pdf on Positive Psychology Lab website

41. WHO Quality of Life Scale • This questionnaire asks how you feel about your quality of life, health, or other areas of your life. Please keep in mind your standards, hopes, pleasures and concerns. We ask that you think about your life in the last two weeks. • Physical health • Psychological • Social relationships • Environment

42. The Well-Being Index (WBI) 18 statements based on the Flourishing through Leisure model I relate well to others I live my life hopefully I have a sense of meaning and purpose I find enjoyment in my leisure experiences

43. Resources Anderson, L., & Heyne, L. (2012). Therapeutic recreation practice: A strengths approach. State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc. Anderson, L., & Heyne, L. (2013). A strengths approach to assessment in therapeutic recreation: Tools for positive change.Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 46(2), 89-108. University of Pennsylvania Authentic Happiness website: www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu

44. NEXT WEEK!Assessing Strengths in TR/RT: Tools for Positive Change Part II 2014 ATRA Webinar Session L2 October 8, 2014

45. Questions?lynn.anderson@cortland.edulheyne@ithaca.edu