The Art and Science of Motivation : A Therapist's Guide to Working with Children

The authors' groundbreaking approach to working with children and their parents or carers places motivation at the heart of all encounters and therapeutic activities. The book provides readers with both a theoretical and practical understanding of methods for engaging and working successfully with children with a range of difficulties, from physical disabilities to learning disabilities and emotional and behavioural difficulties. The authors present an innovative new paradigm - the model of Synthesis of Child, Occupational Performance and Environment - In Time (SCOPE-IT) - for working with these groups to enhance motivation and engagement and to achieve the best possible treatment outcomes. The challenges professionals may face are clearly addressed, and the contributors also explain how the therapist's use of language may influence motivation. Engaging clinical examples bring to life the SCOPE-IT model, and the book closes with an extended case study of the therapeutic journey of one individual, his parents and a therapist, placing the key concepts from the preceding chapters in a richly human and personal context. Combining research-based theory with a wealth of tools and strategies for practice, this book will be inspiring reading for all those working therapeutically with children and young people, including occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, counsellors, psychologists and psychotherapists. Cover Title Copyright Contents Contributing Authors Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Understanding Motivation in the Context of Engaging Children in Therapy Overview Introducing the SCOPE-IT model and the macrotheory of Self-Determination The heart of the SCOPE-IT model: Motivation Three basic psychological needs Causality orientations Self-Determination Theory: The motivation continuum Stage One: Amotivation Stage Two: External regulation Stage Three: Introjected regulation Stage Four: Identified regulation Stage Five: Integrated regulation Stage Six: Intrinsic motivation Summary Chapter 2 Children’s Understanding of Purpose Overview Self-determined behavior What constitutes autonomy? Why is it important to promote autonomy? What types of environments promote the development and use of autonomy-related self-determination skills? Challenges to providing an autonomy-supportive service Groups who may require particular consideration with respect to autonomy support Challenges for autonomy-supportive therapeutic practice Structure in therapy Prior experience of autonomy-supportive environments Does the use of reinforcement undermine motivation in therapy? Summary Chapter 3 Connecting Overview The therapeutic relationship Spheres of connection Socio-environmental influences Building partnerships Practitioner self-care Summary Chapter 4 Achieving Success Overview Why is competence important? Children’s perceptions of their own competence Enhancing self-perceptions of competence Enhancing competence through skill acquisition Teaching—learning strategies to support the development of competence Summary Chapter 5 Using Language to Motivate Overview How the therapist’s language influences engagement Getting started Developing and strengthening the child-practitioner relationship through the use of language Autonomy-enhancing language practices used by practitioners Relatedness-enhancing language use by practitioners Competence-enhancing language use by practitioners Combining language and enabling strategies to address the three ARC components of need satisfaction throughout therapy Children’s language use in therapy Developmental stages in the acquisition of children’s language Children’s language and the Self-Determination Theory continuum Children’s nonverbal messages Summary Chapter 6 Know the Child Overview Engaging in therapy What does engagement look like? The role of assessment in understanding the child/family Child characteristics affecting engagement in therapy Environmental factors affecting child engagement in therapy Therapist strategies to engage the child Summary Chapter 7 Structuring and Working with the Environment Overview Temporal environment Physical settings Socio-cultural considerations Environment and self-determination Environmental intervention: A complex network of factors Universal Design: Creating friendly and motivating environments for everyone Summary Chapter 8 What makes it work? Overview The therapist’s voice A therapy focus based on psychological need support Jonathan’s voice Conclusion References Placing motivation at the heart of all encounters and therapeutic activities, this book presents a groundbreaking, evidence-based model for working with children, including those with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and emotional and behavioural difficulties. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the authors describe this innovative paradigm - the model of Synthesis of Child, Occupational Performance and Environment - in Time (SCOPE-IT) - and explain how it can be used to sustain the child's motivation and active involvement in the therapeutic process. They suggest ways of using language and of structuring and working with the environment to maximise engagement and autonomy and achieve the best possible treatment outcomes. The challenges professionals may face when working with children are also clearly addressed, and engaging case studies and photographs place the key theoretical concepts in a richly human and personal context. Combining accessible theory with a wealth of tools and strategies for practice, this book is essential reading for all those working therapeutically with children, including occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists and psychotherapists. This book provides readers with both a theoretical and practical understanding of methods for engaging and working successfully with children with a range of difficulties. The authors present an innovative new paradigm for working with this group, to enhance motivation and engagement and achieve the best possible treatment outcomes. The challenges professionals may face are dearly addressed, and case studies place the key theoretical concepts in a richly human and personal context