A Group Intervention Research On Sensory Language To Foster Empathy In Volunteers

Empathy is a key factor that affects the quality and willingness of voluntary service.Empathetic volunteers can offer continuous service and have better voluntary experience.The development of empathy is related to mirror neuron,which remains dynamic and malleable throughout life and can be improved by the external interaction and body movement experience.The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an intervention of sensory body language using a modified Sherborne Development movement(SDM)model,which is a form of therapeutic intervention that emphasizes to control the body during the movement and seeks to engage participants in interactive learning through shared movement experiences,in a group social work.Through the sensory body language help participants aware the non-verbal information,which can promote the development of mirror neurons and empathy.According to Yogev,empathy can be gained by experience in a group setting which enables the use of mirroring and resonant processes,and Yogev thinks that the development of empathy includes three continuums: the resonance continuum,the comprehension continuum,and the identification of needs continuum.Research design adopted single system design,and the sequence was ABAB.According to the correspondence between Yogev’s empathy developmental stages and SDM activity stages,this group social work had 9 times group activities,which were divided into baseline stage,intervention stage,withdrawal stage and reintervention stage.Eight volunteers participated and wrote reflective diaries throughout the group social work,which were collected and analyzed.Meanwhile,Eight group members were asked to write the IRI-C scale at different stages.Then taking the single group as the research object,and those measurement results were input into EXCEL and SPSS for statistical analysis.During the baseline periods,the score of IRI-C was lower than the other periods.And the score was effectively higher during the intervention and reintervention periods.What’s more,at the end of the group social work,all of the group members think that the ability of recognizing emotion information in the group setting,comprehension of self and others,behavioral responses to others had been improved.In conclusion,the result is that sensory language and movement through the group social work can effectively enhanced volunteers’ empathy.