Role of the Leader in Therapy Groups Conducted With Illicit Drug Abusers: How Directive Does the Leader Have to Be?

Abstract

A 17‐hour marathon group was conducted in a residential treatment center established for inmates in a correctional setting in the southeastern United States. The Hill Interaction Matrix (HIM‐G; Hill, 1965) was used to measure the types of leader activity and the types of member activity during portions of each hour of the group activity. It was found that when the group was most therapeutic, there was a relationship between the therapists' actions and behaviors and the types of issues that were discussed in the group. The results that were found do not agree with some of the established drug and alcohol abuse literature.