Using theories from group psychotherapy to understand group process in multicultural focus groups: A pilot study

Abstract

This study explores the applicability of the American Group Psychotherapy Association’s (AGPA) Practice Guidelines for Group Psychotherapy to analyse the construction of group processes in three focus groups with patients, clinicians, and administrators on cultural competence. Each focus group was recorded, transcribed, and analysed through codes developed from the AGPA’s Guidelines. Findings were compared and contrasted to discover thematic convergences and divergences. Our results show that certain processes such as catharsis, imparting information, and universality emerged commonly across all three focus groups, but with different frequencies. Group processes influenced how participants interacted and influenced each other in their responses, suggesting the value of analysing group processes in multicultural focus groups.