Outcome In Group Psychotherapy Research Articles

The Relationship Between Main Actor Behaviors and Treatment Outcome in Group Psychotherapy

The therapeutic process of 89 members in time-limited group psychotherapy was investigated using a group modification of the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Process Scale (GRP-VPPS) applied to the most focused on member, or Main Actor, in each 30-minute group segment. The means of each patient's GRP-VPPS scores during those segments in which he or she was Main Actor were subjected to Principal Component Analysis, resulting in three factors: Therapeutic Participation, Negative Reaction and Ease of Self-Expression. Exploration of the relation of process to outcome found that Therapeutic Participation was positively related to therapeutic benefit as judged by patients, therapists, and independent raters. Negative reaction was negatively related to change on two scales, while ease of self-expression was negatively related to improvement in self-esteem. For several outcome variables there was an interaction indicating that more resistant behavior was related to better outcome for patients who were main actor only a few times, whereas the relationship was reversed for more active patients.

Feasibility and Efficacy of Verbal Consents

Refusal rates for participation in geriatric research have been surprisingly high. This may be due in part to inherent difficulties with a written consent procedure. A simple, easily administered, standardized verbal consent procedure (VCP) for the institutionalized elderly was developed to address this problem. Of 114 patients eligible for enrollment in a study evaluating outcomes of group psychotherapy, 100 gave verbal consent. When written consent was requested, 60 signed immediately; 35, only after substantial coaxing. Five patients refused to sign a consent form, although verbally agreeing to participate. It is estimated that the number of study participants would have been reduced by 40% had written consent been required. The findings raise ethical and logistical issues pertaining to a verbal consent procedure.

The effects of different types of interpretation on outcome in group psychotherapy

Interpretations in three psychodynamic therapy groups were rated according to Yalom's typology. Results indicated that here-and-now interpretations were employed over four times as often as historical ones. Outcome results, as measured by the DSM-III-R, indicated that interpretations of a client's present patterns of behavior were most effective in changing pathology, followed by interpretations of the impact of the client's behavior on others, then by historical interpretations. Interpretations of motivation tended to make clients worse. Client session satisfaction ratings demonstrated the same pattern as the outcome results.

Patient Activity and Outcome in Group Psychotherapy: New Findings

The relation of patient verbal activity to pretherapy symptom status and outcome was examined for ninety patients in time-limited group psychotherapy. For each half-hour segment the most verbally active member, or main actor (MA), was identified. Verbal activity was measured by counting the number of times each patient was MA during the course of the group. Outcome was assessed by administering a battery of instruments pre- and posttherapy and by obtaining direct ratings of patient benefit from the patient, therapist, and an independent rater: the number of times MA was found to be significantly correlated with four pretherapy measures, indicating that the most disturbed patients were most active in these groups; the number of times MA was also correlated with patient and therapist benefit ratings, indicating that therapists and patients themselves agreed that those who spoke the most benefited the most. However, partial correlations between number of times MA and other outcome measures did not produce any significant relationships. Thus, it does not appear that patient verbal activity is related to outcome, as measured by objective instruments.

Cohesion, Alliance and Outcome in Group Psychotherapy

Cohesiveness has been viewed as the group psychotherapy equivalent of the therapeutic alliance in individual treatment. Although researchers have attempted to study the concept of cohesion in group treatment, understanding of this so-called "curative" group factor remains quite primitive. In this study of 12 time-limited psychotherapy groups, with a total of 90 nonpsychotic outpatients, we explore the relationships between cohesion, alliance and treatment outcome. Our cohesion measure is a new instrument, the Harvard Community Health Plan Group Cohesiveness Scale, developed for use with group therapy videotapes. To measure alliance we have modified the Penn Helping Alliance Scale (Group Alliance Scale) to be scored from videotapes of group sessions. Both of these instruments use trained observers to make ratings for the group-as-a-whole. The outcome battery for patients in these groups included a widely varied set of measures, enabling us to view change from a number of perspectives. Our findings indicate that cohesion and alliance as measured here are related concepts. We also find that both cohesion and alliance appear to have strong relationships with improved self-esteem and reduced symptomatology for patients in these groups. In addition, it appears that outcome is most related to cohesion in the first 30 minutes of a group session. Implications of these and other findings are discussed.

Leadership behavior, group climate and outcome in group psychotherapy: A study of outpatient psychotherapy groups

A recent clinical study of outpatient psychotherapy groups in a community mental health center explored the linkage between group leadership variables, group climate, and outcome. The study involved nine outpatient therapy groups, over 50 group clients, and several group therapists. A repeated measures design involving assessment of clients' outcome and level of functioning, group leadership style, and group climate was used to assess changes over a 6-month period. The findings suggest: 1) a reduction in symptoms and improved functioning for clients; 2) a similarity of perceptions by members and leaders of perceived leadership behaviors and group climate; 3) the presence of direct and indirect influences of group climate and leadership behavior on clients' outcome; and 4) a linkage between leadership behavior and group climate with the theoretical orientation of the group. The findings of the research are discussed in relation to the understanding of specific effects in group psychotherapy and the implications for construction of group psychotherapy theory.

Some advantages of applying multidimensional thinking to the teaching, practice, and outcomes of group psychotherapy.

Some advantages of applying multidimensional thinking to the teaching, practice, and outcomes of group psychotherapy.

Group psychotherapy outcome research: problems and prospects of a first-year project.

Group psychotherapy outcome research: problems and prospects of a first-year project.

Influencing Interaction and Outcomes in Group Psychotherapy

Influencing Interaction and Outcomes in Group Psychotherapy

Outcomes in group psychotherapy: Using persuasion theory to increase treatment efficiency.

Outcomes in group psychotherapy: Using persuasion theory to increase treatment efficiency.

The outcome of group psychotherapy in a group used for teaching

The outcome of group psychotherapy in a group used for teaching

Effects of vicarious therapy pretraining and alternate sessions on outcome in group psychotherapy with outpatients.

The present study investigated the effects of therapist-absent alternate sessions and a vicarious therapy pretraining experience on group psychotherapy outcome with outpatients. It also related patient self-exploration to outcome. The alternate sessions regimen and high levels of self-exploration both led to slightly better outcome. Vicarious therapy pretraining was found to be highly facilitative, having its greatest effect on neurotic symptomatology.

Therapist interpersonal reinforcement of client self-exploration and therapeutic outcome in group psychotherapy.

Therapist interpersonal reinforcement of client self-exploration and therapeutic outcome in group psychotherapy.