1. 16 Groups and Change
The usefulness of groups is nowhere more apparent than when groups are used to help their members change. Groups, by their very nature, provide their members with information, support, and guidance, and so many personal and interpersonal problems can be resolved when confronted in a group rather than alone. As Lewin’s Law suggests, changing people one by one is difficult; changing them when they are part of a group is easier.
What are some of the ways that groups are used to help members change?
How do groups promote change?
How effective are groups in bringing about change?

2. Group Approaches Sources of Change Effectiveness Therapeutic groups
Interpersonal learning groups
Support groups
Sources of Change
Universality & hope
Social learning
Cohesion
Disclosure & catharsis
Altruism
Insight
Effectiveness
Empirical support
Cautions
The value of groups
Case: The Bus Group
(Turner, A. L., 2000).

3. Interpersonal learning groups
Basic “types” of therapeutic groups
Lewin’s Law of Change
Therapeutic groups
Interpersonal learning groups
Support groups (mutual help groups)
“It is usually easier to change individuals formed into a group than to change any of them separately.”

4. Group Psychoanalysis Gestalt Groups Psychodrama Types
Therapeutic groups
Group Psychoanalysis
Gestalt Groups
Psychodrama
Interpersonal Group Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy groups
Types

5. The First Committee Of The Vienna Psychoanalytical Society
Group Psychoanalysis
The First Committee Of The Vienna Psychoanalytical Society
Freud’s discussed group processes in his book Group Psychology and the Analysis of Ego
Freud did not conduct therapy in groups, but other analysts did
Insight into unconscious conflicts
Transference of relationships to group members and therapist
Corrective recapitulation of early experiences
Catharsis
[Source: Berlin, 1922 Becker Maas, Library of Congress (124),(LC-USZ )]
From Left to Right: Otto Rank, Sigmund Freud, Karl Abraham, Max Eitingon, Sàndor Ferenczi, Ernest Jones, Hans Sachs

6. Gestalt Group Psychotherapy
Gestalt group therapy is based on the work of Fritz Perls, who maintained people tend to fail to accept and integrate their experiences, thoughts, and emotions
The Goal: To achieve phenomenological unity (a gestalt)
When conducted in groups, Gestalt therapy makes use of exercises and role‑playing methods (e.g., the hot seat, empty seat).

7. Psychodrama
Psychodrama involves acting out experiences in the group, role-playing, and imitation
Jacob Moreno developed this method; he also explored early uses of social network analysis (sociometry) and founded the journal Sociometry (now titled Social Psychology Quarterly).

8. Interpersonal Group Psychotherapy
The most widely used method, interpersonal group therapy, uses the group as a “social microcosm” to help members learn about how they influence others and how others influence them.
Irvin Yalom’s interactive process groups, for example, emphasize analysis of ongoing interactions in the group (a “here and now” orientation) by all members

9. Cognitive‑behavioral therapy groups
Cognitive-behavior group therapy uses of behavioral methods developed in individual treatment settings with groups.
Often used for more specific issues, such as phobias, depression, drug addiction, sexual offenses, and so on.
Key Components:
Behavioral contracts, modeling, behavior rehearsal, feedback

10. Process Debriefing Groups
Purpose: To reduce the negative mental health consequences of organizational-level or community-level trauma
Processes: Group-level therapeutic coping processes, such as collective processing of experiences and reaffirmation of connections to survivors.
Effectiveness: The effectiveness of these interventions is not yet known
Process debriefing groups (or critical incident stress debriefing groups, or trauma/disaster groups)

11. Sensitivity training groups Contemporary Approaches
Interpersonal learning groups
Early Forms
T-groups (Lewin)
Encounter groups
Sensitivity training groups
Contemporary Approaches
Experiential learning
Skill-building retreats
Structured training groups

12. Workshops, seminars, retreats, focusing on specific interpersonal skills or problems, often combine a group experience with analysis and reflection.

13. Support groups
Problem-specific: deal with a specific problem or concern, such as alcohol, physical illness
Interpersonal: members establish strong ties to each other
Communal: group stresses community and sharing
Autonomous: little or no fee is charged for membership, and leaders are volunteers rather than professionals
Perspective-based: Often adopt a particular “perspective” on the issue and its causes (e.g., AA)

14. Varieties of Support (Mutual help) Groups
Many support groups meet online, relying on computer-based communication to make connections among members and provide information.

15. Group Approaches Sources of Change Therapeutic Factors Effectiveness
Therapeutic groups
Universality & hope
Social learning
Cohesion
Disclosure & catharsis
Altruism
Insight
Interpersonal learning groups
Support groups

16. Universality and Hope Social Learning Group Cohesion
Therapeutic Factors
Groups (and social comparison) convince members of the universality of their problems, elevate their levels of hope, and instigate a shared, group-level identity.
Universality and Hope
Groups facilitate observational learning (modeling of behaviors), interpersonal feedback, and guidance (direct instruction).
Social
Learning
Cohesion increases membership retention, improves communication, and increases influence of the group on the individual.
Group Cohesion

17. Self-disclosure Catharsis Altruism Therapeutic Factors
Groups become more intimate as members reveal private information about themselves.
Self-disclosure
In supportive, high-trust groups, members can vent their strong, and this may reduce their stress.
Catharsis
Members experience increased self-confidence when they help others and they gain insight into their personal qualities.
Altruism

18. Sources of Change
Cohesion is generally viewed as a necessary condition for a successful thereapeutic group
However, members most value universality, interpersonal learning, cohesion/support, and insight

19. Evidence-based Treatments (EBTs)
Sources of Change
Group Approaches
Effectiveness
Empirical support
Clinical procedures whose effectiveness has been documented through objective, scientifically rigorous research
Evidence-based Treatments (EBTs)
Research indicates that group approaches to treatment are generally as effective, if not more effective, than individual approaches.
Are Group Treatments EBTs?
Cautions
The value of groups

20. Source: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/11/power.aspx

21. Empirical support Cautions
Drop-outs (premature terminations, casualities (individuals harmed by the experience, and overhelping occur in groups, but the rates are known to be relatively low
Cautions
Meta-analytic reviews are generally positive (Burlingame)
Lieberman, Yalom, & Miles‘ classic study supported various methods
Participants in many types of therapies rate groups approaches positively
Interventions are more effective if consis-tent with both the emic and etic perspec-tive of a cultural context

22. The value of groups
Group approaches are generally effective, but they do not work for everyone or for all types of psychological problems.
Groups help their members define and confirm their values, beliefs, and identities. When individuals are beset by problems and uncertainties, groups offer reassurance, security, support, and assistance. Groups are places where people can learn new social skills and discover things about them-selves and others.
Groups, too, can produce changes in members when other approaches have failed

23. Group Approaches Sources of Change Effectiveness Therapeutic groups
Interpersonal learning groups
Support groups
Sources of Change
Universality & hope
Social learning
Cohesion
Disclosure & catharsis
Altruism
Insight
Effectiveness
Empirical support
Cautions
The value of groups
Case: The Bus Group
(Turner, A. L., 2000).