16 Groups and Change

1. 16Groups 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. Case: The Bus Group (Turner, A. L., 2000).

3. Lewin’s Law of Change Basic “types” of therapeutic groups “It is usually easier to change individuals formed into a group than to change any of them separately.”

4. Therapeutic groups Types

5. 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 Group Psychoanalysis The First Committee Of The Vienna Psychoanalytical Society • Corrective recapitulation of early experiences • Catharsis [Source: Berlin, 1922 Becker Maas, Library of Congress (124),(LC-USZ62-119779)] From Left to Right: Otto Rank, Sigmund Freud, Karl Abraham, Max Eitingon, SàndorFerenczi, Ernest Jones, Hans Sachs

6. 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) Gestalt Group Psychotherapy When conducted in groups, Gestalt therapy makes use of exercises and role‑playing methods (e.g., the hot seat, empty seat).

7. 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). Psychodrama Psychodrama involves acting out experiences in the group, role-playing, and imitation

8. 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. Interpersonal Group Psychotherapy • 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-behavior group therapy uses of behavioral methods developed in individual treatment settings with groups. Cognitive‑behavioral therapy 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

11. Interpersonal learning groups

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

13. Support groups

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 • Interpersonal learning groups • Social learning • Support groups • Cohesion • Disclosure & catharsis • Altruism • Insight

16. Therapeutic Factors

17. Therapeutic Factors

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

19. Group Approaches • Sources of Change • Effectiveness • Empirical support • 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

22. 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. • The value of groups Groups, too, can produce changes in members when other approaches have failed

23. Case: The Bus Group (Turner, A. L., 2000).