This study addresses the need for psychometrically sound process research in group psychotherapy. It is a continuation of work begun under a previous NIMH grant, which indicated some important relationships between group cohesion and outcome. Three group therapy process scales will be studied. For each instrument, reliability and validity will be examined. The instruments include a revised version of the HCHP Group Cohesiveness Scale and two newer instruments, the Individual Group Member Interpersonal Process Scale (which purports to measure individual group therapy members' changing interpersonal behaviors and attitudes) and the Group Therapist Intervention Scale (designed to examine various aspects of therapist interventions). Videotapes of therapy groups are rated with these process instruments. This project features the utilization of archival data collected for previous studies on 21 outpatient psychotherapy groups. Patients in the groups are young adults in their 20's and 30's who sought mental health treatment for issues of depression, anxiety, social isolation, and characterological problems. The study will examine the relationships amongst process and outcome variables. The pre-post outcome battery for this study includes measures of symptomatology (SCL-9OR), self-esteem (Coopersmith Self- Esteem), patient-formulated target problems (Target Problems Measure), interpersonal functioning (Social Adjustment Scale), loneliness (UCLA) Loneliness Scale), overall psychosocial functioning (Global Adjustment Scale), as well as therapist, independent rater, and patient's significant other's judgments of patient change. This study is part of a larger program of research on process and outcome in group psychotherapy that has been ongoing for six years at HCHP, and focuses upon continued refinement of previous work on instrument development as well as an expansion of HCHP's group therapy research program.
| Soldz, S; Budman, S; Demby, A et al. (1990) Patient activity and outcome in group psychotherapy: new findings. Int J Group Psychother 40:53-62 |
| Budman, S H; Soldz, S; Demby, A et al. (1989) Cohesion, alliance and outcome in group psychotherapy. Psychiatry 52:339-50 |
