Group Therapy: An Interpersonal Learning Model.

This study was concerned with an investigation of the processes and outcome of long-term dynamically-oriented therapy groups. Its aims included an elucidation of the relationships between client's presenting characteristics, group therapeutic process and outcome; the identification of individual patterns of group behaviour and response to treatment; the development of a model of group therapy based upon the importance of interpersonal learning processes; and a structural analysis of the key components of such a model. Methodologically, the investigation used an empirical in-depth approach to the study of such groups with measures being taken pre and post-treatment and during the course of treatment. The first part of the study utilised conventional statistical techniques to test a set of hypotheses derived from the interpersonal learning model. The second part of the study employed multidimensional scaling procedures in order to analyse individual differences and to define the structure of the model. The results of the first study provided evidence concerning the influence of the 'social microcosm' mechanism and group composition variables on group process; identified developmental features of member's interaction with and perceptions of one another; and related these sets of group process variables to subsequent outcome. The second study demonstrated clearly differentiated patterns of individual group behaviour and response to therapy; and identified consistent structural characteristics of an integrated process-outcome model of group therapy. Taken together, these two sets of findings provided validating evidence for both the measures and methodology used in the study; yielded implications for clinical practice and future research on therapy groups; and demonstrated the importance and relevance of an interpersonal learning model of group therapy