Group Psychodynamic Research

The debate about the effectiveness of Individual versus group psychotherapy remains silent. Research demonstrates that group therapy is on par with individual therapy in the delivery of meaningful benefits to clients (Yalom & Leszcz, 2005, Evidence, 2012). No discussion about the effectiveness of group therapy would be complete without reference to the therapeutic factors (Barker, 2009). The interdependent nature of the therapeutic factors means that grading their importance is an exercise in subjectivity. Despite this, the factors of interpersonal learning and group cohesiveness are, in the writer’s opinion, cornerstones in the delivery of meaningful benefits to clients. This paper will briefly examine the therapeutic factors described

This constructive environment is maintained by the therapist and allows for emotionally corrective experiences in interpersonal learning (Sherry, 1976). During this time Yalom identified 12 curative factors impacting the psychotherapy group. These factors were derived from his research and the influences of other research which included over 300 articles on group therapy (Sherry, 1976). At this early stage Yalom realized that the 12 curative factors were interdependent and overlapping. They combined to contribute to the positive outcome of group therapy (Sherry, 1976). This was supported by a Q-sort administered to 20 former clients who had been in therapy for at least 17 months and who were considered successful members of group therapy. The Q-sort was made up of items representing each of the curative factors. With reference to helpfulness, the 60 items were sorted by group members according to their experience (Sherry, 1976). The results in descending order were, “Interpersonal Input, Catharsis, Cohesiveness, Insight, Interpersonal Output, Existential Awareness, Universality, Instillation of Hope, Altruism, Reenactment, Guidance and Identification (Sherry, 1976, p.