Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice

Leaders in times of transition: Virtual self-efficacy, participant behaviors, and leader perceptions of adaptive interpersonal group processes.
Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic transitioned many professionally led groups from in-person to virtual settings. This survey-based study explored the relationships between leader virtual self-efficacy, leader perceptions of participants’ behaviors (undermining of group boundaries and emotional expressiveness), and leader perceptions of adaptive interpersonal group processes (how the group-as-a-whole manages conflicts, builds confidence and motivation, and regulates affect). Drawing on social-cognitive theory and virtual group literature, we hypothesized that leader virtual self-efficacy would be positively related to leader perceptions of adaptive interpersonal group processes via two forms of participant behaviors: undermining of group boundaries and emotional expressiveness. Method: Our sample was composed of professional group leaders with little or no prior experience in virtual facilitation who transitioned to leading at least one virtual synchronous video group for the first time (N = 123, Mage = 43.3, SD = 10.88 years) due to the pandemic. Participants completed self-report measures, and linear regression mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS. Results: Leader self-efficacy was related positively to adaptive interpersonal group processes (β = .17), negatively to participants’ undermining of boundaries (β = −.38), and positively to participants’ emotional expressiveness (β = .46). Participants’ undermining of boundaries was negatively related to leader perceptions of adaptive interpersonal group processes (β = −.11), while emotional expressiveness was positively related to interpersonal group processes (β = .30). Findings suggest direct and indirect associations between leader self-efficacy and adaptive interpersonal group processes. Conclusions: Results highlight the importance of leaders’ self-efficacy in virtual group facilitation, especially in transitional times, and indicate two possible participant behaviors associated with negative perception of group processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Attachment theory and the transition to online group therapy during COVID-19: A preliminary investigation.
Objective: Telehealth has gained significant popularity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health guidelines (Burgoyne & Cohn, 2020). To continue therapeutic services with little disruption, mental health professionals provided online options to patients. Group therapy has transitioned online without research exploring individual factors that relate to the transition. Method: The present study explored how attachment dimensions relate to group members’ transition to online group treatment. Forty-eight active group members who transitioned to online treatment during COVID-19 completed an online survey that assessed their attachment, attitudes about online group therapy, and comparisons between face-to-face group work and online group treatment. Results: Results revealed that group members with greater attachment anxiety reported less comfort with online groups, less engagement in online groups, and less process in online groups than face-to-face groups after the transition. Group members with greater attachment avoidance reported less comfort with online groups compared to face-to-face groups. Attachment anxiety was also related to less effectiveness but not satisfaction with online group therapy after the transition. Conclusion: Attachment dimensions appear to relate to the experience of online group psychotherapy after transitioning from face-to-face during the pandemic. Research and clinical implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Identity-based faultlines in Taiwanese counseling groups and group members’ motivations for self-disclosing.
Objective: According to I. Yalom and Leszcz (2020), self-disclosure is an important group process in effective therapy groups. However, presently there is a paucity of research on group factors that lead group members to approach or avoid self-disclose. One such factor that may negatively impact the group’s tasks and goals, such as self-disclosure, are subgroups. Despite little empirical research on the effect of subgroups on the functioning of counseling groups, team and organizational researchers have developed empirical methods for identifying subgroups to examine the effects of these subgroups on team performance. Method: Drawing from this literature, this study examined how identity-based faultlines, or hypothetical dividing lines based on member attributes that divide a group into one or more relatively homogeneous subgroups, were related to group members’ motivations for self-disclosing in group therapy. Data for this study consisted of 329 clients across 49 therapy groups in Taiwan. Results: As hypothesized, for women, increasing faultline strength was related to stronger approach motives for self-disclosing and weaker avoid motives for self-disclosing at Session 4 (early group development), but not Session 8 (late group development). Contrary to our hypothesis, for younger group members, increasing faultline strength was related to weaker approach motives for self-disclosing at Session 4. Conclusions: Findings of this study suggest that faultline strength is more salient for group members in early group development and individual differences based on sociocultural factors influence faultline salience. Group therapists can be cognizant of the potential negative influence of subgroups, particularly in early group development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
The holding space: An experiential–dynamic group therapy for mothers with postpartum anxiety and depression.
Objective: The Holding Space is a new experiential–dynamic group therapy (EDGT) developed by the authors for mothers with postpartum anxiety and depression that combine psychoeducation about emotions, anxiety, and defense mechanisms with psychodynamic group process interventions. A naturalistic case study was conducted of three Holding Space groups that were conducted simultaneously online. Method: The authors utilized a mixed-method design to collect and analyze quantitative outcome data and qualitative outcome and process data from 13 Holding Space group members who were experiencing some symptoms of anxiety and/or depression that started or worsened within 1-year postpartum. Results: Outcome data indicate small-to-medium effect sizes for decreases in overall postpartum depression (PPD) and subscale measures of anxiety, sleep, emotional lability, guilt, mental confusion, and suicidal ideation from pre- to post-intervention. Decreases in PPD, anxiety, sleep, and mental confusion were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Outcome data also indicate increases in self-compassion with small-to-medium effect sizes on subscale measures of self-kindness, self-judgment, and common humanity that were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Qualitative data suggest that the combination of psychoeducational components and interpersonal support was particularly helpful to the participants. When asked what changed for them as a result of the intervention, participants most frequently discussed themes about improved parenting, increased self-awareness, meaningful connections, more acceptance of self, and more acceptance of mixed feelings. Conclusion: The case study demonstrates that EDGT for mothers with postpartum anxiety and depression has the potential to help reduce symptoms of PPD, increase self-compassion, and improve confidence and anxiety around parenting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)

Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice - Vol 28, Iss 1