Group Modification of Affective Verbalizations

Abstract

The most important question to be asked about group psychotherapy is: &dquo;What elements in the process produce constructive change in group members?&dquo; It is clear that a complete answer must take into account the most obvious aspect of the group phenomenon, the verbal exchange among group participants. The present study investigated two important dimensions of the verbal exchange, &dquo;here-and-now&dquo; versus &dquo;there-andthen&dquo; verbal content and positive versus negative affective tone, through use of a feedback device developed by the second author.Many theorists, such as those interested in Gestalt psychotherapy, have long considered here-and-now functioning to be essential in the therapeutic situation (Perls et al., 1965;Perls, 1969; Fagan and Shepherd, 1970). The basic purpose of therapy, in the Gestalt view, is to restore the patient to full awareness of immediate experience. The here-and-now situation is the only reality of the therapeutic setting and must be experienced for therapeutic progress to occur. To focus on there-and-then material is to create avoidances and distortions of integrated present functioning.

Pregroup Training

“…A study by Marcy and Fromme (1979) attests to the importance of feedback in the use of any training intervention. Although not specifically designed to study the effects of feedback in the use of any training, the authors provided verbal instructions and models of four different response categories.…”