Refining the Measurement of Curativeness

Abstract

186This article presents a rationale for and the implementation of a factor analytic study of a revised curative factor instrument. Valuing of the three factors of catharsis, cohesion, and insight by 161 group members in four settings (community mental health [CMH], Veterans Administration [VA], university counseling center [UCC], and group behavior class [GBC] are reported. Results show CMH group members valuing these factors more than group members from VA, UCC, and GBC. Across all settings, cohesion and catharsis are consistently valued higher than insight. Possible explanations of the findings are given.Nested within individual and group research on the therapeutic process is a cluster of studies focusing on the concept of curativeness. Regarding group therapy, the curative concept is most often associated with Irvin Yalom (1970, 1975), who described a 12-factor construct derived from research and clinical experience. His 12 curative factors are defined as catharsis, cohesiveness, self-understanding, universality, altruism, interpersonal learning (input), interpersonal learning (output), installation of hope, identification, recapitulation of the primary family, guidance, and existential factor.

Psychometric Properties of The Curative Climate Questionnaire-Turkish Version

“…However, later studies reported lower reliability figures; .79 for cohesion, .70 for catharsis, and .34 for insight (26). Factor structure of the CCI was suggested to be less clear than it was originally suggested by Fuhriman et al (8). One study showed Catharsis items did not load on a distinct factor.…”

“…Cronbach Alpha levels ranged from .87-.93 for cohesion, .81-.87 for catharsis, and .79-.84 for insight (8,40). However, later studies reported lower reliability figures; .79 for cohesion, .70 for catharsis, and .34 for insight (26).…”

“…Catharsis is the release of emotionally suppressed material (8,26). Freud believed catharsis rescued patients from the hysterical symptoms by allowing expression of pathological impressions and affect (27).…”

“…Catharsis, insight, interpersonal learning and cohesion were valued above the remaining factors (5,6,7). These four factors were suggested to be inclusive of the other factors (8). The Curative Climate Questionnaire (CCI) has been developed by Fuhriman et al (8) to assess the concept of curativeness in group psychotherapy.…”

Modeling cohesion change in group psychotherapy: the influence of group leader behaviors and client characteristics

“…Johnson and colleagues (2006) examined the factor structure of two commonly used measures of group climate (the Group Climate Questionnaire -Short form; GCQ-S; MacKenzie, 1983; and the Curative Climate Instrument; CCI; Fuhriman, Drescher, Hanson, Henrie, & Rybicki, 1986) at both the individual and group levels. Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the GCQ subscales failed to provide an adequate fit to the data at both levels, but that the fit was substantially poorer at the group level.…”