A Qualitative Analysis of Women's Experiences in Single-Gender Versus Mixed-Gender Substance Abuse Group Therapy

Abstract

The present study of women with substance use disorders used grounded theory to examine women’s experiences in both the Women’s Recovery Group (WRG) and a mixed-gender Group Drug Counseling (GDC). Semi-structured interviews were completed in 2005 by twenty-eight women in a U.S. metropolitan area. Compared to GDC, women in WRG more frequently endorsed feeling safe, embracing all aspects of one’s self, having their needs met, feeling intimacy, empathy, and honesty. Additionally, group cohesion and support allowed women to focus on gender-relevant topics supporting their recovery. These advantages of single gender group therapy can increase treatment satisfaction and improve treatment outcomes.

Group therapy for women with substance use disorders: Results from the Women's Recovery Group Study

“…The theoretical model of WRG posits the synergism between women-focused group session content and the all-women group composition (Greenfield et al, 2007b). Our qualitative studies of the Stage I WRG (Greenfield et al, 2013a, 2013b) demonstrated that women participants in WRG found the support of other women in the group to be an essential component of the WRG (Greenfield et al, 2013a), and we documented a greater number of supportive statements made in WRG than GDC (Greenfield et al, 2013b). Although in this Stage II trial there were no differences between WRG and GDC in average number of participants per group session, treatment attendance, and turn-over, similar to other open enrollment group therapy studies, the Stage II trial of WRG was challenged to provide a robust and stable group attendance (average group ≤ 3 participants for both WRG and GDC; Greenfield et al, 2014).…”

“…It is possible that differences between the Stage I and Stage II trial results may in part be due to fewer average participants per group and lower stability of attendance in the Stage II trial. The smaller average group size and lack of participant stability in the Stage II versus Stage I trials may have affected the WRG women’s experience of mutual support that is a major effective component of the WRG (Greenfield et al, 2013a). Even with this change, outcomes of the WRG implemented in the open enrollment group format were comparable to GDC.…”

Measuring affiliation in group therapy for substance use disorders in the Women's Recovery Group study: Does it matter whether the group is all-women or mixed-gender?

“…9 In consultation with a group process expert (MSR), we revised the coding manual for the Stage II study to include additional categories that more fully represent and discriminate the content of participants’ statements. The number of affiliative statement categories increased from five to eight (see Table 1).…”

“…4 However, gender differences in SUDs suggest a need for gender-specific treatment, 5–7 especially for women who often cite preference for women-only treatment because they perceive it as more comfortable, open, 8 honest and intimate. 9 Few randomized trials have compared mixed-gender with single-gender SUD treatment for women. 10 One study found that changing only the gender composition of a SUD residential treatment program from mixed-gender to single-gender did not result in improved treatment outcomes 11 However, a number of studies 12–14 and one systematic review 15 demonstrated that single-gender SUD treatment for women that focused on women’s specific needs (e.g.…”

Women's Experiences of Participation in a Feminist Group for Women with Complex Mental Health Issues

“…Most recently, a study by Greenfield, Cummings, Kuper, Wigderson, and Koro-Ljungberg (2013), compared two groups for women with substance misuse problems -a mixed-gender group and a women-only group. This study also supported the conclusion that a women-only group helped women to feel safer, as well as more frequent endorsements of empathy, honesty, having one's needs met and intimacy.…”