Assessment in Group Therapy

Implementing group therapy for adults with substance use disorders: What research-based evidence?

“…Group leaders who adopt a group relational orientation within a social justice framework may successfully address these diversity-related concerns and dynamics (Chang-Caffaro & Caffaro, 2018). Moreover, a leader who is in a constant process of learning about how the patients experience themselves and their relationship to identity variables can strengthen the alliance with the group members (Whittingham et al, 2023). Group leaders could benefit from the work of the Associations for Specialists in Group Work, which in 2019 provided ten strategies for implementing inclusive group work through a concrete focus on the principles of equity, multiculturalism, and social justice (https://asgw.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ASGW-Ten-Strategies_english.pdf).…”

“…At the same time, the leader is responsible for recognizing interpersonal struggles between group members and should ensure that such struggles do not hinder the development of the group. Empirical research has shown that individualized assessment feedback and pregroup preparation can be used to mitigate dropout (Whittingham et al, 2023). Progress monitoring might also be used in group therapy with SUD to help leaders intervene differently with patients at risk of dropping out by revisiting the collaborative agreement on the task and goals of therapy (Janis et al, 2018).…”