“I get you”: A qualitative study on group members’ empathic expression.

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the content of group members' empathic expression, and how it changes as group develops. Method: Participants were 10 group leaders and 42 university student members from six unstructured, interpersonal process groups aimed at helping students with their academic problems and interpersonal functioning. Fifteen transcripts of actual group sessions were coded using consensual qualitative research method. Results: Data analyses identified four domains: Cognitions, Emotions, Similarity, and Group. Members expressed empathy mostly on cognitive level, and least on group-as-a-whole level. Moreover, sharing similarity was a unique way of group members' empathic expression, which was not documented in previous literature on group leaders' expression of empathy. The occurrence of "cognitions" and "similarity" domains showed significant association with group periods, suggesting the change of group focus from connection to deeper understanding in line with the group development. Discussion: The results provided a qualitative description of how group members expressed empathy and may inform group leaders what aspects to focus on at different periods of the group to facilitate the empathic exchanges among members. Highlights and Implications• Group members express their empathy mostly in four types: On the Cognition level, on the Emotion level, disclosing Similarity, and commenting on the Group process.• Members express empathy mostly on cognitive level, and least on group-as-a-whole level. Moreover, sharing similarity is a unique way of members' empathic expression.• Group members show empathy by disclosing Similarity primarily at the beginning of the group, and along with the progression of group there is an increasing expression of empathy on the cognitive level by the members.• The results would inform group leaders which areas to focus on at different periods of the group to facilitate the expression of empathy amongst group members and deepen empathy in group.