Using the prospective approach as an adjunct to established models of group psychotherapy

Clinical prediction in group psychotherapy

“…Empathy, or the client's sense of being understood by the group, has gained almost universal acceptance in regards to its therapeutic value by adherents to a variety of psychotherapeutic orientations. While proponents of these orientations may define empathy in slightly different ways, it is consistently held as a curative therapeutic factor of critical importance (Burns, 1996;Mcbride, 1995;Trad, 1993). Empathy has been connected with positive outcome in a variety of studies; in one review, Orlinsky, Grawe, and Parks (1994), examined 115 studies examining the impact of empathy on outcome and found that in 72% of the studies, the clients' perception of empathy was positively related to outcome.…”

Cohesion in group psychotherapy.

“…Some of the aforementioned leader contributions to the emotional climate are also useful characteristics of the group members. For example, empathy (Braaten, 1990; Trad, 1993), support and caring (Braaten, 1990), acceptance (Bloch & Crouch, 1985), and trust (Roarck & Sharah, 1989) all influence in a positive manner the relationships that exit within the group. The lack of such cohesive elements may contribute to patient dropout (Roback & Smith, 1987).…”

“…The basic skills of listening and conveying that one has heard and understands are important patient factors in creating a healthy emotional climate (Braaten, 1990). The commitment of group members to invest themselves in understanding, empathizing with, and trying to help others in the group resolve their problems and conflicts, play is theorized to a part in relationship building (Trad, 1993).…”

Group Questionnaire: A New Measure of the Group Relationship

“…The simplest way to make this switch is to measure each member's alliance with the leader (see Pinsoff & Cahterall, 1986). However, others have conceptualized the group alliance concept as involving relationships between group members as well as the leader (Trad, 1993; see also Glatzer, 1990;Budman, 1989).…”

“…Humanistic theorists often see empathy and positive regard as curative in and of themselves acting through the mechanism of increasing clients' self-acceptance and helping clients become more congruent (Trad, 1993). Words such as warmth, acceptance, positive regard, and democratic atmosphere have been used by humanistic group therapists to describe empathy (Johnson, 2004).…”