Group Psychotherapy Efficacy: A Meta-Analytic Perspective.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Group Psychotherapy Efficacy: A Meta-Analytic Perspective.
Language: English
Authors: Burlingame, Gary M.
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 52
Publication Date: 1995
Document Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Comparative Analysis, Counseling Effectiveness, Effect Size, Group Counseling, Group Dynamics, Group Therapy, Meta Analysis, Psychotherapy
Geographic Terms: U.S.; Utah
Abstract: Analyses of the efficacy of group psychotherapy indicate that group therapy demonstrates, in a majority of reviews, significant improvement over inert comparison groups and proves comparable or superior to other active treatment conditions. Because group therapy is a viable cost-efficient treatment option being used with increasing regularity among diverse populations, and with varying structural formats, a central task demanding attention is careful analysis of the differential effectiveness of group therapy across treatment variations or dimensions. Using a common measuring standard called an effect size, meta analyses can represent the average amount of change one could expect in the average client who receives a given treatment. The present study sought to explore systematically the relationships between improvement rates in group psychotherapy (effect size) and several treatment, therapist, client, and methodological variables using meta-analytic techniques. The review was based on the cumulative results of 12 years of group psychotherapy outcome literature. Results were reported on: component characteristics; post treatment change comparisons--treatment type comparison with wait-list controls, group treatment type comparison, outcome source comparison on post-treatment change, and outcome content comparison on post-treatment change; and pre- post-treatment change comparisons--client population/diagnosis client gender, composition, and attrition. Contains 47 references. (JBJ)
Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association (103rd, New York, NY, August 11-15, 1995).
Journal Code: RIEAUG1996
Entry Date: 1996
Accession Number: ED393054
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Analyses of the efficacy of group psychotherapy indicate that group therapy demonstrates, in a majority of reviews, significant improvement over inert comparison groups and proves comparable or superior to other active treatment conditions. Because group therapy is a viable cost-efficient treatment option being used with increasing regularity among diverse populations, and with varying structural formats, a central task demanding attention is careful analysis of the differential effectiveness of group therapy across treatment variations or dimensions. Using a common measuring standard called an effect size, meta analyses can represent the average amount of change one could expect in the average client who receives a given treatment. The present study sought to explore systematically the relationships between improvement rates in group psychotherapy (effect size) and several treatment, therapist, client, and methodological variables using meta-analytic techniques. The review was based on the cumulative results of 12 years of group psychotherapy outcome literature. Results were reported on: component characteristics; post treatment change comparisons--treatment type comparison with wait-list controls, group treatment type comparison, outcome source comparison on post-treatment change, and outcome content comparison on post-treatment change; and pre- post-treatment change comparisons--client population/diagnosis client gender, composition, and attrition. Contains 47 references. (JBJ)