International Journal of Group Psychotherapy最新文献

This article examines how mattering (the sense of being seen, valued, and needed) and anti-mattering (the belief one is invisible, insignificant, or expendable) are expressed symbolically and transformed in group psychotherapy. Anti-mattering symbols, such as lateness, withdrawal, a power struggle, relational devaluation, and an identity-based attack, are understood as expressions of epistemic mistrust: the expectation that relational recognition will be absent, unreliable, or irrelevant. Using five previously published clinical vignettes re-analyzed through a symbolic lens, a typology of mattering and anti-mattering symbols is presented, along with a six-step intervention sequence for transforming mattering. This process engages multiple members, sustains contact through interpersonal tension, and repairs ruptures in ways that are emotionally resonant and trustworthy, and ultimately transforms anti-mattering symbols. The framework integrates developmental, sociocultural, and psychoanalytic perspectives to restore epistemic trust, and expand the group's capacity for mutual recognition and interpersonal mattering.

This article is a product of the American Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Conference, Connect! 2025. The article reconceptualizes aggression as a neutral life force that can be utilized to heal internalized misogyny, contrasting with Freudian views of aggression as inherently destructive. It examines how misogynistic cultural messaging leads individuals to redirect aggression inward, through the narcissistic defense, creating self-critical patterns that reinforce oppressive norms. Group psychotherapy is particularly well-suited to address problems with aggression, misogyny, and internalized misogyny. Through theoretical analysis and clinical examples, the author demonstrates how embracing aggression transforms self-attacking patterns into empowered self-expression. The intersection of psychological analysis with sociopolitical context is presented as essential for addressing both personal suffering and systemic oppression. This framework offers clinicians a path to help clients develop conscious relationships with their aggressive energy, creating possibilities for individual healing of internalized misogyny and fostering social change.

The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on higher education, particularly the shift to distance learning, is examined in this study. Psychology graduate students' subjective experiences of online group supervision are explored, and the pandemic's influence on their learning is analyzed. Thematic analysis and computer-assisted qualitative data analysis of 14 student interviews reveal three distinct themes: (a) the presence of complex and ambivalent emotions; (b) significant influences of the online setting's characteristics on student experiences, including formal and limited communication, disembodied interactions, and distractions; and (c) unique interactions within the online supervision matrix involving supervisors and peers, as revealed through a group-analytic approach. The findings highlight the relationship between online settings and psychological processes during crises, offering insights to refine online supervision practices in an evolving social world.

The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effect of a solution-focused goal-setting group counseling program on the academic procrastination, academic self-efficacy, and goal commitment levels of 8th grade Turkish students. A quasi-experimental design was used to asses 17 students (7 students in experimental group, 10 students in control group) for 8 weeks. The results revealed that, compared to the control group, students in the experimental group showed a significant increase in goal commitment and academic self-efficacy, as well as a significant decrease in academic procrastination. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Our paper reports on the development and psychometric properties of the Therapeutic Mentalization Scale for Group Therapy (TMS-GT). The TMS-GT is an 11-item self-report measure designed to assess individuals' experiences of having been mentalized in group therapy. Two combined samples of adults (n = 157; M_age = 28.4, SD = 12.1) participating in separate outpatient group psychotherapy treatments completed the TMS-GT posttreatment, with a subsample (n = 87) completing the TMS-GT again 3 months later and the other subsample (n = 70) completing measures of group psychotherapy processes and psychiatric symptoms. Multilevel exploratory factor analysis identified the two-factor structure of the TMS-GT, reflecting two dimensions of the experience of having been mentalized: mentalized attunement and mentalized continuity. The two subscales demonstrated adequate internal consistency and temporal stability. Moreover, additional psychometric findings provided further support for the validity of the TMS-GT. Overall, preliminary analyses suggest that the TMS-GT appears to be a reliable and valid measure of the experience of being mentalized among adults participating in outpatient group therapy.

"'Now' means nothing"Carlo Rovelli, "The Order of Time" p. 40"Timeless is this world we are making, tenseless its language"Yiyun Li, "Where reasons end" p. 12"Such a 'past' is so little past that it ... is active in the present; it is present and atemporal at once"Dominique Scarfone, "The Unpast" p. 155ABSTRACTI suggest that the "here-and-now" leans on an illusion of past-present-future and obscures the multiple temporalities of many patients. I review considerations of time in psychoanalysis and Scarfone's "unpast," wherein the repressed is untouched by time and is continually repeated in a time that does not pass. The residue of trauma, neglect, and absence are unrepresented and find expression in the "untelling" of repetitions and enactments where there is no past where trauma can be located and mourned and no present from which to view the past. When the untelling of group enactments tell their story, new temporalities emerge and the unpast is transformed. The untelling becomes a lived narrative in group and the past becomes instantiated. Trauma and neglect can be mourned and new realities grow. I argue that this does not depend on patients using words and can be disrupted by doing so. A vignette illustrates these concepts.

Group therapy is a key intervention for complex trauma, and virtual groups are becoming more widespread. This report provides a thematic analysis of feedback obtained from 26 patients with complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) who underwent 8-week teletherapy trauma-focused (tTFT) groups during the COVID-19 pandemic, crossing perspectives with their experiences in in-person groups. Patients reported on their sense of physical, emotional, and sanitary safety online and in-person, reflected on virtual factors affecting the group psychotherapy process, and commented on their sense of connection in the group, online or in-person. When given the choice, most patients preferred in-person groups.

Existential groups (EGs) have been used in mental health care settings to help patients struggling with various mental illnesses, some proven effective in reducing psychiatric symptoms and increasing self-awareness, hope, and meaning in life. However, there is a need for greater knowledge of health outcomes, characteristics, and treatment variables of such groups. To provide clinically valuable knowledge for group therapists and further research, a scoping review was conducted to determine the characteristics of EG in terms of leaders' professions, time frames, diagnoses, locations, patients' and clinicians' affiliations, theoretical approaches or traditions, treatment rationales, and outcome variables and results. A systematic database search identified relevant papers published between 2013 and 2023. Of 4,838 unique publications, 22 were eligible for inclusion. EGs in mental health care featured numerous group characteristics linked to different group leaders' professions, clinical contexts and diagnoses. Multiple therapeutic rationales, together with different secular, spiritual and/or religious traditions were found to be applied in diverse ways. A quantitative method was used in 17 of the 22 studies, of which six were randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies. Both psychological and existential outcomes were measured, such as reduced psychiatric symptoms and increased self-awareness, hope, and meaning in life. Research on EGs in mental health-care settings has increased, characterized by robust study designs demonstrating the effectiveness of EGs. The findings can contribute to a more evidence informed implementation of EGs in clinical practice. However, more research is needed on semi-open long-term groups, long-term outcomes, and qualitative and mixed-methods designs.

Excoriation disorder (ED) involves uncontrollable skin picking, not explained by a dermatologic or other psychological conditions. ED is associated with emotion regulation impairment, psychosocial distress, and psychiatric comorbidities. This study investigated the efficacy of psychodrama group therapy (PGT) in reducing ED symptoms. A randomized controlled trial compared psychodrama group therapy (PGT, n = 26) and support group therapy (SGT, n = 27) as a control. The comparison included ED severity, psychosocial impact, emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, social adjustment, and general clinical status. Bayesian ANOVA models showed improvement in skin excoriation (BF_incl = 1.15e + 7), emotional regulation (BF_incl = 258.12), depression (BF_incl = 89.73), impact of excoriation (BF_incl = 71.69) and anxiety (BF_incl = 20.27) over time for both groups. PGT was not more effective than SGT, but group psychotherapy is a valuable treatment option for ED.

Deaf and hard of hearing (D/HOH) individuals experience higher rates of mental health disorders and face significant barriers when accessing services, particularly in group therapy settings. This study investigates group therapists' perspectives on incorporating D/HOH clients into mixed-ability therapy groups predominantly composed of hearing individuals. Using a mixed-methods design, this study compares the experiences of therapists who have facilitated such groups with the perceptions of those who have not. Qualitative results highlight perceived barriers for therapists without experience working with D/HOH members, including concerns about group cohesion, communication challenges, and interpreter integration. Therapists with experience working with D/HOH members identified the benefits of mixed-ability groups, such as increased empathy, cultural learning, and strengthened group connections. These findings emphasize the need for expanded training, practical accommodations, and cultural competency development to ensure inclusive and effective group therapy for all.