The influence of members’ attachment style on group cohesion in substance use therapy groups

Group cohesion is an important factor in group therapy as it influences treatment outcomes and group processes. One’s attachment style has been found to impact experiences of group cohesion, however research into this relationship in substance use disorder (SUD) group treatment is lacking. This is of particular concern as insecure attachment presentations are more prevalent in this clinical population and group therapy is often treatment of choice. The current study sought to determine whether attachment style significantly predicted group cohesion. It also provided a qualitative exploration of factors that promote group cohesion in SUD group treatment. Participants (N = 38) attending a SUD therapy program completed self-report measures. Attachment avoidance was a significant negative predictor of positive bonding and positive working, and a significant positive predictor of negative relationships. Attachment anxiety was a significant negative predictor of negative relationships, however, unexpectedly did not significantly predict positive bonding or positive working. The current findings highlight the importance of group therapists tailoring group treatment to meet the attachment needs of individuals to promote a group therapy environment conducive to recovery.

Establishing a Secure Base to Increase Exploration of Diversity in Groups

All groups can be considered multicultural, and group members often present with issues that stem from contextual factors related to cultural identities, including experiences with oppression. Therefore, group leaders must be able to effectively facilitate deep intercultural dialogues in psychotherapy groups, and we suggest that an understanding of attachment theory can help leaders engage group members in these dialogues. In order to demonstrate how attachment theory can be applied to the exploration of diversity in groups, we provide a case example from an intergroup dialogue group bringing together religious minorities, secular individuals, and Christians over the course of eight weeks. In this example, we focus on the two group members who scored the lowest (Jill) and highest (Sarah) on a measure of attachment anxiety and avoidance to illustrate the experiences of one member with more secure attachment and one with more preoccupied attachment. Specifically, we present data from their weekly reflective journals to explore their different experiences of the group over time. Finally, we discuss the case in terms of attachment theory and highlight implications for group leaders.

Why Do People Prefer Individual Therapy Over Group Therapy?

The current study aims to identify the reason people avoid group therapy despite its recognized effectiveness. Participants were 224 university students, men and women from two ethnic groups (Jewish and Arab) in Israel. We asked them to mark their preference for individual or group therapy on a 7-point scale and add five arguments in favor and against each type of therapy. Results verified the tendency to prefer individual over group therapy, with minor gender or ethnic effects. Participant arguments indicated accuracy in identifying the strength of group therapy, but various fears limit their enthusiasm about group therapy. The discussion focuses on possible ways to overcome those fears.

The influence of individual attachment styles on group members' experience of therapist transitions

Attachment theory has recently been applied to clinical practice in an effort to improve understanding and treatment of the maladaptive relational patterns clients bring to therapy. While most of this research has focused on individual therapy, interest in the application of attachment theory to group psychotherapy is growing. This paper will explore the impact of clients' attachment styles on their experiences of co-therapist transition in an ongoing psychodynamic therapy group. This discussion will elucidate how knowledge of attachment theory and an understanding of clients' individual attachment styles can be useful in predicting responses to therapist-initiated terminations and transitions.

Children with and without learning disabilities: a comparison of processes and outcomes following group counseling

This study compared outcomes and processes in counseling groups of an expressive-supportive modality for children with learning disabilities (LD) and without them (NLD). Participants were 266 students (ages 10-18), all referred for emotional, social, and behavioral difficulties; of these, 123 were identified with LD and 143 were not. There were 40 groups in all--20 with LD children and 20 with NLD. Outcome variables included adjustment, social competence, and academic achievements. Process variables included bonding, group functioning, and client behavior. Analyses were nested using mixed models. Results indicated no differences in outcomes or process variables between populations except for academic achievements; some between-group differences were found in the effect of processes on outcomes. It was concluded that children with LD may be successfully treated in expressive-supportive counseling groups for their emotional and social difficulties.

Multiple attachments and group psychotherapy: implications for college counseling centers

A large body of literature has supported the application of attachment theory to the understanding of college student development and the process of individual psychotherapy. Despite group treatment being one of the major methods of intervention in college counseling centers, there has been very little research guided by attachment theory that has been applied to the area of group psychotherapy. Many current assessment instruments used in college counseling centers can be supported with attachment theory, and many group therapy interventions are aimed at facilitating secure working models of self, other, and groups. This paper explores the importance of personal and group attachments in group psychotherapy and specifically addresses implications for clinical training and research in university counseling centers.