| Factor | Definition |
|---|---|
| Instilling of hope | Imbuing the client with optimism for the success of the group therapy experience. |
| Universality | Disconfirming the client’s sense of aloneness or uniqueness in misery or hurt |
| Imparting of information | Giving didactic instruction, advice, or suggestions |
| Altruism | Finding that the client can be of importance to others; having something of value to give |
| Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group | Reviewing and correctively reliving early familial conflicts and growth-inhibiting relationships |
| Development of socializing techniques | Acquiring sophisticated social skills, such as being attuned to process, resolving conflicts, and being facilitative toward others |
| Imitative behavior | Trying out bits and pieces of the behavior of others and experimenting with those that fit well |
| Interpersonal learning | Learning that the client is the author of his or her interpersonal world and moving to alter it |
| Group cohesiveness | Being attracted to the group and the other members with a sense of “we”-ness rather than “I”-ness |
| Catharsis | Being able to express feelings |
| Existential factors | Being able to “be” with others; to be a part of a group |
Adapted from Wilson, HS, & Kneisl, CR: Psychiatric Nursing, ed 3.
Addison-Wesley, Redwood City, CA. (out of print)