Members' goal orientation and working alliance in group therapy: A response surface analysis.

Research suggests that a client's achievement goal orientation and alliance are important for positive treatment outcomes. However, it is currently unknown how a member's goal orientation and alliance in tandem relate to members' improvement in group therapy, despite conceptual wisdom regarding the additive effect of a high alliance and a mastery or approach goal orientation. Therefore, this study sought to examine the congruence between members' goal orientation and the member-group alliance on members' perceived improvement in group therapy. Data for this study came from 99 clients across 10 interpersonal process groups. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis were used to test the congruent and discrepant effects of members' goal orientation (i.e., approach-performance, avoidance-performance, and mastery orientation) and group alliance on their perceived improvement in group therapy. As hypothesized, members who reported congruent high group alliance and high mastery orientation or approach orientation compared to congruent low alliance and low mastery or approach orientation reported high levels of improvement in group therapy. Regarding discrepant effects, discrepant high alliance and low avoidance orientation compared to low alliance and high avoidance was positively related to improvement in group therapy, and discrepant high alliance and low approach orientation compared to low alliance and high approach was positively related to improvement in group therapy. Last, discrepant high alliance and low mastery and low alliance and high mastery were positively related to improvement in group therapy, suggesting a compensatory effect between mastery orientation and alliance on improvement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A Psychometric Analysis of the Patterns of Adapted Learning Scales (PALS) with a Group Psychotherapy Patient Sample: A Measure of Motivation.

Previous research has examined the role of clients' goal orientation, or the motives one uses to achieve specific tasks or goals in individual therapy highlighting the importance of clients' goal orientation within a therapeutic context. Constructing and validating a measure of clients' achievement goal orientation in group psychotherapy is needed to allow for additional methodologically sound research to examine the role of achievement goal orientation in the process and outcome of group psychotherapy. Data from 99 adult group members across 23 interpersonal process groups were used to investigate the psychometric properties of the Patterns of Adapted Learning Scales-Group Psychotherapy Version (PALS-GP), including internal reliability, structural validity, and concurrent and criterion-related validity. The PALS-GP scores revealed an overall good internal consistency (α = .76-.86) and yielded a robust three-factor structure. Evidence of concurrent and predictive validity was also demonstrated with a measure of group alliance and client improvement, respectively. The PALS-GP appears to be a promising instrument for measuring goal orientation with a clinical population participating in group therapy.

Photovoice as community-based participatory research: a qualitative review.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the use of photovoice as a research methodology to identify and explore community health and disability priorities. METHODS: Published studies (n = 31) that applied photovoice as a research methodology to promote and enhance individual and community change were identified and reviewed. RESULTS: Findings are explored and organized by community concerns and priorities; participant recruitment, training, and camera instruction; identification of photo assignment; photo assignment discussion; data analysis; outcomes; and evaluation of program and policy changes. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limitations of the studies and/or how they are reported, findings from this review support further application of photovoice to facilitate community change.