A review of literature about effects of encounter group training on state affect suggests that positive affect increases and negative affect decreases during training. Volunteer subjects were assigned randomly to encounter groups and were administered the Affect Rating Scale before, during, and subsequent to the groups. Results generally support the hypothesis.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
D'Augelli, A. (1974) "Changes in self-reported anxiety during a small group experience."J. of Counseling Psychology21: 202-205
2.
. Ettkin, L. (1971) "Anxiety in original persons."Dissertation Abstracts Int. 32: 3617B
3.
. Eysenck, H. and S. Eysenck (1963) The Eysenck Personality InventorySan Diego: Educational and Industrial Testing Service.
4.
Ford, J. (1973) "A process analysis of changes in positive affect in a weekend laboratory training group."Dissertation Abstracts Int.33: 4831A
5.
. Kilmann, P. (1974) "Anxiety reactions to marathon group therapy."J. of Clinical Psychology30: 267-268.
6.
———and S. Auerbach (1974) "Effects of marathon group therapy on trait and state anxiety."J. of Consulting and Clinical Psychology4: 607-612
7.
. Lieberman, M., I. Yalom, and M. Miles (1973) Encounter Groups: First FactsNew York: Basic Books.
8.
Long, T., J. Schuerge, D. Bosshart, and R. Menges (1971) "Fluctuations in psychological state during two encounter group weekends."Psych. Reports29: 267-274
9.
. Mackeen, B. and A. Herman (1974) "Effects of group counseling on self-esteem."J. of Counseling Psychology21: 210-214.
10.
McMillan, O. (1972) "The development and use of the McMillan Affective Relationship Scale in measuring the effects of verbal interaction and of select nonverbal techniques of communication on synthesized desirable group outcomes of group dynamics procedures in sensitivity training."Dissertation Abstracts Int.32: 5551A
11.
. Rohrbaugh, N. (1975) "Patterns and correlates of emotional arousal in laboratory training."J. of Applied Behavioral Sci.11: 220
12.
. Shadish, W. (forthcoming) "The relationship between state-trait anxiety and encounter group participation and outcome."Small Group Behavior17
13.
. ———( 1975) "The validity of the McMillan Affective Relationship Scale for encounter group outcome research." Master's thesis, Purdue University.
14.
———and T. Zarle (forthcoming) "The validation of an encounter group outcome measure."Small Group Behavior.
15.
Sipprelle, R., F. Gilbert, and J. Ascough (1978) "The Affect Rating Scale: unipolar, semantic space components of affective state." (Unpublished manuscript)
16.
Smith, P. (1975) "Controlled studies of the outcome of sensitivity training"Psych. Bull.82: 597-622
17.
. Spielberger, C.D. (1972) "Anxiety as an emotional state," in C. D. Spielberger (ed.) Anxiety: Current Trends in Theory and Research.New York: Academic Press.
18.
Winer, B. (1971) Statistical Principles in Experimental DesignNew York: McGraw-Hill.
19.
Zuckerman, M. (1960) "The development of an affect adjective checklist for the measurement of anxiety."J. of Consulting Psychology24: 457-462.
