Therapist Perceptions of Important Therapeutic Factors in Psychotherapy Groups for Male Inmates in State Correctional Facilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate group therapists’perceptions of therapeutic factors in psychotherapy groups for incarcerated male inmates. Participants (159 group therapy providers from 78 adult male state correctional facilities) completed a survey designed to assess their perceptions about (a) the relative importance of therapeutic factors as group goals, (b) the amount of group time spent discussing and/or processing therapeutic factors, and (c) the level of progress group members made on therapeutic factors. Interpersonal learning, universality, and imparting information appear to be highly valued by group therapists across the three questions mentioned above. Existential factors and corrective recapitulation of the primary family group were consistently rated significantly lower on the three questions of interest as compared to the other therapeutic factors. Implications of these findings and suggestions for further research are highlighted.