Evaluation of Therapeutic Factors in Group Psychotherapy by Therapists in Training

This study evaluates the importance of therapeutic factors in group psychotherapy, as perceived by psychotherapists in training. Twelve members from two training groups completed Yalom's (1975) Therapeutic Factor Questionnaire. Their views were compared to those of sixteen experienced group therapists and twenty-five out- patients undergoing group psychotherapy.The training group was found to operate on a similar level to the patient groups, as they differed only on the evaluation of universality. In contrast, experienced therapists rated significantly more highly the importance of six factors: interpersonal input and output, cohesiveness, family re-enactment, universality and identification. The findings give evidence to support the importance of trainee psychotherapists gaining personal therapeutic experience. This enables them to empathize with the patients and realize their needs.