A developmental framework for initiating group counseling and psychotherapy is presented. On the basis of existing evidence, client risk, responsibility, and group structure were postulated as basic ingredients affecting early group development. Client exposure to levels of personal risk and responsibility most conducive to group development can…

Examines relative efficacy of dissonance theory and interpersonal attraction theory over random composition in composing groups that will work best in group therapy. Treatment variables were a tape-recorded treatment condition, a placebo condition, and a no-treatment control condition. No clear support for either theory of group support was found.…

The authors believe that the most imperative problem facing the investigators and consumers of group treatment research is the limited level of conceptualization within the field. They discuss the differentiation of group and individual treatment and offer a conceptualization of group treatment goals by which to consider the research. (Author)