MC Master of Counseling: Group Therapy Principles 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Closed groups differ from open groups primarily in that closed groups:
- Do not allow any member disclosures
- Maintain the same membership throughout the group's life (Correct answer)
- Are closed to the public but accept new members anytime
- Prohibit the leader from intervening
Correct answer: Maintain the same membership throughout the group's life
Closed groups begin and end with the same members, which enhances cohesion and trust over time.
Question 2: The 'corrective recapitulation of the primary family group' as a curative factor means:
- Recreating family of origin conflicts without resolution
- The group provides a new, healthier family-like experience that corrects old relational patterns (Correct answer)
- Inviting family members to join group sessions
- Teaching parenting skills within the group
Correct answer: The group provides a new, healthier family-like experience that corrects old relational patterns
Members re-experience family dynamics in the group but with the opportunity for different, healthier outcomes.
Question 3: A group leader who shares a personal experience to normalize a member's struggle is using which technique?
- Transference interpretation
- Leader self-disclosure (Correct answer)
- Projective identification
- Blocking
Correct answer: Leader self-disclosure
Leader self-disclosure, used judiciously, can normalize experiences, model vulnerability, and deepen group trust.
Question 4: According to ethical guidelines, maintaining confidentiality in a group setting is more complex than in individual therapy because:
- Group therapy is not covered by HIPAA
- The leader cannot control what members disclose outside the group (Correct answer)
- Members are not bound by any confidentiality expectations
- Co-leaders share all information with each other automatically
Correct answer: The leader cannot control what members disclose outside the group
While the leader is ethically and legally bound, member-to-member confidentiality can only be encouraged, not legally enforced.
Question 5: In Gestalt group therapy, the concept of 'contact' refers to:
- Physical touching between members
- Meaningful meeting at the boundary between self and environment or others (Correct answer)
- The leader's phone follow-up with members
- Agreeing on group norms
Correct answer: Meaningful meeting at the boundary between self and environment or others
Contact in Gestalt is the genuine, present-centered encounter between a person and others or their environment.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the role of 'linking' as a group leader intervention?
- Connecting the group to external community resources
- Drawing connections between members' themes to build cohesion (Correct answer)
- Linking group goals to individual treatment plans only
- Using hyperlinks in psychoeducational handouts
Correct answer: Drawing connections between members' themes to build cohesion
Linking highlights shared themes across members, reinforcing universality and group cohesion.
Question 7: Research on group therapy outcomes consistently shows that group therapy is:
- Significantly less effective than individual therapy for most conditions
- Roughly equivalent in effectiveness to individual therapy for many conditions (Correct answer)
- Only effective for psychoeducational goals
- Contraindicated for anxiety disorders
Correct answer: Roughly equivalent in effectiveness to individual therapy for many conditions
Meta-analyses find group therapy produces outcomes comparable to individual therapy across a wide range of presenting concerns.
MC Master of Counseling: Group Therapy Principles 5
Closed groups differ from open groups primarily in that closed groups: