Therapeutic Factors in Guidance versus Counseling Sessions of Domestic Violence Groups

Abstract

Group leaders randomly employed a counseling leadership approach for one session in place of the guidance leadership approach typically used in six ongoing domestic violence offender groups. Group members completed the Critical Incident Questionnaire to assess therapeutic factors and the Group Experience Rating Form to assess if the leadership approaches were worthwhile. Results suggested more participants experienced hope and information during the guidance sessions, and universality, cohesion, and interpersonal learning during the counseling sessions. Existential factors were more prevalent during the guidance sessions. There was no significant difference in the extent to which members believed the two approaches were worthwhile.

Keywords:

• counseling/
• interpersonal problem solving groups
• domestic violence intervention
• guidance/
• psycho-educational groups
• therapeutic factors

Notes

G = Guidance/Psycho-educational. C = Counseling/Interpersonal problem solving. Sessions in bold were assessed using the CIQ and GERF.

(Differences in excess of 3% are indicated in bold.)

∗Percentage differences are in the predicted directions.

∗∗No prediction was made regarding differences.

∗∗∗Percentage difference was not in the predicted direction.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael Waldo

Michael Waldo, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at New Mexico State University.

Philip A. Kerne

Philip A. Kerne IV, Ph.D., is located in Austin, Texas.

Valerie Van Horn Kerne

Valerie Van Horn Kerne, M.A., is a first-year doctoral student in counseling psychology in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.