67th Annual Conference

Friday, February 26

Session 208

Group Development and Outcome for a Running Therapy Group

Presented in cooperation with the New Beginnings Community Services/National Alliance on Mental Illness

Presenters:

Bryan T. Duncan, Ph.D., Staff Psychologist, Texas Tech University Student Counseling Center, Lubbock, Texas

Susan C. Duncan, Ph.D, Lead Researcher, Quan-Qual Outcomes,  Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

Nicole Gilinsky, B.S., Graduate Student, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

The purpose of this presentation is to examine the trajectory of group development in a running (exercise) therapy group compared to a traditional therapy group in the university counseling center setting. Unique aspects of incorporating running with group therapy will be considered and group process outcomes will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Compare aspects of group development in a running therapy group to a traditional therapy group in a university counseling setting.

2. Identify unique issues in group development that occur in a running therapy group.

3. Apply understanding of longitudinal research methods to group process outcome measurement.

Course References:

Brossart, D. F., Patton, M. J., & Wood, P. K. (1998). Assessing group process: An illustration using tuckerized growth curves. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2(1), 3-17.

Johnson, J. E., Burlingame, G. M., Olsen, J. A., Davies, D. R., & Gleave, R. L. (2005). Group Climate, Cohesion, Alliance, and Empathy in Group Psychotherapy: Multilevel Structural Equation Models. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(3), 310-321.

Kostrubala, T. (1976). Joy of running. 1st ed. Philadelphia; United States: Lippincott.

MacKenzie, K. R. (1981). Measurement of group climate. International Journal Of Group Psychotherapy, 31(3), 287-295.

MacKenzie, K. R. (1983). The clinical application of a group climate measure. In R. R. Dies & K. R. MacKenzie (Eds.), Advances in group psychotherapy: Integrating research and practice (pp. 159-170). New York: International Universities Press.