Objective: This study examined the effectiveness and potential mechanisms of an 8-week relational group intervention designed for university students experiencing difficulties with emotion regulation. Grounded in Erskine's relational needs model and supported by expressive arts therapy techniques, the group aimed to reduce emotion regulation difficulties and enhance psychological functioning by fostering relational needs satisfaction. Method: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group was used. Quantitative measures assessed changes in emotion regulation, relational needs satisfaction, self-compassion, psychological well-being, and symptoms of psychopathology. Results: Compared to the control group, participants in the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in emotion regulation (particularly clarity, nonacceptance, and goal-directed behavior), relational needs satisfaction (notably authenticity, shared experience, and having an impact), self-compassion, psychological well-being, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Mediation analyses indicated that self-compassion was associated with reductions in emotion regulation difficulties, and that emotion regulation difficulties were associated with increases in psychological well-being. However, no statistically significant indirect effects were observed for relational needs satisfaction or for emotion regulation difficulties on psychopathology symptoms at the 95% confidence level. Conclusion: These findings provide preliminary evidence that a relational group process integrating expressive arts practices may be effective in enhancing emotional and relational capacities in emerging adults. Improvements in self-compassion and emotion regulation appear to be important processes associated with therapeutic change, warranting further longitudinal investigation.
Objective: Conceptually replicate the longitudinal group actor-partner interdependence models employed by Lo Coco et al. (2019). Method: Participants (N = 348) attended therapy at least six times in groups that met weekly at least nine times. Participants were students, mainly female (54.9%), young (M = 23.9), and White (88.1%). We used the Group Questionnaire at early (Time 1), middle (Time 2), and late (Time 3) time points, collecting data from a previous study (Burlingame, Whitcomb, et al., 2018). We generated intraclass correlation coefficients and longitudinal group actor-partner interdependence models for the Group Questionnaire subscales, Positive Bond (PB), Positive Work (PW), and Negative Relationship (NR). Results: Significant (p < .05) and increasing intraclass correlation coefficients over time (r(Time 1) = .09-.27, r(Time 2) = .14-.16, r(Time 3) = .27-.50) support codevelopment. Mutual influence was not significant for PB or PW but was significant for NR from middle to late stages (b = .13-.26, p < .001). Subscales were generally stable across time (r = .38-.65, p < .001). Conclusions: Replicating Lo Coco et al., we found codevelopment of group therapeutic relationships and mutual influence of NR. In contrast, we did not find mutual influence for PB or PW. In addition to highlighting the importance of replication, results suggest that, across time, relationships improve, and perspectives align. PB may not affect other members later, but group PW and individual and group NR did predict relationships later in treatment.
