Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups

Introduction. In group psychotherapy research, there are few reliable measures for tracking members’ change. This study proposes a further adaptation of the Innovative Moment Coding System for Groups (IMCS-G), a reliable method previously developed in one format of group intervention for detecting...

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Main Authors: Giovanna Esposito, Anna Sara Cutolo, Raffaella Passeggia, Silvia Formentin, Mario Miguel Gonçalves
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PAGEPress Publications 2022-12-01
Series:Research in Psychotherapy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/index.php/rpsy/article/view/648
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author Giovanna Esposito
Anna Sara Cutolo
Raffaella Passeggia
Silvia Formentin
Mario Miguel Gonçalves
author_facet Giovanna Esposito
Anna Sara Cutolo
Raffaella Passeggia
Silvia Formentin
Mario Miguel Gonçalves
author_sort Giovanna Esposito
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. In group psychotherapy research, there are few reliable measures for tracking members’ change. This study proposes a further adaptation of the Innovative Moment Coding System for Groups (IMCS-G), a reliable method previously developed in one format of group intervention for detecting innovative moments (IMs). IMs are exceptions to the clients’ problematic narratives, organized in different levels of complexity in terms of meaning elaboration (Level 1, 2, and 3). IMCS-G consists of 7 categories (Self-Directed, Other-Directed, Explicit Mirroring, Interaction 1, Interaction 2, Collective, Voice of Group) organized in two macro-categories: Individual (e.g., change was narrated by a single participant) and Group IMs (e.g., change was co-constructed by more than one participant). Methods. Two reliable coders applied the IMCS-G to analyze the transcripts of nine sessions of a counseling group addressed to underachieving university students (N=10) and eight sessions of a brief group psychotherapy targeted to substance abusers (N=8). Agreement and reliability for IMCS-G categories and their Levels were calculated. Results. Consistently with previous studies, a strong agreement and reliability for IMCS-G categories and Levels were found in both group interventions. Furthermore, despite some differences in the frequency of IMCS-G categories and Levels, in both interventions, there was a higher frequency of Self-Directed IMs, a lower frequency of the Explicit Mirroring IMs, and a higher frequency of Level 3 Group IMs. Discussion. This study confirmed the reliability of IMCS-G in different group formats, but it also suggested rooms of improvement for some IMCS-G categories.
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spelling doaj.art-f55627ee18c144318539470b6e25ade42022-12-29T14:46:55ZengPAGEPress PublicationsResearch in Psychotherapy2499-75522239-80312022-12-0125310.4081/ripppo.2022.648Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for GroupsGiovanna Esposito0Anna Sara Cutolo1Raffaella Passeggia2Silvia Formentin3Mario Miguel Gonçalves4Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, ItalyAddiction Department, Azienda ULSS 6 Euganea, Padua, ItalySchool of Psychology, University of Minho, Portugal Introduction. In group psychotherapy research, there are few reliable measures for tracking members’ change. This study proposes a further adaptation of the Innovative Moment Coding System for Groups (IMCS-G), a reliable method previously developed in one format of group intervention for detecting innovative moments (IMs). IMs are exceptions to the clients’ problematic narratives, organized in different levels of complexity in terms of meaning elaboration (Level 1, 2, and 3). IMCS-G consists of 7 categories (Self-Directed, Other-Directed, Explicit Mirroring, Interaction 1, Interaction 2, Collective, Voice of Group) organized in two macro-categories: Individual (e.g., change was narrated by a single participant) and Group IMs (e.g., change was co-constructed by more than one participant). Methods. Two reliable coders applied the IMCS-G to analyze the transcripts of nine sessions of a counseling group addressed to underachieving university students (N=10) and eight sessions of a brief group psychotherapy targeted to substance abusers (N=8). Agreement and reliability for IMCS-G categories and their Levels were calculated. Results. Consistently with previous studies, a strong agreement and reliability for IMCS-G categories and Levels were found in both group interventions. Furthermore, despite some differences in the frequency of IMCS-G categories and Levels, in both interventions, there was a higher frequency of Self-Directed IMs, a lower frequency of the Explicit Mirroring IMs, and a higher frequency of Level 3 Group IMs. Discussion. This study confirmed the reliability of IMCS-G in different group formats, but it also suggested rooms of improvement for some IMCS-G categories. https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/index.php/rpsy/article/view/648group process researchinnovative momentsgroup psychotherapygroup counselingadaptation study
spellingShingle Giovanna Esposito
Anna Sara Cutolo
Raffaella Passeggia
Silvia Formentin
Mario Miguel Gonçalves
Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups
Research in Psychotherapy
group process research
innovative moments
group psychotherapy
group counseling
adaptation study
title Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups
title_full Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups
title_fullStr Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups
title_full_unstemmed Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups
title_short Tracking change in group interventions: a further adaptation of the Innovative Moments Coding System for Groups
title_sort tracking change in group interventions a further adaptation of the innovative moments coding system for groups
topic group process research
innovative moments
group psychotherapy
group counseling
adaptation study
url https://www.researchinpsychotherapy.org/index.php/rpsy/article/view/648
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