ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on ways in which the small-group process literature may inform and complement the practices of existing group-based trauma treatment protocols. It presents and discusses a selected set of principles with good track records within the small-group literature for increasing the effectiveness of group treatment, independent of the specific therapeutic orientation used. The chapter begins with an overview of a number of advantages associated with adopting a group-based modality in the treatment of psychological and psychiatric disorders in general. It reviews findings regarding the relative effectiveness of interventions based on formal theories of change compared to placebo groups. The chapter discusses the implications of these findings for identifying and understanding the mechanisms of change underlying the positive treatment effects observed across a variety of trauma treatment modalities. It also focuses on two illustrative principles—group development and interpersonal feedback—that show promise for complementing existing trauma treatment protocols.
