Recent Research in Psychology

Recent Research in Psychology

1.0. Fisher R.C. Silver 1.M. Chinsky B. Goff Y. Klar Evaluating a Large Group Awareness Training A Longitudinal Study of Psychosocial Effects Springer-Verlag New York Berlin Heidelberg London Paris Toyko Hong Kong

Jeffrey D. Fisher, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1020, USA Roxane Cohen Silver, PhD, Program in Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92717, USA Jack M. Chinsky, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1020, USA Barry Goff, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1020, USA Yechiel Klar, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1020, USA Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Evaluating a large group awareness training: a longitudinal study of psychosocial effects I J.D. Fisher... let al.], authors. p. em. - (Recent research in psychology) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN-13:978-0-387-97320-3 1. Group relations training - Longitudinal studies. 2. Group relations training-evaluation. 1. Fisher, Jeffrey D., 1949-. II. Series. HM134.E93 1990 302'.14-dc20 90-36700 Printed on acid-free paper. 1990 1.0. Fisher, R.C. Silver, I.M. Chinsky, B. Goff, and Y. K1ar. All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, etc., in this publication, even if the former are not especially identified, is not to be taken as a sign that such names, as understood by the 1i"ade Marks and Merchandise Marks Act, may accordingly be used freely by anyone. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of going to press, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Camera-ready copy provided by the authors. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I ISBN-13:978-0-387-97320-3 e-isbn-13:978-1-4612-3428-9 DOl: 10.1007/978-1-4612-3428-9

Dedication In memory of Jack Mantos: For his tireless support of this research and for giving us the complete freedom to perform it. Although he might not have agreed with all our findings, he would have no doubt wanted them to serve as the impetus for continued methodologically rigorous research in this area.

Acknowledgements This research was supported by mixed sources grant number 1171"()()()-1l-00215-14-626 to the University of Connecticut. We thank Werner Erhard and Associates who permitted the researchers access to the Forum subject population, and under whose auspices the funds for conducting this study were provided. This program of research was conducted under a formal agreement between Werner Erhard and Associates and the researchers, dated May 6,1985, guaranteeing the researchers complete independence in every phase of the project For a copy of the agreement with the University of Connecticut, see Appendix B. A similar agreement was also signed with the University of Waterloo. We also wish to express our appn-.ciation to Thomas Malloy for his statistical consultation. In addition, Ellen Amore, Lis Cade, Rena Epstein, Robert Green, Pamela Kerouack, Diane Kimble, Donald Meichenbaum, Richard Mendola, Amy Reichard, Lisa Ross, Ann Sharp, Patty Sivo, Carol Valone, and Cyndi Zagieboylo are acknowledged for the important role they played in various phases of the research. A condensed version of some of the material contained in this volume appeared in Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (Fisher, Silver, Chinsky, Goff, Klar, & Zagieboylo, 1989). We thank the American Psychological Association for granting us permission to reprint the relevant material. This research was conducted while Roxane Cohen Silver was on the faculty of the University of Waterloo, Canada. Barry Goff is now with the Human Interface Group, Hartford, Connecticut, and Yechiel Klar is at the Department of Psychology, University of Kansas. The research reported in this volume was awarded the American Psychological Association, Division 13, National Psychological Consultants to Management Award, August 13,1989. vii

Contents I. Introduction... 1 Large Group Awareness Training: An Historical Context... 1 The Controversy Surrounding LGATs... 3 Past LGAT Outcome Research... 5 Design Considerations in LGAT Research... 10 The Current Research... 17 II. Study Methods... 19 Overview of the Methods Employed... 19 Research Design... 19 Experimental Procedures... 23 LGAT Outcome Measures... 25 Measures Included Only in the Follow-Up Study... 33 III. Results.......................................................... 36 Preliminary Analyses... 36 Analysis of the Data... 39 IV. Discussion... 73 Possible Negative Effects of Forum Participation... 73 Possible Positive Outcomes of Forum Participation... 74 Mediational Models of Positive Effects of Forum Participation... 75 Alternative Explanations for the Results... 76 Significance of the Results... 80 References... 81 Appendix A... 89 Appendix B... 136 ix