Group climate, cohesion, and curative climate: A study on the common factors in the group process and their relation with members' attachment dimensions

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among the group process measured by the Group Climate Questionnaire, the Cohesion to the Therapist Scale and Cohesion to the Group Scale, and the Curative Climate Instrument to explore higher order factors that explained the group relationship in a sample of 91 female university students attending six interpersonal growth groups. Furthermore, the study examined how group members' attachment dimensions, anxiety, and avoidance were associated to their perceptions of the group relationship. We found that a three-factor model consisting of positive bond, positive work, and negative relationship approached conventional standards of a model fit. Moreover, the results of the study also supported a model with three latent second-order constructs (bond, work, and negative relationship) and two structural perspectives as first-order factors (member-group and member-leader). Contrary to the hypothesis, the theoretical model on the associations between individuals' attachment dimensions and the group process did not fit well with the data. The results of the current study further supported the cross-cultural validation of a model with both quality and structure dimensions of the group relationship. Implications for group process research are discussed.