The facts about “encounter groups: First facts”

The book, Encounter groups: First facts, by Lieberman, Yalom and Miles (1973), probably the most extensive research done on groups, concluded, among other things, that encounter groups are hazardous and ineffective. A reanalysis of the data found that these groups were unrepresentative of encouinter groups because over one-third of the leaders had little or no previous experience in leading encounter groups, and only one-fifth of the leaders were high in emotional stimulation, the major characteristic of encounter group leaders. Also, both “caring” and “emotional stimulation,” or “group intensity,” which is an encounter group characteristic, are beneficial elements in psychotherapy and encounter groups. This reanalysis supported either no difference between encounter and therapy groups, or a slightly greater effectiveness of encounter group methods.