The development, implementation and evaluation of a group therapy program for sexually abused female adolescents

Taylor, Nancy Ann Marie (1989) The development, implementation and evaluation of a group therapy program for sexually abused female adolescents. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a group therapy program for sexually abused adolescents. -- The therapy group developed by the researcher was a 12 week structured program based on the situation/transition group model. The effects of sexual abuse on its victims, the needs of adolescence, and the curative components of group therapy provided the framework for the development of the group therapy program examined in this study. -- The implementation of the program was a three phase project spanning over a year, from April 1986 to June 1987. A pilot group and a trial group were valuable precursors to the group evaluated in this study. All three groups were conducted in St. John's, Newfoundland at the offices of the Adolescent Health Counselling Services. -- The evaluation of the group therapy program was composed of two components; outcome evaluation and process evaluation. -- The outcome evaluation involved the adolescents completing a Needs Assessment Questionnaire prior to the commencement of the group to help them identify their individual needs and goals. Following completion of the group the members evaluated how successful the group was in helping them meet these needs and goals in a Final Evaluation Questionnaire. The results showed that the group therapy program was a helpful form of treatment for the sexually abused adolescents who participated in this study. The degree of helpfulness varied amongst the members. -- Another component of the outcome evaluation required the adolescents to complete a pre and posttest standardized self-image questionnaire. The results of the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire showed that following the group experience, five adolescents had shown a significant positive change in their total scores, one adolescent had shown a significant negative change and two adolescents had shown no significant change. -- The process component of the evaluation involved a session by session evaluation of various group processes occurring throughout the group therapy program. The instruments used in this phase of the evaluation included a Group Climate questionnaire, a Session Evaluation Questionnaire, and a Participation Questionnaire. The results of these questionnaires allowed the group leaders to identify helpful and not so helpful processes occurring within the group, focus on individual members needs and plan the following sessions accordingly. -- Another component of the process evaluation included the group members' identifying the most and least helpful curative factors of group therapy in the Final Evaluation Questionnaire. -- The process evaluation was considered a critical contributing factor to the successful results of the outcome evaluation of this study.

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