Group Radical Openness: Participants' attributions of change

Abstract

Background

Group Radical Openness (GRO) has been shown to be a feasible and acceptable intervention for individuals who struggle with costly overcontrol. This paper explores participants' reports of attributions of change following the engagement in GRO.

Method

Fourteen participants took part in qualitative interviews. An adapted version of ‘The Revised Client Change Interview Schedule: Version 5’ was used to capture the experiences of change following the intervention (Elliott & Rodgers, 2008). Research participants were outpatients of a psychiatric hospital who attended GRO. The sample consisted of 14 participants (6 females: 8 males); mean age 44.4 years; and age range 18–58. All participants attended 26, 3-h group sessions. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify the specific aspects of the group therapy to which clients attributed change.

Results

The analysis identified three superordinate themes, each with two subthemes. These included Safety and Connection (Safety and Tribe; Open and Genuine Facilitation); Understanding Overcontrol (Awareness of Overcontrol; The GRO Approach); and Carrying GRO Forward (Increased Awareness and Capacity to Reflect; Internalising GRO).

Conclusion

Group Radical Openness was shown to be an acceptable group therapy treatment for people with an overcontrolled coping style. This paper further clarifies the participants' experiences of GRO and what aspects led to change from their perspective.