Developmental Arrestations in Self-Analytic Groups

TLDR

The study builds on the assumption that enactors of major roles in training groups—dependency leader, disciplinarian, conciliator, and nonconformer—are proponents of various group options and that these roles are central to different developmental stages. The study aims first to determine whether developmental arrestations occur in self‑analytic groups and to identify their types, then to extend the theoretical model by linking it to role differentiation. The authors observed five self‑analytic groups with six developmental indices, compared arrestational diagnoses from Part 1 data, and used the extended theoretical model to identify points of developmental arrest and derive changes in expectations. The results are promising, but diagnosing developmental arrestations remains unsatisfactory and needs further investigation.

Abstract

In Part 1 we set out to determine if arrestations in group development occur at all, and, if so, what kind of arrestations might be identified. To this end, we observed five self-analytic groups using six developmental indices. Although the results are promising, diagnosis of developmental arrestations is not yet satisfactory and requires closer examination. In Part 2, the theoretical model is extended by relating it to the process of role differentiation. This extension rests on the assumption that enactors of major roles in training groups are, in fact, proponents of various group options, composing the four main problems. Four major roles are differentiated: dependency leader, disciplinarian, conciliator, and nonconformer. These are assumed to be central in different developmental stages. Arrestational diagnoses from present and previous data (Part 1) are compared. The theoretical model enables us to establish points at which group development becomes arrested. Changes in theoretical expectations are derived from the model.