Joseph R. Miles

Predicting Group Attendance Using in-Session Behaviors

A session-level analysis examines the relationship between intimate behaviors of an individual group member and of the other group members in a session, and individual group member attendance in the following session. Specifically, the model proposed by Kenny, Mannetti, Pierro, Livi, and Kashy (2002) for analyzing individual and group effects in small groups is used to examine session attendance in 575 group sessions for 30 group members in 5 interpersonal growth groups. Either being the member who enacted the most or least intimate behaviors in a session, or having a relatively lower level of intimate behaviors by the other group members in a session, decreases the likelihood that a group member would attend the following group session. These findings are interpreted in terms of Yalom and Leszcz’s (2005) ideas about being a group outlier and the importance of group context. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Using Focus Groups and Rasch Item Response Theory to Improve Instrument Development

Item response theory (IRT) is not widely used in counseling psychology research, despite its considerable advantages for instrument development. Focus groups help create a broad and representative item pool that is more likely to tap the full range of the latent dimension, thereby capitalizing on IRT strengths. We provide suggestions for using these tools, with an empirical example, the Everyday Multicultural Competencies/Revised Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (EMC/RSEE). Rasch IRT methods were used to (a) analyze response format performance and collapse poorly performing categories, (b) evaluate differential item functioning sex bias, and (c) select items to maximize subscale sensitivity and bandwidth. Traditional classical test theory (CTT) subscales composed of items with the highest factor loadings were compared with subscales based on IRT criteria. Compared with CTT subscales, IRT subscales used in the EMC/RSEE demonstrated generally higher correlations with other variables of interest, and superior sensitivity to change over time and to group differences.

Intergroup Dialogue in Undergraduate Multicultural Psychology Education: Group Climate Development and Outcomes

We examined group climate and outcomes in 19 intergroup dialogues (IGD) focused on gender, race and ethnicity, religion and spirituality, sexual orientation, or social class at a large, public university. Group members completed pre- and postdialogue outcome measures of colorblind racial attitudes, ethnocultural empathy, and attitudes toward diversity. Following each weekly session, participants also completed a group climate measure assessing engagement, avoidance, and conflict. Across 8 weeks, group members’ perceptions of engagement significantly increased and their perceptions of avoidance significantly decreased; however, there were no significant changes in perceptions of conflict. In addition, we found significant pre- to postdialogue decreases in 2 aspects of colorblind racial attitudes: blindness to racial privilege (RP) and blindness to institutional discrimination (ID), and significant increases in empathic perspective taking (EPT). Finally, change in individual group members’ perceptions of group engagement over time predicted postdialogue RP, ID, and EPT, when controlling for predialogue scores on the same variables. These findings are discussed in relationship to the critical-dialogic model of IGD, and implications for research and practice are explored.

Internalized heterosexism, religious coping, and psychache in LGB young adults who identify as religious.

We examined psychache, or intolerable emotional suffering, in a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults who identified as religious. Using a minority stress framework, we hypothesized internalized heterosexism (IH) would positively relate to psychache. We also hypothesized that positive religious coping (PRC) would moderate or lessen this association. Finally, we examined whether negative religious coping (NRC) moderated or mediated the relation between IH and psychache. A sample of 617 LGB young adults who identified as religious completed an online survey assessing IH, religious coping, and psychache. Consistent with our hypothesis, IH was significantly related to psychache. IH was also significantly, positively correlated with both PRC and NRC, suggesting that individuals use both forms of religious coping in relation to experiencing IH. Results suggested that NRC, but not PRC, was correlated with psychache. Contrary to our hypotheses, neither PRC nor NRC moderated the relation between IH and psychache. NRC did, however, mediate the relation between IH and psychache. Results suggest clinicians working with LGB individuals may want to attend psychache, in addition to other types of psychological distress, and that they may target their interventions toward reducing the use of NRC.

A typology of critical incidents in intergroup dialogue: Perspectives of facilitators-in-training.

There is a growing body of research on the positive outcomes associated with participation in intergroup dialogue (IGD), a group intervention providing opportunities for sustained communication across social groups (Gurin, Nagda, & Zúñiga, 2013). Less research has examined the experiences of IGD facilitators. To better understand these experiences, we examined perceptions of critical incidents (CIs) in 7 consecutive IGD sessions among 13 IGD facilitators-in-training. We used latent semantic analysis (Landauer & Dumais, 1997) on 77 CI reports to derive pairwise similarity ratings. We then conducted a cluster analysis on these ratings and identified 6 clusters of CIs: (a) managing anxiety and promoting safety, (b) development of the group and the cofacilitator relationship, (c) learning from and with others, (d) vulnerable/meaningful disclosures, (e) difference and conflict, and (f) emotional openness. These clusters of CIs are discussed in terms of their relationships to the IGD literature, the literature on group counseling leadership, and the types of CIs identified by group members in previous research (Kivlighan & Arseneau, 2009).

Establishing a Secure Base to Increase Exploration of Diversity in Groups

ABSTRACT All groups can be considered multicultural, and group members often present with issues that stem from contextual factors related to cultural identities, including experiences with oppression. Therefore, group leaders must be able to effectively facilitate deep intercultural dialogues in psychotherapy groups, and we suggest that an understanding of attachment theory can help leaders engage group members in these dialogues. In order to demonstrate how attachment theory can be applied to the exploration of diversity in groups, we provide a case example from an intergroup dialogue group bringing together religious minorities, secular individuals, and Christians over the course of eight weeks. In this example, we focus on the two group members who scored the lowest (Jill) and highest (Sarah) on a measure of attachment anxiety and avoidance to illustrate the experiences of one member with more secure attachment and one with more preoccupied attachment. Specifically, we present data from their weekly reflective journals to explore their different experiences of the group over time. Finally, we discuss the case in terms of attachment theory and highlight implications for group leaders.

Reconsidering Focus Groups and Rasch Model Item Response Theory in Instrument Development

In this rejoinder, we focus on five important themes derived from the valuable comments of Harvey; Wang, Hogge, and Sahai; and Whittaker and Worthington. Specifically, we reflect on (a) methodological and conceptual issues associated with the use of focus groups in developing an initial item pool, (b) the debate about the use of Rasch versus other item response theory (IRT) models, (c) response scale functioning and the use of item parcels, (d) bandwidth and scale sensitivity, and (e) multicultural considerations. We reconsider the strengths and limitations of the approaches that we have endorsed in light of the comments of our colleagues. We conclude with the hope that dialogue on the use of focus groups and IRT in measurement development and on multicultural assessment continues.