背景:面对面听到声音的同伴支持小组(HVG),一个由幸存者主导的倡议,使听到声音的人能够在同龄人的支持下参与,在社区环境中有着悠久的历史。HVG的前提是形成真实的,相互关系可以探索一个人的声音听觉体验,反过来,减少主观困扰。因此,群体凝聚力被认为是HVG变化的核心机制。数字心理健康支持的兴起,再加上COVID-19大流行,导致许多HVG适应在线交付。然而,迄今为止,还没有研究检查这些在线小组的实施以及促进凝聚力所需的适应。
目的:本研究旨在了解在线小组与面对面小组相比,HVG促进者之间的小组凝聚力经验。具体来说,我们研究了群体运行的媒介(在线或面对面)对群体凝聚力的影响方式,以及促进者如何调整HVG以促进群体在线凝聚力.
方法:对11名主持人进行了半结构化的定性访谈,他们在促进在线和面对面HVG方面具有不同的经验。使用反身性主题分析对数据进行分析。
结果:研究结果分为3个主题和相关的子主题:对凝聚力的非语言挑战(缺乏差异,过渡空间,无法看到整个画面,和同理心的表达);对凝聚力的话语挑战(基于主题的对话和披露的深度);以及对在线团体的必要适应(培养共享的经验并使用独特的环境来证明对他人的投资)。尽管在线组的设置和内容都面临挑战,促进者认为,团体凝聚力仍然可以在网上实现,但必须有意促进。
结论:本研究首次专门调查在线HVG中的群体凝聚力。参与者注意到,在使小组适应在线运行时,小组凝聚力面临许多挑战,包括在线环境中对话的非自然线性叙事流;缺乏过渡空间,以及会议前后的相关闲聊;易于在线脱离接触;禁止共享;并且没有在线共享的物理存在。尽管这些挑战是巨大的,然而,主持人强调,在线群体的可访问性提供的好处超过了这些挑战。概述了培养在线群体凝聚力的必要适应,包括利用幽默和自发性的时刻,利用小组活动,鼓励使用聊天和屏幕共享功能的参与者之间的信息共享,并使用参与者环境中的物体来更深入地了解他们的主观世界。
BACKGROUND: Face-to-face hearing voices peer support groups (HVGs), a survivor-led initiative that enables individuals who hear voices to engage with the support of peers, have a long-standing history in community settings. HVGs are premised on the notion that forming authentic, mutual relationships enables the exploration of one\'s voice hearing experiences and, in turn, reduces subjective distress. As such, group cohesion is assumed to be a central mechanism of change in HVGs. The rise of digital mental health support, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in many HVGs adapting to online delivery. However, to date no studies have examined the implementation of these online groups and the adaptations necessary to foster cohesion.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the experience of group cohesion among HVG facilitators in online groups compared with face-to-face groups. Specifically, we examined the ways in which the medium through which groups run (online or face-to-face) impacts group cohesion and how facilitators adapted HVGs to foster group cohesion online.
METHODS: Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 facilitators with varied experience of facilitating online and face-to-face HVGs. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
RESULTS: The findings are organized into 3 themes and associated subthemes: nonverbal challenges to cohesion (lack of differentiation, transitional space, inability to see the whole picture, and expressions of empathy); discursive challenges to cohesion (topic-based conversation and depth of disclosure); and necessary adaptations for online groups (fostering shared experience and using the unique context to demonstrate investment in others). Despite challenges in both the setting and content of online groups, facilitators felt that group cohesion was still possible to achieve online but that it had to be facilitated intentionally.
CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to specifically investigate group cohesion in online HVGs. Participants noted numerous challenges to group cohesion when adapting groups to run online, including the unnaturally linear narrative flow of dialogue in online settings; lack of transitional spaces, and associated small talk before and after the session; ease of disengagement online; inhibited sharing; and absence of shared physical presence online. Although these challenges were significant, facilitators nevertheless emphasized that the benefits provided by the accessibility of online groups outweighed these challenges. Necessary adaptations for cultivating group cohesion online are outlined and include capitalizing on moments of humor and spontaneity, using group activities, encouraging information sharing between participants using the chat and screen-sharing features, and using objects from participants\' environments to gain deeper insight into their subjective worlds.