Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, Vol 28(1), Mar 2024, 17-27; doi:10.1037/gdn0000209
Objective: Telehealth has gained significant popularity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health guidelines (Burgoyne & Cohn, 2020). To continue therapeutic services with little disruption, mental health professionals provided online options to patients. Group therapy has transitioned online without research exploring individual factors that relate to the transition. Method: The present study explored how attachment dimensions relate to group members’ transition to online group treatment. Forty-eight active group members who transitioned to online treatment during COVID-19 completed an online survey that assessed their attachment, attitudes about online group therapy, and comparisons between face-to-face group work and online group treatment. Results: Results revealed that group members with greater attachment anxiety reported less comfort with online groups, less engagement in online groups, and less process in online groups than face-to-face groups after the transition. Group members with greater attachment avoidance reported less comfort with online groups compared to face-to-face groups. Attachment anxiety was also related to less effectiveness but not satisfaction with online group therapy after the transition. Conclusion: Attachment dimensions appear to relate to the experience of online group psychotherapy after transitioning from face-to-face during the pandemic. Research and clinical implications are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)