American Journal of Applied Psychology

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Effects of Group Psychotherapy in College Students: A Six and Twelve Month Evaluation Comparison

Received: Feb. 13, 2018    Accepted: Mar. 16, 2018    Published: Apr. 09, 2018
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Abstract

Group psychotherapy expects to afford more lasting changes on patients’ symptomatology, as well as reinforce positive aspects of self-esteem and social adjustment. However, few investigations show the effects over an extended period of intervention. This study aimed to assess changes in symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-esteem and social adjustment within a period of six and twelve months in college students who attended interactional group psychotherapy. A longitudinal study was carried out with college students who attended group psychotherapy, using the database of forty-one of the students who stayed for six months and 23 of them, for 12 months. Significant improvements were observed at 6 and 12 months in anxiety-state and depressive symptoms compared to baseline data, but there were no changes between 6 and 12 months. The comparison between well-being aspects such as self-esteem and social adaptation showed improvements mostly, up to 12 months, without any significant changes between 6 and 12 months. Also, there was observed a correlation between well-being punctuations (self-esteem and social adaptation) and the decrease of depressive and anxiety symptomatology. Long-term group psychotherapy demonstrates a decrease of symptomatology at six months of intervention, and they remain at 12 months; however, other aspects of patient’s well-being, are enhanced to a higher level until 12 months.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14
Published in American Journal of Applied Psychology ( Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2018 )
Page(s) 21-28
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Group Psychotherapy, College Students, Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem, Social Adaptation

References
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  • APA Style

    Juan Antonio Mejías, María Martina Jurado, Silvia Araceli Tafoya, Lizbeth Beltrán. (2018). Effects of Group Psychotherapy in College Students: A Six and Twelve Month Evaluation Comparison. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 7(1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14

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    ACS Style

    Juan Antonio Mejías; María Martina Jurado; Silvia Araceli Tafoya; Lizbeth Beltrán. Effects of Group Psychotherapy in College Students: A Six and Twelve Month Evaluation Comparison. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2018, 7(1), 21-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14

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    AMA Style

    Juan Antonio Mejías, María Martina Jurado, Silvia Araceli Tafoya, Lizbeth Beltrán. Effects of Group Psychotherapy in College Students: A Six and Twelve Month Evaluation Comparison. Am J Appl Psychol. 2018;7(1):21-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14,
      author = {Juan Antonio Mejías and María Martina Jurado and Silvia Araceli Tafoya and Lizbeth Beltrán},
      title = {Effects of Group Psychotherapy in College Students: A Six and Twelve Month Evaluation Comparison},
      journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
      volume = {7},
      number = {1},
      pages = {21-28},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20180701.14},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20180701.14},
      abstract = {Group psychotherapy expects to afford more lasting changes on patients’ symptomatology, as well as reinforce positive aspects of self-esteem and social adjustment. However, few investigations show the effects over an extended period of intervention. This study aimed to assess changes in symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-esteem and social adjustment within a period of six and twelve months in college students who attended interactional group psychotherapy. A longitudinal study was carried out with college students who attended group psychotherapy, using the database of forty-one of the students who stayed for six months and 23 of them, for 12 months. Significant improvements were observed at 6 and 12 months in anxiety-state and depressive symptoms compared to baseline data, but there were no changes between 6 and 12 months. The comparison between well-being aspects such as self-esteem and social adaptation showed improvements mostly, up to 12 months, without any significant changes between 6 and 12 months. Also, there was observed a correlation between well-being punctuations (self-esteem and social adaptation) and the decrease of depressive and anxiety symptomatology. Long-term group psychotherapy demonstrates a decrease of symptomatology at six months of intervention, and they remain at 12 months; however, other aspects of patient’s well-being, are enhanced to a higher level until 12 months.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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    AU  - Silvia Araceli Tafoya
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    T2  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
    JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
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    AB  - Group psychotherapy expects to afford more lasting changes on patients’ symptomatology, as well as reinforce positive aspects of self-esteem and social adjustment. However, few investigations show the effects over an extended period of intervention. This study aimed to assess changes in symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-esteem and social adjustment within a period of six and twelve months in college students who attended interactional group psychotherapy. A longitudinal study was carried out with college students who attended group psychotherapy, using the database of forty-one of the students who stayed for six months and 23 of them, for 12 months. Significant improvements were observed at 6 and 12 months in anxiety-state and depressive symptoms compared to baseline data, but there were no changes between 6 and 12 months. The comparison between well-being aspects such as self-esteem and social adaptation showed improvements mostly, up to 12 months, without any significant changes between 6 and 12 months. Also, there was observed a correlation between well-being punctuations (self-esteem and social adaptation) and the decrease of depressive and anxiety symptomatology. Long-term group psychotherapy demonstrates a decrease of symptomatology at six months of intervention, and they remain at 12 months; however, other aspects of patient’s well-being, are enhanced to a higher level until 12 months.
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Author Information
  • Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

  • Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

  • Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

  • Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

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