Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42651594›Full record

ArticleBehavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Moments of Change in Group Psychotherapy: Exploring Therapeutic Factors and Relational Processes.

Konstantinos Chelios, Ilias I Vlachos

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Konstantinos CheliosDepartment of Psychology, The American College of Greece, 12135 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0009-0004-9893-705X
Ilias I VlachosDepartment of Psychology, The American College of Greece, 12135 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-9044-7081

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transformative experiences are often described as pivotal moments of change in psychotherapy, yet relatively little is known about how such experiences are perceived within group settings. This study explored how group members and therapists describe moments of change in group psychotherapy and examined the therapeutic factors and relational processes associated with these experiences. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with four former group members and four licensed group therapists. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, while descriptive counts were used to illustrate the prominence of Yalom's therapeutic factors in participants' accounts. All eleven of Yalom's therapeutic factors were identified in participant narratives, with universality and cohesion emerging most frequently. Moments of change were described as emotionally significant relational experiences characterized by shared humanity, recognition, and meaning-making. Five relational processes were identified: emotional holding, risk-taking and courage, internalization of the group, therapist emotional presence, and liberation from shame. Findings suggest that moments of change emerge through the interplay of relational safety, attuned therapist presence, and courageous interpersonal engagement. The study highlights relational processes through which established therapeutic factors become experientially meaningful and contribute to psychological change within group psychotherapy and may be associated with psychological insight.

Indexed as

emotional holdinggroup cohesiongroup psychotherapymoments of changepsychological insightreflexive thematic analysisrelational processestherapeutic factorsuniversality

Identifiers

PMID42651594
PMCPMC13509480

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.