ABSTRACT Title of Document: APPLICATION OF THE SOCIAL RELATIONS MODEL TO THE CORE CONFLICTUAL RELATIONSHIP THEME IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY: EVALUATION OF THE SOCIAL MICROCOSM THEORY

Title of Document: APPLICATION OF THE SOCIAL RELATIONS MODEL TO THE CORE CONFLICTUAL RELATIONSHIP THEME IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY: EVALUATION OF THE SOCIAL MICROCOSM THEORY Rayna D. Markin, PhD, 2007 Directed By: Interim Dean and Professor, Dennis M. Kivlighan, Jr., Department of Counseling and Personnel Services The group therapy literature is plagued with methodological and statistical pitfalls. Likewise, researchers have struggled to develop an accurate method of assessing transference. The study at hand used The Social Relations Model to circumvent common problems in group research and is proposed as a way of measuring transference in group therapy. We used the Central Relationship Theme, a derivative of the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme, as a measure of transference. Additionally, while the social microcosm theory is the cornerstone of interpersonal-process groups, few studies exist to support it. This study assessed the social microcosm theory by comparing group members’ central relationship themes with other group members to their central relationship theme with a romantic partner outside of the group. The results suggest that transference is present in member to member relationships.. Mixed results were found to support the social microcosm theory, i.e., that a group member’s transference themes outside of the group are repeated within the group. APPLICATION OF THE SOCIAL RELATIONS MODEL TO THE CORE CONFLICTUAL RELATIONSHIP THEME IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY: EVALUATION OF THE SOCIAL MICROCOSM THEORY By Rayna D. Markin Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy 2007 Advisory Committee: Interim Dean and Professor Dennis M. Kivlighan, Jr. (Chair) Professor Charles Gelso Professor Mary Ann Hoffman Dr. Pepper Phillips Professor William Strein