Books / Clinical practice & common factors
The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy
Irvin Yalom and Molyn Leszcz’s sixth edition discusses group psychotherapy, therapeutic factors and clinical practice. The first edition appeared in 1970.
Book details
Author of listed edition: Irvin D. Yalom; sixth edition with Molyn Leszcz
Edition: 6th edition (2020)
Publisher: Basic Books
Edition year: 2020
First published: 1970
Language and origin: English (United States / Canada)
Form and genre: Treatment Manual & Clinical Guide
Level: Intermediate
Historical era: 1960–1979 · Humanistic, Cognitive & Systemic Turn
Covers: Therapeutic factors in group psychotherapy; Group relationships and cohesion; Attention to interaction in the group; Group formation and clinical leadership
APA 7th reference: Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2020). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (6th ed.). Basic Books. (Original work published 1970)
What it is
The sixth edition, published in 2020 by Basic Books, is a clinical textbook by Irvin Yalom and Molyn Leszcz. Yalom’s first edition appeared in 1970.
What it covers
The book discusses therapeutic factors, group relationships and the work of group leaders. Its clinical framework is one way to organise group practice, not a claim that every participant follows the same pattern.
Research on cohesion
A 2018 meta-analysis of 55 studies found an association between group cohesion and treatment outcomes. The association varied considerably across studies; it does not by itself show that a particular intervention caused improvement.
Reading level and limits
This is an intermediate clinical reference. The publisher and a library catalogue were consulted; the full textbook was not reviewed. The research summary concerns the studies examined, not a guaranteed result for an individual group.
Paired academic and clinical scholarship
Paired work: Cohesion in Group Therapy: A Meta-Analysis (Gary M. Burlingame, Debra Theobald McClendon, and Chongming Yang, 2018)
Reference: Burlingame, G. M., McClendon, D. T., & Yang, C. (2018). Cohesion in group therapy: A meta-analysis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 384–398.
A meta-analysis of 55 studies found an association between group cohesion and outcomes, with substantial variation among studies. This association does not by itself establish causation.
Source-mapped claims and evidence notes
Claim 1: The authors discuss therapeutic factors and group cohesion as part of their account of group psychotherapy. (The publisher describes the textbook; its full text was not reviewed for this entry.) [Source 1: Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2020). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (6th ed.). Basic Books. (Original work published 1970)]
Claim 2: The authors discuss attention to relationships and interaction within the group. (The text’s clinical approach should not be treated as a rule for every group.) [Source 1: Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2020). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (6th ed.). Basic Books. (Original work published 1970)]
Sources and inspection notes
Supports: Publisher record for the 2020 sixth edition, authors and general scope; the full textbook was not reviewed.
Supports: Meta-analysis reports an association between cohesion and outcomes across 55 studies, with substantial heterogeneity; it does not establish causation.
WorldCat. The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (1970).
Supports: Library catalogue identifies Yalom’s 1970 edition published by Basic Books.