Introduction
Abstract
Introduction SAGE Publications, Inc.1978DOI: 10.1177/104649647800900201 Robert R. Dies University of Maryland Numerous articles have discussed methodological and design problems in psychotherapy and encounter group research (e.g., Bennis, 1960; Harrison, 1967; Lewis and McCants, 1973), and there are several books devoted to research issues in this field (Cooper and Mangham, 1971; Golembiewski and Blumberg, 1970; Gibbard et al., 1974). These critiques and reviews offer helpful prescriptions for overcoming many research problems, but their potential contribution is regrettably attenuated by the global nature of their recommendations. The contributors to this Symposium, "Therapy and Encounter Group Research: Issues and Answers," have attempted to go beyond the global recommendations, "commonplace prescriptions for adequate control groups, vacuous diatribes about criterion problems, pleas for multivariate designs, and unspecified demands for greater research specification" (Dies, forthcoming). Indeed, each author was charged with the responsibility of offering positive and concrete suggestions for surmounting pitfalls and stumbling blocks in group outcome research. That they are qualified to take on this responsibility is documented by the fact that some of the most recent and comprehensive reviews of the outcome literature have been presented by the contributors to this Symposium (Bednar and Kaul, forthcoming; Dinges and Weigel, 1971; Lieberman,