ELITE COMPREHENSIVE
THERAPEUTIC GROUPS IN PSYCHIATRIC–
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
Dynamics, Phases, and Therapeutic Factors
NCLEX-RN • ATI • HESI High-Yield Master Exam
Review
Spring semester examination may 2026
1. A patient tells members of a therapy group, I hear voices saying my doctor is
poisoning me. Another patient replies, I used to hear voices too. They sounded real, but
I found out later they were not. The voices you hear are not real either. Which
therapeutic factor is exemplified in this interchange?
a. Catharsis
c. Imitative behavior
b. Universality
d. Interpersonal learning
• d. Interpersonal learning
1|Page
, • Here a member gains insight into his own experiences from hearing
about the experiences of others through interpersonal learning.
Catharsis refers to a therapeutic discharge of emotions. Universality
refers to members realizing their feelings are common to most people
and not abnormal. Imitative behavior involves copying or borrowing
the adaptive behavior of others.
2. A leader plans to start a new self-esteem building group. Which intervention would be
most helpful for assuring mutual respect within the group?
a. Describe the importance of mutual respect in the first session and make it a group
norm.
b. Exclude potential members whose behavior suggests they are likely to be
disrespectful.
c. Give members a brochure describing the purpose, norms, and expectations of the
group.
d. Explain that mutual respect is expected and confront those who are not respectful.
• Describe the importance of mutual respect in the first session and
make it a group norm.
• It is helpful to motivate members to behave respectfully by describing
how mutual respect benefits all members and is necessary for the
group to be fully therapeutic. Setting a tone and expectation of mutual
respect from the outset is the most helpful intervention listed.
Excluding members because of how they might behave could
exclude members who would have been appropriate, depriving them
2|Page
, of the potential benefits of the group. Conveying expectations by
brochure is less effective than doing so orally, because it lacks the
connection to each member a skilled leader can create to motivate
members and impart the expectation of respect. Confronting
inappropriate behavior is therapeutic but only addresses existing behavior
rather than preventing all such undesired behavior.
3. A young female member in a therapy group says to an older female member, You are
just like my mother, always trying to control me with your observations and suggestions.
Which therapeutic factor of a group is evident by this behavior?
a. Instillation of hope
b. Existential resolution
c. Development of socializing techniques
d. Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group
• d. Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group
• The younger patient is demonstrating an emotional attachment to the
older patient that mirrors patterns within her own family of origin, a
phenomenon called corrective recapitulation of the primary family
group. Feedback from the group then helps the member gain insight
about this behavior and leads to more effective ways of relating to her
family members. Instillation of hope involves conveying optimism and
sharing progress.Existential resolution refers to the realization that
certain existential experiences such as death are part of life, aiding
the adjustment to such realities. Development of socializing
3|Page
THERAPEUTIC GROUPS IN PSYCHIATRIC–
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
Dynamics, Phases, and Therapeutic Factors
NCLEX-RN • ATI • HESI High-Yield Master Exam
Review
Spring semester examination may 2026
1. A patient tells members of a therapy group, I hear voices saying my doctor is
poisoning me. Another patient replies, I used to hear voices too. They sounded real, but
I found out later they were not. The voices you hear are not real either. Which
therapeutic factor is exemplified in this interchange?
a. Catharsis
c. Imitative behavior
b. Universality
d. Interpersonal learning
• d. Interpersonal learning
1|Page
, • Here a member gains insight into his own experiences from hearing
about the experiences of others through interpersonal learning.
Catharsis refers to a therapeutic discharge of emotions. Universality
refers to members realizing their feelings are common to most people
and not abnormal. Imitative behavior involves copying or borrowing
the adaptive behavior of others.
2. A leader plans to start a new self-esteem building group. Which intervention would be
most helpful for assuring mutual respect within the group?
a. Describe the importance of mutual respect in the first session and make it a group
norm.
b. Exclude potential members whose behavior suggests they are likely to be
disrespectful.
c. Give members a brochure describing the purpose, norms, and expectations of the
group.
d. Explain that mutual respect is expected and confront those who are not respectful.
• Describe the importance of mutual respect in the first session and
make it a group norm.
• It is helpful to motivate members to behave respectfully by describing
how mutual respect benefits all members and is necessary for the
group to be fully therapeutic. Setting a tone and expectation of mutual
respect from the outset is the most helpful intervention listed.
Excluding members because of how they might behave could
exclude members who would have been appropriate, depriving them
2|Page
, of the potential benefits of the group. Conveying expectations by
brochure is less effective than doing so orally, because it lacks the
connection to each member a skilled leader can create to motivate
members and impart the expectation of respect. Confronting
inappropriate behavior is therapeutic but only addresses existing behavior
rather than preventing all such undesired behavior.
3. A young female member in a therapy group says to an older female member, You are
just like my mother, always trying to control me with your observations and suggestions.
Which therapeutic factor of a group is evident by this behavior?
a. Instillation of hope
b. Existential resolution
c. Development of socializing techniques
d. Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group
• d. Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group
• The younger patient is demonstrating an emotional attachment to the
older patient that mirrors patterns within her own family of origin, a
phenomenon called corrective recapitulation of the primary family
group. Feedback from the group then helps the member gain insight
about this behavior and leads to more effective ways of relating to her
family members. Instillation of hope involves conveying optimism and
sharing progress.Existential resolution refers to the realization that
certain existential experiences such as death are part of life, aiding
the adjustment to such realities. Development of socializing
3|Page
