Reading Balint group work through Lacan’s theory of the four discourses

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaatje Van Roy ◽  
Anne Marché-Paillé ◽  
Filip Geerardyn ◽  
Stijn Vanheule
Keyword(s):  
Group Work ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Group Leaders ◽  
Balint Groups ◽  
Case Presentations ◽  
Balint Group ◽  
Four Discourses ◽  
Work First

In Balint groups, (para)medical professionals explore difficult interactions with patients by means of case presentations and discussions. As the process of Balint group work is not well understood, this article investigates Balint group meetings by making use of Lacan’s theory of the four discourses. Five Balint group case presentations and their subsequent group discussion were studied, resulting in the observation of five crucial aspects of Balint group work. First, Balint group participants brought puzzlement to the group, which is indicative of the structural impossibility Lacan situates at the basis of all discourse (1). As for the group discussion, we emphasize ‘hysterization’ as a crucial process in Balint group work (2), the supporting role of the discourse of the analyst (3) and the centrality of discourse interactions (4). Finally, the potential transformation of the initial puzzlement is discussed (5). We conclude by putting forth the uniqueness of Balint group work as well as the potential usefulness of our analysis as a framework for Balint group leaders and professionals in charge of continuing medical education.

scholarly journals Becoming the kind of doctor that you want to be. A qualitative study about participation in Balint group work

2021 ◽  
pp. 009121742110429
Author(s):  
Elsa Lena Ryding ◽  
Anders Birr
Keyword(s):  
Professional Identity ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Wide Spread ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Balint Groups ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Balint Group ◽  
Patient Relationships

Objective Although wide-spread and appreciated, the benefit of Balint group work has been difficult to determine. Qualitative studies provide new angles for research. The aim of this study is to explore how participants in a Balint group for at least 1.5 years experienced the group work and how they were affected by their participation. Method Focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 19 members of four different Balint groups. The participants were experienced residents or younger specialists in general practice as well as from hospital specialities. A thematic analysis was performed. Results The main themes that emerged were: Investigating emotions, Development of the physician’s identity as well as Safety in the group and with the leader. The participants reported relief from stress as well as increased ability to understand the emotional side of patient encounters. They struggled to find their identity as doctors and specialists, often gaining a sense of pride in their work and becoming more secure. The group with a certified Balint leader felt like a safe place. Conclusions For younger doctors, participation in a Balint group for at least 1.5 years can help them build their professional identity by means of a deeper understanding of doctor-patient relationships. The role of Balint group work in relation to professional identity warrants further study.

Like a Blanket Over a Fire: Group Work and Spiritual Repair in Military Trauma

2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-109
Author(s):  
Vincent R. Starnino ◽  
W. Patrick Sullivan ◽  
Clyde T. Angel ◽  
Louanne W. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Group Work ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Group Process ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Group Leaders ◽  
Assumptive World ◽  
Military Trauma ◽  
Spiritual Struggles

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may not fully explain why some who experience war feel as though their assumptive world and sense of meaning has been shattered. Two concepts mentioned in the literature that address this feature of trauma are moral injury and spiritual injury. This work reports on qualitative findings from postgroup interviews with 18 participants who completed a spiritually integrated eight-session group intervention known as Search for Meaning. The group is designed to deal directly with issues of moral and spiritual wounds. This article discusses three main themes related to (a) the group process, (b) spiritual struggles and repair, and (c) the role of the group leaders. The findings support the call for specialized interventions to supplement mainstream PTSD treatments.

scholarly journals Self-awareness in the training of health care professionals: Validation of a group self-awareness questionnaire among Balint groups in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt Fritzsche ◽  
Lili Shi ◽  
Jing Wei ◽  
Yue Sha ◽  
Yongbiao Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
General Factor ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Group Leaders ◽  
Balint Groups ◽  
Balint Group ◽  
Group Self

Abstract Background Group-related learning processes in relation to oneself and in interaction with others play an important role in the training of health care professionals. However, an instrument to measure self-awareness in professional groups is not yet available in China. The aim of the study is to validate a questionnaire on self-awareness processes among Balint groups in China. Methods After a Balint group session, the participants were asked to fill out a group self-awareness questionnaire (G-SAQ) and two internationally validated instruments to assess group therapy research, namely, the Group Climate Questionnaire (GCQ) and the Group Relationship Questionnaire (GRQ). Results Fully completed questionnaires from n = 650 participants were analysed. Most participants came from Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai; most were female; and the average age was 31.3 years old (SD 8.2). The confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis of the G-SAQ did not show good solutions. Therefore, we developed a model with only one general factor and a Cronbach's alpha = .936. Low-to-moderate correlations between the G-SAQ and the previously validated questionnaires (the GCQ and the GRQ) indicated acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. Most of the responses in terms of self-awareness ranged from “something learned” to “relatively a lot learned”. The assessment of the group leaders was correlated with the level of learning effects. Conclusions The Chinese version of the G-SAQ has satisfactory reliability and validity among participants of Balint groups. It could be used as a measure of self-awareness processes in the future.

Effect of group leaders on doctors’ learning in Balint groups

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Tschuschke ◽  
Guido Flatten
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Group Leader ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Group Session ◽  
Group Leaders ◽  
Differential Effectiveness ◽  
Effective Leaders ◽  
Balint Groups ◽  
Balint Group

Objective Although effective Balint leadership is viewed as essential for good Balint practice, nearly no quantitative research is available regarding the importance of the person of the group leader in Balint group outcome. This study aims to identify Balint group leaders’ impact on “typical Balint” learning processes in Balint groups. Method A total of 1460 medical doctors in 352 Balint groups in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were investigated. Based on the three learning dimensions of the Balint Group Session Questionnaire, statistical analyses were conducted to identify differential effectiveness in Balint leadership. Results On the basis of the mean scores of the Balint Group Session Questionnaire items across all group participants of each group leader, the 80 certified Balint group leaders were clustered into two groups of more and less effective leaders by a hierarchichal cluster analysis. Mixed model analyses revealed that the effectiveness of the person of the Balint group leader was the most predictive factor for learning effects. Conclusions Training for Balint group leaders should take into account that effective learning processes in Balint groups are strongly related not only to the method itself but also to the person of the group leader.

Group Process and Trust in Group Discussion

2011 ◽  
pp. 135-153
Author(s):  
Lorna Uden ◽  
Linda Wojnar
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Group Process ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Successful Group ◽  
Trusting Relationships ◽  
Group Empowerment

Successful group discussion plays a crucial role in online learning. Teachers normally assume that students automatically transfer their learning of group process from group to group. Our experience found that for group discussion to be effective, it is important that we consider group process and the role of trust within groups. The paper begins with an introduction to group process and trust followed by a brief review of the benefits of group discussion for online learning. In section three, we describe the role that teachers play in initiating environments that promote trust and group empowerment. Through our experience of the implications of group process and trust, we will discuss how this environment fosters trusting relationships. We will also discuss the value of reviewing trust in the group process for each class before assigning group work. The paper concludes with the outcomes of our experience and suggestions for further work.

HEKİM-HASTA İLİŞKİSİNİ İYİLEŞTİRMEDE ETKİLİ BİR YÖNTEM: BALİNT GRUP YÖNTEMİ

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 204-217
Author(s):  
Mustafa SAMANCI
Keyword(s):  
Group Method ◽  
Patient Relationship ◽  
Physician Patient Relationship ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Balint Groups ◽  
Patient Relations ◽  
Case Presentations ◽  
Balint Group ◽  
Patient Relationships ◽  
Physician Patient

Balint groups were put forward by Michael Balint, who studied the physician-patient relationship with its deep dimensions in the 1950s. The Balint group method consists of case presentations and general discussions that emphasize the emotional content of physician-patient relationships following the case presentation. One of the aims of establishing Balint groups is to help health professionals and medical students develop empathy skills to reduce communication difficulties between people. Today, worldwide widely used in a manner Approaches of Balint Group, was not given sufficient importance in Turkey. Today, although many scientific studies have been published about Balint groups, there is not any work published in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to discuss the results of some studies about the Balint Group Method and to explain the definition, content, and application of this method in family medicine. It is known that the Balint Group Method contributes greatly to the increase of physicians' empathy levels and to decrease their burnout levels. Nowadays, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have quite tiring and difficult days and their burnout levels are increasing considerably. According to the results of the study, the application of the Balint Group Method by physicians in Covid-19 and the following period will contribute to better physician-patient relations as well as reduce the burnout levels of physicians. In Turkey, the introduction of the Balint Group Method, implementation, and inclusion in educational curricula are recommended. Also, it is recommended that physicians who have experienced the Balint Group Method contribute to the increase of the physician-patient relationship by making these experiences into scientific publications, sharing the results with the literature. As a result of the literature review, the implementation of this method in the virtual environment during the pandemic period and its spread throughout the world will make the application of this method even easier.

Group Process and Trust in Group Discussion

2008 ◽  
pp. 2268-2281
Author(s):  
Lorna Uden ◽  
Linda Wojnar
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Group Process ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Successful Group ◽  
Trusting Relationships ◽  
Group Empowerment

Successful group discussion plays a crucial role in online learning. Teachers normally assume that students automatically transfer their learning of group process from group to group. Our experience found that for group discussion to be effective, it is important that we consider group process and the role of trust within groups. The paper begins with an introduction to group process and trust followed by a brief review of the benefits of group discussion for online learning. In section three, we describe the role that teachers play in initiating environments that promote trust and group empowerment. Through our experience of the implications of group process and trust, we will discuss how this environment fosters trusting relationships. We will also discuss the value of reviewing trust in the group process for each class before assigning group work. The paper concludes with the outcomes of our experience and suggestions for further work.

USE OF INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS IN RUSSIAN LESSONS IN GROUPS WITH A NON-RUSSIAN TEACHING LANGUAGE

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-212
Author(s):  
Nigora Vokhidova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Interactive Communication ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Teaching Language ◽  
New Methods ◽  
The Russian Language

The article discusses the effectiveness of innovative approaches in teaching Russian as a foreign language. It is noted that the use of new methods makes it possible to take into account the knowledge already acquired by the student for studying the Russian language and developing creative skills. The role of such a form of training as group work is shown, and some methods of interactive communication between students in practical classes in the Russian language are considered

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