| Harry Stack Sullivan's interpersonal theory states that satisfactory interpersonal relationships, including sense of belonging and relatedness, are important for healthy development, and conversely, interpersonal problems and poor interpersonal skills can contribute to mental illness. Depression is commonly associated with interpersonal problems and many successful treatments for depression, such as group therapies, incorporate interventions to improve interpersonal competence. There is a need for research on how interpersonal competencies influence the outcome of treatment for depression. This research investigated the relationship between interpersonal competence, emotional problems and ratings of group cohesiveness in a sample of 133 members (110 females, 23 males, 22 to 64 years of age) of the Dance with Depression Association (DWD). DWD is a non-governmental organization in Hong Kong that offers core emotional support groups and follow-up programs for people with depression. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ), the Group Cohesiveness Scale (GCS), and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). They also responded to open-ended questions regarding the kinds of interpersonal concerns they had addressed in their DWD group. Pairwise correlations showed that total ICQ and its subscales were significantly positively associated with GCS, and negatively associated with DASS. Multiple regression showed that two ICQ domains (the ability to provide emotional support to others and conflict management) were the strongest predictors of emotional problems (DASS), and that ability to provide emotional support was also the only domain of the ICQ that predicted group cohesiveness. Continued engagement in DWD's activities after completion of the core emotional support group was associated with higher retrospective ratings of group cohesiveness and lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Thematic analysis of the open-ended question responses showed that participants identified solving interpersonal conflicts, improving relationships, developing social skills, learning trust & acceptance and being more socially open as areas of personal development in their DWD group. The findings showed that interpersonal competencies relate to long-term outcome of the DWD group, that continued engagement in group activities predicted greater psychological well-being, and that participants identified specific areas of interpersonal learning. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. |
