Group Dynamics

Code:

LPSI304

Acronym:

DG

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	First degree in Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LPSIC	174	Official Curricular Structure	3	-	3	27	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The main objective of this course is to provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills in group intervention, focusing on the different types of group interventions and the dynamics that may arise during the process. Additionally, this course aims to enhance students' personal development through transversal and transferable skills such as self-knowledge, social skills, and critical thinking.  The course also integrates a perspective attentive to diversity and inclusion, promoting an understanding of the impact of individual, cultural, and social differences on group dynamics, and encouraging practices that support collaborative and respectful environments that value plurality.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the semester, students are expected to be able to plan a group intervention in different settings, defining the group type, the characteristics of the participants and the intervention aims. It is also expected that, as a result of their experience as participating members of a group, students will present improvements in self-knowledge and communication skills, as well as the assimilation of theoretical notions based on practice.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

There are no prerequisites

Program

This course addresses the following topics:

1. The potential and specificities of group intervention
2. The importance of diversity in group composition
3. Analysis of different types of groups based on the distinction between "therapeutic groups vs. non-therapeutic groups"
4. How to plan a group intervention
5. The importance of feedback in personal and group change
6. Predictable phases in group development
7. Positive and negative effects of group cohesion
8. Leadership skills for guiding a group

Mandatory literature

Guerra Marina Prista; Intervir em grupos na saúde. ISBN: 978-972-796-339-3
López-Yarto Luis Elizalde; Dinámica de grupos cincuenta anos después. ISBN: ISBN 84-330-1254-1
Corey Gerald; Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. ISBN: 978-0-8400-2854-9
Corey Gerald; Theory and practice of group counseling. ISBN: 978-1-305-08801-6
Yalom Irvin D.; The^theory and practice of group psychotherapy. ISBN: 978-0-465-09284-0
DeLucia-Waack, J, Kalodner, C. R., & Riva, M. T.; Handbook of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy , Sage Publications, Inc , 2014. ISBN: 9781452217611
Jacobs, E., Schimmel, C. J., Masson, R. L., & Harvill, R. L. ; Group Counseling: Strategies and Skills, Thomson Brooks/ Cole , 2016. ISBN: 1305087305

Complementary Bibliography

Burlingame, G. M., Fuhriman, A., & Johnson, J. E.; Cohesion in group psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Theory Research Practice Training, 38, pp. 373-379., 2001
Vopel Klaus W.; Juegos de interacción. ISBN: 84-7043-851-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

This course prioritizes the methodology of active participation. Students participate as active members in a development group (Training Group - Group T; Guerra et al., 2014), which is formed by the class and adapted accordingly. In this approach, skill training is primarily stimulated through group dynamics techniques. The active methodology is alternated with expository and interrogative methods to systematically and theoretically contextualize the content addressed.

Assessment is distributed without a final exam, considering the following components (and respective weighting in the final grade):

1) Participation in classes (25%);

2) Completion of a written assignment consisting of planning a group intervention based on a provided scenario (75%).

(25% + 75% = 100%)

 

keywords

Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Psychology > Psychotherapy

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	25,00
Trabalho escrito	75,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	21,00
Frequência das aulas	30,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance at classes is required. Students must be present in 75% of the taught classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

Assessment is distributed without a final exam, considering the following components (and respective weighting in the final grade):

1) Participation in classes (25%);

2) Completion of a written assignment consisting of planning a group intervention based on a provided scenario (75%).

(25% + 75% = 100%)

The assessment of the participation in classes is based on the following criteria:

. Spontaneous participation in open discussions

. Development of communication skills

. Demonstration of reflective ability in class

. Assiduous and punctual presence

Students are required to fill out a self-assessment form for these criteria.

The two components and the final grade are expressed on a scale ranging from 0 to 20.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Students who have attended the course in previous years without getting approval can attend the course again, and in this case, the current assessment conditions will be applied. For students who choose to ask dispense from class attendance (only granted if there is previous attendance of at least 75% of the taught classes), the assessment to get approval consists of the following components:

1) The assignment proposed for the current academic year (75%), performed individually;

2) The remaining 25% is relative to the practical component assessed during the year in which students attended classes.

 (75% + 25% = 100%)

The two components and the final grade are expressed on a scale ranging from 0 to 20.

 

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students with special conditions who choose not to attend classes must do (individually) the assignment proposed for the current academic year (75%). The remaining 25% is relative to a written assignment over the main contents of the subject, done individually.

(75% + 25% = 100%)

 The two components and the final grade are expressed on a scale ranging from 0 to 20.

 

Classification improvement

It is only possible to improve the assignment, which has a weighting of 75% in the final grade.
It is not possible to improve the practical component. (25% of the final grade)

(75% + 25% = 100%)

Grade improvement can only be done once, until a supplementary assessment of the year following the one in which approval was obtained.


The two components and the final grade are expressed on a scale ranging from 0 to 20.