The "Self-Trust" and "Trust in the Group" scales: pilot testing of components of a methodology for measurement the level of clients' trust in group psychotherapeutic work
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/BPSY.2026.1(23).16Keywords:
trust, self-trust, trust in the group, psychotherapy group, group psychotherapy, therapeutic allianceAbstract
Background. Amid prolonged military aggression and complex sociocultural crises in Ukraine, there is an urgent need to optimize evidence-based forms of psychological assistance, particularly group psychotherapy. The effectiveness of the group process depends on the phenomenon of trust; however, there is a severe shortage of valid instruments in the Ukrainian scientific community for measuring its specific dimensions in a psychotherapeutic context.
The aim of this article is to provide a theoretical justification and empirical validation of the first two scales of the author's four-dimensional methodology for determining clients' level of trust in psychotherapy: "Self-Trust" and "Trust in the Group."
Methods. Two author-developed scales were constructed: "Self-Trust" and "Trust in the Group". To test the construct validity of individual statements, the standardized "Methodology of Trust/Distrust of the World, Other People, and Oneself" by A. Kupreichenko (adapted by O. Savchenko and V. Petrenko) was used. Mathematical and statistical analysis was performed in the Jamovi 2.6.26 environment using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Cronbach's alpha (α), Ferguson's delta, and other criteria.
Results. The study involved 63 participants with experience in group interaction and psychotherapy. CFA confirmed the structural validity of the "Self-Trust" scale (CFI = 0.975; TLI = 0.969; RMSEA = 0.032; overall α = 0.806) and the "Trust in the Group" scale (CFI = 0.939; TLI = 0.924; RMSEA = 0.068; overall α = 0.832). The "Self-Trust" scale (14 items) has a three-factor structure, comprising the subscales: "Self-Focus," "Trust in One's Own Feelings," and "Self-Assurance." The "Trust in the Group" scale (12 items) is characterized by a two-factor structure, integrating the subscales: "Expectations of Group Work" (projective fears) and "Readiness for Group Interaction."
Conclusions. The developed psychodiagnostic instrument has sufficient psychometric properties, demonstrating high internal consistency of the subscales and discriminative power of the statements. The practical value of the scales lies in the ability to prescreen clients before involving them in a group setting, predict the risks of premature termination of psychotherapy, and flexibly adjust the therapeutic strategy to build a reliable alliance between the psychotherapist and the client.
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