PSYn4430 Theory and Practice of Group Training

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2026

The course is not taught in Spring 2026

Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jana Kostínková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PhDr. Petr Macek, CSc. (lecturer)
doc. MUDr. Jan Roubal, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lucia Polakovská (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Kostínková, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! PSY443 Group Training
Určeno pro absolventy základního kursu sociální psychologie v rámci bakalářského studia.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The main aim of this course is to understad group processes in training and psyhotherapy groups and to learn some elementary skills regarding leadership of these groups.
Key topics
  • 1. Small groups, a meaning of membership, group processes and social identity. Structure and processes of smal groups, development of relationships in small groups. Cohesion and tension as basic group processes.
  • 2. Training group and psychotherapeutic group. The training group as a space for experimenation and improving of social skills. The group as a space for persona growth. Personal needs and group processes. Safety and influance in group.
  • 3. Social, interpersonal, and experiencial learning in group. Emotional experiences, catharsis. Roles and rules in group. Typical behavior of members of group. Resistency, manipulation, supporting behavior.
  • 4. Personal growth in group. Hope, altruism, trust, and responsibility in group. Family experiences, the group processes, subjective feelings in group.
  • 5. Leadership. Knowledge, skills, and experiences in the role of leader of training group and in the role of psychotherapist.
  • 6. Different theoretical approaches, frameworks, and styles in the work with groups (gestalt, cognitive, behavioral, systemic, integrative).
Study resources and literature
  • YALOM, Irvin D. Teorie & praxe skupinové psychoterapie. Vyd. 1. Hradec Králové: Konfrontace, 1999, 704 s. ISBN 80-86088-05-7. info
  • KRATOCHVÍL, Stanislav. Skupinová psychoterapie v praxi. 2. dopl. vyd. Praha: Galén, 2001, 285 s. ISBN 8072620967. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
The course consists of one lecture and one two days seminar. The lecture provides a theoretical frame nad the seminar allows to connect it with a direct practical experience with group work. Students are obliged read the assigned chapters in the course textbook and use the IS e-learning system to read the supplemental literature, which is available electronically in PDF and/or Word format.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
evaluation of final paper
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught in blocks.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Pro otevření kurzu je potřeba minimálně 10 zapsaných studentů.
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2026/PSYn4430