Research

Research is at the heart of Systems-Centered Training to see if and how the theory and methods work in practice.

Thinking of doing research on a Theory of Living Human Systems and its SCT practice?

Download Guidelines for Getting Started with Research. If you want to apply for funding from SCTRI, please complete the Research Funding Template and email it to Rowena Davis, Research Director of SCTRI and to Johan Bertlett, Associate Research Director of SCTRI. 

A Review of Empirical SCT Research

Download a review of empirical studies of SCT methods used in both organizational training and psychotherapy contexts, including studies of: 1) comparative training and work group performance, 2) SCT's central method of functional subgrouping, and 3) a pilot study of SCT for reducing generalized anxiety of clinical significance. Review by Richard O’Neill, Ph.D., ABPP, CGP.

Several research papers on the benefits of functional subgrouping have been published in recent years and more are being reviewed for publication.

• Ladden, L.J., Gantt, S.P., Rude, S., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2007). Systems-centered therapy: A protocol for treating generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 37(2), 61-70. doi:10.1007/s10879-006-9037-6 
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M. (2014). Systems-centered management: A brief review of theory, practice and research. Review of Public Administration and Management, 2(1). doi:10.4172/2315-7844.1000144
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M., & Constantino, M.J. (2008). Systems-centered training groups’ process and outcome: A comparison with AGPA institute groups. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 58(1), 77-102. doi:10.1521/ijgp.2008.58.1.77
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M., Constantino, M.J., & Mogle, J. (2012). Does Agazarian’s systems-centered functional subgrouping improve mood, learning and goal achievement?: A study in large groups. Group Analysis, 45(3),375-390. doi:10.1177/0533316412448287
  Abstract available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M., Gantt, S.P., Burlingame, G.M., Mogle, J., Johnson, J., & Silver, R. (2013). Developing the systems-centered functional subgrouping questionnaire-2. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 17(4), 252-269. doi:10.1037/a0034925 
  Abstract available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M., & Mogle, J. (2015). Systems-centered functional subgrouping and large group outcome. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 39(4), 303-317. doi: jstor.org/stable/10.13186/group.39.4.0303
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M., Murphy, V., Mogle, J., MacKenzie, M.J., MacGregor, K.L., Pearson, M., & Parekh, M. (2013). Are systems-centered teams more collaborative, productive and creative? Journal of Team Performance Management,19(3/4), 201-221. doi:10.1108/TPM-04-2012-0015
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• O’Neill, R.M., Reynolds, W., Culbertson, T., & Franklin, R. (2012). Systems-centered® training’s functional subgrouping: A path to Koinonia in pastoral care. Chaplaincy Today, 28(1), 2-13. doi:10.1080/10999183.2012.10767443 
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
  This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Chaplaincy Today on 02 Jan 2014
• O'Neill, R.M., Smyth, J.M., & MacKenzie, M.J. (2011). Systems-centered functional subgrouping links the member to the group dynamics and goals: How-to and a pilot study. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 35(2), 105-121. doi: jstor.org/stable/41716124
  Available with permission of publisher (click to download)
• Whitcomb, K., O’Neill, R.M., Burlingame, G.M., Mogle, J., Gantt, S.P., Cannon, J., & Rooney, T. (2018). Measuring how systems-centered® members connect with group dynamics: FSQ-2 construct validity. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68(2), 163-183. doi:10.1080/00207284.2017.1381024