Preliminary test of a spanish version of the group engagement measure to advance evidence based practice in groups

Mark J. Macgowan; María Isabel Tapia; Catalina Cañizares

doi:10.7179/PSRI_2025.46.05

Autores/as

Mark J. Macgowan Florida International University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8505-5515
María Isabel Tapia University of Miami https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0566-9497
Catalina Cañizares New York University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6854-5205

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7179/PSRI_2025.46.05

Palabras clave:

Asesoramiento grupal, compromiso grupal, español, evaluación grupal, grupos familiares

Resumen

La práctica de grupos basada en la evidencia incluye medidas basadas en la investigación para evaluar los procesos y los resultados de los grupos. Sin embargo, existen pocos instrumentos basados en la evidencia y culturalmente relevantes que puedan ayudar a los profesionales a impartir grupos basados en la evidencia en español para aumentar el compromiso y la retención de los participantes. Este artículo describe un proyecto para traducir al español una versión fiable y válida en inglés del Group Engagement Measure (GEM) y su relevancia para mejorar los resultados de la investigación cuando se implementan intervenciones socioeducativas en comunidades con participación familiar. El proceso de traducción fue deliberado y metódico, lo que produjo una versión española para pruebas empíricas denominada Medida de Compromiso en Trabajo Grupal (GEM-27). La medida demostró una alta consistencia interna, con un alfa de Cronbach de .94, y un bajo error estándar de medida (3.74). Como parte de la práctica basada en la evidencia en grupos, el GEM español puede ayudar a avanzar en la medición de conexiones importantes en el grupo, fortaleciendo la utilidad del trabajo en grupo en los países españoles.

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Biografía del autor/a

Mark J. Macgowan , Florida International University

Professor Mark Macgowan is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Social Work at Florida International University in Miami, His teaching, research, and practice focuses on evidence-based group work and improving psychosocial response to mass casualty events. His books include "Guide to Evidence-Based Group Work," "Group Work Research" (both Oxford University Press), “Evidence-Based Group Work in Community Settings” and “IASWG Standards for Social Work with Groups” (both Taylor & Francis) and co-editor of the upcoming “International Handbook on Social Work with Groups” (Routledge Press). Professor Macgowan has led research projects related to psychosocial response to mass casualty events. He has received international recognition, including two Fulbright awards to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and at the University of Murcia, Spain.

María Isabel Tapia , University of Miami

Is a licensed professional psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience of conducting research studies at the University of Miami and private practice with clients. She has dedicated her career to the prevention and treatment of adolescent substance use, behavioral problems, sexual risk behaviors and mental health with Hispanic families. In her role as a senior researcher and clinical expert of evidence-based practices, she has trained and supervised agencies and therapists in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. She has participated in groundbreaking, NIH-funded behavioral clinical trials, and has authored several articles and book chapters in minority HIV, drug abuse, mental health, and LGBTQ+ issues taking into consideration the cultural context and functioning of the Hispanic family. She was the recipient of a fellowship grant from The Center of Human Rights & Social Justice, to conduct research with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender population.

Catalina Cañizares , New York University

Is a postdoctoral researcher at New York University specializing in adolescent mental health and suicide prevention. Her research combines data science and prevention science, focusing on developing machine learning algorithms to predict suicide attempts and advancing culturally tailored interventions. She is actively working on projects, including testing machine learning models across national datasets and evaluating evidence based programs for Latin American adolescents. Dr. Cañizares aims to enhance early suicide risk identification and inform evidence-based mental health policies for Spanish speakers.

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