In a therapy group for patients with social anxiety, a member says, 'I always thought I was the only one who rehearsed sentences before speaking. Hearing that others here do exactly the same makes me feel normal.' According to Yalom's framework, which therapeutic factor does this statement illustrate?
- A Altruism
- B Instillation of hope
- C Universality ✓
- D Imparting information
Correct answer: C. Universality
Explanation
Universality is Yalom's term for the discovery that one's problems, fears and shameful experiences are shared by others, which dissolves isolation and shame. The member explicitly states he believed he alone had the experience, and relief came from learning others share it, the textbook illustration of this factor. Altruism involves gaining self-worth by helping others, instillation of hope comes from observing improvement in senior members, and imparting information is didactic advice-giving, none of which matches the statement.
Reference: Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 12th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.