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

Evidence-based practice in groups includes research-based measures to assess group processes and outcomes. However, there are few evidence-based, culturally relevant instruments that can assist professionals in delivering evidence-based groups in Spanish to increase participant’s engagement and retention. This paper describes a project to translate a reliable and valid English version of the Group Engagement Measure (GEM) into Spanish and its relevancy to improve research outcomes when implementing socio-educational interventions in communities with family participation. The process of translation was deliberate and methodical, which produced a Spanish version for empirical testing named Medida de Compromiso en Trabajo Grupal (GEM-27). The measure demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of .94, and a low standard error of measurement (3.74). As a part of evidence-based practice in groups, the Spanish GEM can help advance the measurement of important connections in the group, strengthening the helpfulness of group work in Spanish countries. .