Nursing staff members (34) who participated in a 15-week group therapy course as a form of training for more personal effectiveness were observed during the meetings in order to verify assumed relationships between behavior in the group and member reactions to the group sessions afterwards. Five of the ten hypotheses were clearly, and three partially supported by statistical criteria. Accordingly, the patron who reports a positive reaction and personal gain, talks more frequently, starts more new topics, goes less often out of the field, brings up more personal feelings, and accepts others when they differ with him. Implications are discussed for giving group therapists valuable clues to spot the critic and concentrate on him before he leaves prematurely. (Author)