THE USE OF GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY IN POSTHOSPITALIZATION TREATMENT : A Clinical Report

Eight patients on trial visit were treated for 1 year in group psychotherapy. During this time none of the members was rehospitalized and all were discharged, though many had had numerous previous admissions and had been unable to remain out of the hospital during the 1-year trial visit period.

The group therapy meetings have been described. In these meetings certain phenomena were outstanding. We have described the early group attitude, and the subsequent redefinition of the leader's role and the role of the group. This structuring of the group was very important in facilitating free expression of feelings by the group members.

It was clear that the members expected retaliation to follow the expression of hostile feelings. We have described the group sessions in which this exploration and testing was done. As a result of being able to express more freely their feelings in the group, the members could examine more clearly their relationships with key figures in their lives.

We have also compared the pre- and posthospitalization adjustment of the group members. We find that there have been significant improvements in socialization, marital and job adjustment. Improved socialization should be particularly noted since some of these patients had a history of only the most meager experience in interpersonal relationships. Perhaps this was possible in the controlled situation of the group, because there they learned about some of the real feelings of themselves and of other people. This seems to have facilitated the development of more meaningful relationships with people in general.

The evaluation of clinical proceedings is always very difficult. However, the promising results of this preliminary study open the possibility of working through some of the difficulties that the psychotic patient faces when leaving the hospital.