Group Therapy as a Treatment Technique for Severely Disturbed Outpatients

The outpatient psychiatric department of a general hospital utilizes an economical four-day-a-week group program for severely disturbed patients who need Intensive therapy but not hospitalization. The main treatment modality is group therapy four days a week; patients also have access to occupational therapy, vocational rehabilitation counseling, and community activities. Follow-up of 48 patIents showed that 82 per cent felt they had improved. The author believes such a program can be offered as an economical alternative to a day hospital that Is not feasible because of lack of space and staff.