A controlled study of effectiveness and patient suitability for short-term group psychotherapy.
A controlled, clinical trial investigation of short-term psychoanalytically oriented group psychotherapy (STG) was conducted which included eight psychotherapy groups led by experienced therapists. Patient psychological mindedness (PM) was investigated as a selection criterion and prognostic variable. Seventy-nine psychiatric outpatients experiencing prolonged or delayed grief reactions were matched for level of PM and then randomly assigned to STG or a wait list. There was repeated measurement of several areas and sources of outcome. Results indicated a strong main effect for STG but not for PM on outcome, and minimal evidence for an interaction effect. Benefits were maintained at six-month follow-up. Psychological mindedness emerged as highly predictive of attrition. A clinical discussion is presented wherein the efficacy of STG is considered as reflecting a good patient-treatment match.
McCallum
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta Hospitals, Edmonton, Canada.
Piper
W E
WE
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010556:Personality Tests; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*