The round table in a community-based outpatient service.
The community-based outpatient service of Berne has used the round table for 8 years. It has become a strong element of the care of long-term outpatients. The aim of the present study is to examine how the round table is used and estimated by the patients: whether it only fulfils the function of a psychosocial contact facility to reduce social isolation or whether it has other helpful functions of social relationship. Further, we were interested to find out which of the therapeutic factors in group therapy are of importance. Four major factors could be elaborated by factor analysis: the functions and the importance of the caretakers at the round table, the acceptance and social integration of the patients and psychotherapeutic factors such as self-disclosure and vicarious learning. The round table is not only a social contact facility but also a new form of an informal, open, socio-therapeutic group.
Hoffmann
H
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Social Psychiatric Clinic, University of Berne, Switzerland.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D017028:Caregivers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012934:Social Isolation; D012944:Social Support