title: From feelings of imprisonment to group cohesion: A qualitative analysis of group analytic psychotherapy with dual diagnosed patients admitted to an acute inpatient psychiatric unit.
abstract: Group cohesion, the establishment of hope, and the expression of feelings have been said to be the basic ingredients of group psychotherapy. To date, there is few literature describing therapeutic processes in short stay settings such as acute psychiatric wards and with special patient groups such as addictions. Our goal with this study is to describe and analyze group processes in such contexts.
  
  
  
  We used a qualitative methodology combining constant comparative methods and hermeneutical triangulation to analyze therapeutic narratives in the context of a group analytic process carried following Foulkes' and Yalom's styles.
  
  
  
  The results provide a picture of the therapeutic process including the use of norms to strengthen group cohesion facilitating the expression of emotions in early stages of group development.
  
  
  
  This analysis is intended to be a guide for practitioners implementing group therapy in contexts involving several constraints, such as acute psychiatric wards.
authors.affiliation: a Acute Hospitalization Unit , Sant Rafael Hospital , Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.|b School of Psychology , Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.|c Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology , Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sánchez Morales
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology , Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco José
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4163-6545
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Eiroa-Orosa
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valls Llagostera
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González Pérez
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychiatry , University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alberich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: acute psychiatric ward; group psychotherapy; process research; qualitative research methods; substance abuse