Transference reactions in conjoint therapy: A view from an observation group

Summary This paper reports on conjoint therapy conducted with the individual therapists of two of the group's members observing the group sessions. The development of the transference reactions of all group members are highlighted and suggestions are made regarding the most useful methods of handling these transference reactions to help create a mutative experience for the members of the group.The author wishes to thank Dr. Judith Isaac for her comments and editorial assistance throughout the preparation of this paper.     

The process-observer in group therapy

This case study describes the inclusion of a nonverbal, trained process-observer into therapy groups for parents having severely disturbed family systems. The observer remained nonverbal during the sessions while taking notes to be used in writing a one-page clinical summary, which was mailed to each group member. The process-observer was included to improve the clients' initial involvement in dealing with personal problems and as a catalyst for group development. Among the important functions of the written summaries were: reduction of initial anxiety, focusing the group on important issues, enhancement of continuity across sessions, and promoting therapeutic work between sessions. The observer was also valuable in providing feedback to the therapists. Specific guidelines for the use of a process-observer are provided.     

Participant self-disclosure in group therapy

Thirty-nine adult hospitalized psychiatric patients, 18 men and 21 women, participated in a study aimed at investigating the relationship between participant self-disclosure in a therapy group and personality and therapy outcome. The results showed that in this type of sample the more disturbed patients disclosed more, which is contrary to results usually obtained among normals and neurotics. Similarly, for some patients, higher degrees of disclosure were related to worse therapy outcomes. These results indicate that the indiscriminate insistence of some therapists on selfdisclosure is inappropriate with hospitalized patients. Improving self-esteem by encouraging positively toned self-disclosures appears more promising.Barbara Polikoff, formerly a Research Assistant at Friends Hospital. The authors want to express their appreciation to Dr. Paul Curnow and Michael Bopp who conducted the groups under study and to Joseph Sillitti for his assistance in the data analysis.     

Listening to the adolescent therapy group

This article reviews traditional psychodynamic views of listening to the manifest and latent content of the patient's communication. It then reviews the literature on the application of such listening in group treatment. The particular application of such listening and intervention in groups for adolescents with significant ego deficits is explored.     

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The dialectical approach in group therapy

A dialectical therapeutic approach has been used in treating individuals and families. Its application in group therapy is described with the aid of several anecdotal examples.