Inpatient group psychotherapy: Cohesion facilitates separation

Inpatient group psychotherapy is affected by the time-limited nature of hospitalization. Although the brevity of treatment has been viewed by some as detrimental to patient improvement, other aspects of the treatment setting promote cohesion and allow group members to confront the threatening fears of separation and loss which likely prompted hospitalization. Separation issues are accentuated by the time parameters and the continual terminations of patients and staff. Unplanned terminations are seen as disruptive to the group process.