Observing groups as seen from both sides of the looking glass

Conclusion This paper attempts to make a contribution to an area of the literature on group therapy about which very little has been published—the effects of the therapy group upon the observing group and the dynamics of the observing group as an entity in itself. Although work on which this paper is based took place in training institutions where education is the primary function, it is important to emphasize that education and personal change are interrelated. Psychotherapeutic activity takes place spontaneously with the observers and needs to be constructively utilized. This wealth of process and reaction is an untapped training opportunity for the observing group. The challenge of method, personal reactions, and group process responses are all opportunities for its members to both learn more as therapists and mature as individuals. At this juncture, we are trying to establish ways of     

Does family therapy produce change? an overview of outcome studies

Summary Families were randomly assigned to one of two forms of conjoint marital therapy: an insight-oriented treatment (n=10) or a problem-solving intervention (n=10.). The results on self-report measures of family functioning indicate that the problem-solving intervention produced more favorable changes after three months. However on long-term follow-up after a year, this more positive effect did not apparently persist, since the insight treatment group reported better results. Experienced therapists did better than inexperienced therapists in the insight treatment condition, but level of experience did not make a difference in the problem-solving intervention. A group of eight families who dropped out of the insight treatment group provided data on correlates of premature termination. Several of the practical obstacles to implementing an experimental design in a clinic setting are illustrated by the research.As we develop more sophisticated methodology, we hope that is the near future family therapy researchers will be better able to state which type of approach is more effective for whom and under what circumstances. A review of current studies of family therapy outcome research indicates that family therapy seems to be as effective as individual psychological treatment.     

Protection of animal research subjects

The use of experimental animals, mostly rodents, in biomedical research and especially in oncology and immunology should be acknowledged with respect, recognizing the contribution of animal experimentation in the fascinating scientific progress in these disciplines of research. It is an obligation of the investigator to justify the scientific and ethical aspects of each study requiring the use of animals. The international guiding principles for using animals in biomedical research are well defined and have been distributed worldwide by the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) since 1956, when this Organization was founded. In Poland the ICLAS philosophy and principles are highly respected and were implemented firstly by the members of the Commission on Biology of Experimental Animals appointed in 1962 by the Department of Medical Science of the Polish Academy of Science in Warsaw. Animal Protection Acts, first proclaimed in 1928 were gradually modified and improved. Actual legislation (enacted in 1997, 2003 and 2005) is consistent with EU Directives (86/609/EEC) and follows the internationally recommended principles that include ICLAS guidelines concerning animal welfare and care condition in biomedical research. The problem of “alternative methods” is briefly discussed. Dr. Donald Boisvert, CCAC — Canadian Council on Animal Care A lecture on the subject of this paper was presented at the 6th International Bioethics Conference entitled ‘The Responsible Conduct of Basic and Clinical Research’, held in Warsaw, Poland, 3–4 June 2005. The author is the National Representative of Polish Academy of Science to the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) and a Member of the ICLAS Governing Board.     

Relational diagnosis: An essay review

A review ofHandbook of relational diagnosis and dysfunctional family patterns. Florence W. Kaslow, Ed. 566 pages. $55. Cloth. ISBN # 0471-08078-0. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.     

Brief therapy in the Israeli kibbutz

Analysis of results of therapy in an unselected sample of 211 kibbutz patients seen over a three year period by the author in his capacity as kibbutz member and psychiatrist indicated that over 70% of the identified patients responded very satisfactorily to brief therapy. About one-third of the clients did not need more than a single comprehensive therapy session to achieve continuous improvement. In a minority of the cases more than 10 sessions were required. The results were significantly better in cases treated by brief therapy than in the sample treated by long-term therapy, where the pre-treatment severity was determined to be greater. The paper describes the unique aspects of brief therapy in the kibbutz setting, giving an outline of the author's model of intervention, using all components of the individual, family, and community ecosystem.     

Divorce in the Kibbutz: Determinants of emotional adjustment

About two-thirds of a representative sample of kibbutz divorced subjects reached a satisfactory emotional and functioning level of adjustment with a high degree of cooperation between the exspouses by the second postseparation year. This outcome appears to be positively influenced both by a process of habituation and desensitization determined by the continuous physical proximity of the former spouses and by the neutralization of parenting and economic issues as subjects for dispute and litigation.     

Structural couplings between individual development and the epigenesis of family relations in schizophrenia: An eight-year follow-up

The aim of this research was to study individual development along with the epigenesis of family relations in an eight-year follow-up of schizophrenia. The five epigenetic phases described by Wynne are attachment/caregiving, communicating, joint problemsolving, mutuality, and intimacy. Results showed that the critical level of epigenesis was the communicating level; its resolution was statistically significantly connected to good prognosis concerning individual parameters. The mother-child dyad was usually epigenetically the most developed dyad in the family. We think this study gives a new paradigm for understanding connecting interconnections between individual and family dynamics in schizophrenia and valuable information for planning the integrated and need-specific treatment of schizophrenia and evaluating the course and prognosis of schizophrenia.This study was carried out at the Clinic of Psychiatry of the University of Turku, Finland, and financially supported by the Academy of Finland. The head of the project was Professor Yrjö O. Alanen. We have also been in cooperation with and received valuable constructive criticism from Professor Lyman C. Wynne, whose theoretical model we applied in this study. Ms. Birgitta Nolvi's secretarial work was greatly appreciated.     

Parental blaming and acquisition of guilt: A developmental task of childhood

Incidents involving the authors' twin 10-year-old daughters illustrate that guilt is well established in normal children of 10. The incidents suggest how the expectation of parental blaming triggers guilt and shame. Guilt and shame are compared. While they may coexist in the 10-year-old, guilt clearly is assuming a dominant position. Mental health professionals have emphasized the psychopathology of guilt and many forget that it is essential for normal socialization in that the guilty person feels a need to repair damage allegedly done. Guilt presumes that at least a primitive mutuality has been established in the person; and mutuality is the hallmark of human maturity. Terms are defined here with some variation from their usage by mental health experts: shame, guilt, blame, and counterblame.     

Teaching symbolic-experiential family therapy: The personhood of the teacher

This article explores issues in teaching symbolic-experiential family therapy to psychiatric residents. Six controversial contextual issues that arise in teaching any school of family therapy in this setting are presented. Then, the author distinguishes between content and process dimensions in teaching symbolic-experiential family therapy. This distinction helps to clarify the muddle often attendant to attempts to teach this particular area. A major point, to paraphrase Whitaker's famous dictum, is that Teaching symbolic experiential family therapy resides in the personhood of the teacher.