Abstract

Difficult patients constitute a group of personality disorders all of which have borderline personality organization (Kernberg, 1976). But, often it refers to a range of severe personality disorders, including schizoid, paranoid, histrionic, avoidant, dependent, and sometimes even anti-social personalities (Hopper, 1999).

This study aims at:

  • Studying the role of an integrative dynamic model of group psychotherapy in the process of change of some patients who are classified as (difficult patients) according to Roth et. al. (1990)’s description.
  • Assessment of various aspects of therapeutic change in regard to their participation in group psychotherapy.
  • Following up their change process in a relatively long term manner.

Patients had semi-structured interviews guided by questionnaires (GEQ, BCQ, FU-Q). Videotape recordings of the group sessions and written transcriptions of the selected sessions undergone descriptive analysis.

The results of the study revealed that:

  • Group psychotherapy has played a critical role in the change process of the participating difficult patients, as revealed by their own claim and by the researcher’s analysis.
  • The studied therapy group has provided a good therapeutic environment where difficult patients could feel safety, acceptance and sharing.
  • Psychotherapy clients have an essential active role in the therapeutic process, where good therapeutic results are more likely to occur with clients who are more willing and able to avail themselves of what psychotherapy has to offer.
  • The group leader plays a central role in the clients’ change process, mostly encouraging for (psychological) risk taking in a safe therapeutic environment that he develops and maintains.
  • Therapeutic change from the group is relatively long lasting.

 

Citation:

Hassan, M. A., Tawfik, A., El Sherbeiny, A. M. and Mahfouz, R. (2007). A Clinical Study of Long Term Change of Some Difficult Patients in Group Psychotherapy. Doctoral dissertation, Neurology and Psychiatry Dept., Faculty of Medicine, Minia University.

For complete thesis:

  • Contact Dr. Maha Ali Hassan (email: gabora192002@hotmail.com),
  • Link to Egyptian Universities Library Consortium (here).
  • Visit Minia Faculty of Medicine’s book library.