CHANGES IN PATIENTS PERCEPTIONS OF THERAP EUTIC FACTORS IN THE COURSEOF GROUP-PSYCHOTHERAPY

Using an easy-to-administer questionnaire, patients' estimates of ther apeutic factors in group psychotherapy and their changes were investig ated in an open inpatient twice-a-week group for alcoholics with stead ily changing membership. The factors ''universality'' and ''acceptance /cohesiveness'' were the most frequently and the factor ''altruism'' w as the least frequently positively rated. Questionnaires filled in by 44 patients all of whom attended at least 10 sessions were analyzed. T he frequency of positive ratings of the factor ''acceptance'' increase d, whereas the frequency of positive ratings of the factors ''vicariou s learning'', ''interpersonal learning'' and ''altruism'' significantl y decreased, as did the total score of positive ratings. However, the overall magnitude of the changes remained modest. There seem to exist natural limits to the full operation of some therapeutic factors in ce rtain psychotherapy groups.