PROCESS-OUTCOME RELATIONSHIPS DURING A PS YCHOANALYTICALLY ORIENTED GROUP TREATMENT - EXAMINATION OF AN INPATIENT SERVICE

Within a comprehensive research project concerning process and outcome of a long term in-patient group psychotherapy, 22 patients participat ing in more than 130 group sessions during their 6-7 months treatment were asked to describe the treatment process continuously, i.e. follow ing each session. These descriptions were differentiated according to a) the sociometric positions of the group members, b) the patients' ex perience of themselves and the group, c) their therapeutic alliance an d general view of the treatment, and d) their perception of the group climate. In an exploratory study, three subgroups of the sample, forme d on the basis of a differentiated outcome measure, were compared with respect to the development of their self descriptions during the enti re treatment. Patients with a positive, an average and a poor outcome differed markedly in their descriptions of the treatment process in ne arly all variables of the study. In particular, a positive sociometric position, emotional relatedness to the group, openness, critical facu lty and an increase in contact with reality turned out to be process f actors indicating good prognosis. The results are discussed in relatio n to the possibilities of using standardized process measures as metho ds in therapeutic practice.