DIFFERENT PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN NARRATIVES OF MEN AND WOMEN DURING ANALYTICAL GROUP-PSYCHOTHERAPY

Narratives of men and women concerning their interactions with other p eople were evaluated before and during analytically oriented group psy chotherapy wing the Core-Conflictual-Relationship-Theme (CCRT) method (Luborsky & Crits-Cristoph, 1990). Relationship patterns of men and wo men developed differently during therapy. Some gender stereotypes pers isted, others changed. During therapy the proportion of negative respo nses in the narratives increased in the men. Change in the narratives was not related to change in self-reported symptoms. For group treatme nts, the results suggest that the gender of the patients has to be tak en into account. Knowledge of different developmental patterns for men and women in groups can be important in regard to the expectations of therapists and their countertransference.