The effects of initial warm-up period upon the course of group psychotherapy sessions

Author(s): Pantuckova, M.

Journal/Book: Ceskoslovenska Psychologie. 1974; 18: 411-418.

Abstract: Describes the course of 45-min unstructured group sessions with 15-23 patients in a therapeutic community for neurotics. Comparison was made among (a) sessions preceded by 15 min of pantomine oriented to the interaction of group members; (b) sessions preceded by 15 min of listening to music and associative recall of important events of one's life; and (c) control sessions. All 3 types of sessions were repeated 4 times in an irregular sequence. At the end of each session, Ss were asked to fill in a questionnaire evaluating impressions from the session and the group process. Data from 10 Ss who participated in all sessions were used for statistical evaluation. As expected, the session preceded by the initial warming-up techniques, especially by pantomine, established a better therapeutic atmosphere than the control sessions. Listening to music generally stimulated talking about Ss' inner experience, while pantomine stimulated discussion about Ss' relations to the group. It increased activity in the group session and brought a feeling of higher cohesion. The sessions with pantomine were evaluated as most interesting. (Russian summary) (10 ref)

Note: initial warm up period; course of group psychotherapy; neurotic patients

Keyword(s): Group psychotherapy; neurosis ; psychotherapeutic techniques; psychotherapeutic processes

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