NATURAL HISTORY OF A PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP FOR BATTERED WOMEN

• NCJ Number: 61324
• Journal: Psychiatry Volume: 42 Dated: (FALL 1979) Pages: 63-78
• Author(s): B ROUNSAVILLE; N LIFTON; M BIEBER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Grant Number(s): 5MH14082
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: William Alanson White Psychiatric Foundation
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: EARLIER DRAFT PRESENTED AT THE PSYCHOTHERAPIES CONFERENCE, CONNECTICUT MENTAL HEALTH CENTER, YALE MEDICAL SCHOOL, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, FEBRUARY 18, 1977

Annotation

PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH BATTERED WOMEN CAN BE USEFUL TO THOSE WHO STAY IN TREATMENT AND GROUP THERAPY MAY BE A PREFERRED TREATMENT MODALITY.

Abstract

THIS REPORT ASSESSES AND EVALUATES PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP TREATMENT FOR BATTERED WOMEN. THE STUDY GROUP USED A CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING, PROBLEM-ORIENTED APPROACH DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF BATTERED WOMEN. PATIENT REFERRALS WERE FROM TWO SOURCES: SURGICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC PERSONNEL AT A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM AND EVALUATING CLINICIANS AT A MENTAL HEALTH CENTER. CASE IDENTIFICATION AND PATIENT INTERVIEWS TOOK PLACE OVER A 3-MONTH PERIOD. THE GROUP STARTED WITH 75 PATIENTS, BUT ONLY 41 PERCENT CAME FOR A SINGLE FOLLOWUP INTERVIEW. THE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO ACTUALLY BECAME ENGAGED IN PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR MORE THAN ONE SESSION WAS EVEN SMALLER. ONLY 10 BECAME INVOLVED IN TREATMENT AND ONLY 6 ATTENDED THE GROUP ON A REGULAR BASIS. MOST OF THE WOMEN HAD BEEN REPEATEDLY ABUSED OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND REPRESENTED A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL, RACIAL, AND ETHNIC GROUPS, WITH YOUNGER WOMEN PREDOMINATING. INSUFFICIENT AND ERRATIC MEMBERSHIP SEEMED TO BE THE KEY PROBLEM IN OFFERING GROUP THERAPY TO BATTERED WOMEN. HOWEVER, GROUP THERAPY MAY STILL BE A PREFERRED TREATMENT MODALITY AS IT REDUCES ISOLATION, ALLOWS FOR SUBSTITUTE DEPENDENCY, AND FOSTERS SPECIFIC CONCENTRATION ON THE PROBLEM. THE THERAPIST CAN EXPECT PATIENTS TO BE HIGHLY AMBIVALENT ABOUT THE BATTERING RELATIONSHIP AND CAN EXPECT DEPENDENCY ISSUES TO BE OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (MJW)