[Psychodrama versus patient club activity (leisure group): effects of a 25 hours group psychotherapy with psychiatric patients (author's transl)].

Abstract

Unlabelled: The effects of psychodramatherapy versus patient club activity group is compared in a controlled study with psychiatric patients in a period of two month (8 times a three hour session per week).

Sample: 22 patients (11 patients psychodramatherapy (PD); 11 patients patient club activity (PCA)). Diagnoses: neuroses, subacute psychoses. Patients were matched according to age, sex and syndrome (resp. diagnoses). Applied tests: semistandardized interview with formulation of personal therapeutic goals, personality tests (Giessen, MMPI), mood scales (EWL, Bf-S v. Zerssen, 100 mml line), psychopathology (AMP 3/interview), social adjustment (SAF). Testing periods: before beginning with PD and PCA, attendant to therapy, after therapy, follow up (three month after end oftherapy).

Results: it was advantageous to have both psychotic and neurotic patients in the same therapy group. In the course of psychodramatherapy and patient club activity there was an improvement with a regressive trend to baseline after end of therapy. PD in comparison to PCA appeared to be more effective in the improvement of some psychiatric relevant personality dimensions, in the improvement of psychopathology, in reaching the personal therapeutic goals and in a positive opinion of therapy. A psychodramatherapy lasting two month seems revealed to be more attractive and to have more therapeutic efficacy than a patient club activity group. Because of the instability of some effects a more prolonged therapy period is suggested.