["Therapeutic play" als clinical short-term group therapy in rehabilitative and preventive internal medicine (author's transl)].

A method of therapeutic play was presented which was used with young patients in treatment at a health resort. The patients were diagnosed as suffering from the vegetative syndrome. They also exhibited psychological problems such as difficulty in establishing interpersonal relationships, inhibition and depressive tendencies. This method consisting of a three-stage program of self-perception, interaction and role playing has been used successfully as short-term group therapy in the context of treatment at a health resort as the investigation of 49 participants shows.