Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T00:52:16.553Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Randomized Comparative Trial of a Ward Discussion Group

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

E. D. West
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
A. Jackson
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
A. Physentides
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
S. Seenivasagan
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
P. Jezard
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
A. Nicholson
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
R. Ram
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey
H. Knight
Affiliation:
Sutton Hospital, Sutton, Surrey

Summary

A randomized controlled study of 38 catchment unit psychiatric in-patients in a discussion group showed no significant additional benefit compared with 36 in-patients in an activity group. Symptom change scored by three rating groups agreed closely, average r = +0.64. Patients treated with ECT showed 2.6 times as much reduction in morbidity as those not so treated, but there was still no appreciable difference between discussion and activity groups when this was allowed for. Other treatment factors and the Hawthorne effect appeared to obscure any effect due to group therapy.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bergin, E. A. & Garfield, S. L. (eds.) (1978) Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behaviour Change. Chapter 5, 2nd Edition. London: John Wiley Google Scholar
Mayo, E. (1933) The Human Problems in an Industrial Civilisation. Chapters III and IV. Boston: Harvard University Press Google Scholar
Smith, M. L., Glass, G. V. & Miller, T. I. (1981) The Benefit of Psychotherapy. Chapters 2 and 5. Baltimore and London: John Hopkins University Press Google Scholar
Strupp, H. H. & Hadley, S. W. (1979) Specific vs nonspecific factors in psychotherapy: A controlled study of outcome. Archives of General Psychiatry, 36, 1125–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, F. K. (1961) The Analysis of Therapeutic Groups. Chapter V. London: Oxford University Press Google Scholar
West, E. D. (1981) Electroconvulsive therapy in depression: A double blind controlled trial. British Medical Journal, 282, 355–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.