A Procedure for Orienting New Members To Group Psychotherapy

Although pretherapy training is a relatively new concept, there is research evidence indicating that it: (1) increases faith in group therapy (Yalom et al., 1967); (2) produces better attendance in therapy (Hoehn-Saric et al., 1964); (3) facilitates desirable in-group behavior (Sloan et al., 1970; Yalom et al., 1967); and (4) results in significant improve-ment on a variety of dimensions (Truax et al., 1968; Sloan et al., 1970). Two investigations into the effects of pretherapy training warrant detailed attention. In the first study (Yalom et al., 1967) 60 subjects from a waiting list were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The presentation to the experimental group in the form of a 25-minute preparatory lecture may be summarized as an attempt to focus interper-sonal behavior on the here and now, to increase the patient’s faith in the efficacy of the group therapy process (via presentation of a research investigation demonstrating that a high proportion of remainers in group psychotherapy signifi-cantly improved), and to provide cognitive information that would help patients to anticipate critical events in the development of a cohesive group.